Originally Posted By: CT8
Read an article ,believe it blindly.
Also the Toyota Manual, but I guess you know better then all.
Read an article ,believe it blindly.
Also the Toyota Manual, but I guess you know better then all.
Warming up engine is useless and waste gas
- Thread starter Stewie
- Start date
- Status
I still let my vehicle warm up 10 minutes or more before I go, especially when its -30 out.
I don't do it to warm up the engine I only do it because it runs on 20w50 which in cold days can be a little thick
This topic comes up in many forms over the years, usually as soon as it starts getting cold, or during a cold snap. The general concensus here is a long warm up is no good, start the engine and drive slowly is the best way to warm up an engine. However in extreme temps like -30F running the engine for a few minutes seems to be the norm. As I've said before I use the tach as a guide for how long to warm up my car. When it hits 1000 rpm I go. Slamming an AT into gear or slipping a clutch in a high reeving engine isn't appealing to me. YMMV
demarpaint, given that I doubt anyone regularly drives a carbed engine these days, the fact that they have a prolonged fast idle on start is indicative that a little load (well actually RPM, that's what warms oil, bearings, and engines up) is clearly the OEM's understanding...unless they are planning to wear your engine out.
Nissan owners manual says wait 30seconds before putting vehicle into drive.
I'm not concerned about the engine but I am concerned about seeing where I'm going. Monday it took almost 20 minutes to warm the car and scrap the windows of ice.
I drive a carbed engine, so is the best way to wait until the autochoke cuts off, when the needle drops to normal idle speed, in my case 2 minutes, then only drive off ?
Originally Posted By: Shannow
demarpaint, given that I doubt anyone regularly drives a carbed engine these days, the fact that they have a prolonged fast idle on start is indicative that a little load (well actually RPM, that's what warms oil, bearings, and engines up) is clearly the OEM's understanding...unless they are planning to wear your engine out.
I agree. For me it doesn't take very long to reach 1K rpm, usually less than 1 minute unless its really cold. I drive stick and AT, I really don't like letting a clutch out on a high reeving engine. When I put my AT into gear my foot is only on the brake long enough to allow the transmission to exit park. I pause for a split second in N w/o my foot on the brake and go into drive, so the rear is not locked and the car takes off instead of engaging with the brakes applied holding the car at a stop. That applies to flat ground or a downward hill when I'm facing forward, sort of a slight rolling start. Obviously if I have to back up a hill, I'll engage the trans with the brake on to preventing rolling forward. That's a habit I developed a long long time ago.
demarpaint, given that I doubt anyone regularly drives a carbed engine these days, the fact that they have a prolonged fast idle on start is indicative that a little load (well actually RPM, that's what warms oil, bearings, and engines up) is clearly the OEM's understanding...unless they are planning to wear your engine out.
I agree. For me it doesn't take very long to reach 1K rpm, usually less than 1 minute unless its really cold. I drive stick and AT, I really don't like letting a clutch out on a high reeving engine. When I put my AT into gear my foot is only on the brake long enough to allow the transmission to exit park. I pause for a split second in N w/o my foot on the brake and go into drive, so the rear is not locked and the car takes off instead of engaging with the brakes applied holding the car at a stop. That applies to flat ground or a downward hill when I'm facing forward, sort of a slight rolling start. Obviously if I have to back up a hill, I'll engage the trans with the brake on to preventing rolling forward. That's a habit I developed a long long time ago.
I currently live in Florida. And, when it's cool out, I warm up my cars for a minute or two. Generally so I can de-fog the windshield and see where I am going.
Also, it's clear that some engines complain audibly when driven while stone cold. Such as when renting a car up North. I'm not at all sure driving a stone cold engine, and accelerating to speed instantly is in any way helpful to it.
Also, it's clear that some engines complain audibly when driven while stone cold. Such as when renting a car up North. I'm not at all sure driving a stone cold engine, and accelerating to speed instantly is in any way helpful to it.
Originally Posted By: alcyon
I drive a carbed engine, so is the best way to wait until the autochoke cuts off, when the needle drops to normal idle speed, in my case 2 minutes, then only drive off ?
I don't idle after morning start (typical ambients of 26 to 28*C) ... though my engine is carbed too.
I would engage gear say,within 2 seconds after start, then drive on with a light foot on pedal... touching 2500 rpm in half a minute on a flat gradient road.
The engine probably like it this way..
I drive a carbed engine, so is the best way to wait until the autochoke cuts off, when the needle drops to normal idle speed, in my case 2 minutes, then only drive off ?
I don't idle after morning start (typical ambients of 26 to 28*C) ... though my engine is carbed too.
I would engage gear say,within 2 seconds after start, then drive on with a light foot on pedal... touching 2500 rpm in half a minute on a flat gradient road.
The engine probably like it this way..
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: DrRoughneck
Article could be written better. It states that "Using a block heater can dramatically reduce the wear on your engine by improving oil flow on initial start-up" then criticizes long idles as wasteful, yet entirely ommits that 5-10 seconds of idling to get oil flowing IS good and not wasteful (as well as common knowledge).
Huh? The step that you are missing from the other side is about driving along being the same as idling from a wear perspective. If you take this perspective then there isn't a contradiction.
Why would the first 1000 revolutions idling to get oil flowing be different for the engine than puttering along for that same 1000revs in gear puttering along. Theres going to be the startup wear in both cases but now you've also got some mechanical work out of those same revs
Article could be written better. It states that "Using a block heater can dramatically reduce the wear on your engine by improving oil flow on initial start-up" then criticizes long idles as wasteful, yet entirely ommits that 5-10 seconds of idling to get oil flowing IS good and not wasteful (as well as common knowledge).
Huh? The step that you are missing from the other side is about driving along being the same as idling from a wear perspective. If you take this perspective then there isn't a contradiction.
Why would the first 1000 revolutions idling to get oil flowing be different for the engine than puttering along for that same 1000revs in gear puttering along. Theres going to be the startup wear in both cases but now you've also got some mechanical work out of those same revs
Last edited:
I simply open the garage door, start the vehicle, put on my seat belt and drive no matter what the temperature. The vehicles are parked in either the garage or shop at night, so fogged/iced windows aren't a concern.
Originally Posted By: Cujet
I'm not at all sure driving a stone cold engine, and accelerating to speed instantly is in any way helpful to it.
Yet those of us that actually live in the areas with significant winter temperatures don't see an abnormal number of engine failures. The reality is that it does't hurt an engine at all; engines aren't delicate, sensitive little devices. They are actually rather robust, and starting them and driving away in any temperature for which they're designed isn't harmful.
Originally Posted By: Cujet
I'm not at all sure driving a stone cold engine, and accelerating to speed instantly is in any way helpful to it.
Yet those of us that actually live in the areas with significant winter temperatures don't see an abnormal number of engine failures. The reality is that it does't hurt an engine at all; engines aren't delicate, sensitive little devices. They are actually rather robust, and starting them and driving away in any temperature for which they're designed isn't harmful.
Originally Posted By: rshaw125
I'm not concerned about the engine but I am concerned about seeing where I'm going. Monday it took almost 20 minutes to warm the car and scrap the windows of ice.
Spray window with 3:1 mix of water:rubbing alcohol and you won't have to wait 20min.
I'm not concerned about the engine but I am concerned about seeing where I'm going. Monday it took almost 20 minutes to warm the car and scrap the windows of ice.
Spray window with 3:1 mix of water:rubbing alcohol and you won't have to wait 20min.
- Joined
- Dec 30, 2006
- Messages
- 29,558
I always idle till the temp needle begins to move,then drive.
For me i wait till at least till the temperature gauge moves...buts that just me, others said that they dont wait to warm up the engine
There is something called thermal expansion. At operating temperature i believe the clearances might change a bit.
There is something called thermal expansion. At operating temperature i believe the clearances might change a bit.
No warmup for me unless I need the defroster.
I will use remote start to let the car warm up on cold ski mornings so my daughter doesn't complain when she climbs in, but I don't really like doing it.
If my car is parked outside and ends up completely encased in ice, like a few nights ago when I was nice and let the wife and daughter park in the garage before the freezing rain came, I will start it and blast the defrosts to help loosen the shell.
Otherwise, I get going fairly quickly. My car usually shows something like -4 PSI on the boost for about 10-20 seconds after it starts before ramping down to about -10, and I will sometimes wait for that drop before rolling. Not always.
If my car is parked outside and ends up completely encased in ice, like a few nights ago when I was nice and let the wife and daughter park in the garage before the freezing rain came, I will start it and blast the defrosts to help loosen the shell.
Otherwise, I get going fairly quickly. My car usually shows something like -4 PSI on the boost for about 10-20 seconds after it starts before ramping down to about -10, and I will sometimes wait for that drop before rolling. Not always.
Last edited:
- Status
Similar threads
- Locked
- Locked
