warming up the car

[cjhepburn]

^It always does.
It all depends on what you believe. I don't think anyone is an expert on the long term effects of warming vs. driving cold. You also have people piping in from the warmer states where it makes less of a difference between warming and driving off cold.
FWIW, in the summer I only warm long enough to buckle.

 

[Patman]

The only reason I warm up my wife's Civic for a couple of minutes is because it clunks pretty hard when you put the transmission into drive on very cold mornings if you try driving it right after starting it. It's done this since day one, and a friend of mine who is a former Honda technician told me the best thing to do is just let the car idle for a couple of minutes if it's very cold outside.

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: Patman
The only reason I warm up my wife's Civic for a couple of minutes is because it clunks pretty hard when you put the transmission into drive on very cold mornings if you try driving it right after starting it. It's done this since day one, and a friend of mine who is a former Honda technician told me the best thing to do is just let the car idle for a couple of minutes if it's very cold outside.


Which is why I like to see the tach around 1000 rpms or a little less. For some reason the clunk is more pronounced in reverse in my Aerostar.

 

[Mau]

Originally Posted By: Patman
The only reason I warm up my wife's Civic for a couple of minutes is because it clunks pretty hard when you put the transmission into drive on very cold mornings if you try driving it right after starting it. It's done this since day one, and a friend of mine who is a former Honda technician told me the best thing to do is just let the car idle for a couple of minutes if it's very cold outside.


this is the same reason I warm up my cars, all of them are hondas. The RDX you can hear the revs drop a minute or two after startup, but the prelude and accord I have to look at the rpm's and as soon as it drops below 1100 its good. But ya sometimes I shift and it bangs/jerks (not a nice feeling)

 

[aussiek2000]

If Its cold out, I let it run until it blows heat. If the windshield is iced up, It runs until the ice is gone. Its my gas, I'll use it how I please.

 

[SLCraig]

Originally Posted By: KrisZ
The excuses some give here are truly pathetic, just admit your laziness and be done with it.

Idling for more than 5 mins will not help the engine last longer, maybe some old clunkers need to warm up before they run right, but it's because they are out of tune, not because they need to. If some like their car warm, so that they don't have to dress for winter or scrape the windows, that's OK, but don't hide behind laws or kids. And if the car is started routinely in -25C or below, a block and oil heater will be much more beneficial to the engine than idling will ever be.


I'm not lazy, I just don't see the point in freezing myself in a car that was just started when I have time in the morning to run it a few mins before I go. I couldn't care less that that is apparently worse for the engine. The fact is, I have put in the best oil that I can afford to put in, and that is good enough for me. (I'm sure its not going to fail because its warmed up for a few mins in the AM)

 

[2003f7]

Originally Posted By: SLCraig
Originally Posted By: KrisZ
The excuses some give here are truly pathetic, just admit your laziness and be done with it.

Idling for more than 5 mins will not help the engine last longer, maybe some old clunkers need to warm up before they run right, but it's because they are out of tune, not because they need to. If some like their car warm, so that they don't have to dress for winter or scrape the windows, that's OK, but don't hide behind laws or kids. And if the car is started routinely in -25C or below, a block and oil heater will be much more beneficial to the engine than idling will ever be.

I'm not lazy, I just don't see the point in freezing myself in a car that was just started when I have time in the morning to run it a few mins before I go. I couldn't care less that that is apparently worse for the engine. The fact is, I have put in the best oil that I can afford to put in, and that is good enough for me. (I'm sure its not going to fail because its warmed up for a few mins in the AM)

+1

 

[demarpaint]

I'm thinking the long term effect on the clutch in the stick, and the drive train in the AT will cost more to fix than the minute or so worth of gas running the engine till it kicks down. JMO

 

[Bryanccfshr]

Originally Posted By: Silber Igel
Originally Posted By: Bryanccfshr
IT is against the law to drive with frosted window here and the police are thankfully enforcing that. In the morning my Work Truck gets 6-10 minutes of idle to defrost the windows(It has b een single digit temps every moring for two months.
This morning before going out for breakfeast with my wife I just started my jeep and drove off(it was 13 but the vertical jeep windshield does not frost up. I will admit my manual transmission shifts like crud until the entire system warms up.


Get a can of spray de-icer. That removes frost 98% of the time.....


Why? its a company truck, company gas and De icer is somthinng else I would have to maintain in the company MSDS database. The simpler method for the business is to have warmups or stretch a tarp over the windshield. lately the nightly icedfogs require a warm up to get a tarp unstuck from the windshield anyway. Besides...Its a machine and its job is to make my life easier not the other way around

 

[SevenBizzos]

I guess with all this talk about "wasting gas", I'd ask you:
"How much gas does it take to idle?"

For my example, the two winter cars we drive have a Hyundai 2.0 4cyl and a Honda 2.3 4cyl in them. Let's say during the colder periods of the winter we let them idle 10 minutes a day for the 7 days in a week. 140 minutes of parked idle time a week.

How much fuel do you suppose is "wasted" on me wanting to sit in a slightly warmed interior? I've read 4 cylinder engines use .25 - .35 gallons per hour at ldle. So even at .35GPH, you're looking at about .8 something gallons a week for two cars at 10 minutes of idle a day.

And it's not me being "lazy". I don't have remote start and both cars are outside. So I have to get the keys, put some shoes on, and go out in the cold to start them.

So if it "costs" me less than a gallon of $2.60 fuel a week for two warmed interiors, I'll take it!!!

**I also like the posts from the people in states bordering Mexico putting their

in on this thread. I guess next we'll ask the good people of the Yukon how they prepare their cars for the extreme summer temps.

 

[Bryanccfshr]

Originally Posted By: SevenBizzos
I guess with all this talk about "wasting gas", I'd ask you:
"How much gas does it take to idle?"

For my example, the two winter cars we drive have a Hyundai 2.0 4cyl and a Honda 2.3 4cyl in them. Let's say during the colder periods of the winter we let them idle 10 minutes a day for the 7 days in a week. 140 minutes of parked idle time a week.

How much fuel do you suppose is "wasted" on me wanting to sit in a slightly warmed interior? I've read 4 cylinder engines use .25 - .35 gallons per hour at ldle. So even at .35GPH, you're looking at about .8 something gallons a week for two cars at 10 minutes of idle a day.

And it's not me being "lazy". I don't have remote start and both cars are outside. So I have to get the keys, put some shoes on, and go out in the cold to start them.

So if it "costs" me less than a gallon of $2.60 fuel a week for two warmed interiors, I'll take it!!!

**I also like the posts from the people in states bordering Mexico putting their

in on this thread. I guess next we'll ask the good people of the Yukon how they prepare their cars for the extreme summer temps.


I agree with everything you posted but your last sentence.


I am in New Mexico at over 5500 feet at my house. It gets cold. I worked on the North Slope of Alaska for 8 years. THis Corpus Christi Texas Native knows a few things about cold starts.

 

[labman]

So who has an owner's manual recommending a warm up?

 

[wander2039]

With the Escape it idles till it starts pumping out hot air. Usually it's only couple minutes.. the time it takes to go back in and get the boy ready. The Festiva I might let it idle 10-15 seconds and off I go. It could probably idle for 30 minutes and still not read anything on the gauge. On the highway it takes 4-5 miles before my automatic reads anything on the gauge. Dad's 5spd I drove the entire 8-9 miles to work and it finally started blowing some hot air when I pulled in the parking lot. The small 1.3's just don't put out much heat.

 

[Patman]

Originally Posted By: Mau


this is the same reason I warm up my cars, all of them are hondas. The RDX you can hear the revs drop a minute or two after startup, but the prelude and accord I have to look at the rpm's and as soon as it drops below 1100 its good. But ya sometimes I shift and it bangs/jerks (not a nice feeling)



My wife's Honda has a cold idle of 1600rpm and it stays there for at least a minute and then only drops down by about 100rpm for every minute after that. So it takes at least 6 minutes to get from 1600 rpm to 1000 rpm. I generally wait only until it gets down to 1400 or 1500 though, that's long enough to avoid the "clunk"

 

[Capa]

Originally Posted By: labman
So who has an owner's manual recommending a warm up?


I have a 1999 Lexus GS 400 and the manual states for normal starting procedure: "After the engine runs for 10 seconds, you are ready to drive."

However, it also states that "if the weather is below freezing, let the engine warm up for a few minutes before driving."

So I guess if it is below freezing, I should use the RPM's as a guide as to when I can drive, but if it is above freezing ten seconds suffices.

 

[Silber Igel]

Originally Posted By: Bryanccfshr
Originally Posted By: Silber Igel
Originally Posted By: Bryanccfshr
IT is against the law to drive with frosted window here and the police are thankfully enforcing that. In the morning my Work Truck gets 6-10 minutes of idle to defrost the windows(It has b een single digit temps every moring for two months.
This morning before going out for breakfeast with my wife I just started my jeep and drove off(it was 13 but the vertical jeep windshield does not frost up. I will admit my manual transmission shifts like crud until the entire system warms up.



Get a can of spray de-icer. That removes frost 98% of the time.....


Why? its a company truck, company gas and De icer is somthinng else I would have to maintain in the company MSDS database. The simpler method for the business is to have warmups or stretch a tarp over the windshield. lately the nightly icedfogs require a warm up to get a tarp unstuck from the windshield anyway. Besides...Its a machine and its job is to make my life easier not the other way around



OSHA does not require that MSDSs be provided to purchasers of household consumer products when the products are used in the workplace in the same manner that a consumer would use them, i.e.; where the duration and frequency of use (and therefore exposure) is not greater than what the typical consumer would experience. This exemption in OSHA's regulation is based, however, not upon the chemical manufacturer's intended use of his product, but upon how it actually is used in the workplace. Employees who are required to work with hazardous chemicals in a manner that results in a duration and frequency of exposure greater than what a normal consumer would experience have a right to know about the properties of those hazardous chemicals.
Same as White Out, Windex, Chlorox Wipes, and ... the gas and oil in the truck, etc.. MSDS not required.

 

[beast3300]

I only drive 7 mins to work and about 4 miles. Such that, I allow the engine to heat up some before driving. I like to hit norm op temp before shutting it off at work. I try to prevent nasty condensation to build up. Obviously there will be an extent to this white goo, but I try to minimize it.

 

[Vizzy]

I have a 96 VW Golf with a 2L 4 cyl engine in it. The car has about 105k on it as well....

My car no matter what the temps always starts right up and idles solidly at the specified 750 RPMs....

I use 10w30 dino.....

Most modern dino oil (from 5w30-10w40) will flow fairly well down to 10F...So with my ride unless it is below 20F I simply start it up let it run for 30 seconds and drive away gently until normal ooperating temps occur....

I would say that if you let your car warm up at idle from cold you are...

1) Wasting gas
2) Actually causing MORE wear and tear to the engine and other fluid supported mechanisms
3) Taking longer for the car interior to warm comfortably...

Now I agree that if temps are below 10F you need to maybe wait a minute or two before driving off.

 

[Bigsyke]

My Honda Manual.

"Engine should be idled for 1 Minute before driving off in all weather conditions"

 

[ThirdeYe]

According to my Acura manual:

To warm the interior rapidly after the car has been sitting out in cold weather.

1.) Start the engine.
2.) Select the Recirculation mode and (button with arrow pointing to upper body).
3.) Slide the temperature control lever to maximum heat.
4.) Leave the fan OFF for the first few minutes. When the temperature gauge rises above the bottom white mark, set the fan to medium speed.
5.) When the interior warms up, switch to fresh air mode and adjust the temperature control lever to a comfortable setting.

"A cold engine uses more fuel than a warm engine. It is not necessary to "warm-up" a cold engine by letting it idle for a long time. You can drive away in about a minute, no matter how cold it is outside. The engine will warm up faster, and you get better fuel economy."