Warming Up Engine

[demarpaint]

A complete waste of fuel, and unnecessary engine wear. I have a neighbor that runs her Ford Edge at least 30 minutes in the winter before going to work. In the summer she runs it about 15 minutes. She comes outside starts it up, goes inside and gets dressed, then leaves.

 

[Lubener]

Originally Posted by HowAboutThis
So, every day for the last 6 months I've taken my dog out in the morning for a potty walk. And every day at about the same time a guy has run out and started his BRZ and let's it idle for 5-10 minutes before leaving. Today as he came out to his already running car I mentioned the pattern I noticed and asked why. He said he warms the car up to get the oil up to temperature before he goes to work.

I just nodded and said, "oh, ok."

My assumption is he's probably a member of BITOG given this odd and completely unnecessary habit. Or is it unnecessary? Please comment with your opinion. Is this neighbor of mine a genius? Or not?

He's ignorant. No need for needless idling.

 

[earlyre]

man... around here they'd likely get a ticket for that...unless they're using a remote starter...we have rules on the books against leaving vehicles running unattended...

something about encouraging thieves...

 

[ragtoplvr]

Moms old freestar wheelchair conversion has pistion slap when it is below 40 or so. I hate to drive it pistons slapping. Takes between 1 and 5 minutes heat off for it to quit depending on ambient temp. If it is zero out it gets 5 minutes. It is very slow to warm up, so I leave the heater off if I can until the temp gauge reaches normal. Can not do that if she is with me. time to warm van is actually less that way.

Rod

 

[PimTac]

Originally Posted by earlyre
man... around here they'd likely get a ticket for that...unless they're using a remote starter...we have rules on the books against leaving vehicles running unattended...

something about encouraging thieves...




Easy picking for thieves. Maybe some people don't have this problem in their area but just recently our news reported about 70 cars stolen within a 48 hour stretch.

My region is a car thief's paradise.

 

[tiger862]

Originally Posted by TheLawnRanger
Originally Posted by tiger862
I set stool up for wife, crank vehicle with AC cooling then get her in. Load wheelchair and stool then buckle her in then myself then I leave, so it might be between 2-5 minutes depending on how much trouble wife is having.

Good for you. I'm sure your wife appreciates that.

She does but at same time she hates she can't get in by herself. (Stroke)

 

[Pelican]

I let my car idle, with me in it, till all the electronic crap has booted up (30-60sec) then I move.

 

[SevenBizzos]

Originally Posted by HowAboutThis
So, every day for the last 6 months I've taken my dog out in the morning for a potty walk. And every day at about the same time a guy has run out and started his BRZ and let's it idle for 5-10 minutes before leaving. Today as he came out to his already running car I mentioned the pattern I noticed and asked why. He said he warms the car up to get the oil up to temperature before he goes to work.

I just nodded and said, "oh, ok."

My assumption is he's probably a member of BITOG given this odd and completely unnecessary habit. Or is it unnecessary? Please comment with your opinion. Is this neighbor of mine a genius? Or not?


Nice, a summer car warming thread! Eh, if he wants to do that, whatever. Maybe he works 2 miles away. If he's that anal about morning warmups, there's a good chance he's that way about the maintenance and taking care of his whip. Good for him whether that's what you believe or don't. Check back with us when the car dies and we can debate how many more miles he would have been able to go with the start and go practice.

 

[HowAboutThis]

Originally Posted by SevenBizzos
Originally Posted by HowAboutThis
So, every day for the last 6 months I've taken my dog out in the morning for a potty walk. And every day at about the same time a guy has run out and started his BRZ and let's it idle for 5-10 minutes before leaving. Today as he came out to his already running car I mentioned the pattern I noticed and asked why. He said he warms the car up to get the oil up to temperature before he goes to work.

I just nodded and said, "oh, ok."

My assumption is he's probably a member of BITOG given this odd and completely unnecessary habit. Or is it unnecessary? Please comment with your opinion. Is this neighbor of mine a genius? Or not?


Nice, a summer car warming thread! Eh, if he wants to do that, whatever. Maybe he works 2 miles away. If he's that anal about morning warmups, there's a good chance he's that way about the maintenance and taking care of his whip. Good for him whether that's what you believe or don't. Check back with us when the car dies and we can debate how many more miles he would have been able to go with the start and go practice.


I feel like we should preemptively start this new topic...lol

 

[HowAboutThis]

Originally Posted by Char Baby
Originally Posted by HowAboutThis


I just nodded and said, "oh, ok."

My assumption is he's probably a member of BITOG given this odd and completely unnecessary habit. Or is it unnecessary? Please comment with your opinion. Is this neighbor of mine a genius? Or not?


My assumption is he's probably NOT a member of BITOG! Otherwise he'd start the engine, adjust the mirrors & seats, buckle-up and drive off.


"Otherwise he'd start the engine, adjust the mirrors & seats, buckle-up, and you'd see him changing the oil weekly for the first 3 years because it's a new car and wear metals might ruin the engine by 20k if you don't change the oil every 200 miles with PUP weekly." I fixed your statement for you.

 

[4WD]

More like cooling the interior down south

 

[HowAboutThis]

Originally Posted by 4WD
More like cooling the interior down south


Window shade, start car, roll windows down, crank AC on recirc, get in and drive. Even the cheap $10 window shades keep an amazing amount of heat from absorbing into your interior.

Plus, irrelevant for this guy. Sun isn't up yet, it was about 60, and he's fully covered in the shade.

 

[GMFan]

I generally start driving when starting the car after about 10 seconds, which is the time it takes to put my seat belt on. If it's really cold in winter, I'll let me car idle for about 30 seconds. Used to know an older couple at church who would start their car and idle it for 5 minutes before they'd start driving.

 

[HowAboutThis]

Originally Posted by GMFan
I generally start driving when starting the car after about 10 seconds, which is the time it takes to put my seat belt on. If it's really cold in winter, I'll let me car idle for about 30 seconds. Used to know an older couple at church who would start their car and idle it for 5 minutes before they'd start driving.


When it's below zero my dad idles it for about 15-30 minutes because, "I'm old and I've earned a warm car after living in this God forsaken country for so long." But he's a bitter old man who's earned his keep. That's a completely different issue than this healthy looking, young neighbor who jogs in and out and around.

I also used to idle for about 5-10 when below zero for defrosting reasons so I could see and because my manual transmission struggled to shift and clutch struggled to work. But, again, it's not cold enough where I live currently for any of that.

 

[JC1]

The old school drivers won't change even thought the carburetor has since long gone from daily drivers.

In winter I use a block heater which comes on for 90 mins before I leave for work in the morning. During warmer weather I let the car idle for 15-45 seconds unlesa I'm waiting for my wife or kids which is never quick.

 

[Anduril]

My driveway is 250' and there's a gate I have to park and manually open/close at the end so those things provide plenty of warmup time. If it's really hot, I'll let idle for a few mins with the A/C on so it's comfortable to get inside though.

 

[Garak]

This February, yes; now, not so much.

 

[Railrust]

I never let my car warm up, don't care if it's 20 bellow, I start it, I take it easy for the first few miles, then it's warmed up. I have a one hour commute, the engine will be operating in operating temperature for much of it...my street is a half mile long...I barely let the engine go over 1,200 rpm's while driving down it - I figure that's what the engine would be doing in my driveway - why not just gently drive it, not push it and get going? I'm not into wasting fuel or beating on my cars.

But yeah I know people that let their vehicles idle in their driveways for 5-10 minutes, just burning that fuel...then they wonder why they are getting 5 mpg' less than me. It just isn't necessary in my opinion.

 

[edyvw]

Originally Posted by Railrust
I never let my car warm up, don't care if it's 20 bellow, I start it, I take it easy for the first few miles, then it's warmed up. I have a one hour commute, the engine will be operating in operating temperature for much of it...my street is a half mile long...I barely let the engine go over 1,200 rpm's while driving down it - I figure that's what the engine would be doing in my driveway - why not just gently drive it, not push it and get going? I'm not into wasting fuel or beating on my cars.

But yeah I know people that let their vehicles idle in their driveways for 5-10 minutes, just burning that fuel...then they wonder why they are getting 5 mpg' less than me. It just isn't necessary in my opinion.

The amount of cars stolen in Colorado Springs due to "puffing" during winter is ridiculous.

 

[4WD]

Originally Posted by edyvw

But yeah I know people that let their vehicles idle in their driveways for 5-10 minutes, just burning that fuel...then they wonder why they are getting 5 mpg' less than me. It just isn't necessary in my opinion.

The amount of cars stolen in Colorado Springs due to "puffing" during winter is ridiculous.[/quote]

"Puffing" … cold weather slang I think. The most common thing left running here is a HD series diesel PU …
I hereby coin the phrase: "clacking" …