Thoughts On Warming Up Engines

[vman11]

I have no clue on what the "recommended" procedures might be for warming up conventional gasoline car/truck engines in cold temps, and I have my own rituals I follow, but I'd like to hear if there is a right or wrong way to operating your vehical in the winter.

Some people idle for 10 minutes, others throw it in gear and go. Thoughts?

[Esox_Magnum]

Soon as the guages all read I'm off, only thing I let warm up is my sled.

[Outfitter17]

When its cold I usually let them run until the temp gauge starts to move, then I go.

When it's cold like this morning -36f I let my vehicle warm up for 30 minutes this morning.

[headcheese]

good question... your engine should warm up quickly i would think because of combustion. correct me if im wrong but your other fluids wont warm up much until you actually drive! so i would think a couple of minutes is enough.

[SkunkedAgain]

According to the CarTalk guys, even in the sub-zero temps modern cars/trucks don't need more than 30 seconds of warm up. As long as you don't go full throttle within a few minutes of starting the vehicle, you'll be fine. More than 30 seconds of warm-up and the only things you're doing is wasting gasoline and getting the interior warm (although that happens faster when the engine is under load).

[Palerider77]

Yep, 5 min will get the oil and the auto trans to warm enough to take off. Go slow at first to allow for differentials to warm as well. Plug in your block heater if you have one. Have a plan for what to do if you have a mishap before it happens.

[gregg52]

2000 yukon xl here i let it warm up til it quits knocking..lol

then its good to go

[Surface Tension]

I start the car and scrape the windows every morning for the wife.

Need I say more?

[Steve Foss]

I like to let them warm up for awhile when it's really cold, say -20 or colder. Not necessarily for the motor's sake, because as said that warms really quickly, but there are other linkages and workings inside the engine compartment under the hood that can benefit from a warmer situation.

[BobT]

The manuals for all the vehicles we've owned with model years dating in the 2000+ have pretty much said the same thing.

Warm up for about 60 seconds is adequate HOWEVER they also recommend driving gently until everything gets warmed up. In other words don't tromp on the throttle with a cold engine and drive train.

Quote:

good question... your engine should warm up quickly i would think because of combustion. correct me if im wrong but your other fluids wont warm up much until you actually drive! so i would think a couple of minutes is enough.

The error in this thinking is that while that engine is heating up to run temperature, things are expanding. Not until everything is up to full running temp should you ever work an engine, transmission, rear-end, etc.

lubricants are not flowing well at cold temperatures and will not provide adequate lubrication.

[vman11]

This is one of those subjects that everybody has their own rituals for. Its nice to hear others take on the idea.

One other thing I wondered about was the high idle period. My F150 drops its idle within 30 seconds in all temps; however, my RAV4 high idles for at least a minute or two. Since the Rav is a manual taking off with it at higher rpm's probably isn't as bad as if it was slammed into drive. Any thoughts on warming periods for the high idler?

[Ralph Wiggum]

As soon as my oil pressure is up, I am off (~30 seconds or so).

[Jim Almquist]

For the most part I like to get going right away but slow but when the temps are like this morning (-20)I give it a good 20 minutes. Never know when I will get stopped by a train and it really stinks when the car is very cold and all you are doing is sitting there watching the train cars going by.

[Eric Wettschreck]

Everyone does their own thing, and that's cool.

I start car/truck, put in neutral, and go back into the house. Drink some coffee, eat a pop tart, put work boots on and hit the road. Start off slow to warm up pumpkins and go from there.

Look at it this way, at 0 degrees do you want to get up and hit the road full boar? I don't.

Cars and trucks are machines, made of steel. Steel changes as temp changes, it's best if this change happens slow. Then again, I'm old skool and my vehicles have A LOT of miles on them and are still running...............except my truck which I think I smoked the trans on but that's a different topic.

[MinnesnowtaWild]

I have remote start and I always warm my car up for ten minutes in winter, maybe 15 if it is below zero. In the summer I warm up the car for about 5 minutes so the idle drops and the temp gauge starts moving.

[deadeye]

I like to give it 5 minutes if I don't have it plugged in. If I got it plugged in then a minute or two is all I do.

Look up the Canadian Automotive Association and see what they got to say, no better people to ask than the ones who drive in some of the worlds coldest temps.

[delcecchi]

Warming her up?

[Scott Stein]

10-15 mins when weather drops below 30.

[jwhjr]

I usually just start it up, wait for the idle to go down and then go. Drive easy until the temp starts climbing, and by then it's time to get on the highway.

[SkunkedAgain]

If the temperature is below 50 degrees, I let it idle for at least an hour, or maybe two hours if it gets below 40 degrees. I've owned vehicles for a long time and never had any problems, therefore you should listen to me.

[See yup]

According to the CarTalk guys, even in the sub-zero temps modern cars/trucks don't need more than 30 seconds of warm up. As long as you don't go full throttle within a few minutes of starting the vehicle, you'll be fine. More than 30 seconds of warm-up and the only things you're doing is wasting gasoline and getting the interior warm (although that happens faster when the engine is under load).

2ND THAT!

[Jack Peterson]

If you're cold, your car is cold too.

I warm it up every cold morning before work or school. For at least 10 minutes.

[jeffreyd]

i warmed my truck up for about 3 minutes this morning at it was a chilly 49 degrees. i even will let it idle when it is over 110 and let it cool down for a minute or two after driving. could not imagine -30 degrees and having to drive. oh just got done mowing my lawn nice and green rye grass for the winter.

[theoilman]

OK Arizona, you even make Florida seem really cold. It was 20 deg. 2 mornings this week with the highs only making it to 40 deg those days. I had to let my Sprinter warm up 15 minutes because the shifter / brake pedal interlock wouldn't release cold. I was recommended by a friend who is an excellent Mercedes mechanic to replace the brake switch first as the likely problem. I really hope it is not the shift linkage solenoid, I don't have any idea where it is buried.