View Poll Results: do you let your car idle for a few minutes before driving?
yes
34
70.83%
no
14
29.17%
Voters: 48. You may not vote on this poll
warm up car b driving?
11-25-2011, 09:48 PM
#23
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Read all of it through 201. I always let my car warm up. Oil temp is key not engine operating temp.
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/motor-oil-101/
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/motor-oil-101/
11-25-2011, 10:06 PM
#24
TECH Fanatic
I usually let mines sit and idle for 20-30 seconds or so depending on how much of a rush I'm in. After that I just drive off normally, but I do make an effort to keep the RPM's down. No need in sitting in one spot idling for 10 minutes, doing that is pretty much a waste of gas. The car will heat up much quicker if you just start driving, you just have to remember to keep the RPM's down to a minimum.
11-25-2011, 10:09 PM
#25
Read all of it through 201. I always let my car warm up. Oil temp is key not engine operating temp.
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/motor-oil-101/
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/motor-oil-101/
The article points out that start-up is the worst time for the engine/lubrication and that the oil needs to be up to 212 degrees in order to be optimal. It makes no difference if you let your car idle for 30 minutes or turn it on and go. The oil still has to go through a full temperature cycle from its cold temperature to its warm temperature. The fastest way to do this, and reduce wear on the engine, is to turn it on and go for a drive.
BTW - The article also proves that engineers need to spend enough time in English/writing class before we give them degrees and let them leave school. (Its written so poorly, its confusing to read.)
11-26-2011, 05:02 AM
#29
I can't imagine getting in ANY LS1 car and driving it away completely cold. Everyone i've ever started cold sounds like a knockfest for 3-4 mins. I always wait until the lifters stop ticking and the pistons stop knocking, usually 3-4 mins.
I used to drive one of my LS1 cars away cold and listen to the one of the pistons KNOCK loudly until one day the piston decided it wanted to break into pieces. I'm not saying driving cold did it but it was LOUD cold.
I used to drive one of my LS1 cars away cold and listen to the one of the pistons KNOCK loudly until one day the piston decided it wanted to break into pieces. I'm not saying driving cold did it but it was LOUD cold.
11-26-2011, 07:03 AM
#30
This article proves the case that you should NOT "warm up" your car. If anything it would advocate installing an engine block heater so the oil never cools down and to make sure we change our oil regularly.
The article points out that start-up is the worst time for the engine/lubrication and that the oil needs to be up to 212 degrees in order to be optimal. It makes no difference if you let your car idle for 30 minutes or turn it on and go. The oil still has to go through a full temperature cycle from its cold temperature to its warm temperature. The fastest way to do this, and reduce wear on the engine, is to turn it on and go for a drive.
The article points out that start-up is the worst time for the engine/lubrication and that the oil needs to be up to 212 degrees in order to be optimal. It makes no difference if you let your car idle for 30 minutes or turn it on and go. The oil still has to go through a full temperature cycle from its cold temperature to its warm temperature. The fastest way to do this, and reduce wear on the engine, is to turn it on and go for a drive.
With respect to minimizing engine wear, if hotter oil will provide better lubrication, then letting the engine warm up is the logical conclusion because engine components are subject to lower wear at idle than when driving and carrying a load. However, if the motor oil is capable of providing the same wear protection at cold as when it's hot, then it nullifies the need for a preliminary warm-up--although, the very suggestion to keep it under 3k RPM before FOT implies the very aforementioned premise.
Of course, this doesn't mean that a warm-driven engine will outlast a cold-driven counterpart. Application and maintenance are a strong influence. Personally, I always avoid driving off until the temp gauge reaches around 155 (1st quarter mark). It just stuck with me from parental advice: "You always wanna let it warm up."
11-26-2011, 08:50 AM
#31
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I'm glad I'm not the only one who said this.
"necessary" or not.. when your engine has 1 foot in the grave and the other slipping off the ledge, it's in your best interests NOT to beat the crap out of it while the oil is not flowing well.
11-26-2011, 11:25 AM
#33
If a "normal" person warms up the car on workdays M-F during the months of November to March for 5 minutes, they will be warming up for around 18 hours a year. (Assuming a warm up to and from work.) At 1 gallon an idling hour and $3.75 a gallon for gas, that's around $65 a year. If that "normal" person drives 15k miles a year and rebuilds at 200K miles, they will have spent over $850 warming up the car over those 13 years. If a rebuild costs $5000, that would be a rebuild cost of 2.5 cents per mile. In order for warming up the car to "pay off," the practice would need to save that person an additional 35K miles between rebuilds.
11-26-2011, 11:43 AM
#35
Only a few parts are like that... (The top end won't care.)
If a "normal" person warms up the car on workdays M-F during the months of November to March for 5 minutes, they will be warming up for around 18 hours a year. (Assuming a warm up to and from work.) At 1 gallon an idling hour and $3.75 a gallon for gas, that's around $65 a year. If that "normal" person drives 15k miles a year and rebuilds at 200K miles, they will have spent over $850 warming up the car over those 13 years. If a rebuild costs $5000, that would be a rebuild cost of 2.5 cents per mile. In order for warming up the car to "pay off," the practice would need to save that person an additional 35K miles between rebuilds.
If a "normal" person warms up the car on workdays M-F during the months of November to March for 5 minutes, they will be warming up for around 18 hours a year. (Assuming a warm up to and from work.) At 1 gallon an idling hour and $3.75 a gallon for gas, that's around $65 a year. If that "normal" person drives 15k miles a year and rebuilds at 200K miles, they will have spent over $850 warming up the car over those 13 years. If a rebuild costs $5000, that would be a rebuild cost of 2.5 cents per mile. In order for warming up the car to "pay off," the practice would need to save that person an additional 35K miles between rebuilds.
11-26-2011, 01:00 PM
#37
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Well I'd say it depends on if it's a daily driver or a modded engine.
A daily 30 seconds or so @ low ambient temps is a good idea.
Running the suggested proper weight oil & taking it easy as it warms is fine.
A built higher performance engine running a heavier oil I'd let warm up more.
The clearances in the motor can be greater let alone the thicker oil most seem to run.
They design internal engine componets to be @ optimal clearances @ operating temp. Specially pistons...
But it really comes down to ambient temps, oils used & base engine.
Keep in mind the rest of the drivetrain has to warm as well, like diff trans etc.
I know up here in the rust belt I take it easy on my cars & truck in the dead of winter on a cold start.
A daily 30 seconds or so @ low ambient temps is a good idea.
Running the suggested proper weight oil & taking it easy as it warms is fine.
A built higher performance engine running a heavier oil I'd let warm up more.
The clearances in the motor can be greater let alone the thicker oil most seem to run.
They design internal engine componets to be @ optimal clearances @ operating temp. Specially pistons...
But it really comes down to ambient temps, oils used & base engine.
Keep in mind the rest of the drivetrain has to warm as well, like diff trans etc.
I know up here in the rust belt I take it easy on my cars & truck in the dead of winter on a cold start.
