Warming up the engine?
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 1,241
Likes: 0
From: MD
Originally Posted by unit213
How? My Explorer has auto start. The doors lock when it starts and the alarm arms. No keys are in it. You have to unlock the doors, insert/turn the key for the car to run. Unlock the door and try to move it without the keys and the car dies immediately when you touch the brake.
Originally Posted by racer88
I laugh when I see people start a car and start to drive it right away.
Originally Posted by LawmanSS
LOL...my wife gets out of the driveway and halfway down the street before the starter stops spinning!!
i think what patman meant was that some people, even me with my beater but after i start it the key doesnt stay in the ignition so i pull it out and lock the doors, start their cars with the key and leave their keys inside and because their keys are in the car they leave the doors unlocked
I agree with Patman...
It seems silly to let just the engine warm up. Then drive the hot engine on the frozen cold trans and rearend. Its been cold in the chicago area the past week and my routine is to start it. Idle for 30sec to a minute while I fuss with the radio and what not. then drive it easily until it reaches operating temp. If I'm taking a really short trip and its still cold when I get back I drive it around the block to get the temp up a bit before I park it again.
also I notice that the engine temp will read at or near operating temp when taking it easy on the car but the heat will only be slightly warm (especially on super cold days like 10degF or colder). Usually I ease into the throttle after its reading at or near operating temp and get the rpms up under load a bit and like magic the coolant circulates nicely and the heat warms up. Heck even my 3.4l v6 did this same thing.
It seems silly to let just the engine warm up. Then drive the hot engine on the frozen cold trans and rearend. Its been cold in the chicago area the past week and my routine is to start it. Idle for 30sec to a minute while I fuss with the radio and what not. then drive it easily until it reaches operating temp. If I'm taking a really short trip and its still cold when I get back I drive it around the block to get the temp up a bit before I park it again.
also I notice that the engine temp will read at or near operating temp when taking it easy on the car but the heat will only be slightly warm (especially on super cold days like 10degF or colder). Usually I ease into the throttle after its reading at or near operating temp and get the rpms up under load a bit and like magic the coolant circulates nicely and the heat warms up. Heck even my 3.4l v6 did this same thing.
TECH Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 6,157
Likes: 1
From: Texas
Originally Posted by Patman
There is no need to let your car idle in order to warm up. All you are doing is building up more carbon in the combustion chamber since it's going to be running rich for a lot longer time. Just start the engine, wait a couple of seconds then slowly pull away. Remember, you need to get your trans fluid and rear end fluid warmed up too, neither of which will happen if you're just sitting there.
Also, when you idle your engine, the oil does not get warmed up as quickly. So even if your coolant begins to climb, the oil temp will still be very low. Therefore you need to have the engine under load.
Just keep the rpms under 2000 and use a light foot on the throttle until your engine is warmed up. This is the best way to go. I do this with all of my cars, even if it's -15F outside I won't let the engine idle in the driveway. That's also a good way to get your car stolen when you do that!
Also, when you idle your engine, the oil does not get warmed up as quickly. So even if your coolant begins to climb, the oil temp will still be very low. Therefore you need to have the engine under load.
Just keep the rpms under 2000 and use a light foot on the throttle until your engine is warmed up. This is the best way to go. I do this with all of my cars, even if it's -15F outside I won't let the engine idle in the driveway. That's also a good way to get your car stolen when you do that!
I always try to let mine warm up before driving it just to increase the life of my springs. Are you saying that its alright to drive the trex on a cold motor/springs if i keep the rpms under 2k?
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TECH Fanatic
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 1,373
Likes: 4
From: Auckland, Nth Is, New Zealand.
patman has it right on. Left idling your motor is just building up carbon, if you have been racing (reving) motor then let your motor idle down for no longer than 1 minute. Turbo's you keep running longer due to the turbo still spinning and if you turn of the engine then you stop the oil flow to the turbo and run the bearings. 
Originally Posted by Phoenix57
what about an F-250 deisel, my friend has one and he just takes off, should he let it warm up? its like 25 right now here
Tom and Ray from "Car Talk" on the radio and "Click 'N Clack" in the newspaper say... http://www.cartalk.com/content/colum...03/May/03.html
Dear Tom and Ray:
I know we aren't supposed to let our vehicles sit outside on frigid mornings, motor on, idling to "warm up" while we quaff another cup of Earl Grey. I've heard you mention that before. What I can't remember is why. When I quoted this rule to a co-worker, she sniffed "But that's counterintuitive." Can you tell me why it's bad? -- Cathy
Tom: Well, these days it's only bad because it's wasteful.
Ray: It used to be bad for the car. Twenty years ago, when most cars had carburetors, fuel would pour into the cylinders on a cold start. And left to run in cold-start mode for 15 or 20 minutes, all that excess gasoline would dilute the oil, which will shorten the life of your engine -- not to mention your catalytic converter.
Tom: Fortunately, all newer cars are fuel-injected now, and fuel delivery is monitored by computer. So gasoline will no longer just pour into the cylinders, because the computer determines the precise amount of fuel to send in through the injectors. So, you will not do any harm to your car these days by warming it up -- even for a long time.
Ray: It is, however, still completely unnecessary to let your car sit and warm up. Engines warm up fastest when they're driven. So, as long as the engine starts and keeps running when you put it in gear, you're good to go. Just drive it gently for the first few minutes (don't jump right on the highway and go 65), and you'll warm it up quickly and efficiently.
Tom: By letting it run, you're just wasting gasoline and polluting the neighborhood.
Ray: But, you might ask, isn't it worth a little pollution and wasted natural resources so my feet can be toasty the moment I get in my car? Well, that's a personal, ethical decision that each one of us has to make by ourselves -- like whether to leave the water running while we brush our teeth.
© 2003 by Tom and Ray Magliozzi and Doug Berman Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
I know we aren't supposed to let our vehicles sit outside on frigid mornings, motor on, idling to "warm up" while we quaff another cup of Earl Grey. I've heard you mention that before. What I can't remember is why. When I quoted this rule to a co-worker, she sniffed "But that's counterintuitive." Can you tell me why it's bad? -- Cathy
Tom: Well, these days it's only bad because it's wasteful.
Ray: It used to be bad for the car. Twenty years ago, when most cars had carburetors, fuel would pour into the cylinders on a cold start. And left to run in cold-start mode for 15 or 20 minutes, all that excess gasoline would dilute the oil, which will shorten the life of your engine -- not to mention your catalytic converter.
Tom: Fortunately, all newer cars are fuel-injected now, and fuel delivery is monitored by computer. So gasoline will no longer just pour into the cylinders, because the computer determines the precise amount of fuel to send in through the injectors. So, you will not do any harm to your car these days by warming it up -- even for a long time.
Ray: It is, however, still completely unnecessary to let your car sit and warm up. Engines warm up fastest when they're driven. So, as long as the engine starts and keeps running when you put it in gear, you're good to go. Just drive it gently for the first few minutes (don't jump right on the highway and go 65), and you'll warm it up quickly and efficiently.
Tom: By letting it run, you're just wasting gasoline and polluting the neighborhood.
Ray: But, you might ask, isn't it worth a little pollution and wasted natural resources so my feet can be toasty the moment I get in my car? Well, that's a personal, ethical decision that each one of us has to make by ourselves -- like whether to leave the water running while we brush our teeth.
© 2003 by Tom and Ray Magliozzi and Doug Berman Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
Originally Posted by ActionJack
I won't let the engine idle in the driveway. That's also a good way to get your car stolen when you do that!
LOL
So true... though I am guilty of that in the winter. But at least it is in the garage and I would hear the change in exhaust if it moved.
LOL
So true... though I am guilty of that in the winter. But at least it is in the garage and I would hear the change in exhaust if it moved.
Staging Lane
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 93
Likes: 0
From: kenosha, WI
The past few mornings here in good old Wisconsin have been to say the least frigid. I only let the car sit a minute. I make sure I have good oil pressure and wait to watch the RPM's come down a little and I back out the drive way and take it nice and easy to work. Besides I just moved so I really don't feel like pissing off the neighbors just yet most of them are retired.
i always start the car with my remote start about 2 - 5 mins before i drive it, but i still don't beat on it until i've driven it for at least several more minutes.
it idles at 800rpm, so it's not going to suck down too much gas for that 2 - 5 mins, and i enjoy having the heater functional as soon as i get in (even if it's not completely up to temp, it's better than ice-cold air circulating).
it idles at 800rpm, so it's not going to suck down too much gas for that 2 - 5 mins, and i enjoy having the heater functional as soon as i get in (even if it's not completely up to temp, it's better than ice-cold air circulating).
30-45 seconds then i drive it very gently till it warms up.
its already been mentioned that excessive idling causes more harm than good and it actually takes longer to warm up so hows that helping anything?
its already been mentioned that excessive idling causes more harm than good and it actually takes longer to warm up so hows that helping anything?