To idle or not......

[Pat]

On Yahoo today is an article, "Eight facts about warming up your car in winter, by Yahoo Green, debunks the notion that a car should be warmed up when the engine is cold by idling for a while.

In essence, the article recommends that cars be warm up no more than 10 seconds, then stomp that sumbtch.

I'll do mine a little more than that, maybe a minute if it sits overnight in NW Louisiana.

[guspech750]

I have always started my cars 20 minutes to half an hour before I leave for work or anywhere else during the winter months. I like my car nice and toasty before I drive anywhere.

[TAKEDOWN]

10 mins for me and I'm rollin!

[JOEMERC]

i at least wait for it to come off high idle first then go ,and i scrape any ice on windows to help defroster do its thing.

[justbob]

Meh. 10 seconds / 1/2 an hour... Depends on the mood and how late I slept in. Either way, she never see's 2000 RPM till almost completely warm anywho.

[justbob]

I am replacing a turbo on a Kamotsu skidsteer at work right now that only has 1300 hours because of the guys runnin and gunnin the machine with ZERO warm up. You can NOT do that to a diesel even in the summer! Thankfully the engine looks just fine. Gas engines aren't as crucial, just don't beat on it.

[guspech750]

I am replacing a turbo on a Kamotsu skidsteer at work right now that only has 1300 hours because of the guys runnin and gunnin the machine with ZERO warm up. You can NOT do that to a diesel even in the summer! Thankfully the engine looks just fine. Gas engines aren't as crucial, just don't beat on it.
I always always let our drill rigs, trucks and other equipment warm up, buuuuuuut. I am not as foregiving at the end of the day for a cool down before I shut a rig down. At least half the time I do anyways.

[justbob]

That just glazes the cylinder walls a tad. It can be reburnt off with runnin a tad harder next time :)

[Bluerauder]

On Yahoo today is an article, "Eight facts about warming up your car in winter, by Yahoo Green, debunks the notion that a car should be warmed up when the engine is cold by idling for a while.

In essence, the article recommends that cars be warm up no more than 10 seconds, then stomp that sumbtch.

I'll do mine a little more than that, maybe a minute if it sits overnight in NW Louisiana.

I always let my idle drop down to the 650-700 range before taking off. Be real careful on "stomping that sumbtch" without an adequate warm-up.

The focus of Yahoo Green is on environmental considerations and saving gas/resources. They don't give a rat's azz if you have to replace your engine or have a major engine repair. All they care about is not using 5 minutes of gas while your windows are defrosting.

[DOOM]

I have always started my cars 20 minutes to half an hour before I leave for work or anywhere else during the winter months. I like my car nice and toasty before I drive anywhere.

Same here.

Love my autostart. :lovies:

[SC Cheesehead]

The focus of Yahoo Green is on environmental considerations and saving gas/resources. They don't give a rat's azz if you have to replace your engine or have a major engine repair. All they care about is not using 5 minutes of gas while your windows are defrosting.

^^^^ Yup. Blow yoUr engine, and maybe you'll decide to use mass trans or buy a bicycle as replacment transportation....NOT! :rolleyes:



Love my autostart. :lovies:


^^^^^^SHOW OFF!!!! ^^^^^^ ;) ------> :D


FWIW, I always let my engine run about 2 -3 minutes on cold start up, then drive moderately until it reaches op temp.

[DOOM]

^^^^^^SHOW OFF!!!! ^^^^^^ ;) ------> :D

Hey i gotta be me. :D :coolman:

[SC Cheesehead]

Hey i gotta be me. :D :coolman:

^^^^^ True, that! ^^^^^^
:bows:

[kernie]

I always let my idle drop down to the 650-700 range before taking off. Be real careful on "stomping that sumbtch" without an adequate warm-up.

The focus of Yahoo Green is on environmental considerations and saving gas/resources. They don't give a rat's azz if you have to replace your engine or have a major engine repair. All they care about is not using 5 minutes of gas while your windows are defrosting.
I think that's good advice. I'm storing the MM in the carport for the winter, no salt allowed, but we had a big thaw about a week ago that melted nearly all the snow with big rains that washed the roads clean. I got about 4 days driving the MM in. :banana2:

Even after an adequate warmup it felt like it needed more, by comparison the 3.8 in the buick feels ready to roll almost right away.

MM's don't like winter!

:beer:

[SC Cheesehead]

I think that's good advice. I'm storing the MM in the carport for the winter, no salt allowed, but we had a big thaw about a week ago that melted nearly all the snow with big rains that washed the roads clean. I got about 4 days driving the MM in. :banana2:

Even after an adequate warmup it felt like it needed more, by comparison the 3.8 in the buick feels ready to roll almost right away.

MM's don't like winter!

:beer:

Sure they do, just not COLD winter... :sunshine: :D

[MercNasty]

Only about 2 to 3 minutes for me than i stomp that sumbtch lol

[RF Overlord]

With this question you'll get as many answers as you will to the "what oil should I use?" question.

For me, I follow Ford's recommendation and allow the car to idle for 10 seconds or so when it's warm out, and maybe 30 seconds if it's really cold. I don't lean on it until the temp gauge is at normal.

Idling is not a good way to warm up the car as it isn't doing any work. The car will warm up a lot faster if it's being driven.

[Pat]

Yeah, like me your temps are generally above 40. Those unfortunate souls in the freeze your butt off belt have to warms their seats and that takes 15 minutes or more. LOL

[SC Cheesehead]

With this question you'll get as many answers as you will to the "what oil should I use?" question.

For me, I follow Ford's recommendation and allow the car to idle for 10 seconds or so when it's warm out, and maybe 30 seconds if it's really cold. I don't lean on it until the temp gauge is at normal.

Idling is not a good way to warm up the car as it isn't doing any work. The car will warm up a lot faster if it's being driven.

Agreed. I've never timed it, but my normal routine is to start the car, then put on my seatbelt, check mirror adjustment, turn on the radio, etc. and then put the car in gear. Prolly not more than a minute or so, but oil pressure's had a chance to build and circulate to all necessary areas of the engine.

I think the key point is keeping the load moderate until reaching operating temp.

[RF Overlord]

my normal routine is to start the car, then put on my seatbelt, check mirror adjustment, turn on the radio, sky up a spliff and then put the car in gear. Fixed it for ya, Rex...

[CBT]

I stomp it while starting it.

[SC Cheesehead]

Fixed it for ya, Rex...

Think you got the wrong DBP ID'd, bubba... :shake:

[MO Merc]

When the ice on the ground my oil pressure is over 100 lbs.at start up.I don't like to move until it drops .Its 5-20 weight, does a better job when it can flow easy.

[WI Fordguy]

Just wondering if the experts have ever fired up a 460 when it's -10, waited 10 seconds and drove away. Answer is.....NO

[PhastPhil]

My brother's 64 Chevy Biscane with the straight six had a COLD light on the dash. The car ran best if you let it idle until the light went out, then drove slowly for a few minutes longer. Musta been a reason for lettin the car warm up. :rolleyes:

[fastblackmerc]

Love my autostart. :lovies:

Autostart is the way to go.......... :up: :up:

The key is to not beat it or rev too high until you get some heat in the motor.

[TFB]

The key is to not beat it or rev too high until you get some heat in the motor.
Yup this is important, but invariably some sumbish will piss me off and I'll gag it to get around them... Seems to happen every time I'm driving with a cold engine, so I warm mine up for 10-15 minutes, don't like getting into a cold car anyway...

[JUST 1BULLITT]

Though I don't drive mine much in Winter I DO warm her up a bit before getting into it very much...they indeed DO warm up faster once you get 'em rolling...but I follow what lots of you all on here have said; and yeah, our 5W-20 surely flows faster in the cold. (esp. w the full synthetic I use)