 JeffreyConnoisseur of leisurely thingsPremium
join:2002-12-24
Long Island
kudos:3
 ·Verizon FiOS
 ·Vonage
| reply to Jahntassa
Re: Do You Warm-Up Your Car In Cold Weather? Don't Do It! said by Jahntassa:said by Jeffrey:An old friend of mine used to remotely start his 2002 Ford Explorer from his bedroom 30 mins before he left for work in the winter. When it's below freezing out, and I had more than a 5-10 minute drive ahead of me, i'd remote start my car and leave the heat on for a good 5-10 minutes (until it was blowing heat AT ALL), and then drive off. This was for personal convenience. When I used to do it a lot, I never noticed a difference in fuel usage than when I wasn't. That's cool. Five or ten minutes is in the "reasonable" level for me in the coldest of weather, although if I've done it it's only because I forgot I turned the car on.
I wasn't so much as concerned with fuel economy so much I thought letting the car idle for too long (like 30 mins) wasn't good for the engine or the components- for it's lifespan of the vehicle. I sometimes read the specs for Police vehicles and they all seem to have some provision to save the car from extended periods of idling. I'm assuming that's from some real-world measure that idling is bad for the engine.
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 Duramax08Win8 sucksPremium
join:2008-08-03
San Antonio, TX
 ·Millenicom
·Cricket Broadband
| reply to Xstar_Lumini
it can be 100 degrees outside and my truck says its cold when i got my truck the thermostat stays at cold. I think the previous owner took it off so it can stay cool. Its good for the summer but bad for the winter. I can drive 10 miles on the highway and its still freezing with the heat all the way on. so for that i will go outside and start it up while i get ready for work when its freezing outside. i would replace it but i think the previous owner took it off for a reason like to keep the engine from overheating.
it works. that all that matters. if it breaks just get a new truck since its pretty old. 92 f150 5.0 225k miles with some dents really dont have that much value these days.
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High speed internet is on my road thanks to Clear 4G! F$*% you AT&T and TWC! |
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| reply to Xstar_Lumini
Re: Do You Warm-Up Your Car In Cold Weather? Don't Do It! Cold idling was bad on carburetor cars because the choke was closed until gas pedal action opened it making the engine run rich. Fuel injection isn't limited by simple mechanical linkages and idles wherever it wants to. Extended idling is wasteful but not destructive.
I idle mine for about 20 seconds then go easy until the engine puts out a little heat. Both the engine and transmission will warm up faster with a little motion. |
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| reply to Xstar_Lumini
the warmup theory can and will be debated just like briefs or boxer shorts, granny panties or thongs. the "warming up" dates back to the carb and choke that went away about the mid 80's.
with today's modern computers controlling the cars, the adjust the fuel load on the fly. i say it is a good idea to let them run a few minutes if there is no ice on the windows, that way the oil is starting to warm up and circulate better. why do you think that dry sump race cares have generators plugged to an oil that that heats the oil? its not good to run that thick ass oil. that would also be another reason they have 0w20 and 5w20 weight oil. it flows better.
this topic can be kicked around till the sun goes down, and the fact is, everyone will have a different opinion. to each his own. |
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 MchartFirst There.
join:2004-01-21
Gurnee, IL
2 edits | reply to Xstar_Lumini
With modern cars the only reason why idling for an extended period of time is bad is because it's bad for the catalytic converter. This has to do with the fact that at idle rpm's, or low RPM's in general - The rate at which the exhaust is moving through the Cats is not fast enough to cool the cats down. The higher RPMs = more exhaust. More exhaust = cooler cat. (Even though more exhaust is a lot more heat, the increased volume of air moving through is still keeping them at operating temperature) Most engines tend to run a bit rich while idleing as well. Thus, you get more un-combusted fuel that the Cat has to deal with. Which is another thing that kills catalytic converters fast.
There really is no need to let an engine warm up. As long as you don't bring the RPM's above 3 grand or so while the engine isn't at operating temperature it should be fine.
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THIS IS SPENCER. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED - I HAVE JOE. RETURNING TO BASE. |
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| reply to Xstar_Lumini
My 99 Camry likes to idle at around 2K when it's first started - and cannot be adjusted. In that the car has 135K on the clock, I like to let it warm up enough that the RPM drops some before I drop it into drive. At 2000 RPM, from park to drive is a pretty hard "clunk". Recently I've been trying this: Start the car and immediately put it in drive before it revs up to 2K, then let it run about a minute and drive off slowly. Synthetic oil helps. |
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 shanerPremium
join:2000-10-04
Calgary, AB
1 edit | reply to Xstar_Lumini
said by Xstar_Lumini:(Said in a professioal car magazine) 1. You need to warm your car before starting out in cold weather: FALSE.
Idling isn't an effective way to warm up your car in the winter -- driving away is. Today's engine and fluid technology is designed to start working as soon as you turn the key (or at lease once your windshield is defrosted). Not only does idling waste gas and cause pollution, it can actually cause damage to your vehicle.
If you're faced with severe winter conditions, you may want to consider a block heater, which warms the engine, or a battery warmer. A battery loses power as the temperature goes down, so warming it gives it that extra boost.
Ummm..yeah okay. I heard a 'car expert' on tv complaining about remote car starters the other day for the very same reason. My reply? You can't drive away in -30C weather (like we had last week) because you can't see out the damn windshield yet! And no, there's no ice on the inside, but the presence of my warm body exhaling warm air inside a frigid car means that the windshield is unusable until the inside of it is at least up to a reasonable temperature. That means I have to idle my car to warm it up so that it's safely drivable.
A block heater doesn't do jack for my windshield.
So there.
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I'm a man, but I can change. If I have to. I guess.
The opinions in this post are wholly my own and in no way reflect the opinions of, or are influenced by, Bell Canada or its affiliate companies. |
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| reply to Xstar_Lumini
My philosophy is to start the car and drive off softly. Don't push the car when its cold cause everything is brittle and damage can occur. When it heats up than you can push the car and drive like maniacs. At least thats how i drive my car... |
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 sivranOpera convertPremium
join:2003-09-15
Arlington, TX
kudos:1 | reply to Xstar_Lumini
I'm glad I don't have to worry about such things. It just doesn't get cold enough here. 
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In dadkins' memory, Think outside the Fox... |
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 AlcoholPremium
join:2003-05-26
Climax, MI
kudos:3
 ·Comcast
| reply to Karride
said by Karride:I usually let it idle about 30 seconds in cold weather, just until the engine feels like its smoothed out a little. Then easy going until the temp gauge rises a little. I do the same. I drive off after 30 seconds but try to keep the rpm down until car gets heated..
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I found the key to success but somebody changed the lock. |
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AlcoholPremium
join:2003-05-26
Climax, MI
kudos:3 Reviews:
·Comcast
| reply to moes
said by moes:Yeah I do not think so about driving off right away. I killed an 87 escort doing just this, start and go in cold weather (10F) so All of my vehicles that I drive in the cold of winter set for at least 15 minutes to fully warm up. I'd rather be safe then sorry again. At least 15 minutes? That's excessive.
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I found the key to success but somebody changed the lock. |
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 pnjunctionTeksavvy ExtremePremium
join:2008-01-24
Toronto, ON
kudos:1 | reply to Xstar_Lumini
Back when I drove to work every morning, often in -20 to -40C, I did the 'wait 10-20 seconds for the RPM to drop a bit' thing. Then I'd take it easy, under 2500 or so, making my way to the highway and things would warm up on there.
Both of the cars I did that with, one carburated and one fuel-inject4d, made it to about 350k, and when they went the engines were still in great shape. One was wrecked (poor Cutlass  ) and the other had a bad tranny. |
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 Lone WolfIndependent Voter, Buy Gold and GunsPremium
join:2001-12-30
USA
kudos:1
 ·Verizon Online DSL
·Comcast
| reply to Xstar_Lumini
I have remote start on my truck and love it.
Hit the button, wait a few minutes and the heat is on, the heated seats are hot and I'm not shivering.
I can afford the gas and I'm no tree hugger. 
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peterboroAvatars are for posersPremium
join:2006-11-03
Peterborough, ON | reply to shaner
said by shaner: the presence of my warm body exhaling warm air inside a frigid car means that the windshield is unusable until the inside of it is at least up to a reasonable temperature. Yup. As soon as you get a few breaths out the window starts to frost up when it is -30.
I usually go 5 to 10 minutes depending on how cold.
Of course the tree huggers here got the city to pass a bylaw about idling more than 2 minutes.
The province on the other hand makes it an offence to operate a vehicle if the window isn't clear. |
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 Cthen
join:2004-08-01
Detroit, MI
·Verizon Wireless..
·Comcast
| reply to Xstar_Lumini
Unless the interior is warm that same 10 seconds or less, my car goes no where. I couldn't give two shits what any source says, bitches, pisses, or moans about it (that goes for any other person as well). If I want to be comfy in my car, I will be. That's why I paid for it. 
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"I like to refer to myself as an Adult Film Efficienato." - Stuart Bondek |
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| reply to Xstar_Lumini
Actually, it is bad for your car. Drive 1-2 miles at 30 mph and it is all warmed up and less pollution as well. That's what Europeans do. Warming up your car is a myth. It was on Yahoo News the other day. I've been doing that for 13 years and never a problem. Heat comes on faster too. |
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| reply to The Pig
said by The Pig:I don't have to worry about what that article says as my car is old (1988). If I don't I can't drive, the engine conks out. Plus there is no way I am driving a car that is freezing inside it. I mainly run it to get the interor warm. If it dies something is WRONG fix it. Modern vehicles (yes a 1988 is modern) should not and don't "die" when cold if PROPERLY maintained |
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 fuziwuziNot born yesterdayPremium
join:2005-07-01
Atlanta, GA | reply to Xstar_Lumini
I have always, summer or winter, let my car idle for about 30 seconds on a cold start before driving off. No more than 30 seconds, though. I think that is sufficient to get the oil pumping around where it needs to be, and also allows enough time for the computer to lower the idle speed a bit to normal. This practice has served me well over the years and I feel has contributed to the good service I've received from my 1988 Escort GT with 154K miles that still uses no oil and gets 30mpg around town.
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 jabarnutLight Years AwayPremium,MVM
join:2005-01-22
Galaxy M31
kudos:2
1 edit | reply to Xstar_Lumini
said by Alcohol:said by Karride:I usually let it idle about 30 seconds in cold weather, just until the engine feels like its smoothed out a little. Then easy going until the temp gauge rises a little. I do the same. I drive off after 30 seconds but try to keep the rpm down until car gets heated.. Same here. And I live in the north east...right now it's about 16 degrees outside. Yesterday at this time it was 7 degrees).
Anyway, I'm no car expert, but I'm assuming that method seems to have worked well on my 1994 Toyota, which now has 257,000 miles on it, and still runs like the day I bought it new.
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I had a life once.....now I have a Computer and a Modem. |
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 The PigI know you want to be mePremium
join:2009-09-11
1 edit | reply to underthehood
said by underthehood:said by The Pig:I don't have to worry about what that article says as my car is old (1988). If I don't I can't drive, the engine conks out. Plus there is no way I am driving a car that is freezing inside it. I mainly run it to get the interor warm. If it dies something is WRONG fix it. Modern vehicles (yes a 1988 is modern) should not and don't "die" when cold if PROPERLY maintained There is no way I am going to put any more money into this thing.
I am running it until it dies, as of now I don't have a speedometer because it broke twice and I can't go faster then 35MPH or the check engine light comes on because without the cable hooked up the engine it doesn't know to shift gears (automatic).
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