Cold weather warm up?

Pennzoil motor oil
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Majority of those who posted on this thread are completely clueless about cold weather engine starting and running. Most of you have never experienced temps we see here in parts of Canada. One winter season of cold starting an engine is equivalent to a decade of start-up wear in, say, California.

I live in Saskatchewan, we see temps drop down to almost -40C (also -40 F), and you what, even synthetic oil struggles at these temps if not heater supplemented (battery/block heater). You need a strong battery, and/or a trickle charger or battery warmer, and for sure a block heater if you don't want to wear out your engine.(I personally run a block heater and oil pan heater as well as a NOCO charger that keeps the battery at 100% charge) Also, you know what happens to the top of the vehicle when it is -40C and it is a clear calm night out? Well, that -40C becomes even colder because of radiant energy loss facing up into space, the top of the engine could be 5 degrees or more colder than the air temperature. Down to -20C I will let the engine run for just a couple minutes after start-up, then feathering the throttle until coolant temp hits full operating temp. Colder than this, you have to warm up the car a bit for safety sakes. I could say more, but i'm hungry and gonna go have supper.
smile.gif
 
I usually don't let my car idle and "warm up", I find it to be a waste of time and gas. I just put it in gear and go, but I am very careful not to accelerate the car hard until it is warmed up.

I've read a few things on high idle when cold on here, I'd like to add something. Your car's idle is controlled by an IAC (idle air control motor). The computer commands it to open (and raise your idle) based off inputs from various sensors...coolant temp, air temp, battery voltage, etc. It will allow more air in to compensate for the fact that your fuel tends not to atomize like it should when the engine and air is very cold. Also by raising the idle the alternator can generate more amperage to assist/stabilize your cold battery.

Every time you start your car your idle is "high", but on warm days it should only last for roughly 8 seconds and it is called flare. There are other methods to raise the idle than just the IAC, like drive by wire controlling your throttle plate - if you've ever changed a battery in a dodge ram you know exactly what I mean (as the idle is completely messed up until it learns/resets itself).
 
I fire up my car in single digit temperatures and start driving usually within 10-15 seconds after I buckle my seatbelt and tune into my favorite radio station.

Within one minute I am going 50mph on rural roads and a mile or two later on the highway traveling around 70mph.

My engine is still alive at 59k miles.
grin.gif
 
Originally Posted By: GMFan
I fire up my car in single digit temperatures and start driving usually within 10-15 seconds after I buckle my seatbelt and tune into my favorite radio station.

Within one minute I am going 50mph on rural roads and a mile or two later on the highway traveling around 70mph.

My engine is still alive at 59k miles.
grin.gif



you are kidding right?

single digits?
59k?

take off 25-25 degrees and add 100-150k
then we'll talk.

truth be told, you'd probably still be fine, so long as you don't get into a crash because your windshield fogged over
smile.gif
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: GMFan
I fire up my car in single digit temperatures and start driving usually within 10-15 seconds after I buckle my seatbelt and tune into my favorite radio station.

Within one minute I am going 50mph on rural roads and a mile or two later on the highway traveling around 70mph.

My engine is still alive at 59k miles.
grin.gif



Try -30 or -40. It isn't quite the same experience.
 
Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
Originally Posted By: GMFan
I fire up my car in single digit temperatures and start driving usually within 10-15 seconds after I buckle my seatbelt and tune into my favorite radio station.

Within one minute I am going 50mph on rural roads and a mile or two later on the highway traveling around 70mph.

My engine is still alive at 59k miles.
grin.gif



Try -30 or -40. It isn't quite the same experience.


What's it like starting an engine when it's that cold outside? Especially sitting outside overnight with no garage or block heater. It's in the 40s here right now and I'm freezing!! :^P
 
Originally Posted By: datech
I am pretty sure that in most locations it is a violation to leave a vehicle unattended with the engine running.



In the Liberal states probably, In Indiana we don't care. If its 0 or below i will idle my truck via the remote starter.

Also i get sick of hearing that its so terrible for the car to idle it. this is bologna. Is it as easy on it as a highway stroll? No. Is it really causing excessive wear? No. And hour at idle is like driving about 20 miles. If driving your car 20 miles a day would wear your car out then that car is useless.

People in cold climates have to idle a bit for safety reasons, keeping windows clear, letting the engine get running smooth enough to want to drive... etc. Most people in the lower 48 with the exception of the very north states have little idea what a really cold start is. I agree with everything that the Canadian members are saying in this thread. The coldest place i've been has been North Dakota, and i can tell you most everyone who was going somewhere on -10 degree mornings were idling their cars before leaving the hotel. Trucks and some cars were plugged into the side of the Hotel over night. When i went to dinner at a Perkins one night it was -12 and half of everyone in the place left their cars idle in the parking lot while eating. Idling cars doesn't tear them up or use that much fuel. most will use less than a gallon and hour. that is also barely causing any more pollution than normal.
 
I always warm up my car 10-15 minutes in the morning before leaving for work/dropping the kids at school. Just seems like common sense to me regardless of what climate change hoaxers try to scare us.
 
Idling you car is hard on the oil, not so much the engine.

With my bypass filter setup for example, I don't want to do any idling, that is why I use oil pan heaters.
 
The OP in this thread says he is starting in +12F.

I'm glad I'm not in Canada, I'd want a pre-heater. It would be really cool to have a preheater that runs on liquid fuel and could be used anywhere (outside, I guess burning liquid fuel_)
 
Yes, this thread was just, well...

I know, I was looking into fabricating a small propane fueled heater, using those small camping propane tanks.
 
Originally Posted By: zpinch
Just wanted to say...

YOU AMERICANS NEED TO START USING CELCIUS!!!

Cheers.

30 degree(C) in summer doesn't seem warm, 85 degree(F) is better !
 
Why? Should we speak Chinese too? Switch to the Euro? Turn in our guns? It's bad enough they keep building roundabouts. We get by just fine.

Originally Posted By: zpinch
Just wanted to say...

YOU AMERICANS NEED TO START USING CELCIUS!!!

Cheers.
 
Originally Posted By: Oil Changer
Why?

Originally Posted By: donnyj08
...and i agree that we should teach the metric system here.


Because at least most things in metric fit with each other without having to add arbitrary numbers which lead people to believe that "torque = hp at 5252 RPM"...a litre of water is a Kg, and is 10cm cubed...1,000 of them is a tonne, which is 1m cubed.

I'm ambidextrous for the most part.. but 62 lb/cubic foot is a rote learning rather than intuitive system.
 
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