Sorry meant to say psi.
Do you warm up your car before taking off?
- Thread starter M104
- Start date
- Status
I MUST take a picture from the inside of my car one morning 30 seconds after I start it with frosted windows on the inside. Doesn't happen often, mind you, but when it does, I'd love to know how some folks think it's even possible to start driving.
- Joined
- Dec 28, 2014
- Messages
- 3,023
I think that’s the only exception I’ll make...when the windshield needs to be defrosted or cleared. Even then I used to keep a spray bottle of windshield washer fluid (the kind that will clear frost), and I’d spray it on all of the glass.
I've tried some of those sprays, like the rain x product, and it seemed to help but definitely didn't eliminate all warmup time needed on some days.
At a certain point it seems like every degree it drops makes a bigger difference. If anyone watched the 2 videos I posted the cranking speed seemed to be double when it was minus 26c vs minus 30c I'll admit that a portion of that difference probably was not just the temperature...I believe when it was minus 30 it had been sitting all weekend and battery charge was probably significantly lowered compared to the other day.
This car normally cranked extremely fast any day that wasn't extremely cold. (Typical small block Chevy starter)
This car normally cranked extremely fast any day that wasn't extremely cold. (Typical small block Chevy starter)
I have a neighbor who lives directly across the street from me. She's a school teacher. Each morning, even in the summer when she's off she remote starts her 2017 Jeep Compass and idles it. Many times until it shuts itself off, then she starts it again before taking off. What a waste of fuel, and she's doing her engine no favors either.
I agree. We have a neighbor who has a new Mustang with the remote start. Even if the temperatures are mild they are remote starting it and it runs for around five minutes before they come out and drive off.
With the auto crime being rampant around here I’m surprised they haven’t attracted those varmints.
I took the garbage out this morning at about 7:30 AM ET, her Jeep was running, so the exact time she started it is unknown. She left for work at about 8:00. Unreal, it is currently 33F here.
- Joined
- Dec 28, 2014
- Messages
- 3,023
Yup, have a coworker like that. He probably burns though $600 bucks worth of wasted fuel every year.
Thing is, with many people that are commenting, there are simply "no exceptions". It's not necessary, never needed, wasteful, and so on.
- Joined
- Dec 28, 2014
- Messages
- 3,023
I think they’re talking more about their engine, not their windshield.
I always let the engine RPMs go down to the low idle before taking off. It takes about the same amount of time for the bluetooth to connect too so I don't mind.
On below freezing days I always go outside to warm it up then come back inside to do whatever I was doing for a few minutes before taking off. It's not pleasant driving a car that has barely warmed up from both a comfort and driving experience. IE: I dropped off my GF this morning at her place when it was 13F outside. Even though I waited for the RPMs to drop to the low idle you can definitely feel the car struggling to do anything.
On below freezing days I always go outside to warm it up then come back inside to do whatever I was doing for a few minutes before taking off. It's not pleasant driving a car that has barely warmed up from both a comfort and driving experience. IE: I dropped off my GF this morning at her place when it was 13F outside. Even though I waited for the RPMs to drop to the low idle you can definitely feel the car struggling to do anything.
On most cold days i will go out and start the alltrack, even though it does not need it. It will drive flawlessly in biter cold and warm up in a few blocks. If i start it to warm up, i am usually back in the car and gone in 3 minutes.
If i dont warm it at all, it still shifts glass smooth. The DCT, heated seats, little furnace 1.8t, and awd make for one great cold weather vehicle. I could see myself hanging onto it forever as a snow tire equipped winter only rig if i upgrade to something else.
If i dont warm it at all, it still shifts glass smooth. The DCT, heated seats, little furnace 1.8t, and awd make for one great cold weather vehicle. I could see myself hanging onto it forever as a snow tire equipped winter only rig if i upgrade to something else.
I never thought I would be one that did this but I do.
SOMETIMES I give it like 5-15 seconds.
I don't think my engine knows nor cares, even on the coldest day, even a 5W Conventional has already flowed where it has to within ohh 5 seconds or so.. usually light throttle for two miles but I have long roads to cover.
If I'm in a rush it gets driven medium-hard even from cold and the oil is do good nowadays, I don't think it matters.
On the coldest coldest days, you don't feel heat from the vents until like 5 minutes in. And thats not a function of oil.
My local "news" people, especially the weather "experts," this morning were all in on the "It's cold this morning, be sure to warm up your car" advice. Whatever did we do before the TV was there to advise us about everything?
Cold? Oh, yeah. The temp in the city was about 44. Maybe 36 in outlying areas.
Cold? Oh, yeah. The temp in the city was about 44. Maybe 36 in outlying areas.
- Joined
- Sep 21, 2020
- Messages
- 452
Obviously if your windows are frosted over or snow crusted you need to defrost and need to start and idle the car, but
if this isn't the case even when bitter cold just start the car and drive it, it will warm up faster and it causes LESS wear on the engine.
if this isn't the case even when bitter cold just start the car and drive it, it will warm up faster and it causes LESS wear on the engine.
Wonder if they were just being cute, making idle talk?
*
Random thought of the moment--people talk about waiting for rpm to drop below 1000 or somesuch. I don't recall ever waiting for that--nor have I had it "bang into gear". After a few seconds I'm guessing the transmission is pumped up and at pressure, but I think dropping into gear doesn't mean it's banging into gear--the ATF is cold, thick, perhaps flowing in those passageways a bit slower? accumulators doing their thing? not sure, but I don't think I've had an issue with an automatic (and on a manual, it's not that hard to just feather the clutch and take off).
Maybe on the older cars that was a problem, the non-electronically controlled automatics. Or maybe mine are too old, too many miles, and their autos are on their last legs, sliding into gear now.
Around here? Locals think it's "chilly" at 60 degrees.Wonder if they were just being cute, making idle talk?
*
- Status
