driving off immediately after startup
- Thread starter The motor guy
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when its warm out i start my truck and let it run until it comes off of fast idle. it starts at 1500 i take off when it gets to 800. I then drive it under 2k RPM until its at normal operating temp.
In the winter i let it run longer. yesterday was a 7 degree morning here in indiana, and i started it up turned on the defrost and heat and went back in to brush my teeth and drink a glass of water. about 4-5 mins. Then i drive it easy until warm.
Ive always let my cars sit and idle in the winter months. the Fuel mileage difference isnt vastly different from the summer. i do 90% highway driving. i get 17.9 mpg highway in the winter and 18.8 in the summer. i could care less about .9 mpg. that's only 24 miles extra to a tank. i prefer a warm truck, and a well lubricated engine.
In the winter i let it run longer. yesterday was a 7 degree morning here in indiana, and i started it up turned on the defrost and heat and went back in to brush my teeth and drink a glass of water. about 4-5 mins. Then i drive it easy until warm.
Ive always let my cars sit and idle in the winter months. the Fuel mileage difference isnt vastly different from the summer. i do 90% highway driving. i get 17.9 mpg highway in the winter and 18.8 in the summer. i could care less about .9 mpg. that's only 24 miles extra to a tank. i prefer a warm truck, and a well lubricated engine.
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I get in, put on my seatbelt, scrape the windows if necessary, and plug my phone into the stereo to get the music going. Then I'm off.
I'm guessing from 30 seconds up to a minute. Same routine whether it's +30C or -30C. I have to drive through a residential area so it gets driven pretty gently for the first few kms.
I'm guessing from 30 seconds up to a minute. Same routine whether it's +30C or -30C. I have to drive through a residential area so it gets driven pretty gently for the first few kms.
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These days I pretty much start, and depending on whether I just drove it or not, fasten seatbelt, put in gear and drive. If it's in the morning I'll wait about 20 seconds. If I'm say getting lunch on my break, I don't wait. I also don't drive any different than I do when it's warm. That's not to say I redline it, but 3-4k when pulling out onto a main st isn't unusual.
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My wife lets our Hyundai run for 10 minutes before she takes off. It drives me nuts. She complains she only gets 15mpg. Well... there you have it. When you idle that long you're just wasting fuel. It's better to take that 10 minutes and drive around town at 30 mph or below to get the engine up to temp. Then take off on the highway.
Originally Posted By: zerosoma
My wife lets our Hyundai run for 10 minutes before she takes off. It drives me nuts. She complains she only gets 15mpg. Well... there you have it. When you idle that long you're just wasting fuel. It's better to take that 10 minutes and drive around town at 30 mph or below to get the engine up to temp. Then take off on the highway.
But if you are just riding to warm the engine you're still going to use approx same amount of gas(yes the mileage would compute higher), basically you've rode around wearing the tires and brakes...
My wife works(I don't)and keep gas in her car, if she wants to warm it up for 10-15 minutes it's her choice...
My wife lets our Hyundai run for 10 minutes before she takes off. It drives me nuts. She complains she only gets 15mpg. Well... there you have it. When you idle that long you're just wasting fuel. It's better to take that 10 minutes and drive around town at 30 mph or below to get the engine up to temp. Then take off on the highway.
But if you are just riding to warm the engine you're still going to use approx same amount of gas(yes the mileage would compute higher), basically you've rode around wearing the tires and brakes...
My wife works(I don't)and keep gas in her car, if she wants to warm it up for 10-15 minutes it's her choice...
Originally Posted By: TFB1
But if you are just riding to warm the engine you're still going to use approx same amount of gas(yes the mileage would compute higher), basically you've rode around wearing the tires and brakes...
Are you serious?
But if you are just riding to warm the engine you're still going to use approx same amount of gas(yes the mileage would compute higher), basically you've rode around wearing the tires and brakes...
Are you serious?
Originally Posted By: zerosoma
Originally Posted By: TFB1
But if you are just riding to warm the engine you're still going to use approx same amount of gas(yes the mileage would compute higher), basically you've rode around wearing the tires and brakes...
Are you serious?
Makes perfect sense to me too. If you are just gonna drive randomly to warm up the engine, just let it idle.
Originally Posted By: TFB1
But if you are just riding to warm the engine you're still going to use approx same amount of gas(yes the mileage would compute higher), basically you've rode around wearing the tires and brakes...
Are you serious?
Makes perfect sense to me too. If you are just gonna drive randomly to warm up the engine, just let it idle.
Originally Posted By: zerosoma
Originally Posted By: TFB1
But if you are just riding to warm the engine you're still going to use approx same amount of gas(yes the mileage would compute higher), basically you've rode around wearing the tires and brakes...
Are you serious?
Dead SERIOUS, just think about it...
Originally Posted By: TFB1
But if you are just riding to warm the engine you're still going to use approx same amount of gas(yes the mileage would compute higher), basically you've rode around wearing the tires and brakes...
Are you serious?
Dead SERIOUS, just think about it...
Originally Posted By: TFB1
Originally Posted By: zerosoma
Originally Posted By: TFB1
But if you are just riding to warm the engine you're still going to use approx same amount of gas(yes the mileage would compute higher), basically you've rode around wearing the tires and brakes...
Are you serious?
Dead SERIOUS, just think about it...
Idling does not get the engine up to temp as fast as driving moderately does. Tires and brakes? You're going to replace them eventually. I still do not get your logic.
Originally Posted By: zerosoma
Originally Posted By: TFB1
But if you are just riding to warm the engine you're still going to use approx same amount of gas(yes the mileage would compute higher), basically you've rode around wearing the tires and brakes...
Are you serious?
Dead SERIOUS, just think about it...
Idling does not get the engine up to temp as fast as driving moderately does. Tires and brakes? You're going to replace them eventually. I still do not get your logic.
I am a part time hypermiler. I have serious hypermiler friends too and by serious i mean modified engines ie. disabling half the valves, coasting with engines off and drafting huge rigs or having some next level aero kit installed. They all own various cars; insight, prius, civics, maxima and some even big trucks with big diesels ie. 7.3l turbo.
They all agree: any idling cold OR warm kills mileage, and does not haste warmup.
with my Subaru I NEVER idle. Go on ecommoder or cleanmpg and ask. They will smack you if you claim idling helps mileage or warms your car up faster. This morning my engine was at -20'f or -30'c temp and upon startup with no block heater it was consuming 7 Liters per hour in open loop and high rpm idle of 2000. My temps were also climbing pathetically. After 1 minute coolant was still below freezing. Curious i decided to wait and see how my car can deal with cold weather and plus the boxer rumble is awesome in cold starts. After 7 minutes idle my car finally reached 50'c but it was struggling to go past 66'c. Subaru considers 70'c fully warm but my coolant always hangs around 88-90'c. What was my mileage at the end of the day? it was 17.5mpg. Yesterday i drove off at slightly less extreme temps with 0 idling, and in about a mile or 3-4min my car was fully warm >70'c. My mileage was 23mpg yesterday.
If you don't believe me i can document this for you with video. Or maybe i wont depending on how ridiculous the argument is
They all agree: any idling cold OR warm kills mileage, and does not haste warmup.
with my Subaru I NEVER idle. Go on ecommoder or cleanmpg and ask. They will smack you if you claim idling helps mileage or warms your car up faster. This morning my engine was at -20'f or -30'c temp and upon startup with no block heater it was consuming 7 Liters per hour in open loop and high rpm idle of 2000. My temps were also climbing pathetically. After 1 minute coolant was still below freezing. Curious i decided to wait and see how my car can deal with cold weather and plus the boxer rumble is awesome in cold starts. After 7 minutes idle my car finally reached 50'c but it was struggling to go past 66'c. Subaru considers 70'c fully warm but my coolant always hangs around 88-90'c. What was my mileage at the end of the day? it was 17.5mpg. Yesterday i drove off at slightly less extreme temps with 0 idling, and in about a mile or 3-4min my car was fully warm >70'c. My mileage was 23mpg yesterday.
If you don't believe me i can document this for you with video. Or maybe i wont depending on how ridiculous the argument is
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gathermewool
Site Donor 2025
Originally Posted By: gathermewool
My entire commute to or from work is 6.3 miles. Tonight, it was 15F.
After work tonight, I started the car and let out the clutch within 10 seconds. I then idled in 1st gear to the stop sign just outside of my parking lot (~10 seconds.) I then drove gently all the way home, doing approximately the speed limit (30-35 MPH for 1 mile, 55-60MPH on the highway for 1.8 miles, and then 25-30MPH for the remaining 3.5 miles until I arrived home.) Since I tend to bundle up according to the weather and don't mind the cold so much, I keep my heater off and on recirc (unless my windows begin fogging,) which I can only suppose helps, since the dummy gauge read normal operating temp (>160F) 2/3 of the way home.
I know this isn't enough to maintain the oil condensation-free, but I do believe it's better for the engine than the days I put the heat on AUTO, which prevents the dummy gauge from ever even reaching normal operating temp before arriving home.
Correction: when the dummy gauge reads normal operating temp, the temp is actually 180-185F, pretty close to normal temp.
Tonight, with ambient temps of 9F, I did a little test. I drove most of the way home with the heater off and set to recirc. As soon as the coolant temp began creeping past 190F I turned the heater on. The temp almost immediately dropped back down to 180F and stayed there. I was bundled up, so I ran the heater for 30 seconds and turned it off for the remainder of the trip home.
My entire commute to or from work is 6.3 miles. Tonight, it was 15F.
After work tonight, I started the car and let out the clutch within 10 seconds. I then idled in 1st gear to the stop sign just outside of my parking lot (~10 seconds.) I then drove gently all the way home, doing approximately the speed limit (30-35 MPH for 1 mile, 55-60MPH on the highway for 1.8 miles, and then 25-30MPH for the remaining 3.5 miles until I arrived home.) Since I tend to bundle up according to the weather and don't mind the cold so much, I keep my heater off and on recirc (unless my windows begin fogging,) which I can only suppose helps, since the dummy gauge read normal operating temp (>160F) 2/3 of the way home.
I know this isn't enough to maintain the oil condensation-free, but I do believe it's better for the engine than the days I put the heat on AUTO, which prevents the dummy gauge from ever even reaching normal operating temp before arriving home.
Correction: when the dummy gauge reads normal operating temp, the temp is actually 180-185F, pretty close to normal temp.
Tonight, with ambient temps of 9F, I did a little test. I drove most of the way home with the heater off and set to recirc. As soon as the coolant temp began creeping past 190F I turned the heater on. The temp almost immediately dropped back down to 180F and stayed there. I was bundled up, so I ran the heater for 30 seconds and turned it off for the remainder of the trip home.
Originally Posted By: TFB1
Originally Posted By: zerosoma
My wife lets our Hyundai run for 10 minutes before she takes off. It drives me nuts. She complains she only gets 15mpg. Well... there you have it. When you idle that long you're just wasting fuel. It's better to take that 10 minutes and drive around town at 30 mph or below to get the engine up to temp. Then take off on the highway.
But if you are just riding to warm the engine you're still going to use approx same amount of gas(yes the mileage would compute higher), basically you've rode around wearing the tires and brakes...
My wife works(I don't)and keep gas in her car, if she wants to warm it up for 10-15 minutes it's her choice...
What? You won't be using the same amount of fuel because you will already be closer to the destination,thereby running the engine for a shorter time.
That post makes no sense.
Originally Posted By: zerosoma
My wife lets our Hyundai run for 10 minutes before she takes off. It drives me nuts. She complains she only gets 15mpg. Well... there you have it. When you idle that long you're just wasting fuel. It's better to take that 10 minutes and drive around town at 30 mph or below to get the engine up to temp. Then take off on the highway.
But if you are just riding to warm the engine you're still going to use approx same amount of gas(yes the mileage would compute higher), basically you've rode around wearing the tires and brakes...
My wife works(I don't)and keep gas in her car, if she wants to warm it up for 10-15 minutes it's her choice...
What? You won't be using the same amount of fuel because you will already be closer to the destination,thereby running the engine for a shorter time.
That post makes no sense.
Originally Posted By: pickler
I am a part time hypermiler. I have serious hypermiler friends too and by serious i mean modified engines ie. disabling half the valves, coasting with engines off and drafting huge rigs or having some next level aero kit installed. They all own various cars; insight, prius, civics, maxima and some even big trucks with big diesels ie. 7.3l turbo.
They all agree: any idling cold OR warm kills mileage, and does not haste warmup.
with my Subaru I NEVER idle. Go on ecommoder or cleanmpg and ask. They will smack you if you claim idling helps mileage or warms your car up faster. This morning my engine was at -20'f or -30'c temp and upon startup with no block heater it was consuming 7 Liters per hour in open loop and high rpm idle of 2000. My temps were also climbing pathetically. After 1 minute coolant was still below freezing. Curious i decided to wait and see how my car can deal with cold weather and plus the boxer rumble is awesome in cold starts. After 7 minutes idle my car finally reached 50'c but it was struggling to go past 66'c. Subaru considers 70'c fully warm but my coolant always hangs around 88-90'c. What was my mileage at the end of the day? it was 17.5mpg. Yesterday i drove off at slightly less extreme temps with 0 idling, and in about a mile or 3-4min my car was fully warm >70'c. My mileage was 23mpg yesterday.
If you don't believe me i can document this for you with video. Or maybe i wont depending on how ridiculous the argument is
Ecomodder is a cool site. I'm a member there as well. Some of those guys have some ingenious ideas to extract every last foot out of every last drop of fuel. That's where I learned about PIB I think. That or gas savers.
I am a part time hypermiler. I have serious hypermiler friends too and by serious i mean modified engines ie. disabling half the valves, coasting with engines off and drafting huge rigs or having some next level aero kit installed. They all own various cars; insight, prius, civics, maxima and some even big trucks with big diesels ie. 7.3l turbo.
They all agree: any idling cold OR warm kills mileage, and does not haste warmup.
with my Subaru I NEVER idle. Go on ecommoder or cleanmpg and ask. They will smack you if you claim idling helps mileage or warms your car up faster. This morning my engine was at -20'f or -30'c temp and upon startup with no block heater it was consuming 7 Liters per hour in open loop and high rpm idle of 2000. My temps were also climbing pathetically. After 1 minute coolant was still below freezing. Curious i decided to wait and see how my car can deal with cold weather and plus the boxer rumble is awesome in cold starts. After 7 minutes idle my car finally reached 50'c but it was struggling to go past 66'c. Subaru considers 70'c fully warm but my coolant always hangs around 88-90'c. What was my mileage at the end of the day? it was 17.5mpg. Yesterday i drove off at slightly less extreme temps with 0 idling, and in about a mile or 3-4min my car was fully warm >70'c. My mileage was 23mpg yesterday.
If you don't believe me i can document this for you with video. Or maybe i wont depending on how ridiculous the argument is
Ecomodder is a cool site. I'm a member there as well. Some of those guys have some ingenious ideas to extract every last foot out of every last drop of fuel. That's where I learned about PIB I think. That or gas savers.
Originally Posted By: gathermewool
Tonight, with ambient temps of 9F, I did a little test. I drove most of the way home with the heater off and set to recirc. As soon as the coolant temp began creeping past 190F I turned the heater on. The temp almost immediately dropped back down to 180F and stayed there.
My experience is exactly what you saw. The Ultra-Gauge shows about 10F dropping when I turn the heater to max after the engine reaches operating temperature.
Tonight, with ambient temps of 9F, I did a little test. I drove most of the way home with the heater off and set to recirc. As soon as the coolant temp began creeping past 190F I turned the heater on. The temp almost immediately dropped back down to 180F and stayed there.
My experience is exactly what you saw. The Ultra-Gauge shows about 10F dropping when I turn the heater to max after the engine reaches operating temperature.
Below about 20F I can't take right off in my TDi. It tends to have a power loss within the first minute or so. Not sure what it is, and it seems to pop up around 10F or so. Luckily none of my travels requires me to get on it immediately, so it's not a real problem--but at 10F (and less), if I'm home I'm going back inside of 5 minutes. For any excuse I can think of. If I'm leaving work I just deal with it.
It also burns next to nothing at idle. It also doesn't warm up very much at idle either.
It also burns next to nothing at idle. It also doesn't warm up very much at idle either.
Originally Posted By: Clevy
Originally Posted By: TFB1
Originally Posted By: zerosoma
My wife lets our Hyundai run for 10 minutes before she takes off. It drives me nuts. She complains she only gets 15mpg. Well... there you have it. When you idle that long you're just wasting fuel. It's better to take that 10 minutes and drive around town at 30 mph or below to get the engine up to temp. Then take off on the highway.
But if you are just riding to warm the engine you're still going to use approx same amount of gas(yes the mileage would compute higher), basically you've rode around wearing the tires and brakes...
My wife works(I don't)and keep gas in her car, if she wants to warm it up for 10-15 minutes it's her choice...
What? You won't be using the same amount of fuel because you will already be closer to the destination,thereby running the engine for a shorter time.
That post makes no sense.
Then you aren't reading the original post that I highlighted, so simple it isn't funny...
Originally Posted By: TFB1
Originally Posted By: zerosoma
My wife lets our Hyundai run for 10 minutes before she takes off. It drives me nuts. She complains she only gets 15mpg. Well... there you have it. When you idle that long you're just wasting fuel. It's better to take that 10 minutes and drive around town at 30 mph or below to get the engine up to temp. Then take off on the highway.
But if you are just riding to warm the engine you're still going to use approx same amount of gas(yes the mileage would compute higher), basically you've rode around wearing the tires and brakes...
My wife works(I don't)and keep gas in her car, if she wants to warm it up for 10-15 minutes it's her choice...
What? You won't be using the same amount of fuel because you will already be closer to the destination,thereby running the engine for a shorter time.
That post makes no sense.
Then you aren't reading the original post that I highlighted, so simple it isn't funny...
re: "gatherwool"
Does your screen name anything to do with the clothes you are wearing? I had never came across anybody who kept the heater off so that engine won't freeze to death. You are the first one who wants engine to be warm and toasty and are willing to wear thermal underwear rather than putting on the heat! I mean there have been times when I kill the A/C to save fuel or engine power but killing heat seems pretty stupid as it does not really save anything and causes nothing but chattering of my teeth.
Does your screen name anything to do with the clothes you are wearing? I had never came across anybody who kept the heater off so that engine won't freeze to death. You are the first one who wants engine to be warm and toasty and are willing to wear thermal underwear rather than putting on the heat! I mean there have been times when I kill the A/C to save fuel or engine power but killing heat seems pretty stupid as it does not really save anything and causes nothing but chattering of my teeth.
So the Local newspaper ran an article on cold weather tips.
http://www.limaohio.com/content/tncms/as...052d682.pdf.pdf
story is @ the bottom of the page.
the one part that struck me as odd
second column, stating with the last word on the first line)
"Power steering can be hard to “wake up” at first. Neely recommended starting your car 10 minutes before you leave to give the fluids time to warm up and be ready to drive"
this guy runs a local tire/auto shop, that
1) gives me a weird "don't trust these guys" vibe when i walk in.
2) other independents(whom i trust completely) have pretty much called them crooks, without any libel/or slanderous words of course.
http://www.limaohio.com/content/tncms/as...052d682.pdf.pdf
story is @ the bottom of the page.
the one part that struck me as odd
second column, stating with the last word on the first line) "Power steering can be hard to “wake up” at first. Neely recommended starting your car 10 minutes before you leave to give the fluids time to warm up and be ready to drive"
this guy runs a local tire/auto shop, that
1) gives me a weird "don't trust these guys" vibe when i walk in.
2) other independents(whom i trust completely) have pretty much called them crooks, without any libel/or slanderous words of course.
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