How many of us oil nerds still "warm up" your car?

[95busa]

Originally Posted By: Artem
Originally Posted By: grampi
Originally Posted By: Astro14
No. It isn't good for the engine, the oil, or my efficiency in the morning...in 95% of driving, it's a waste of time, fuel and $$...


With 275K on my Corolla, a car that's always been warmed up on cold winter mornings, I'll have to disagree that it isn't good for the engine, or at the very least, it certainly isn't harmful....


I'll take the above post by Astro14 as an OPINION!

To say that idling is "Bad for the engine and oil" is completely FALSE unless you post some scientific lab data showing so.

I'd say it's almost impossible to show any HARM from idling, since i'd say it's almost impossible to test this by taking the engine apart (minus doing UOA and looking at the fuel content, which is pointless, IMO)

I personally idle my cars in freezing temps to give the oil a minute or so to start flowing to all the critical areas before any serious LOAD is added to it. Sure today's oils flow really well in freezing temps but not as well as it needs too, IMO.

My 98 Camry V6 idles @ 1,600rpm during the summer months when started cold but idles 2,100rpm during the winter. The RPMs quickly drop to 1,500 within 30-45 seconds after start up and that's pretty much when i engage the auto transmission. (which i wouldn't want to do @ 2,000rpm.)



IN GOD WE TRUST! ALL ELSE BRING DATA!

 

[bigmike]

I leave my subdivision every morning and there is a house that has about 6 vehicles, usually with a minimum of 2 outside idling in the driveway before they leave. They do this for around 10-15 minutes, from what I can tell.

No idea why. They probably think they're helping their vehicles. This IS Florida, so I can't imagine they're doing it for the heat.

 

[MuzzleFlash40]

I usually wait until it idles down before I put into gear, that usually takes about 15 seconds. On really cold mornings i'll wait for the windows to defrost a bit, i'll take the extra engine wear to not get into an accident, lol.

 

[CROWNVIC4LIFE]

Originally Posted By: MuzzleFlash40
I usually wait until it idles down before I put into gear, that usually takes about 15 seconds.


Yes 15 seconds is exactly what I do here in Miami.

 

[hattaresguy]

Waste of gas with a modern car.

 

[Bumpside 427]

I do it 'cause my granddaughter is very warm-blooded. When it's in the 40's I'll let it go 5+ mins to get it warm. Shoot me AlGore...

 

[morris]

lite it punch it.

 

[TFB1]

I'm old and don't like driving in a cold car, so if temps are below 55* you can bet mine are warmed up at least four or five minutes beforehand... As far as wasting gas so what??? I'm paying for it...

 

[grampi]

Originally Posted By: hattaresguy
Waste of gas with a modern car.


...he says until he runs into something due to refogged/refrosted windows because he didn't let the car run long enough to generate heat from the defrosters...

 

[Jarlaxle]

My windows are clear in 90 seconds...if yours arent, you should have the car checked. There may be a problem with the HVAC system.

 

[IndyIan]

Originally Posted By: grampi
Originally Posted By: hattaresguy
Waste of gas with a modern car.


...he says until he runs into something due to refogged/refrosted windows because he didn't let the car run long enough to generate heat from the defrosters...

If the inside surface of your windows is always frosted or fogged up, you probably have a water leak somewhere into your car. Also you can run your defroster on full cold to keep the windows from fogging again until your engine is warmed up and then add heat.
Worst case is using an old credit card to scrape frost off the inside of the window but its pretty rare that occurs.

 

[CharBaby]

Yeah, most of the time I start the engine, buckle up, adjust the mirrors and seats(as my wife and I drive each others cars now and again) and then drive off.

And now that my eyes aren't what they once were, I want to be able to see in foul weather. I'll do what ever I have to do in order to see well. But, in good weather, I'm off! Not like many women who themselves reguardless of outside tempuratures, start the engine, drop the shifter into "D" and foot to floor". Not me!

In the cold winter, we have some window scraping & snow removal to do but other than those things mentioned above, I won't just sit in the car till the idle comes down unless it's way too cold outside. But even then, I'll start the car(s) and run back in the house and finish putting on coats/boots/gloves/hats. I don't like driving when it's brutaly cold outside and shaking and stuttering my words till the car gets heat. Gettin' too old for that!

 

[TFB1]

Originally Posted By: IndyIan

If the inside surface of your windows is always frosted or fogged up, you probably have a water leak somewhere into your car.


Not necessary, for those who live below the Mason-Dixon fault line, the humidity can cause fog/frost up on a cold morning...

 

[InvalidUserID]

30 seconds at most. That is usually in the winter to let the rear window start to defrost. Almost every other time I'll get in, seat belt on, check mirrors, start up and quickly check gauges and take off. I am careful to not go full throttle the first few minutes getting out of the neighborhood though.

 

[grampi]

Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
My windows are clear in 90 seconds...if yours arent, you should have the car checked. There may be a problem with the HVAC system.


Balogna! I've never seen a vehicle's defroster capable of clearing the windows in just 90 seconds after a cold engine has been started. Heat is required to clear windows and you ain't gonna get that in 90 seconds....

 

[grampi]

Originally Posted By: IndyIan
Originally Posted By: grampi
Originally Posted By: hattaresguy
Waste of gas with a modern car.


...he says until he runs into something due to refogged/refrosted windows because he didn't let the car run long enough to generate heat from the defrosters...

If the inside surface of your windows is always frosted or fogged up, you probably have a water leak somewhere into your car. Also you can run your defroster on full cold to keep the windows from fogging again until your engine is warmed up and then add heat.
Worst case is using an old credit card to scrape frost off the inside of the window but its pretty rare that occurs.


Fogging of the inside of the windows isn't an idication of a leak, it's called breathing. And refrosting of the outside glass is due to weather conditions, and neither can be delt with by a defroster blowing cold air. You must have heat to get rid of it, and keep the windows clear. I'll pass on the credit card, that's what a warm defroster is for...

 

[IndyIan]

Originally Posted By: grampi
Originally Posted By: IndyIan
Originally Posted By: grampi
Originally Posted By: hattaresguy
Waste of gas with a modern car.


...he says until he runs into something due to refogged/refrosted windows because he didn't let the car run long enough to generate heat from the defrosters...

If the inside surface of your windows is always frosted or fogged up, you probably have a water leak somewhere into your car. Also you can run your defroster on full cold to keep the windows from fogging again until your engine is warmed up and then add heat.
Worst case is using an old credit card to scrape frost off the inside of the window but its pretty rare that occurs.


Fogging of the inside of the windows isn't an idication of a leak, it's called breathing. And refrosting of the outside glass is due to weather conditions, and neither can be delt with by a defroster blowing cold air. You must have heat to get rid of it, and keep the windows clear. I'll pass on the credit card, that's what a warm defroster is for...

I guess you do what you have to do, but I don't drive with fogged up windows and I don't waste my gas idling my car 5 mintues. I scrape the outside of the windows in the morning if needed, get in my car and start it and drive away using the defrost to keep the inside of the windows clear. Hot air is better of course but not needed unless I have ice on the inside, which only happened to me when I had a water leak in the trunk...
I guess if you run your HVAC in recirc mode you can build up moisture, so don't do that.

 

[grampi]

Originally Posted By: IndyIan
[/quote]
I guess you do what you have to do, but I don't drive with fogged up windows and I don't waste my gas idling my car 5 mintues. I scrape the outside of the windows in the morning if needed, get in my car and start it and drive away using the defrost to keep the inside of the windows clear. Hot air is better of course but not needed unless I have ice on the inside, which only happened to me when I had a water leak in the trunk...
I guess if you run your HVAC in recirc mode you can build up moisture, so don't do that.


Unless you have some type of special type of defroster in your vehicle not known to anyone else, defrosters will not clear, or keep windows clear unless they're blowing at least warm air. Blowing cold air does nothing to clear windows...

 

[Jarlaxle]

Actually, it does...the AC drys the air, and it DOES work to defog the glass.

 

[grampi]

Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
Actually, it does...the AC drys the air, and it DOES work to defog the glass.


Then why doesn't the defroster in my, or my daughter's Corolla, my wife's MPV, or my other daughter's Cube (all of which are equipped with A/C BTW), or any other vehicle I've owned my entire lifetime for that matter, clear the windows until the defroster starts blowing warm air? I suppose you're going to say there must have been something wrong with each and every one of the defrosters in those vehicles? I realize vehicles equipped with AC dry the air when set to defrost, but that doesn't mean they will clear/keep the windows clear when there's no heat coming from the vents...