Motor Warm up

[Turbo_777]

Hi all, long time since I posted here. What are your opinions on the best method of warming up a car motor (petrol/gas), either with a turbo or naturally aspirated? Some say, start idle for 30 seconds and drive moderatly, others say start idle for thirty seconds and then bilp the throttle for a minute then drive. I don't think the start and idle till warm warrents discussion as I am quite sure this isn't a good method. I would appreciate your thoughts.

 

[Kruse]

To me, it depends on the outside weather temp and the temp of the car. Above freezing? Start it and go, but I keep the rpm down until there is some heat. Temperature below zero? Then you might give it some time so that the windshield does not ice up while you are driving. My work car sits outside where it can get below zero in the winter. I normally start it, scrape the windshield, and drive it within a couple minutes of starting. Prolonged idling, especially to get the windshield defrosted, is avoided completely.

 

[StevieC]

From what I have read here and have experienced I would say the following: Normal - Summer like conditions: Start, wait a few seconds and go, drive easily (not like grandma) until engine is up to temperature. Cold - Winter like conditions: Start and wait 30 seconds for oil to circulate and go, drive easily (not like grandma) until the engine is up to temperature. Now the same advice applies to a Turbo engine, just don't create any boost until the engine has been at operating temperature for at least 10 minutes so the oil has had a chance to properly circulate in the turbo and warm the turbo's bearings. Follow this and you will have tons of trouble-free driving.

 

[Benzadmiral]

I can recall the days of electric chokes and carburetors. In cold weather, you'd start the car, let it fast idle for xx seconds, then blip the throttle to return the idle to its regular, lower rpm. Is that sort of thing even necessary today, with computers and fuel injection? I'd say, on a modern car, start, idle for 10 seconds while you put on your seat belt and turn on the radio, then drive moderately. Let it idle a *little* longer in extremely cold weather.

 

[lexus114]

I agree with what Kruse said.And my vehicle stays in the lower gears of the transmission unless I give it a couple of minutes.(its supposed to do that)but what a pita!

 

[Quattro Pete]

 Originally Posted By: StevieC

Normal - Summer like conditions: Start, wait a few seconds and go, drive easily (not like grandma) until engine is up to temperature. Cold - Winter like conditions: Start and wait 30 seconds for oil to circulate and go, drive easily (not like grandma) until the engine is up to temperature.

+1

 

[Silber Igel]

If you are using a 0W-20/30 or 5W-20/30 oil...Fire it up... drive it off. Winter or summer. Turbo or not.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

I start and let idle till it goes closed loop(warm ambient: usually 30sec-1 min), then drive easy for a couple minutes(no lugging!). I get better gas milage waiting until it goes closed loop. Dont know why. Runs smoother throughout the day too. when its cold ambient I extend the warmup an bout another minute - only if idle is unsteady or if misfire is indicated do i blip the throttle a little.

 

[demarpaint]

I start the engine in the summer and let it idle about 20-30 seconds. Basically enough time to put the seat belt on and make any adjustments to the seat etc. In the winter I start it and wait until the idle kicks down to just under 1000 rpm, that could take about 1 minute or so. I never turn the key and immediately drive off. I want the oil and ATF to circulate a bit. JMO

 

[Bryanccfshr]

Work Truck-I start it and drive it gently. Fuel injection and electronic shift points. No worries in 10 minutews I climb a 1000 foot hill to get on a mesa and drive at 60 for the rest of the trip. In the winter I may have to idle to clear the windshield for safety(My safety is more important than a little engine qwear from cold idle). Ford Explorer trip and generally wifes vehicle. Gets started and idled however long it takes her to get situated and driven off. It has plenty of reserve power and we never really push it anyway. Jeep Wrangler. This 2008 is a dog of an engine If I can get it to die I can replace it with a Hemi. I start it and go. It is undergeared and underpowered so I often have it floored getting up hills. I offroad it and it is subject to stall speed rockcrawling under heavy load. Ought to make an interesting UOA when I get done with this OCI. Warmup procedure? I have to negotiate in town roads to get anywhere so I drive gently unless I am offroad. By then it is warmed up. Emissions and other functions warmup the fastest by simply driving the car. (load generates heat much faster than no load) So put some load on the engine but don't ask for max output until the engine and driveline have reached a state of thorough heat sink . (oil takes longer to warm up than coolant and gear oil takes even longer)

 

[HTSS_TR]

I started and drove off gently within 1-2 seconds for 8-10 minutes or 2-3 miles. No need for warm up with modern fuel injected engines.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

No need to warm up (drivability wise), but they will be running rich(ER) at open loop and dumping gas into the motor. I would think the motor would run a tad leaner if you give it 30 sec to heat the o2 sensor.

 

[simple_gifts]

 Quote:

I started and drove off gently within 1-2 seconds for 8-10 minutes or 2-3 miles. No need for warm up with modern fuel injected engines.

Large cast iron engines sound pained @ low temps; I think they can benefit from a little extra time of idle (30-60 seconds)

 

[BuickGN]

 Originally Posted By: StevieC

From what I have read here and have experienced I would say the following: Normal - Summer like conditions: Start, wait a few seconds and go, drive easily (not like grandma) until engine is up to temperature. Cold - Winter like conditions: Start and wait 30 seconds for oil to circulate and go, drive easily (not like grandma) until the engine is up to temperature. Now the same advice applies to a Turbo engine, just don't create any boost until the engine has been at operating temperature for at least 10 minutes so the oil has had a chance to properly circulate in the turbo and warm the turbo's bearings. Follow this and you will have tons of trouble-free driving.

Oil gets to the turbo bearings instantly. I've seen this first hand when I forgot to install the drainback tube and it's a very high quantity going through there when dead cold. By the time I could walk 4 feet to shut the car off I had a couple quarts on the ground. Not hitting boost until it's warm isn't the best idea. You realize >1psi boost is the equivilent of wide open without the turbo so I would say drive it very easy regardless of vaccum/boost. Turbo bearings don't require warmup. The only thing that's going to suffer turbo related from going WOT from the second you start it is slower spool from the thick oil. If we're only waiting for oil to circulate, then starting the engine, putting on the seatbelt, and putting it into drive is twice the amount of time you need. Personally, I like to get a little heat in the pistons, up to 1 minute in the winter and then drive it very easy. Piston to cylinder is the clearance that changes the most from cold to hot. Bearings are barely a concern. In the summer I start and go but I'm fortunate to have a drive through the neighborhood that doesn't require more than 1/8 throttle and 1,500rpm for nearly 5 minutes. And what's with the signature?

 

[aquariuscsm]

I always start my car,wait for the temp needle to begin to move,then drive away.

 

[NismoMax80]

cars are so efficient now they take forever to warm the needle idling. Majority or experts I've talked to say drive right away nice and easy until warm. Idling does not warm everything. Moving does. I do notice it revs higher at start up when super cold out. I like other may sit for 30 sec when that cold and idling high. Only other time is when scraping a frozen windshield.

 

[BuickGN]

 Originally Posted By: NismoMax80

cars are so efficient now they take forever to warm the needle idling. Majority or experts I've talked to say drive right away nice and easy until warm. Idling does not warm everything. Moving does. I do notice it revs higher at start up when super cold out. I like other may sit for 30 sec when that cold and idling high. Only other time is when scraping a frozen windshield.

I've noticed just the opposite on the TL. If it's 40 degrees outside, and I drive right away it takes barely over a minute for the guage to show fully hot. I'm sure it's buffered somewhat but it gets in the range very quickly. The Buick takes 10 minutes literally.

 

[daman]

I always warm up 3-5mins till comp ides down.

 

[simple_gifts]

 Quote:

i've noticed just the opposite on the TL. If it's 40 degrees outside, and I drive right away it takes barely over a minute for the guage to show fully hot. I'm sure it's buffered somewhat but it gets in the range very quickly. The Buick takes 10 minutes literally.

Cast iron vs Aluminum; ask any cook, and volume of the cooling system; my !echo! is 5 qts.

 

[Superbuick96]

My Ranger high idles for approx 10-15 seconds, then kicks down to normal rpm. So I usually wait aprox 20-30 seconds before I drop it in gear and go. Even then I'm fairly easy on it until it reaches normal temp. In the winter time I may let idle 45 seconds to a minuted, longer if the windows are iced up, again being easy on it until it reaches normal temps....