Shutting your car off before it's fully warmed up

[7055]

I was always told that short trips where the engine never gets up to temperature are hard on your car because moisture gets in the oil and the oil never gets hot enough to burn off the impurities causing sludge. Well when I went to highschool which was close to my house I used to always take the long route so the coolant temp would hit 200 before I shut it off. I wonder if I was just wasting my time by doing that or if I was actually doing any good. Or who knows maybe I was even increasing the wear on my engine by running for the extra time. What do you think?

 

[StevieC]

You were doing good IMO. Still nothing beats a 15 mile drive to ensure all the moisture from start-up is gone... But your 200oF is better than a short trip I'm sure...

 

[rg200amp]

The peace at mind is worth it alone.

 

[ARB1977]

I must of messed something up. Twice i started up my truck just to turn the wheels then shut it off.

 

[CATERHAM]

In the summer short trips are much less of a problem than in the winter. So on cold days you were definately doing the right thing.

 

[Bryanccfshr]

the machine serves man, not the other way around

 

[StevieC]

You obviously haven't seen the Terminator Movies...

 

[TallPaul]

Originally Posted By: Bryanccfshr
the machine serves man, not the other way around
Wow, that's really profound. You just blew away 90 percent of what we BITOG folks do with vehicle care.

 

[Bryanccfshr]

I have a job a wife and two dogs to serve. Those hunks of metal are my servants.

 

[oilboy123]

Originally Posted By: Bryanccfshr
the machine serves man, not the other way around


My whole world is crumbling!

..........no wait.......that's brilliant!

NO MORE BTOG........NOooooooooooooooooooooooooo withdrawal symptoms........

 

[oilyriser]

In the cold winter, after several quick starts and shutdowns, you may find your car with no compression as the gas has washed all the oil off the rings. Then man has to serve machine for a while.

 

[Bryanccfshr]

Never had that problem and I worked on the North slope of Alaska for 8 years. I have heard cold start noise that would make you skin crawl and the engine kept serving.

You don't have to go out of your way to run a vehicle to warmup, just increase the change interval. I have never heard of a loss of compression from this nor experienced it.

If you have enough to put it in gear and move the vehicle in drive and move it forward a few feet. It is oiled.

 

[Ramblin Fever]

Originally Posted By: Bryanccfshr
I have a job a wife and two dogs to serve. Those hunks of metal are my servants.


I do understand what you're saying, regarding limited time in the normal day. I too have a family and 4 dogs, that we homecook for on top of it.

But, I still go out of my way to drive our trucks that little extra distance on a cold day with a short trip.

I have a hard time believing that you refer to your vehicles simply as hunks of metal...you have over 4k posts on the BITOG board. Why are you here wasting precious daily time?? Obviously you DO care.

 

[Bryanccfshr]

I do care. I simply don't believe in putting around town extra miles adding to traffic burning unneccesary fuel and doing one of the most hazardous things I can do unneccesarily. If you make a habit of this then the fuel you burn and the cost outweighs the minor cold start and stop problems. If you start your car drive it where you need and turn it off. If short trips are the norm just run a shorter OCI..it is more effective, safer and more environementaly friedly than trying to get the vehicle completely warmed up if the trip you need to take doesn't get the oil hot. THis act is simply a bit over the top compulsive. Even for a guy with 4k plus post on BITOG.

 

[mechtech2]

I would drive it when you need to . Change the oil if there is a problem.

 

[scoobie]

just drain the oil every 2 -3 months, and replace; u can keep the oil filter in place, it will still be good. or do a 30 minute run once a week somewhere, this will accomplish the same - drive off the fuel and any condensation - modern engines are far better than those of 25 years ago, the clearances are tighter, there is fuel injection with precise computer controll. do not worry.

 

[DragRace]

Originally Posted By: 7055
I was always told that short trips where the engine never gets up to temperature are hard on your car because moisture gets in the oil and the oil never gets hot enough to burn off the impurities causing sludge. Well when I went to highschool which was close to my house I used to always take the long route so the coolant temp would hit 200 before I shut it off. I wonder if I was just wasting my time by doing that or if I was actually doing any good. Or who knows maybe I was even increasing the wear on my engine by running for the extra time. What do you think?


Dont worry,there's more important things to worry about in todays life,have a beer

 

[Benzadmiral]

In the cooler weather (rarely cold, down here in The Inferno), I will occasionally run the long way to work: 2-3 extra miles northward on the expressway, then back down a well-paved major street. It makes for a 15-mile rather than 9-mile commute, with a little more time at a steady 60 and then at a steady 35 without lights. Partly I do it to get the engine a bit hotter, and partly for fun -- I'm experimenting to see if it brings my average gas mileage up a fraction.

Come the hot weather, which will arrive in February or March (gah!), I tend to drive to work in the early a.m. without turning on the car's A/C, to save gas. So I want to get to work and into my cool office as soon as possible.

 

[tmorris1]

Originally Posted By: Benzadmiral
In the cooler weather (rarely cold, down here in The Inferno), I will occasionally run the long way to work: 2-3 extra miles northward on the expressway, then back down a well-paved major street. It makes for a 15-mile rather than 9-mile commute, with a little more time at a steady 60 and then at a steady 35 without lights. Partly I do it to get the engine a bit hotter, and partly for fun -- I'm experimenting to see if it brings my average gas mileage up a fraction.


Your average mileage may go up, but you are still burning more gallons of gas than you would on the shorter trip...

 

[tmorris1]

Originally Posted By: oilyriser
In the cold winter, after several quick starts and shutdowns, you may find your car with no compression as the gas has washed all the oil off the rings. Then man has to serve machine for a while.

What do you drive. a Model A???