Warm up idling

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Oh wow, the Toronto Star, the #1 source of Automotive knowlege on earth.
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I would sooner believe them than some guy on a message board who calls short warm-uppers stupid!
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you guys worry way too much i warm up sometimes, i have floored my car when it was snowing outside at around -19C nothing happend, i have done it many times actually!
 
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One final comment and I will let this die until next winter. This past weekend was pretty cold here in Maine (-12 F at 6 AM) and I was on a ski trip so my car was parked outside from Friday night around 9 PM to 7 PM Saturday with no starts in between, high during the day was 10 F and by 7 PM had dropped back to 3 F. My daughter was waiting for me to pick her up and was standing outside waiting for me, so I started and drove off as usual. Bad idea!





But you didn't give us a reason why you thought it was a bad idea.
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Sorry, I thought it would be obvious why it was a bad idea. The engine sounded much louder than usual, valve train noise, I think (I am no mechanic but it sounded like the upper part of the engine).




But if this is the case, then wouldn't you want to get the engine warmed up as quickly as you can? And idling it is not the quickest way to warm it up, driving it gently will warm it up quicker than idling.




NO

The point is to get the oil moving under ZERO LOAD on the engine.

Loading an engine is much different than letting it sit there and circulating the oil for a couple minutes with no stress on the engine.

Comon Patman, this is basic stuff, I don't know why you are not getting this. Driving off with a dry cold engine is just plain stupid and stressing parts under gentle acceleration is 500% more stress than idling would ever put on an engine.
 
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Oh wow, the Toronto Star, the #1 source of Automotive knowlege on earth.
smirk.gif





I would sooner believe them than some guy on a message board who calls short warm-uppers stupid!
pat2.gif





Well it is stupid. Anyone thinking that 2-3 minutes is a LONG WARMUP needs to get their neurotic arse some serious medication and therapy.
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2-3 minutes would be an eternity for My vehicles home in Texas. For my worktruck on the North Slope of Alasks it is often not enough to make it safe to drive.
 
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Comon Patman, this is basic stuff, I don't know why you are not getting this. Driving off with a dry cold engine is just plain stupid and stressing parts under gentle acceleration is 500% more stress than idling would ever put on an engine.





Obviously it isn't, since my oil analysis results prove your statement to be wrong. My winter UOAs show no excessive wear at all, and if your statement was true, they would.

PS-I don't appreciate being called stupid, consider this your first warning.
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I honestly couldn't care less if it's better or worse on my engine. I haven't been that healthy this winter and just don't wanna go out and freeze my rear off.

I do know warming it up is easier on my automatic transmission (V6 Honda Accord) as it mine doesn't shift properly when cold but works fine if warmed up a little first.
 
Just a few comments from me, who has lived through and driven during some rather cold winters:

I don't think that letting the engine idle for a few minutes if it's very cold (let's say -10°C and less) is worse than driving off right away. Mostly because the seat will be cold for a few minutes even if it's the heated kind and serious cheek-clenching and chattering teeth don't make for safe driving.

As for not being able to see due to condensation, just apply anti-fog treatment to the inside of your windshield. And as for ice sticking to your wipers and windshield, buy a car with a heated windshield or at least apply a product like RainX to prevent ice from sticking. Also install heated wipers, which work great. It's been over ten years that I've had to use any of that stuff, but it surely still exists.
 
Heated wipers?? That sounds like an option on a Lexus, which I won't be buying until I win the lottery. Mirrors, seats, steering wheels I've all heard of...but heated wipers are news to me.
 
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Comon Patman, this is basic stuff, I don't know why you are not getting this. Driving off with a dry cold engine is just plain stupid and stressing parts under gentle acceleration is 500% more stress than idling would ever put on an engine.





Obviously it isn't, since my oil analysis results prove your statement to be wrong. My winter UOAs show no excessive wear at all, and if your statement was true, they would.

PS-I don't appreciate being called stupid, consider this your first warning.
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Where did i call you stupid?

I was just wondering why you weren't getting this.

Please stop inferring / assuming what I am saying, I never once said you were stupid and warning me for talking in a civil manner in this thread is an abuse of power.
 
oh c'mon guys - leave the bickering to us war-mongering Americans. you Canucks are supposed to be easy going and friendly. didn't you see 'Bowling for Columbine'?
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Man - lots of folks who are way too obsessed with what is best for everyones vehicles.

On Monday morning, I cold started my outside parked '99 F150 at -26F. It cranked slower than usual, and ran on higher idle (around 900 rpms) for 1 minute, then dropped to normal. I placed the truck in gear and drove off. Its been treated this way its whole life, and with 151,000 miles on the odometer still runs fine and UOA's are clean. It is nowhere near dying nor is it mistreated, depsite what others feel is "best". Its the same treatment I've given every other vehicle I've owned, and I've had no problems.

In my book, the mentality that the car must be idled for long periods of time to bring them up to temp is a waste of fuel. (I don't believe it will HURT them either).
 
It gets pretty cold here in ND - quite a bit colder 150 miles north in winnipeg, where my wife lives.. this week's forecasts... looks like it's warming up finally:

Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around -20. Wind chill values between -24 and -34. Northwest wind around 6 mph.

Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 0. Wind chill values between -25 and -35. Northwest wind between 6 and 10 mph.

Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around -21. Wind chill values between -25 and -35. West northwest wind around 7 mph.

Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 0. Wind chill values between -27 and -37. North northwest wind between 6 and 10 mph.

I like to idle until my coolant temp is around 130F (2-7 mins) - once it hits 98F I put it in gear to help warm up the ATF, which is a bit stiff for the first mile or so. So is the power steering fluid..

Heh.. 2 minutes after copying and pasting that, the NWS site now shows it being -22F right now (9PM). So much for a low of -20.... Last week we had a bunch of -28 and as low as -38F (actual temp). You go through a lot of batteries here.
 
First off, everyone here is ONLY thinking of the engine when it's cold - what about the auto transmissions when they're cold, you have to think of what's best for them too, not just the engine.

I think the truth of the matter is, they're building engines so well that there doesn't seem to be an effect either way; i.e. idling or no idling.

I for one am an idler, mainly because my auto tranny won't shift out of 1st until the engine is at a certain temperature, even in the summer, though not nearly as long. But I have clocked over 165k miles and 10yrs with idling nearly every morning for at least a minimum of 2-3 minutes with no ill effects, have done this on a few engines over the years with no issue.

Honestly, I personally don't think whether or not you're an idler you will ever see the effects, many many other issues occur before the engine fails - i.e. overheat or being ran out of oil are your typical reasons an engine fails.

I've never heard of one failing from idling too long, too frequently; nor have I ever heard of one failing do to jumping in and taking off right away.

But, I WILL say this, a friends new ford truck sure sounded like it was going to blow up when it was -13F two weeks ago, when she jumped in, let it idle for maybe a minute and slowly took off - she didn't romp it at all, but I thought that engine was going to fall out, it was crying cold!!

Whereas, my truck that had sat there in the cold just as long as hers had, but had been idling for about 5 minutes sounded as smooth as butter when I took off - go figure.

Sorry, but you couldn't pay me enough to crank the engine at -15F one minute and throw it into gear the next; if anything that transmission can't stand it, and for an auto tranny I don't see how that can be good.

This topic comes up over and over, but no one ever mentions whether fast, cold take-offs are good for the transmission, let's forget about the engine for a while, we've already proven that it has no ill effects honestly either way, on the engine.

Also, everyone says to take off at low rpm's and let it warm up that way, well, again, I've asked this question MANY times and no one can see to answer it - what if you live on the edge of a mountain and the minute you pull out of your driveway you're already hitting 3-3500 rpm's?

Then what? Are you better off idling a bit or hearing it scream and sound horribly dry on the top-end as you're nearing the 4k rpm mark on a -15F morning?
 
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Heated wipers?? That sounds like an option on a Lexus, which I won't be buying until I win the lottery. Mirrors, seats, steering wheels I've all heard of...but heated wipers are news to me.




I had them on all my cars before moving away from cold winters. A set of heated wiper blades cost back then maybe $50. They took standard Bosch refills. I'm sure you can get them here. Hooking them up is easy.

heated wiper blades -- take your pick
 
If you drive long enough for your oil to get to temp. to burn off the fuel dilution, I believe idling to warm is not much of an issue.
 
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