warming up the car

[gathermewool]

Originally Posted By: SevenBizzos
I guess with all this talk about "wasting gas", I'd ask you:
"How much gas does it take to idle?"

For my example, the two winter cars we drive have a Hyundai 2.0 4cyl and a Honda 2.3 4cyl in them. Let's say during the colder periods of the winter we let them idle 10 minutes a day for the 7 days in a week. 140 minutes of parked idle time a week.

How much fuel do you suppose is "wasted" on me wanting to sit in a slightly warmed interior? I've read 4 cylinder engines use .25 - .35 gallons per hour at ldle. So even at .35GPH, you're looking at about .8 something gallons a week for two cars at 10 minutes of idle a day.

And it's not me being "lazy". I don't have remote start and both cars are outside. So I have to get the keys, put some shoes on, and go out in the cold to start them.

So if it "costs" me less than a gallon of $2.60 fuel a week for two warmed interiors, I'll take it!!!

**I also like the posts from the people in states bordering Mexico putting their

in on this thread. I guess next we'll ask the good people of the Yukon how they prepare their cars for the extreme summer temps.


At cold idle, you'll more than likely be using much more. My 2.5L Subaru uses .9+ gph at cold idle - 1500 RPM. Some engines rev even higher at cold starts, and probably burn more fuel.

It's all a matter of preference here. Most of us change our oil way too early anyway - even some of us who use UOA - IMHO, I think the oil degradation from too much idling by people who change it out too early anyway is inconsequential.

 

[rshunter]

I seriously doubt that the MSDS is his primary concern...

 

[sangyup81]

Wow, what a thread. I'm sure there are bigger things that affect your car than if you warm it up or not.

 

[Vizzy]

Originally Posted By: sangyup81
Wow, what a thread. I'm sure there are bigger things that affect your car than if you warm it up or not.



Actually cold starts no matter how you let the car warm up cause the most wear to any engine overall aside from a major failure.

 

[Vizzy]

I saw one of those TV News packages that was all about winter car care tips...and sure enough a "tech" from an independent shop stated that...."in cold weather you should let your car idle for about 3 minutes because if you don't the oil when cold doesn't flow to all parts of the engine adequately. "

Funny thing is that even when cold, the oil pressure will (down to about 0F) adequately force fresh oil to all engine points...of course their is likely already oil film covering these areas unless it hasn't been driven for many months perhaps.

 

[sangyup81]

Geez what's next? Recommending you drain your oil so you can put it back in warm when you start it again?

 

[Tdbo]

Originally Posted By: ARCOgraphite

You're doing much better than the morons who use their remort start then get in their car 20 mins later.


I'm one of the "morons" that use their "remort" start to warm up their car every morning five days a week. The ten minutes it warms makes the ten year old Taurus with 191K on it run a little smoother. It also makes a 62 mile commute starting @ 5:15 AM slightly more pleasurable. I warm up my car every morning because I am a college educated male in the United States of America and I can without regard to people on forums who call people "morons" and identify themselves using the name of a defunct second rate engine lubricant.

 

[sangyup81]

Hey hey 10 minutes is much more reasonable than 20.

The moronicness is when they insist that everyone else should do it too because it's better for their car.

 

[Bryanccfshr]

Originally Posted By: Silber Igel
Originally Posted By: Bryanccfshr
Originally Posted By: Silber Igel
Originally Posted By: Bryanccfshr
IT is against the law to drive with frosted window here and the police are thankfully enforcing that. In the morning my Work Truck gets 6-10 minutes of idle to defrost the windows(It has b een single digit temps every moring for two months.
This morning before going out for breakfeast with my wife I just started my jeep and drove off(it was 13 but the vertical jeep windshield does not frost up. I will admit my manual transmission shifts like crud until the entire system warms up.



Get a can of spray de-icer. That removes frost 98% of the time.....


Why? its a company truck, company gas and De icer is somthinng else I would have to maintain in the company MSDS database. The simpler method for the business is to have warmups or stretch a tarp over the windshield. lately the nightly icedfogs require a warm up to get a tarp unstuck from the windshield anyway. Besides...Its a machine and its job is to make my life easier not the other way around



OSHA does not require that MSDSs be provided to purchasers of household consumer products when the products are used in the workplace in the same manner that a consumer would use them, i.e.; where the duration and frequency of use (and therefore exposure) is not greater than what the typical consumer would experience. This exemption in OSHA's regulation is based, however, not upon the chemical manufacturer's intended use of his product, but upon how it actually is used in the workplace. Employees who are required to work with hazardous chemicals in a manner that results in a duration and frequency of exposure greater than what a normal consumer would experience have a right to know about the properties of those hazardous chemicals.
Same as White Out, Windex, Chlorox Wipes, and ... the gas and oil in the truck, etc.. MSDS not required.



Nice textbook HAZCOM Quote, What OSHA requires for compliance and the extent we require internally are two different things. If we stock it in our warehouse then I assure it is in our MSDS database(3E). And yes I include the gas and oil in the MSDS database as well. I forgoe the hazardous material classification for inventory as it can be subjective and if the material is required for work or operation of work related equipment then it is included in the inventory. Nontheless we encourage idling the trucks to clear windows.

 

[Big_Ed]

I usually don't wait very long before I take off. Here's the criteria I use to determine if I should put it in gear and go, or wait a little bit.
After the vehicle starts,
1) Are all the dash warning lights off, and oil pressure guage and volt meter indicating things are ok?
2) Does the engine sound like it's running ok, no strange noises or anything?
3) Is the engine running well enough and won't stall or hesitate if I try to go now?
4) Can I see out the windshield? That's probably the one thing that makes me wait a minute or so. Sometimes the windshield has to defog.

If everything seems ok, then I'll go ahead, but take it easy until the engine warms up.

By the way, there's tons of good info here in the forums. I'm learning a lot.

 

[gathermewool]

Originally Posted By: Tdbo
Originally Posted By: ARCOgraphite

You're doing much better than the morons who use their remort start then get in their car 20 mins later.


I'm one of the "morons" that use their "remort" start to warm up their car every morning five days a week. The ten minutes it warms makes the ten year old Taurus with 191K on it run a little smoother. It also makes a 62 mile commute starting @ 5:15 AM slightly more pleasurable. I warm up my car every morning because I am a college educated male in the United States of America and I can without regard to people on forums who call people "morons" and identify themselves using the name of a defunct second rate engine lubricant.


To each his own, brother. Try not to take what people say here too seriously. I can't remember the first posts in this thread, but for all we know he was kidding, and IS one of you morons

All kidding aside, we all have our preferences, and those preferences tend to change. I remember waking up early in the morning to start my dad's old Chevy van when I was just a wee lad so it would warm up while we got dressed. I've warmed every car up that I've owned until around a year ago. I've asked around, noticed how others with high mileage vehicles operate, and, of course, come to sites like this one. Over all, I now spend more on oil-related maintenance - including what I spend on UOA - but have learned I can run a group III to 7k in my turbo Subie. I've also knocked down my cold-temp warm up time from a few minutes + to ~30 seconds; when the ECU switched to closed loop.

The point is: we're all here to learn something, even if we hold on tight to what makes us FEEL more comfortable or even what gives us peace of mind over practicality ..ahem....spending-too-much-on-DYSON-for-peace-of-mind...ahem...

 

[Tdbo]

Originally Posted By: sangyup81
Hey hey 10 minutes is much more reasonable than 20.

The moronicness is when they insist that everyone else should do it too because it's better for their car.


Absolutely. I just call it like it is. One minute (or less) takes care of the car. The other nine minutes takes care of me.

 

[Tdbo]

Originally Posted By: gathermewool
Originally Posted By: Tdbo
Originally Posted By: ARCOgraphite

You're doing much better than the morons who use their remort start then get in their car 20 mins later.


I'm one of the "morons" that use their "remort" start to warm up their car every morning five days a week. The ten minutes it warms makes the ten year old Taurus with 191K on it run a little smoother. It also makes a 62 mile commute starting @ 5:15 AM slightly more pleasurable. I warm up my car every morning because I am a college educated male in the United States of America and I can without regard to people on forums who call people "morons" and identify themselves using the name of a defunct second rate engine lubricant.


To each his own, brother. Try not to take what people say here too seriously. I can't remember the first posts in this thread, but for all we know he was kidding, and IS one of you morons

All kidding aside, we all have our preferences, and those preferences tend to change. I remember waking up early in the morning to start my dad's old Chevy van when I was just a wee lad so it would warm up while we got dressed. I've warmed every car up that I've owned until around a year ago. I've asked around, noticed how others with high mileage vehicles operate, and, of course, come to sites like this one. Over all, I now spend more on oil-related maintenance - including what I spend on UOA - but have learned I can run a group III to 7k in my turbo Subie. I've also knocked down my cold-temp warm up time from a few minutes + to ~30 seconds; when the ECU switched to closed loop.

The point is: we're all here to learn something, even if we hold on tight to what makes us FEEL more comfortable or even what gives us peace of mind over practicality ..ahem....spending-too-much-on-DYSON-for-peace-of-mind...ahem...


Naw, I'm not upset about his statement, or even take it seriously. It takes much more drama than that to get me going.
Seriously, with the weather we have been having here (teens, single digits, some mornings -0,) I don't feel it excessive to run a car ten minutes with a remote start. Some may think that it is an unnecessary, frivolous luxury. I say so what. I figure that when one commutes 625+ miles a week, what's another ten minutes a day? If it makes a long commute a little more bearable, so what. I'll gladly pay the extra buck or two a week.
Everyone needs to do what they feel meets their individual situation the best.
Just doing what some other posters did in giving Mr. Graphite a dose of his own sarcasm. Like the others, just couldn't resist the opportunity.

 

[SLCraig]

Originally Posted By: Tdbo
Originally Posted By: gathermewool
Originally Posted By: Tdbo
Originally Posted By: ARCOgraphite

You're doing much better than the morons who use their remort start then get in their car 20 mins later.


I'm one of the "morons" that use their "remort" start to warm up their car every morning five days a week. The ten minutes it warms makes the ten year old Taurus with 191K on it run a little smoother. It also makes a 62 mile commute starting @ 5:15 AM slightly more pleasurable. I warm up my car every morning because I am a college educated male in the United States of America and I can without regard to people on forums who call people "morons" and identify themselves using the name of a defunct second rate engine lubricant.


To each his own, brother. Try not to take what people say here too seriously. I can't remember the first posts in this thread, but for all we know he was kidding, and IS one of you morons

All kidding aside, we all have our preferences, and those preferences tend to change. I remember waking up early in the morning to start my dad's old Chevy van when I was just a wee lad so it would warm up while we got dressed. I've warmed every car up that I've owned until around a year ago. I've asked around, noticed how others with high mileage vehicles operate, and, of course, come to sites like this one. Over all, I now spend more on oil-related maintenance - including what I spend on UOA - but have learned I can run a group III to 7k in my turbo Subie. I've also knocked down my cold-temp warm up time from a few minutes + to ~30 seconds; when the ECU switched to closed loop.

The point is: we're all here to learn something, even if we hold on tight to what makes us FEEL more comfortable or even what gives us peace of mind over practicality ..ahem....spending-too-much-on-DYSON-for-peace-of-mind...ahem...


Naw, I'm not upset about his statement, or even take it seriously. It takes much more drama than that to get me going.
Seriously, with the weather we have been having here (teens, single digits, some mornings -0,) I don't feel it excessive to run a car ten minutes with a remote start. Some may think that it is an unnecessary, frivolous luxury. I say so what. I figure that when one commutes 625+ miles a week, what's another ten minutes a day? If it makes a long commute a little more bearable, so what. I'll gladly pay the extra buck or two a week.
Everyone needs to do what they feel meets their individual situation the best.
Just doing what some other posters did in giving Mr. Graphite a dose of his own sarcasm. Like the others, just couldn't resist the opportunity.


I agree entirely with your opinion, and it matches my previous response in this thread.
I like to be warm when I make my long commute too.
(700km a week just work alone)

 

[Jeepster_nut]

Originally Posted By: Stockman
Originally Posted By: ARCOgraphite
You're doing much better than the morons who use their remort start then get in their car 20 mins later.


oh you mean the morons with kids, the people who kids' health is more important to them then any amount of gas could ever be...
yeah, what are they thinking....


+1
I have a six month old son and I had a remote starter put in my wife's car for that reason. This guy obviously doesn't have a baby. Babies can't be put out in a cold car. A car is just a machine and some of you gys really need to get a life and quit worrying about insignificant things in life such as how long you idle for before driving off...Jeeezzz

 

[SteveSRT8]

Absolutely. I just call it like it is. One minute (or less) takes care of the car. The other nine minutes takes care of me. [/quote]

Now that's a gem. So very true!!!

 

[gfh77665]

Originally Posted By: Tdbo
One minute (or less) takes care of the car. The other nine minutes takes care of me.



Oooh! Thats dangerous thinking! Don't you know some "wise" ones here have decreed that we serve cars, not the other way around?

 

[lipadj46]

My criteria is if my 2 year old or pregnant wife are getting in the truck or car it will be warm that is why I use a good synthetic oil in all my vehicles. If it's just me and I have clear windows I let it idle down and go.

 

[Blurry]

I always let it warm up a bit being that I have a turbo. My car is garaged so I start mine and within 45 seconds to a minute the rpms have dropped to idle, the butt warmer has heated up real nice and I drive off keeping the rpms below 2500 or so. I drive backroads for the first 10 minutes where speeds don't reach more than 35 mph; by this time the heat has fully kicked in as has the posted speed limit.

 

[lipadj46]

Yes butt warmers help a great deal.