What's current best practice for warming up a vehicle?

[SOUNDMAN5000]

One of the few things I miss about Smoking Cigarettes ( I stopped 24 years ago ) was starting my Harley getting back off and burning one down as the Harley warms up and just taking it all IN! I kinda miss my Zippo lighter as well...

 

[TimeFlies]

I let the engine revs drop to normal and then drive very gently. I lug the engine until the oil temperature gauge “needle” has started to move. “Lug”? The car has a manual transmission so after the car is moving I’ll shift into 3rd gear instead of 2nd gear.

Lugging an engine is about the worst thing that you can do. Don't skip 2and, or enough rpm it lugs.

 

[4wd]

Come off high idle - normally take a sleepy back road sipping coffee and finding something to listen to … by the end I’m at O/T for the highway …

 

[BHopkins]

When it's cold, it's going to take longer than 30 seconds for all cylinders to even be firing and oil to flow, nevermind trying to drive!

Most of my stuff isn't even hitting great on all cylinders in 30 seconds, never mind ready to move when it's cold. Easily a good 20-30 mins to get some heat into the engine and it making a semblance of power.
High idle is fine. But that's ~1000-1200 rpm. Std idle around 600-700rpm. 2500 is getting up there on revs for alot of engines.

Of course "warming up" at 30* is much different than at -30*, or colder.

Those are some pretty interesting claims.

I know what it feels like when an engine is missing, and I cannot recall the last time, with modern electronic ignition cars that are well maintained, that I have had that experience, beyond the first few seconds of starting a car. Am I missing something here? We are no longer driving cars with points, rotors and worn distributor caps.

And if the oil in an engine isn't flowing in the first few seconds after starting, then you have selected the wrong oil. Do you not use multi-viscosity oils? I see you are in Alaska, so yes, conditions are different from the other 98% of drivers in the country. During the winter, doesn't everyone there plug in their cars overnight?

 

[Hall]

What vintage is your Infiniti?

2008

The only vehicle w/RS I've owned was when I had a stereo shop install one on my 98' Eldorado in 09'.

My wife's last (3) cars have had remote start. The two older ones I installed while her current one came with RS. Weird that starting a vehicle is so terrible that the automakers include this ability....

In this area people fill their garage with stuff and park outside. And then scrape their windows on cold mornings. Makes no sense to me.

Being able to park in a garage is one of the biggest luxuries in the world.

For many years, that was partly the case with our garage but I made sure there was plenty of room for me to park in it (a 2-car garage). My wife didn't help keep it organized, clean, and clear, plus she had remote start, so she didn't care that much....until she had to remove a foot of snow from her car ! A few years ago, we got it cleared out and now park both cars inside. In our neighborhood, we're the exception to this though ! There are people who have nothing more than a walking path through their garage !

Incidentally, if you leave the car idling unattended because you figure out that you need to go back in the house to grab glasses or wallet, the car cannot be driven even though running without the fob, so any would-be thief would be out of luck.

In our old neighborhood, my wife had remote-started her car and a cop driving by stopped and parked behind her. I saw him and went out and he said "you're not allowed to leave your vehicle running like this.... I'm going to cite you for this. Do you have a remote-starter?". Told him yes and he said it was okay in that case and left.

 

[GRUMPYDUDE2]

Crack. Start. Alllow warning lights on dash to go out and readings become stable (5 seconds?) and drive, but easy, for a few minutes.

 

[ecotourist]

When it's cold, it's going to take longer than 30 seconds for all cylinders to even be firing ....

Most of my stuff isn't even hitting great on all cylinders in 30 seconds, never mind ready to move when it's cold.

In 50 years of driving, I don't recall that ever happening. Running rough for a couple of seconds - on an ancient diesel maybe. But a gasoline engine, never.

 

[OM617YOTA]

"Cold" means different things to different people. 57F might be cold to a Florida native, -60 might be cold to someone from Alaska. Could see an otherwise good condition gas engine having issues at those temps, if it'll even start. Not going to judge.

I put new glow plugs in the Land Cruiser last week. Didn't think the old ones were bad but have been pleasantly surprised at how much less cranking it takes and how much more smoothly it runs immediately on cold start.

 

[TimeFlies]

In 50 years of driving, I don't recall that ever happening. Running rough for a couple of seconds - on an ancient diesel maybe. But a gasoline engine, never.

An employee drives a 1998 Dakota with V8, and if its humid weather it runs like crap for about 30 seconds after start up. If it isn't very humid weather it's fine, but give it 30 seconds even in a rainstorm, and it runs great.

 

[Marcozi]

Lugging an engine is about the worst thing that you can do. Don't skip 2and, or enough rpm it lugs.

It warms the engine quicker.

 

[spasm3]

It warms the engine quicker.

Lugging is bad for the rod bearings.

 

[TimeFlies]

It warms the engine quicker.

Your car, you destroy it however you want to.

 

[ecotourist]

"Cold" means different things to different people.

We were in Hawaii one evening when they set a record low. Something like 60F. We had been out all evening wearing short pants and short sleeve shirts and thought it was pretty nice out.

We now live in the area with the mildest climate in Canada. It's really funny to see someone wearing a parka when it gets down to freezing.

For me cold is -20F ("twenty below"). Or, an average winter day in Scotland, where it's both cold and damp.

 

[Braapdaddy]

I watch the oil pressure once it levels out and the engine drops out of high idle slow and easy up to the first stop about half a mile

Extremely cold keyless start ahead of time

 

[fantastic]

An employee drives a 1998 Dakota with V8, and if its humid weather it runs like crap for about 30 seconds after start up. If it isn't very humid weather it's fine, but give it 30 seconds even in a rainstorm, and it runs great.

I bought a Festiva one time with that note. Brought it home and all the plugs were toast. Replaced and ran great. So sounds spark related.

 

[IndyIan]

When it's cold, it's going to take longer than 30 seconds for all cylinders to even be firing and oil to flow, nevermind trying to drive!

Most of my stuff isn't even hitting great on all cylinders in 30 seconds, never mind ready to move when it's cold. Easily a good 20-30 mins to get some heat into the engine and it making a semblance of power.
High idle is fine. But that's ~1000-1200 rpm. Std idle around 600-700rpm. 2500 is getting up there on revs for alot of engines.

Of course "warming up" at 30* is much different than at -30*, or colder.

I've had a couple of those, but as you say, only at -35F or colder. I was shocked how well the Focus started in -32C a few years ago, cranked pretty slow, but hit a cylinder, and then all 4 were going. The PS pump complained for 20 seconds, but after that it was pretty good. Took me a minute or 2 to scrape the windows and then off I went. A bit of extra drag from the wheel bearings went away in a couple hundred yards.
Sometimes in -20C or less with the old Neon, I would take off ASAP and drag the brakes for a while to get it warmed up faster! The simple, proven, modern-ish engines are pretty tough, my cars have all gone to the scrap yard or field car duty with the engine running very well...

 

[Analog-1]

Start car wait 10 seconds and drive. It's that simple.

 

[edyvw]

1. Turn the car.
2. Put seat belt.
3. Turn on audio.
4. Slowly start moving.
5. HVAC on cold, min fan first few miles.

 

[Patman]

5. HVAC on cold, min fan first few miles.

I have mentioned this before and I’m glad you pointed it out as well because I don’t think people realize just how much quicker a lot of engines will warm up if they do that. A lot of people get in their cold cars and crank up the heat and the fan speed and expect to start feeling some heat a 1/4 mile later. If it’s an EV you’ll get full heat but definitely not with an ICE

 

[goblin]

My problem is that I can bother playing with temp to cold if it's on a knob or old style with a cable, but on a Plus/Minus button or touchscreen it's a punishment.