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Do you warm your car up?

TracidTrax

By TracidTrax,
in General Maintenance

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Kinks Grand Master

Kinks

Posted
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I start mine and let it idle for a couple of minutes if possible.. mainly because it drives like a pig on cold start about 50% of the time. But if i'm rushed I start it, wait 30 seconds then drive. Either way I stay under 3000rpm and don't boost it until it's warm.

It's a waste of time to idle the car up to temperature though.. the prolonged operation at low temperature and low oil pressure wouldn't be good for it. Also, if you idle it then the engine eventually warms up but your transmission is still stone cold so caning off after that will hurt your gearbox/diff.

30seconds idling + driving moderately is the best way to warm up a car IMO.

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Zahos
Zahos

why do people spend so much time letting it idle? Just let it run for 30 secs so the oil pump gets the oil circulating, then take it easy for a while..... Letting it idle for 10 mins does more harm

someonestolecc Grand Master

someonestolecc

Posted
Posted
B/C on idle, the mixtures are rich and are washing the oil off your cylinder chambers, causing more engine wear.

7yphon has the right idea, that is the best way to prolong engine life.

I usually wait until the oil pressure goes up before driving, so it is after 10 seconds or so.

Just drive off, and take it easy. You gearbox and diff need to circulate oil too you know

Thanks I never knew that.

I might stop warming her up for 5-10mins heh I thought I was doing the good thing.

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Bekkyboop Mentor

Bekkyboop

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YEah well if i have time i give mine a little bit of time... But otherwise yeah baby her until she is warm... But i spoil my girl - she is getting old - too scared that if i fang her when she is cold or treat her bad she'll die on me... But then again - when her heart dies i can get a new engine cant i???? hmmmmmmm *ponders thoughts of turbos in the sleeper...*

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vas_95 Contributor

vas_95

Posted
Posted

yea fore sure

you should always warm your car up. If its your daily driver let it idle for a minute or so and then drive it off taking it slowly untill the temperature gauge gets off C. If you idle it for more than a minute or so say 5-10 minutes your are wasting time and also causing unnecessary polution.

remember the drivetrain needs to get warm too not just the engine!

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TommO Grand Master

TommO

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I don't let me car warm up as i'd be waking the family / neighbours. I just wait a few seconds for it to gain some oil pressure, and drive off boost & below 3000rpm for the first few minutes of my drive.

However, I don't "baby" like driving fifth gear at 60km/hr, more cruise at 2500rpm or so... wouldn't driving at low revs / high gear under load put lots of stress on the engine and if it's cold, do more damage than good?

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Bekkyboop Mentor

Bekkyboop

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yeah i would think so... I was blessed with a long down hill st at my old place, so i used to just cruise down the road and that gave her the warm up she needed... I just get frustrated at ppl that start up straight away and then drive like the car is at op temp.... My flat mate does that (poor old car)...

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redline2003 Community Regular

redline2003

Posted
Posted

Yeah everytime without fail. Always warm up until the revs drop a bit, giving the oil a chance to circulate. Don't spend a ludacris time though as idling the car for long periods can be bad(unspent fuel slips past the rings and goes into the sump, decreasing the oils viscousity). 2-3 minutes idle is ok. Then i drive like a granny not revving over 2500rpm, this warms up the gearbox, diff and brakes without putting strain while the oil is cold. When stopping the car i ALWAYS go off boost for the last say 5 minutes of the trip to use air to cool the oils and fluids. Then i idle it for 30 seconds or so. Can't stand people who thrash their car then leave it idling for 10 minutes and think they've made up for the damage.

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RB30-POWER Mentor

RB30-POWER

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I always start my car, wait for oil pressure, usually a few seconds, then drive.

I try to keep the revs under 4000 until its up to full operating temp.

But it will warm up quicker by driving it straight away, then just letting it sit there idling.

While its cold sitting there you will cause more damage and wear then getting it up to temp as soon as possible.

Either way, todays oils are very good at all temps. So just start and drive.

Anyone that sat there car and didnt drive it until the temp was up would be a true fruitcake.

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benl1981 Grand Master

benl1981

Posted
Posted

Just drive straight off and don't boost or rev too much for the first 5 miuntes!!

If you idle for longer thatn 20 seconds you are:

1. Wasting fuel

2. Increasing pollution

3. Wasting some of your life

4. NOT doing your car any favours.

These are modern cars. They are made to be driven straight off.

CASE CLOSED

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wilch Grand Master

wilch

Posted
Posted
However, I don't "baby" like driving fifth gear at 60km/hr, more cruise at 2500rpm or so... wouldn't driving at low revs / high gear under load put lots of stress on the engine and if it's cold, do more damage than good?

I normally give the car a couple of mins at idle after starting her. Then I drive below boost till the water temp is around 75degrees.

Yep tommo, I noticed that the knock level increases if under 2000rpm and in 5th gear than if at higher revs and 4th gear. So I guess it's bad to put the car under any load (even low in the rev range) when it's cold.

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RB30-POWER Mentor

RB30-POWER

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Under light load the rings/pistons will tend to sit more central and run up and down the bores more evenly then when the motor is under load as then they will be harder against one side of the bore then the other. (This is why new motors need to be put under good load to bed the rings)

So i guess light to moderate load is more important then revs alone.

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Cubes Grand Master

Cubes

Posted
Posted

I asked my engine builder this question as I run forged pistons etc.

He told me to start it, put the seat belt on etc, this is around 30secs of idling max, then drive it but drive it soft with low rev's but not too low as to make it labour.

In other words, change up at around 2500-3000rpm with a light foot.

Do this until the oil pressure is down, in other words oil temp is up.

Ignore the water temp as oil is not up to operating temp for approx 6-7minutes after water temp reaches operating temp.

The idea is you want as little time as possible running a rich mixture as running rich washes the oil from the bores in turn glazing them up causing the car to have poor ring seal, it also gives the forged pistons less time to slap as it only takes 7minutes of light driving to get everything up to temp.

Simply idling alone will not bring piston temps up enough within 5-10minutes so they don't slap.

It also wastes fuel by letting the car idle. From memory its around half a litre for every 30minutes or was it 1hr idling, one of them. :)

So in short. I idle the car for around 20-30secs then drive lightly.

Waiting for the car to warm up is a waste of time, fuel and engine life.

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Cubes Grand Master

Cubes

Posted
Posted
Yep tommo, I noticed that the knock level increases if under 2000rpm and in 5th gear than if at higher revs and 4th gear. So I guess it's bad to put the car under any load (even low in the rev range) when it's cold.

That will be the ign map, nothing to do with engine vibrations as they are a different frequency.

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sproosy Grand Master

sproosy

Posted
Posted

I start the car, put the headeck face plate on select a good tune, get comfy and then drive the car off boost for the first 5 mins and then start to drive it a bit harder, after around 15 mins i give it a hit if need be for overtaking etc etc

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satanic Grand Master

satanic

Posted
Posted

After getting into the car I spend about 2-3 minutes fiddling with everything so I guess that is more than enough warm up time.

Besides, its pretty much stock so I'll wait till there is some serious gear in there before I take this warming up business for real.

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Birnie Veteran

Birnie

Posted
Posted

I like one of the previous posts about the Turbo Timer

Go set it for 10 mins and lock the car.

Jump in and set to go!

Got me looking now for one.

Be worth the $120 to be able to have a nicely warmed motor.

Particularly after a night shift when I'm straight out the door and into city traffic and duckin' weavin'

No time for warm ups there!

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