Warming up the car

[sackingz123]

on cold start...2-3 mins max...

[HondaB18]

I would agree about hurting gas mileage. Simply because your RPM's are at such high rates when it's cold, and constant, it's like holding your foot on the gas and keeping it there.

But, hurting anything more than gas mileage? I wouldn't believe. Cars are designed to run. Regardless of any weather.

I personally think that letting it run for at least five minutes would be OK, because it gives the oil time to pretty much lubricate all the parts within the engine.

:::Jeremy

Carbon build up, uneven bearings. Things I have read on other forums but do not want to test out myself. I didn't say the car will blow up or the engine will die after a long idle just some precautions. Oil should take about 1-2 minutes to circulate, after that its safe to drive. Just don't hit high RPM and do crazy stuff. It takes a shorter amount of time for the temperature needle to rise when driving then to let it idle.

Here is an interesting read. You can choose to believe it or not, it really doesn't matter.

[pax217]

Wow I feel like a retard, I've always let mine warm up like 10-15 minutes... uhhhhhh....
-pax

[eriemoto.]

Wow I feel like a retard, I've always let mine warm up like 10-15 minutes... uhhhhhh....
-pax

haha that's why i made this thread. i wanted to get it straightened out because i always sat there for 5+ minutes in the cold waiting for the oil temp to rise. so i'm coming to the conclusion that 1-2 minutes is good enough, followed by driving under 3K RPM and not gunning it

[LordXaero]

Carbon build up, uneven bearings. Things I have read on other forums but do not want to test out myself. I didn't say the car will blow up or the engine will die after a long idle just some precautions. Oil should take about 1-2 minutes to circulate, after that its safe to drive. Just don't hit high RPM and do crazy stuff. It takes a shorter amount of time for the temperature needle to rise when driving then to let it idle.

Here is an interesting read. You can choose to believe it or not, it really doesn't matter.

I never said you were wrong. Nor did I say that you said the car would blow up. I just don't believe that the car is slowly killing itself if you leave it running to warm it up.

I've been doing this to both my CRX (when I had it), and my Accord for well over a year now, and she still runs the same. To each their own.

:::Jeremy

[Cletus Vandamn]

The EPA agrees, and states that longer idling actually causes engine damage.

Since when is the fucking Environmental Protection Agency an authority on automotive engines? All they give a fuck about is emissions, they dont care what it does or doesnt do to your car or engine. That article was so stupid on many levels, yeah like I'm really going to shut off my car every time I'm stopped for more than 10 seconds. I just fail to see how idleing at under 2K could be worse than driving. The motor has no load on it, its circulating oil, and warming up. Any wear or tear that occurs is only going to get worse as you up the RPMs and put a load on it.

I always let my car idle for 5-10 minutes in the winter months. I dont warm my car up to warm the engine up either, I warm it up so its warm in the car by the time I leave. I thought that was the whole point to a remote start. Been doing that for 150K+ miles with no problems what so ever. Yeah gas mileage suffers but no more than a gallon or 2 is wasted on a full tank, I'll gladly pay 5$ more a tank so I have a warm car to get in every morning for work.

When its not winter though I only let it warm up for maybe 30 seconds to a minute.

[HondaB18]

Since when is the fucking Environmental Protection Agency an authority on automotive engines? All they give a fuck about is emissions, they dont care what it does or doesnt do to your car or engine. That article was so stupid on many levels, yeah like I'm really going to shut off my car every time I'm stopped for more than 10 seconds. I just fail to see how idleing at under 2K could be worse than driving. The motor has no load on it, its circulating oil, and warming up. Any wear or tear that occurs is only going to get worse as you up the RPMs and put a load on it.

I always let my car idle for 5-10 minutes in the winter months. I dont warm my car up to warm the engine up either, I warm it up so its warm in the car by the time I leave. I thought that was the whole point to a remote start. Been doing that for 150K+ miles with no problems what so ever. Yeah gas mileage suffers but no more than a gallon or 2 is wasted on a full tank, I'll gladly pay 5$ more a tank so I have a warm car to get in every morning for work.

When its not winter though I only let it warm up for maybe 30 seconds to a minute.

Usually things are found by accident. So your saying when the EPA was conducting the test that it wasn't possible that they've concluded to their findings? Anyways take it as a grain of salt, use your best judgement. As for letting the car warm up for heat its your call. The problem wouldn't be instant but might be progressive or might not happen.

[tommi]

1-3 minutes my car sits in the garage so i dont hafta scrape anything.
but lately leaving for lunch and leaving work i've been getting impaitient(sp) and need to just take it easy.

[accord91lx]

im driving my blue 91 ex for the winter, and the period I let it warm up is the time it takes from the key moving from start to run, me hitting brake pedal, and putting it in drive. then i proceed to floor it down the nearest highway (going home from work) . no issues.

[d112crzy]

of course it will cause damage, but not nearly enough to make you not warm up your car.

hell, dont drive your car because it will cause engine damage.

It's a bunch of environmentalists trying to get everyone to cut down on pollution, one way or another.


i let my car warm up until its nice and toasty in my car. but if you dont care about the heat when its cold, then theres absolutely nothing wrong with letting it idle for 30 seconds or so to get oil circulating the whole engine then taking off.

but the reason your mpg goes down in the cold is because your car runs in open loop and it wastes TONS of gas. the afr's are probably around low 12's, this considering your car runs stoich when fully warmed up.

[Punky]

it was -35 with wind factor this morning, car was so stiff, 20 min and not enough, i hate winter !!!!

[blvs125]

i never drive my car unless its been warm up. it just runs alot smoother. i wait until the needle gets below 1.

[simactive]

it was -35 with wind factor this morning, car was so stiff, 20 min and not enough, i hate winter !!!!

^^^x2 hahhaah, mann winter is awesome, my car usually starts getting heat after about like 2min haha :P sorta, well however long it takes to scrape the ice off the car cause i just love outside parking. also my oilfilter retains oil inside of it so it can instantly circulate oil to the engine, thats what the filter clams anyways, summer its like 30secs or less to warm up hhah. cause its just too freaking hot.

[fobs]

when the car is cold, u ignite, auto-choke comes on,... as for mine RPM approx 1400. I'm sure the car would not get hurt if we just drive off that way, keeping acceleration low, say under 2000 or 2500. As i've observed, the temp gauge quickly goes to just below half. And stay there.

btw, guys, how much is gasoline per gallon in USD??? or per litre??? all states same price in the US???

[eriemoto.]

when the car is cold, u ignite, auto-choke comes on,... as for mine RPM approx 1400. I'm sure the car would not get hurt if we just drive off that way, keeping acceleration low, say under 2000 or 2500. As i've observed, the temp gauge quickly goes to just below half. And stay there.

btw, guys, how much is gasoline per gallon in USD??? or per litre??? all states same price in the US???

gas prices are different usually throughout the US. texas for example may get it a few cents cheaper per gallon because they dig for oil in the state. here in massachusetts it'll be a little more expensive. today i believe it is $2.11 per gallon on regular at Mobil