It\'s better to warm up the car before running?

[Paul2]

My mom did this all the time, where she turn on the engine and let it warm up for a while before driving in the morning

Is it better doing it that way?  Or it\'s better to just turn on the engine and just drive without warming it up?  is there a drawback on skipping the warm up?  And why it\'s necessary to warm up the car?

[Viper_Fujax]

My dad\'s a mechanic and says to do this..but we have old cars so that is the main reason why.

Its just..better for the car,lol. Common sense just says that it does damage going from completely cold to running, rather than letting everything heat up before pressing the gas.

I dont know any car parts so i cant say what would get damaged. I have a car made in 1995 and i dont really warm the car up..not that it gets below 60 degrees here.

[Evi]

If it\'s cold outside you definitely want to warm up the engine, but if it\'s generally warm or hot outside it doesn\'t matter as much.

1.  Most modern cars will produce more pollutants if you let them idle immediately after a cold start.  The catalytic converter needs to operate at a high temperature to remove these compounds from the exhaust.  If you only let the engine idle instead of running at operating speed, the exhaust gasses will not be as hot, and the cat will not heat up as fast.

2.  Some cars such as those with turbos need to idle briefly after a cold start to bring oil pressure up to a desired level.  You definitely do not want to get into boost without adequate oil pressure because you will damage the turbo.  This usually takes less than a minute.

3.  Unless you are operating the vehicle in an extremely cold environment, it\'s ok to drive it immediately after starting.  However, you should NOT rev the engine excessively during the first 5-10 minutes of operation.  Definitely do not redline it.  You are punishing other parts of the drivetrain like the transmission and differential if you don\'t give them time to warm up and get their fluids circulated.  This only happens when the car is moving.

[Evi]

1.  Most modern cars will produce more pollutants if you let them idle immediately after a cold start.  The catalytic converter needs to operate at a high temperature to remove these compounds from the exhaust.  If you only let the engine idle instead of running at operating speed, the exhaust gasses will not be as hot, and the cat will not heat up as fast.

2.  Some cars such as those with turbos need to idle briefly after a cold start to bring oil pressure up to a desired level.  You definitely do not want to get into boost without adequate oil pressure because you will damage the turbo.  This usually takes less than a minute.

3.  Unless you are operating the vehicle in an extremely cold environment, it\'s ok to drive it immediately after starting.  However, you should NOT rev the engine excessively during the first 5-10 minutes of operation.  Definitely do not redline it.  You are punishing other parts of the drivetrain like the transmission and differential if you don\'t give them time to warm up and get their fluids circulated.  This only happens when the car is moving.

Thanks. :fro:

[videoholic]

Well if you want the oil to flow better thorugh the engine you should let it warm up.  If you want your engine to run at 5k with no oil, then shit, start it in drive.

Canadians are Becoming Idle-Free!

Believe it or not, unnecessary idling is one of the biggest problems among Canadian motorists. Idling wastes fuel, it\'s hard on your vehicle, and it\'s damaging our environment.

The good news is that we can all be part of the solution. In many cases, a simple turn of the key is all it takes to prevent unnecessary greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants from escaping your vehicle.

Don\'t be fooled by the old notion that idling is good for your vehicle. In fact, the opposite is true: excessive idling can contaminate engine oil and damage engine components.

So what can you do to curb the idling habit? For starters, if you are going to be stopped for longer than 10 seconds, except in traffic, turn off the engine. More than 10 seconds of idling can use more fuel than turning off the engine and restarting it again.

For more information and ideas, including a five-step action plan to reduce your personal idling, visit the Idle-Free Zone. Find out how you can work with others in your community and schools to raise awareness and mobilize action to stop unnecessary vehicle idling. Whether acting alone or as part of a community-wide effort, you can make a difference!
Auto$mart Thinking: Preparing for Winter Driving

Fuel consumption soars in cold weather – sometimes by as much as 50 %. That\'s hard on your pocketbook and on the environment.

Fuel consumption and pollution output are much higher in the first minute or two after a cold start than when the engine has achieved normal operating temperatures. One reason is that when your engine starts up, it has to pump oil throughout the block to lubricate moving parts. In a cold engine, the oil is thick and resists flow, which means that the engine has to work harder to overcome internal friction. Thick oil also takes longer to circulate, which allows metal-to-metal contact and increases engine wear.

An engine can burn up to 50 % more fuel for a short trip in the winter than for the same trip in the summer.

Fuel combustion is also much less efficient in a cold engine, and the air-fuel mixture is richer (i.e., there is more fuel and less air). The combined effect is a sharp increase in pollutants. To make matters worse, the catalytic converter doesn\'t work when it is cold. Until the converter warms up, all the engine\'s emissions pass through the exhaust untreated.

One answer to this cold-engine dilemma is to use a block heater to warm the coolant, which in turn warms the engine block and lubricants. The engine will start more easily and reach its peak operating temperature faster. In temperatures below 0°C, block heaters can improve overall fuel economy by 10 % or more.

Use an automatic timer to switch on the block heater two hours before you plan to drive the vehicle. This is all the time needed to warm the engine.

Warm Up by Driving

Once a vehicle is running, the best way to warm it up is to drive it. With computer-controlled, fuel-injected engines, you need no more than 30 seconds of idling on winter days before driving away. Anything more simply wastes fuel and increases emissions.

Besides, more than the engine needs to be warmed up. So do the wheel bearings, steering, suspension, transmission and tires, and that can happen only when the vehicle is moving. For a typical vehicle, it takes at least five kilometres of driving to warm up these components.

Although it is important to drive away as soon as possible after a cold start (but not before the windows are defrosted!), you should avoid high speeds and rapid acceleration for the first five kilometres or so. The goal is to bring the whole vehicle up to peak operating temperature as quickly as possible while maximizing fuel economy.

To prevent your car windows from fogging up, open a window as soon as you enter the vehicle. Clear snow from the air intake on top of the hood. Otherwise, the defroster will draw moisture into the system and fog the windshield.

Snow and Vehicle Weight

You already know that extra weight increases fuel consumption. Snow building up in wheel wells and under bumpers adds weight and rubs against tires, further increasing rolling resistance. And snow piled on top of the vehicle increases aerodynamic drag and vehicle weight. For safety as well as fuel economy, clear snow off your vehicle before you drive away.
Tire Inflation

Your tires need special attention during the winter. Cold temperatures decrease the air pressure in tires. This just adds to the rolling resistance caused by snow and slush. Each tire that is under–inflated by 2 psi (14 kPa) causes a 1 % increase in fuel consumption. So check tire pressures regularly, especially after a sharp drop in temperature.

Correct tire pressure is vital for fuel economy, safe vehicle handling and long tire life. Before adding air to your tires, let some air out of each valve and blow some air out of the hose. This prevents moisture from gathering in the tire valve, where it can freeze and cause the valve to leak. If possible, use your own tire pressure gauge, since the gauges built into air pumps at service stations are often inaccurate or missing.
Snow Tires vs. All-Season Radials

For most Canadian drivers, all-season radial tires are sufficient for winter driving. City and suburban dwellers do not need snow tires, which have a heavy tread that increases rolling resistance and fuel consumption. On the other hand, if you live in an area where roads are regularly snow-covered, snow tires will improve traction, reduce tire slippage, improve safety and save fuel. For the best results, use snow tires on all four wheels. All-season tires do not provide the same grip at temperatures below –15°C.

From Natural Resources Canada
Auto$mart Thinking – Driving and Maintaining Your Vehicle

[clips]

Well if you want the oil to flow better thorugh the engine you should let it warm up.  If you want your engine to run at 5k with no oil, then shit, start it in drive.

my thoughts exactly..i usually let the car idle a bit,..just enough for the oil to flow through the engine...

I just drive & go.  Take it easy on the RPMs for the sake of the transmission.

[Paul2]

thank you for all your inputs.

So, days ago, I told my mom just to turn on the car engine\'s and just drive slowly instead of letting it idle since it also warm up doing it that way and i told her what you guys say that is it unecessary to idle the car on normal days unless it\'s a very, very cold day.  But since we don\'t have snowy days here, she should be fine driving the car without ilding it since the car is a 1995 model.  I also told her its also save gas and reduce pullution too.

last but not least, I told her not to step on the pedal to accelerate the warm-up since it\'s uncessary to begins with, as doing it that way will reduce the lifespan of the transmission or something like that.

Again, thank you for all your inputs.