Warming up your car
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 290
From: San Mateo, CA
Car Info: 2007 Mazdaspeed 3
Warming up your car
Do cars these days still need warm up time of some kind before driving? I thought you were supposed to give your car like 30 seconds at least for some reason. But just the other day I heard that cars haven't needed any sort of warm up for a while. Thouhts?
Registered User
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 128
From: San Diego, Ca
Car Info: Still Looking
if you live in a cold area i would recommend warming your car up. the reason is because the engine is cold in the morning and when you allow your car to warm up the pistons expand inside the cylinder. so when you drive there is no combustion leakage. other wise there may be problems with your car in the future. im not sure if the newer cars still have problems like the older cars did, but im sure you'll get other input on this subject with more descriptive advice.
Originally posted by ilgdrummer
if you live in a cold area i would recommend warming your car up. the reason is because the engine is cold in the morning and when you allow your car to warm up the pistons expand inside the cylinder. so when you drive there is no combustion leakage. other wise there may be problems with your car in the future. im not sure if the newer cars still have problems like the older cars did, but im sure you'll get other input on this subject with more descriptive advice.
if you live in a cold area i would recommend warming your car up. the reason is because the engine is cold in the morning and when you allow your car to warm up the pistons expand inside the cylinder. so when you drive there is no combustion leakage. other wise there may be problems with your car in the future. im not sure if the newer cars still have problems like the older cars did, but im sure you'll get other input on this subject with more descriptive advice.
Registered User
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 149
From: Pennsylvania
Car Info: 2002 WRX
*L* what do you guys think is gonna happen in 15-30 seconds???
If your ideling say 1500 RPM (fast idle) your engine will turn over 350-750 times. Now its a 4 stroke thus firing every-other-time. So it will only fire 175-375 times. Do you honestly think anything is gonna warm up in that amount of time? Dont forget there is a few GALLONS of antifreeze and a GALLON of oil and about 200 lbs of steel and aluminum to heat up.... You would have to have ONE HELL OF A HOT STOVE to heat that amount of material up that fast!!
If your ideling say 1500 RPM (fast idle) your engine will turn over 350-750 times. Now its a 4 stroke thus firing every-other-time. So it will only fire 175-375 times. Do you honestly think anything is gonna warm up in that amount of time? Dont forget there is a few GALLONS of antifreeze and a GALLON of oil and about 200 lbs of steel and aluminum to heat up.... You would have to have ONE HELL OF A HOT STOVE to heat that amount of material up that fast!!
Guest
Posts: n/a
and think of the gas mileage you are not getting 
1500 rpm's X 0 mpg = 0 mpg
besides the days of letting it run to warm up are over since the invention of fuel injection. Most cars that were carbed needed to warm up in the cold because they were mostly missing the heat stove (aluminum tube) that went from the exhaust manifold to the intake to "warm the air" until the motor was warm, this helped the fuel vaporize in cold climates. Don't get me wrong I am not saying to hop in and go! start it give it a couple of seconds for the oil to get a flowin then go, if you have an oil pressure guage once that is in the normal range you are good to go, but wait til she is warmed up before you beat it
1500 rpm's X 0 mpg = 0 mpg
besides the days of letting it run to warm up are over since the invention of fuel injection. Most cars that were carbed needed to warm up in the cold because they were mostly missing the heat stove (aluminum tube) that went from the exhaust manifold to the intake to "warm the air" until the motor was warm, this helped the fuel vaporize in cold climates. Don't get me wrong I am not saying to hop in and go! start it give it a couple of seconds for the oil to get a flowin then go, if you have an oil pressure guage once that is in the normal range you are good to go, but wait til she is warmed up before you beat it
Registered User
iTrader: (1)
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 660
From: PA
Car Info: TXS tbe, perrin goodies, v7 sti struts...bla bla bla lots of stuff!
hmmmm....
Ever since I got my car I have been warming it up for at least 45 seconds.. Then when I start to drive I don't "drive it" until the gauge that tells you how hot the car is until it's in the middle. THEN I drive it and get on it somewhat as well as get the turbo going....
Maybe I baby it? I just want my car to last :-)
-Nigel
Ever since I got my car I have been warming it up for at least 45 seconds.. Then when I start to drive I don't "drive it" until the gauge that tells you how hot the car is until it's in the middle. THEN I drive it and get on it somewhat as well as get the turbo going....
Maybe I baby it? I just want my car to last :-)
-Nigel
Registered User
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 1,402
From: Bay Area
Car Info: 02 WRX wagon=dead; rollin' in a Craptastic Camry!
Originally posted by NewShockerGuy
Ever since I got my car I have been warming it up for at least 45 seconds.. Then when I start to drive I don't "drive it" until the gauge that tells you how hot the car is until it's in the middle. THEN I drive it and get on it somewhat as well as get the turbo going....
Maybe I baby it? I just want my car to last :-)
Ever since I got my car I have been warming it up for at least 45 seconds.. Then when I start to drive I don't "drive it" until the gauge that tells you how hot the car is until it's in the middle. THEN I drive it and get on it somewhat as well as get the turbo going....
Maybe I baby it? I just want my car to last :-)
Registered User
iTrader: (1)
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 660
From: PA
Car Info: TXS tbe, perrin goodies, v7 sti struts...bla bla bla lots of stuff!
Originally posted by BlingBlingBlue
That guage you are looking at is a water temperature guage and it does not indicate temperature in a linear fashion. When it firsts gets to the middle and reads "normal", the oil is usually not up to temperature yet. Without an oil temperature guage, it is impossible to tell when the oil is fully warmed up. I usually wait 3-5 minutes after the water temp reads normal before I will drive on boost.
That guage you are looking at is a water temperature guage and it does not indicate temperature in a linear fashion. When it firsts gets to the middle and reads "normal", the oil is usually not up to temperature yet. Without an oil temperature guage, it is impossible to tell when the oil is fully warmed up. I usually wait 3-5 minutes after the water temp reads normal before I will drive on boost.
Awesome to know, because I was unaware of that. Now I have to go out and get an oil temp gauge. Are those easy to install?
Thanks,
-Nigel
Guest
Posts: n/a
Around here we dont usually have to let the car warm up for more than 10-15 secs. It's never really under 80 degrees here, so go figure. Besides, being stored in the garage doesnt give much chance to get 'cold' regardless what its like outside.
Guest
Posts: n/a
nowadays in non-carb engines waiting for the engine to warm up = waiting for the oil to fully circulated threw the engine....syth oil about 10-30 seconds should do, dino oil up to a minute.....
if u jump in your ride and start it up and instantly start drive there will be metal to metal.....how much?...probably not alot but isnt that 10-30 second wait worth the warm and cozzy feeling you'll have thinking that your oil is protecting the engine?
if u jump in your ride and start it up and instantly start drive there will be metal to metal.....how much?...probably not alot but isnt that 10-30 second wait worth the warm and cozzy feeling you'll have thinking that your oil is protecting the engine?
Registered User
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 128
From: San Diego, Ca
Car Info: Still Looking
if you are driving a short distance i would warm up the car becuase it also gets ride of the condensation formed inyour engine. but if you drive a long distance you really dont need to bescause the water will evaporiate.
Registered User
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 164
From: Seattle, WA
Car Info: '02 Legacy GT - no mods
I had a dealer mechanic tell me it's better not to sit while it's warming it up. He said it's better to drive it to warm it up. Take it easy first couple blocks, then it's fine. Weather around here in the winter is typically down into the 20's at night with a lot of moisture in the air.
Just my 2 cents, take it or leave it.
Just my 2 cents, take it or leave it.
Guest
Posts: n/a
Watch your RPM Indicator If it is cold it may Idle about 1500 - 1800 RPM. I usualy wait intil the RPM Drops to 1000 RPM or less. Then I keep it under 3000 RPM until the water temp is in the normal operating range. In Michigan it could be 80 degrees one day and 32 the next so the time you sit can vary.
Blue
Blue
Registered User
iTrader: (13)
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 1,011
From: Sunny San Diego
Car Info: 03' Subaru Impreza WRX - R.I.P.
you must have supreme patience because my car starts up in the morning at 1500 rpm and stays around that range until about 3 minutes later. I usually let it warm up 30 second - 1 minute, then drive < 3k rpm until I notice the rpms run slower.