Warming Up Engine
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 6,774
Likes: 361
From: Midland TX
Warming Up Engine
How important is it to let the engine warm up before putting the car in gear?
(1) Does is really matter?
(2) Just in winter?
(3) How long or to what temperature?
(4) Does it affect the transmission/rear end?
(1) Does is really matter?
(2) Just in winter?
(3) How long or to what temperature?
(4) Does it affect the transmission/rear end?
Pro
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 573
Likes: 0
From: Syracuse NY
putting it in gear isnt too big a deal if its not warmed, just keep the rpms low and granny it if you start driving it before its warmed up. you are more likely to damage your valve springs if you rev it to the moon when the engine is still cold
Pro
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 681
Likes: 0
From: Morris County, NJ
letting the engine 'warm up' to operating temps before driving not only wastes fuel, but causes increased wear in the piston ring to cylinder wall interface. When the engine is cold, it is dumping extra fuel into the motor, which has a tendency to wash the cylinder walls of oil, and increase the amount of unburned fuel in the oil, which causes the oil to loose some of it's viscosity index.
Let her warm up no more than 1 minute when cold and you will be doing the engine a favor. Just Cadillac it until oil temp gets to 150 or higher
Steve
Let her warm up no more than 1 minute when cold and you will be doing the engine a favor. Just Cadillac it until oil temp gets to 150 or higher
Steve
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,847
Likes: 794
From: Longview Texas
I had a friend that would not drive the car until it idled long enough to get up to temperature, but modern cars are designed to be driven immediately at moderate speeds. Also, the engine will come up to temperature much quicker if you go ahead and drive it. Just take it easy for a few miles.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,643
Likes: 167
I try to keep the revs under 2K (at most 2.5K) until the the oil temp has reached mid-100s. By then the engine temp is getting close to normal (upper-100s). Won't drive it harder until tranny temp reaches at least mid-100s. I want to make sure the entire drivetrain is warmed up before getting on it.
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,722
Likes: 138
From: Florida
St. Jude Donor '09
letting the engine 'warm up' to operating temps before driving not only wastes fuel, but causes increased wear in the piston ring to cylinder wall interface. When the engine is cold, it is dumping extra fuel into the motor, which has a tendency to wash the cylinder walls of oil, and increase the amount of unburned fuel in the oil, which causes the oil to loose some of it's viscosity index.
Let her warm up no more than 1 minute when cold and you will be doing the engine a favor. Just Cadillac it until oil temp gets to 150 or higher
Steve
Let her warm up no more than 1 minute when cold and you will be doing the engine a favor. Just Cadillac it until oil temp gets to 150 or higher
Steve
Raw fuel never enters the combustion chamber to wash away the oil film as you describe unless there is something drastically wrong with the injection system. Fuel is atomized by the injectors mixing with the incoming air to form a vapor, the vapor mixture is richer during the open loop cycle but not to the level you describe.
Any gasoline engine injesting enough raw fuel for what you described to happen would be belching black smoke like old coal burning steam powered locomotive.
The phenomena you described is caled "fuel dilution", and it does not happen in the manner you stated. It rarely occurs in fuel injected gasoline powers engines, especially ones that are operating correctly.
It is a good idea to allow the engine to warm a bit before driving and for it to reach normal operating temperature before exposing to high loads but not for the reasons this poster has stated.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 40,995
Likes: 9,759
From: Charlotte, NC (formerly Endicott, NY)
Bill
Racer
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 360
Likes: 2
From: DFW Texas
In the winter I let the car warm up for 3-5 minutes. I like the coolant temp to above 100 and the oil temp to be above 80 before I start driving. Then drive/keep the rpms under 2500 until everything is up to operating temperature.
In the summer, maybe 1 minute, then drive under 2500rpms or so until everything is up to operating temperature.
In the summer, maybe 1 minute, then drive under 2500rpms or so until everything is up to operating temperature.
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 1,616
Likes: 11
From: Newport, RI
letting the engine 'warm up' to operating temps before driving not only wastes fuel, but causes increased wear in the piston ring to cylinder wall interface. When the engine is cold, it is dumping extra fuel into the motor, which has a tendency to wash the cylinder walls of oil, and increase the amount of unburned fuel in the oil, which causes the oil to loose some of it's viscosity index.
Let her warm up no more than 1 minute when cold and you will be doing the engine a favor. Just Cadillac it until oil temp gets to 150 or higher
Steve
Let her warm up no more than 1 minute when cold and you will be doing the engine a favor. Just Cadillac it until oil temp gets to 150 or higher
Steve
Yes, yes, I agree with everything here.
Except one thing - why do so many people insist on using the word "loose" when it should be "lose"?
I see it everywhere. LOSE - The oil will "lose" some viscosity if it gets diluted with fuel. You "lose" weight. You "lose" your keys. You "lose" the race. You "lose" a bet.
LOOSE - The bolt came "loose". My belt is "loose". The lug nuts came "loose" and my wheel fell off.
