This is what I do. Make's it pretty fool proof.
Does Engine Warm-up Hurt or Help?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 774
Likes: 91
You can idle a car for years no matter. Look at trooper cars. They idle all day (northeast mostly) and most police cars are left to idle because of problems on restart (researched by Police). They beat those cars regularly. They go to auction with 200 to 300 thousand miles on them. Taxi drivers pick them up for nothing. All trooper/Police cars are heavy duty with coolers everywhere but still....
Diesel motors in trucks cars idle into eternity with no problems.
Taking off when a car is cold is what kills them because the oil is muddy until temps are up. The oil doesn't spread evenly leaving dry spots.
Gasoline engines do fowl plugs when idling too long though.
Diesel motors in trucks cars idle into eternity with no problems.
Taking off when a car is cold is what kills them because the oil is muddy until temps are up. The oil doesn't spread evenly leaving dry spots.
Gasoline engines do fowl plugs when idling too long though.
Last edited by 2fastnow; Jan 16, 2017 at 08:06 PM.
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 4,503
Likes: 1,455
From: Pittsburgh PA
2025 C8 Stingray of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2024 C8 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 3,960
Likes: 1,106
I use remote start on my cars when I am a short distance away so that by the time I have belted in the engine is at base idle and ready to drive off. I drive moderately until the engine is approaching normal operating temperature.
I like the cold weather warmup process GM started using for their pickup truck diesel engines around 2006 or so. When the engine is very cold it starts at slow idle and then the transmission output shaft is locked with the transmission engaged and engine RPM gradually steps up to around 1500 RPM. At the same time the variable vane turbo exhaust vanes are used to restrict the exhaust and this combination allows a proper warmup with the vehicle remaining stationary.
I like the cold weather warmup process GM started using for their pickup truck diesel engines around 2006 or so. When the engine is very cold it starts at slow idle and then the transmission output shaft is locked with the transmission engaged and engine RPM gradually steps up to around 1500 RPM. At the same time the variable vane turbo exhaust vanes are used to restrict the exhaust and this combination allows a proper warmup with the vehicle remaining stationary.
Last edited by NSC5; Jan 16, 2017 at 08:31 PM.
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Instructor
Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 125
Likes: 8
From: Magalia California
Paddle shifts right
It's been accepted practice to drive off slowly while your engine is cold and let it warm up under a load for many years now....As a Boat owner for over 48 yrs I can tell you that Idling a engine without a load on it is BAD...especially in cold weather.....And pray tell how do you put a load on it at the dock....glad you asked....you make sure your mooring lines are in good shape and you put your boat in gear at the dock while in idle.
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 4,446
Likes: 313
From: Tarpon Springs FL
FL Events Coordinator
Actually, I don't. I prefer a manual Transmission in my cars. On a boat you have no choice. There are only a few Marine Transmissions (they are called CLUTCHES) available now. With ZF and Twin Disc being the most popular on a conventional setup. The IPS drives that Volvo and Mercruiser uses have their own unique clutches. Back in the day, there were many more but as the industry consolidated they died out. And, like most things today even those Clutches have OPTIONS on them....like Electronic Wireless Shifting and Electronic Trolling Valves.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 29,063
Likes: 1,839
From: cookeville tennessee
I just start my car let it run just for a few seconds, Just enough time to let the oil start to move and I am gone. But then also will not do any hard driving r WOT until car is up to temp.
Last edited by robert miller; Jan 19, 2017 at 03:52 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 15,049
Likes: 1,613
From: Holly Springs NC
St. Jude Donor '16-'17,'22,'24
GM master mechanics don't agree with running while cold.
When I had the C5, it had the dreaded piston slap when cold that so many LS1s had. I talked with a Corvette Master Mechanic, another GM master mechanic, and a Volvo/BMW mechanic who also worked on Corvettes. All three, separately said the same thing. Warm it up at least 5 minutes or more. The two GM mechanics had many nightmare stories about LS engines that were operating/driving while cold and landed up back in their shop for a total engine replacement. The causes of the failures were traced back to operating the engines cold.
So who to believe, the guys who dealt with GM replacing engines or an article on the internet?
I let the C7 warm up at least a couple minutes, then drive it slow for a few more. However, I'm skeptical of the "no need to warm up" statements.
When I had the C5, it had the dreaded piston slap when cold that so many LS1s had. I talked with a Corvette Master Mechanic, another GM master mechanic, and a Volvo/BMW mechanic who also worked on Corvettes. All three, separately said the same thing. Warm it up at least 5 minutes or more. The two GM mechanics had many nightmare stories about LS engines that were operating/driving while cold and landed up back in their shop for a total engine replacement. The causes of the failures were traced back to operating the engines cold.
So who to believe, the guys who dealt with GM replacing engines or an article on the internet?
I let the C7 warm up at least a couple minutes, then drive it slow for a few more. However, I'm skeptical of the "no need to warm up" statements.
Race Director
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 15,323
Likes: 2,077
From: Guelph, Ontario
Dry spots? I can assure you that there are no parts of your engine that are completely dry of oil at any time. Even if you did not start your car for a year, there would still be a thin film of oil everywhere inside your engine. If there were ever any pure metal to metal contact inside your engine at any point in time you would know it right away as it would sound pretty nasty.
Advanced
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 86
Likes: 8
From: Central Oregon
OK - but how about when the car is in storage? Like Winter in my garage. Any value in running till hot air starts coming out of the heater vents = appx. 10 run time? I did that to get Sta Bil 360 in the lines.
Race Director
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 15,323
Likes: 2,077
From: Guelph, Ontario
GM master mechanics don't agree with running while cold.
When I had the C5, it had the dreaded piston slap when cold that so many LS1s had. I talked with a Corvette Master Mechanic, another GM master mechanic, and a Volvo/BMW mechanic who also worked on Corvettes. All three, separately said the same thing. Warm it up at least 5 minutes or more. The two GM mechanics had many nightmare stories about LS engines that were operating/driving while cold and landed up back in their shop for a total engine replacement. The causes of the failures were traced back to operating the engines cold.
So who to believe, the guys who dealt with GM replacing engines or an article on the internet?
When I had the C5, it had the dreaded piston slap when cold that so many LS1s had. I talked with a Corvette Master Mechanic, another GM master mechanic, and a Volvo/BMW mechanic who also worked on Corvettes. All three, separately said the same thing. Warm it up at least 5 minutes or more. The two GM mechanics had many nightmare stories about LS engines that were operating/driving while cold and landed up back in their shop for a total engine replacement. The causes of the failures were traced back to operating the engines cold.
So who to believe, the guys who dealt with GM replacing engines or an article on the internet?
I seriously doubt that any engine built in the last 30 years would need 5 minutes of idling before driving it in order to keep it from self destruction. That's just ludicrous. GM does all kinds of cold weather testing before they release any new engine designs into production. My cousin works for GM and is an engine test engineer and worked extensively on the LS1 when it came out and he would probably have a good laugh reading what you wrote here.
