Does Engine Warm-up Hurt or Help?
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Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 86
Likes: 5
From: TX & Europe
I owned a M3 few years ago and M series BMWs have a bad reputation about bearing issues vs. And mine had a bearing issue too. In the process of rebuilding my engine. The master mechanic told me to idle the car at least 5 to 10 mins before every drive and never to hit high rpms untill the oil temprature reaches 160 degrees. Im doing the same procedure in all my cars eversince then
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 4,772
Likes: 343
From: SIOUX FALLS SD
Cruise-In II Veteran
Cruise-In III Veteran
I have owned many different cars and trucks and have not seen any adverse effects from excessive idling. Since I live in the midwest and have remotes starts on most of my vehicles I always warm them up in the wintertime if they are sitting outside. I have a heated garage and when they are backed out in I do not warm them up. I have sat in a pickup for hours watching tip ups when fishing with the engine idling and never had a problem. I do not drive my Corvette in the winter at all and never have.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 2,308
Likes: 251
From: Baltimore Maryland
Personally, I have idled many cars on very cold winter days solely to warm up the interior, and have also driven off with no idling at all on other days, and have never suffered a major engine failure in 40 years of buying and driving automobiles and trucks. So I think the whole issue is more academic than anything else.
That said, I'm surprised no one was has posted that many states now have ANTI-IDLING LAWS, with fines ranging from $50 - to over $1000. I know of neighborhoods where I live in Maryland where police have issued these tickets on cold mornings. That said, I rarely warm my cars up in my driveway any longer.
Current EPA anti-idling laws:
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...45822982,d.eWE
That said, I'm surprised no one was has posted that many states now have ANTI-IDLING LAWS, with fines ranging from $50 - to over $1000. I know of neighborhoods where I live in Maryland where police have issued these tickets on cold mornings. That said, I rarely warm my cars up in my driveway any longer.
Current EPA anti-idling laws:
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...45822982,d.eWE
Race Director
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 15,323
Likes: 2,077
From: Guelph, Ontario
I owned a M3 few years ago and M series BMWs have a bad reputation about bearing issues vs. And mine had a bearing issue too. In the process of rebuilding my engine. The master mechanic told me to idle the car at least 5 to 10 mins before every drive and never to hit high rpms untill the oil temprature reaches 160 degrees. Im doing the same procedure in all my cars eversince then
Race Director
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 15,323
Likes: 2,077
From: Guelph, Ontario
That said, I'm surprised no one was has posted that many states now have ANTI-IDLING LAWS, with fines ranging from $50 - to over $1000. I know of neighborhoods where I live in Maryland where police have issued these tickets on cold mornings. That said, I rarely warm my cars up in my driveway any longer.
Advanced
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 86
Likes: 5
From: TX & Europe
5-10 minutes on every cold start? Even in warm weather? That's a massive waste of time. So over the course of a year you're going to spend something like 60-120 hours just waiting for it to warm up? That's ludicrous. And an insane amount of money on gas. The mechanic is right about not hitting high rpms until the oil gets hot, but he's dead wrong about the need to idle it before pulling away. Just drive it gentle and you'll be fine.
Race Director
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 15,323
Likes: 2,077
From: Guelph, Ontario
Theres a hillclimb with a lenght of 1 km on the way to town. So my choices are either climb the hill very slow and to deal with tailgaters etc. or let it warm up for 5 mins and drive under 3k with normal speeds... And since i only drive my z on the weekends that 5 mins is no big deal for me
