Home › Forums › Stay Dirty Lounge › General Automotive Discussion › Warming up your car. (Especially in winter)
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jamesyoder1992.
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December 5, 2011 at 11:00 am #457049
Hey everybody,
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December 5, 2011 at 11:00 am #457050
Drive slowly and do not rev high or apply heavy throttle.
When my car engine is cold i shift at 2000 once it gets warm i shift at 2750.
December 5, 2011 at 11:00 am #457051I usually start my vehicle, then let it idle for a few minutes while i run inside to make a coffee. It gives me a peace of mind when i see the temp gauge reading higher before driving away in the freezing cold temperatures. C8-)
December 6, 2011 at 11:00 am #457052i like to let my car idle until the needle reaches about 1/4 inch above the C before i drive. but i try to keep my RPMs low until it reaches normal operating range.
December 7, 2011 at 11:00 am #457053start it and warm it. If the windows are frozen over or snow covered I start it while I clean the snow off. If the windows are frozen I start it and let the heated
defrost do the work. If none of the above is there then I just start and drive.December 7, 2011 at 11:00 am #457054I prefer to let them warm up until the temp gauge is moved off the cold mark, but in 35 below temps that can take 20 minutes or so, if I don’t have time to waste I’ll drive real easy for the first little while. Very important to let it warm up at least a couple minutes IMO.
December 9, 2011 at 11:00 am #457055Anonymous
Quoted From Tony01013:Generally, I smoke one cigarette (not in the car, I don’t smoke in my car) if the window’s are not frozen up to let the oil warm up and circulate.
Hey, I’m not criticizing (I smoked for 20 years), but I just found it a bit ironic that you’re more concerned about your car’s health than your own. You must really love that thing.
December 9, 2011 at 11:00 am #457056I start my car and let it idle while I’m cleaning the frost off of the windshield, and I’ll drive it easy until the engine gets warm. Not that I’m able to really beat on my car anyway. I have a 21 mile drive to work, and the fastest I’ve been able to make that drive on a weekday is 55 minutes. As far as letting the engine get warm, that’s not really helping the transmission/differential oil get warm, since the car is stationary. Having a warm engine and ambient temperature transmission fluid isn’t any easier on the drivetrain as a whole as having all cold fluids. Cars warm up faster when there is a load on the engine anyway.
The only car I ever had to let warm up was my old LTD, but it was carbureted and that specific carb had issues when the weather was below 40.
December 10, 2011 at 11:00 am #457059We get -40 and worse here. Strictly speaking about comfort If I don’t feel like sitting in a -40* car for the majority of my commute (a car with a load on it may heat up quicker…but that’s still not very fast) I will start it and go back in the house.
Mechanically speaking? Start it, wait for the idle to stabilize, 20-30 seconds at most if it’s real cold probably, then drive away. don’t put your foot in it until you’ve got it up to operating temp. Of course if you can’t see where you’re going..
December 10, 2011 at 11:00 am #457057^ I’m the same. The longest I’ll ever let my car idle to warm up is the time when I’m scraping my windows. Just drive easy for a few miles and there won’t be anything to worry about. The only exception is if the outside temperatures are seriously cold, like -20* F. Then I might let it run just long enough to get the oil pressure up to normal cold engine pressure.
December 10, 2011 at 11:00 am #457058To Zakmartin: I know smoking is bad and I don’t even like the car, but when you smoke in the car it stinks the car up. I’ve been trying to quit off and on. Not smoking in my car is a small battle I’ve won because most people who smoke have to light up in their car. It’s like a habitual ritual. I don’t smoke in my house , so I tend to smoke less in the winter. I’m limiting when and where I can smoke so finally maybe one day I can quit. I know it’s bad but at least I’m not smoking crack, lol.
January 7, 2012 at 11:00 am #457060Im up at 430 in the morning, Generally if the is frost i head out start her up and while its running i clear the windows. I typically dont have the time (or give myself enough time) to sit there while it idles and come up to operating temp. Just give it a minute while i buckle up and find what i want to listen to on the radio and get situated and then im off. Take it easy until its warm.
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