RichieST

iTrader: (2)

Hi guys and gals

Seen a lot of posts on here where people go on about leaving the car ticking over for 5-10 mins to warm up before driving away....

Surely this is actually doing the engine more damage than it would just firing it up and driving away?

Engines are designed to work best when everything is at its operating temperature, so the quickest way to get it there is to just carefully drive it at lowish revs? Leaving the car for ages just ticking over takes a long time to get it to operating temperate, so engine components are surely going to suffer more wear?

Am i right or am i wrong?

rich

crazycage

thats spot on there mate ,you realy should just get in it and drive

Christian and Beccy

iTrader: (14)

I'd say you are right. I usually start mine, then get on my way, driving it gently until I see the Oil Temp get up to 70°c or so.

Mr Sam

personally i dont bother 1.1 valencia

but the lads down the local cruise usually fire the cars up a few mins before leaving, just a waste of fuel if you ask me

RichieST

iTrader: (2)

must just be a 'look girls, my saxo has a louder exhaust than your boyfriends'

Dave McB

id partially agree.

My old sierrais a bit rough on startup, so i give it a minute til the oil starts to circulate then drive slow for 5-10 mins

Graham S1

or get one of those engine pre warmers on a timer set for 10 mins beforte you want to go out.

smitsturbo

but if you stasrt your car up & just go there cant be much oil circulating & its cold oil so its thicker...ive always let my cars idle for a min or 2 just to get the oil all round the engine if that makes sense

Si B

iTrader: (59)

100% correct I'd say.

This is especially the case on newer CAT equipped cars - on cold start up engines run very rich, and this combined with a cold CAT convertor can equal a lot of damage unless the car is brought up to temperature.

Leaving the car running on a cold idle will just lead to bore wash in extreme cases and premature death of the cat, which relies on being hot in order to work correctly.

Although, after saying all that, my Cossie drives far nicer after a couple mins warming up...

Si

steviecossie

iv'e never left mine sitting for 5-10 mins ticking over,

drive it straight after start up but just take it easy for a few miles,
then let the fun begin.

truthordare

I always warm mine up, particularly now that I am using thicker oil, I give it a few mins to circulate and finds the car runs less doggy after I've warmed her up, there have been occasions when I haven't had time to do it and she runs like a bag of spanners for first couple miles.

Debs

st3v3

I wait about 2mins while i move the wifes car out of the way (traker still armed and Disclok on) then drive off,i wait till the water temp is correct then give it another 10-15 mins before i move up the rev range,through the gears,without thapping the nuts off it.(short journeys i hardly ever go above 2000 rpm)

pee vee

leave a cossie (or any quick motor) idleing for ages?? neighbours will love you lol

purple_fiesta

When I am in the RS I leave it a good 5 mins to warm down on a night, about 11oclock, and its loud as fook Can normally see curtains twitching

big_wig_074

so you let it cool down then heat up again?jesus christ!
engines are designed to run best under load,all the people saying they run crap if you dont warm them up,er....thats because for the first few mins of driving you ARE warming them up!do you think the oil pump will deliver more oil at a standstill or when the engine is working under load?
turn engine on,drive normally,and if youre gonna abuse it wait until its warm before you do so,and at the end of a drive just drive it normally again for the last mile or so,unless you usually broadside it at 90mph into your driveway?

D.K.

Ive got no choice but to let mine tick over for a bit, as soon as i fire it up the windows steam up and i cant see for shit

Mr Shannon

Finish the joint before you get in the car

RST

iTrader: (3)

dad leaves his 10mins or so to warm up and the 5min to cool down

st3v3

Here's a test a guy did on two seperate days between oil and water on his scoob.The test were done in winter last year and i assume mechanical sympathy was given to the car in driving,ie:not redlining it

Here's today's test. It wasn't frosty this morning which i think shows in the test compared to yesterdays

Yesterdays test followed by todays

@ 1.6 miles the car showed normal water temp.
@ 1.7 miles the oil gauge registered 50c
@ 2.1 miles the oil was 60c
@ 2.8 miles the oil was 70c
@ 3.7 miles the oil was 80c
@ 8.6 miles it finally hit 90c

@ 1.2 miles the car showed normal water temp.
@ 1.3 miles the oil gauge registered 50c
@ 1.8 miles the oil was 60c
@ 2.6 miles the oil was 70c
@ 3.6 miles the oil was 80c
@ 8.3 miles it finally hit 90c

Maxfield

My dad gets in his drives it under 3.5k until oil is under temperature.

But you should do that with any car espeacially with and high performance engine.

vx220

remember, when you're sitting there warming up your engine, your transmission is freezing it's nuts off! they like a nice warm oil as well, you know...

rssteve

just drive the fucking thing you bunch of girls.

xr2i-carl

depends whether i have to leave striaght away, usually wait for few mins, but if its cold and i got sort few things out before it can end up being longer other times its on 'on' and 'straight off'

dont go above 2.5k untill fully warmed thru



regarding idling for extended periods of time, my work van sometimes at work sit there for 3-4 hours idling, not seen any ill effects yet and its now on 61k (2004)