Warming up a car?

[ragazzo]

2000 model
inline 6
47K miles

How long should I warm up my car?

Edit:
The current temp is 10F

 

[Juno]

I would say 24 hours. :laugh:

 

[Kalvin00]

Just rev it up to about 6000RPM right after it catches, it will help the muffler bearings warm up.

 

[TheLonelyPhoenix]

I wait 10 mins on my 4-banger.

 

[SpunkyJones]

5-10

 

[jai6638]

wait for it to touch 1000 rpm which takes about 4-5 min..

 

[olds]

Why warm it up?

 

[StageLeft]

I give mine about 5-10 seconds to make sure everything is moving nicely and then I'm off to the races. I drive slowly with low throttle until the car is at full operating temp, of course. People who are waiting a number of MINUTES probably need to reevaluate their lives

 

[KoolAidKid]

You need to add an option for 0 minutes.

Edit: typo.

 

[TheLonelyPhoenix]

Originally posted by: Skoorb
I give mine about 5-10 seconds to make sure everything is moving nicely and then I'm off to the races. I drive slowly with low throttle until the car is at full operating temp, of course. People who are waiting a number of MINUTES probably need to reevaluate their lives

1) Walk outside.
2) Start engine.
3) Walk back inside, pack up for the day.
4) Go back outside to warmed-up engine.
5) Profit.

 

[Juno]

Originally posted by: TheLonelyPhoenix

Originally posted by: Skoorb
I give mine about 5-10 seconds to make sure everything is moving nicely and then I'm off to the races. I drive slowly with low throttle until the car is at full operating temp, of course. People who are waiting a number of MINUTES probably need to reevaluate their lives

1) Walk outside.
2) Start engine.
3) Walk back inside, pack up for the day.
4) Go back outside to warmed-up engine.
5) Profit.

That's what I did most of the time but now I live on the college campus. I ain't walking back to dorms because it's like 1/4 mile away!

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: TheLonelyPhoenix

Originally posted by: Skoorb
I give mine about 5-10 seconds to make sure everything is moving nicely and then I'm off to the races. I drive slowly with low throttle until the car is at full operating temp, of course. People who are waiting a number of MINUTES probably need to reevaluate their lives

1) Walk outside.
2) Start engine.
3) Walk back inside, pack up for the day.
4) Go back outside to warmed-up engine.
5) Profit.

To what end? You get your shoes on, start car, then go back inside and take them off. What if you're kept inside a bit longer? Never mind the fact that auto manufacturers are NOT recommending this, and in fact many mechanics recommend, in ideal circumstances, warming up the car as quickly as possible.

 

[poopaskoopa]

inline v6?

 

[ElFenix]

yeah wtf is an inline v6?


and modern cars do not need to be warmed up.

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: poopaskoopa
inline v6?

VTEC, n0ob!

 

[TheLonelyPhoenix]

Originally posted by: Skoorb

Originally posted by: TheLonelyPhoenix

Originally posted by: Skoorb
I give mine about 5-10 seconds to make sure everything is moving nicely and then I'm off to the races. I drive slowly with low throttle until the car is at full operating temp, of course. People who are waiting a number of MINUTES probably need to reevaluate their lives

1) Walk outside.
2) Start engine.
3) Walk back inside, pack up for the day.
4) Go back outside to warmed-up engine.
5) Profit.

To what end? You get your shoes on, start car, then go back inside and take them off. What if you're kept inside a bit longer? Never mind the fact that auto manufacturers are NOT recommending this, and in fact many mechanics recommend, in ideal circumstances, warming up the car as quickly as possible.

*puts on boxing gloves*

Wanna go, bitch?

I just like having a nice warm engine that I can drive the way I usually do during the winter. I leave it to warm up while I go grab whatever books and stuff I need, and maybe grab a cup of coffee before I head out.

I've never heard that this is in any way damaging to the car, so if you've got a link about that I'd like to see it.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: ragazzo
2000 model
inline v6
47K miles

How long should I warm up my car?

First of all, there is no such thing as an "inline v6", it is _either_ an inline 6 (unlikely unless it's a BMW), or a V6.

Second of all, unless it is severely cold (20 degrees Fahrenheit or below) you only need to "warm it up" for about 30 seconds, just long enough to make sure that the oil is flowing. After that, you're better to just drive gently (i.e. no heavy acceleration) until the engine has reached operating temperature.

If it's really, really cold, the engine still doesn't need more than maybe 90 seconds.

ZV

 

[Eli]

10-15 seconds.. 30-45 if you're feeling generous.

Use the proper viscosity engine oil for the ambient temperatures your engine is experiencing and don't worry about it.

Drive gently until the coolant temperature is nominal.

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: TheLonelyPhoenix

Originally posted by: Skoorb

Originally posted by: TheLonelyPhoenix

Originally posted by: Skoorb
I give mine about 5-10 seconds to make sure everything is moving nicely and then I'm off to the races. I drive slowly with low throttle until the car is at full operating temp, of course. People who are waiting a number of MINUTES probably need to reevaluate their lives

1) Walk outside.
2) Start engine.
3) Walk back inside, pack up for the day.
4) Go back outside to warmed-up engine.
5) Profit.

To what end? You get your shoes on, start car, then go back inside and take them off. What if you're kept inside a bit longer? Never mind the fact that auto manufacturers are NOT recommending this, and in fact many mechanics recommend, in ideal circumstances, warming up the car as quickly as possible.

*puts on boxing gloves*

Wanna go, bitch?

I just like having a nice warm engine that I can drive the way I usually do during the winter. I leave it to warm up while I go grab whatever books and stuff I need, and maybe grab a cup of coffee before I head out.

I've never heard that this is in any way damaging to the car, so if you've got a link about that I'd like to see it.

It's really just arguing back and forth (re. whether it's good or bad). You can find any number of links professing the merit of either approach. In reality the differences are surely negligible. I agree that when it's cold outside nothing beats pre-warming the car, and i do it myself!

 

[MercenaryForHire]

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt

Originally posted by: ragazzo
2000 model
inline v6
47K miles

How long should I warm up my car?

First of all, there is no such thing as an "inline v6", it is _either_ an inline 6 (unlikely unless it's a BMW or older Toyota), or a V6.

Second of all, unless it is severely cold (20 degrees Fahrenheit or below) you only need to "warm it up" for about 30 seconds, just long enough to make sure that the oil is flowing. After that, you're better to just drive gently (i.e. no heavy acceleration) until the engine has reached operating temperature.

If it's really, really cold, the engine still doesn't need more than maybe 90 seconds.

ZV

Fixed for a more likely option, and I concur on your deductions above. Unneccessary idling = :thumbsdown: for engine and environment.

- M4H

 

[artikk]

5 minutes is enough

 

[Insane3D]

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt

Originally posted by: ragazzo
2000 model
inline v6
47K miles

How long should I warm up my car?

First of all, there is no such thing as an "inline v6", it is _either_ an inline 6 (unlikely unless it's a BMW), or a V6.

Second of all, unless it is severely cold (20 degrees Fahrenheit or below) you only need to "warm it up" for about 30 seconds, just long enough to make sure that the oil is flowing. After that, you're better to just drive gently (i.e. no heavy acceleration) until the engine has reached operating temperature.

If it's really, really cold, the engine still doesn't need more than maybe 90 seconds.

ZV

I disagree totally on the last part. In below zero temperatures, assuming most people have conventional oil in their cars that probably is overdue to be changed, I think 90 seconds is a bit short of a warm up period. I use Mobil 1 in the Mustang, and it takes a good 30 seconds just for the oil pressure to come up and the valves to quiet down when it's below zero. In a car with conventional oil that is overdue for a change, it could conceivably take the better part of those 90 seconds for the oil to start circulating.

 

[Looney]

Why do you need to warm up the car? I just take it slow until it warms up by itself. Before i use to gun the gas to warm up the car while i was driving, but one COLD winter night, the frost that was on the accelerator clumped up when i gunned it, and got stuck, and i couldn't slow/stop, and had to use my emergency brake. Called a tow truck, and they came and just thawed it the line, and it worked fine after that.

 

[MercenaryForHire]

Originally posted by: Insane3D
In a car with conventional oil that is overdue for a change, it could conceivably take the better part of those 90 seconds for the oil to start circulating.

That's an example of what I like call "vehicular Darwinism." Treat your car like crap and don't be surprised when it runs like it.

- M4H

 

[SynthDude2001]

I just hop in and go... (It never gets "cold" here either.)