Starting/Driving a cold car questions

Most people in Man. where it gets real cold just warm the vehicle for an few minutes and then drive slowly till the heater starts throwing heat thereafter normal operation.

Rey

So the way I see that there are 2 ways to look at this issue. Environmental Issue Engine Mechanical Issue. Engine mechanical: It needs proper lubrication COLD or WARM. Engine oil become thicker and oil jets/channel does not flow as easy when engine is too cold (-0 F). Even when you use proper oil viscosity that helps it to flow better, the engine is still cold and proper condition of your engine (normal heating all engine component) helps to stabilize all engine component before you rev up your engine. So the question is how long do you need to warm up your engine before you stress your engine component? or how long do you need to heat your engine oil to make it flow better?

From the environmental point of view is waste gas, pollution (out side and inside your cabin). It take the engine much longer to heat up when the engine is idling.

At 0 degree F, I would allow the engine to warm up for about 2 min or longer if I feel I can handle the cold. Drive the car slowly for few block with cabin heating selector set to half-speed or less. As you drive, your tranny oil will helps to heat up your transmission at the same time your engine will heat up much faster.

my two cents

winter)...could

Today's oils are much different from those of 20 years ago. They do not thicken up in cold weather. Their chemical makeup is designed to keep them fluid during 'normal' temps. (-10 to 100).

Just start the car and drive it. You will not increase wear on the moving parts unless the oil level is low or the oil is extremely contaminated. Bob K

Follow Reynaud's advice, you can't go wrong with a few minutes of war up in cold weather. It allows the metals to start warming and expanding before putting major stress on the engine and transmission.

Brian

Just start the car and drive it. If it's really cold and you are parked outside, you will likely have to scrape the windows and get the ice off. This is enough time for the engine to run before you start off. As far as I'm concerned and by personal experience, there is no advantage to letting the car run for a while. This used to be the normal way of doing things when you had a carbureted vehicle, back then...it made sense. You didn't want to drive right away as the car would often stall. With fuel injected vehicles and the oil that we are using these days...it makes no difference whether you warm it up or just drive it.

Ian

Start it and go. Been doing that for 30+ years with only one tranny issue at 26K miles on a 1979 Ford LTD (knock on wood), which was a problem caused from a factory assembly defect. And I mostly drive Chryslers (that are known for tranny issues!) with a few Fords and GMs thrown in for good measure. The key is drive them relatively easily the first mile or two.

As a mechanic, my advice is start the car, get out and make sure your headlights, tail-lights and licence plates are free of snow and the wipers not frozen to the windshield. Scrape the windsheild if necessary, then drive away gently. Do not "push" the car untill the temperature guage comes off the bottom or you start to get heat from the heater, then progressively increase your power.

This "warmup" before putting in gear and driving away should be minimum 15 seconds - 2 minutes. That is generally sufficient - and gentle driving warms the engine, transmission, final drive, and wheel bearings together.

Warming the car up for 10 minutes then driving like a bat out of hell is very hard on final drive and bearings, and can also be hard on transmissions.

Thanks. From now on I plan on doing just that. I think the thinner 5w-30 oil wouldn't be that much of a difference, now that I am using a thicker oil.....I think it would be better to let the car warm up.