Warming the car up in cold weather before driving off

Our man in Havana

Question: Is it best to warm up a car in cold weather or is it better to just jump in a drive off? I ask this in the context of very cold weather (-20°C).

Voodoomelon

Quickest way of warming any modern car is to drive it. Start the car, seatbelt on and pull off is much better than letting the car trying to get to temperature for 20 minutes sitting idle.

El Guapo!

Yeah in temperatures that low it would be a good idea to let the car idle for a couple of minutes before heading off. And even then I'd be careful not to race the engine at all until it's properly up to temp.

johnos1984

Dean09 wrote: »

Yeah in temperatures that low it would be a good idea to let the car idle for a couple of minutes before heading off.

No it isn't.

Drive it once it is started. Otherwise the engine is running with cold oil which will increase engine wear

Voodoomelon

Dean09 wrote: »

Yeah in temperatures that low it would be a good idea to let the car idle for a couple of minutes before heading off.

Why?

L-M

All these Honda fools that start their cars an hour before the drive them :rolleyes:

CiniO

Most car manufacturers advice to drive straight away, and not warm up the car.

However in extreme cold temperatures (like -30) you might not be able to drive off straight away, as you might not be even able to put the gear on (oil in gearbox might be too thick). Your windows will be totally frozen, and you won't be able to clear them without warming the car.

Generally speaking I alway drive off straight away if it's possible.
If not, I just wait, and usually spend the time to clear windows off the ice and frosts.

El Guapo!

johnos1984 wrote: »

No it isn't.

Drive it once it is started. Otherwise the engine is running with cold oil which will increase engine wear

Voodoomelon wrote: »

Why?

I didn't mean sit there and let it idle until the engine is warm. You'd be there all day.
What I meant is don't just fire it up and go hell for leather straight away with a stone cold engine.

johnos1984

Dean09 wrote: »

What I meant is don't just fire it up and go hell for leather straight away with a stone cold engine.

That's what your meant to do even if it's warm

ShadowHearth

Isn't it unhealthy to rev engine on cold oil? Obviously you will rev engine higher when driving, then sitting idle.

I always gave some time to warm up and cool down on idle for skyline, but that is more for turbo.

I always give few seconds to warm up for Mazda too. When I am going to work ( 4:30 in the morning ) I always warm up Mazda for few minutes. Hate sitting in to cold car...

Voodoomelon

Dean09 wrote: »

What I meant is don't just fire it up and go hell for leather straight away with a stone cold engine.

That wasn't the question that was asked, but I get your point.
I hate the idea of the car sitting idle trying to turn over in sub zero temperatures, I let the rev counter settle then off I go, car is warm in about 6 minutes.

MugMugs

Dean09 wrote: »

I didn't mean sit there and let it idle until the engine is warm. You'd be there all day.
What I meant is don't just fire it up and go hell for leather straight away with a stone cold engine.

Dean09 wrote: »

Yeah in temperatures that low it would be a good idea to let the car idle for a couple of minutes before heading off.

Really ?

El Guapo!

johnos1984 wrote: »

That's what your meant to do even if it's warm

Yeah I know that but I was just stressing even more so in weather that cold.

El Guapo!

MugMugs wrote: »

Really ?

Yeah.
I said to let it idle for a short time and not to race the engine in freezing conditions. I didn't mean to sit there all day until the engine is up to temp!

JJJJNR

Once the windows are clear just drive off, personally i dont rev the car over 1500rpm until the engine is warm, can be painful at times owning a diesel.

-Corkie-

I remember Midnight Pg saying he left his car idling for ages before driving off in normal weather..:pac:

El Guapo!

-Corkie- wrote: »

I remember Midnight Pg saying he left his car idling for ages before driving off in normal weather..:pac:

Now that does my head in.
I used to work with a guy who did this all the time and one morning before work he went out and started the car in his garden, went inside the house for a few mins, and when he came out the car was gone!! Idiot.

dgt

-Corkie- wrote: »

I remember Midnight Pg saying he left his car idling for ages before driving off in normal weather..:pac:

Isn't that how a lot of cars get stolen off the drveways....?

-Corkie-

-Corkie- wrote: »

I remember Midnight Pg saying he left his car idling for ages before driving off in normal weather..:pac:

But his one was different than other cars :pac:

GTDolanator

start up leave for a couple of seconds to let the oil circulate then set off and just dont rev then nuts of it till the engine is up to temp

Matt Simis

I combine the two approaches and leave them sitting for maybe 2min (with me in it, playing with radios and seats) before setting off.

corkcomp

GTDolanator wrote: »

start up leave for a couple of seconds to let the oil circulate then set off and just dont rev then nuts of it till the engine is up to temp

+1 about 30 - 40 seconds of idling and don't rev too hard for a minute or two.. the idea is to let the oil pressure build up, not to let the car sit idling for 10 minutes wasting fuel.

Carstuck

Ideally it be best to drive off, but with windows etc I just leave it a few minutes started before I go. Don't think a few minutes idle will destroy the engine, as I rather let the frost thaw with the heater than lukewarm water.

Green Hornet

Voodoomelon wrote: »

Dean09 wrote: »

What I meant is don't just fire it up and go hell for leather straight away with a stone cold engine.

That wasn't the question that was asked, but I get your point.
I hate the idea of the car sitting idle trying to turn over in sub zero temperatures, I let the rev counter settle then off I go, car is warm in about 6 minutes.

My fecking thing takes about 15 mins. It has a heater assist to heat the inside while the engine is warming up and it's stinking!

keithclancy

F*ck sake .. you'd swear ye were in Finland

If your that concerned about it then go for one of these:
http://www.parkingheater.com/?id=2602

The Neighbour has one ... while I'm out scraping the Ice and cursing (It was -9 this morning) his car had steam rising off it, walked out, jumped into a toasty warm car (ba*terd)

af_thefragile

Don't usually have the time to warm up the car before I drive off.
So i just keep the revs below around 2500rpm before the engine reaches full operating temperature and then I give it full beans!... as i'm usually running late!!!

damo86

When i had the diesel i used to let it run idle till the windows demisted then go.

My turbo would kick in at around 2000rpm so i wouldnt let it get passed that till engine temp is at least passed 1/4 mark (50/60degrees..cant remember!!)

Then drive it normally then.

Mikko Mallikas

Exactly keithclancy in Finland all cars either have webasto, or this http://www.defa.com/en/html/automotive/warmup/products/warmup/warmup_1350_1850/warmup_1350_1850/ or thishttp://www.calix.se/consumer/index.asp?lang=UK

Here is the weather btw, if you guys think it is cold there http://www.foreca.com/Finland/Tampere?details=20120202

The Quadratic Equation

Voodoomelon wrote: »

That wasn't the question that was asked, but I get your point.
I hate the idea of the car sitting idle trying to turn over in sub zero temperatures, I let the rev counter settle then off I go, car is warm in about 6 minutes.

Bummer.

My car is warm and cosy in 4 minutes and stays that way.

johnos1984

My TDI takes a bloody age to warm up in this weather. I just bought a hat and scarf to over come this small niggle

MugMugs

johnos1984 wrote: »

My TDI takes a bloody age to warm up in this weather. I just bought a hat and scarf to over come this small niggle

I used to hit 90 just before the motorway on my commute in my TDI. D-4D takes a LOT longer.

bryaner

-Corkie- wrote: »

I remember Midnight Pg saying he left his car idling for ages before driving off in normal weather..:pac:

Yes I remember him saying it was to raise the oil pressure :pac::pac: We had an interesting discussion after I told him that the oil pressure drops as the oil gets warmer, he didn't really seem to understand..

Dilbert75

How much do they cost to get fitted? What would an Irish insurance company think of one?

Mikko Mallikas

Mikko Mallikas wrote: »

Exactly keithclancy in Finland all cars either have webasto.................

Lots of 75 diesels in the UK have a webasto.

Mikko Mallikas

Webasto can run up to 500- 1000 € on a new car, calix or Defa fitted 200-400 € depending on whether you want an interior heater or not.

Big Nasty

In the 7er I get in and drive whatever the weather. I wouldn't be planting it until she's at least 1/3 of the way up the gauge though, which would only take a couple of mins.

The T/A needs at least two mins before it will idle properly after start up so I usually give it that before I drop her in to gear. Has a manual choke but I've never used it.

Voodoomelon

The Quadratic Equation wrote: »

Bummer.

My car is warm and cosy in 4 minutes and stays that way.

Leather is bloody freezing, heated seats kills the chill after about 1 minute. Thinking of installing them in the rear too.

Henry Ford III

Heated windscreen ftw!

dr.fuzzenstein

I have to leave at 7am to make to work at 8.
No fecking way I'd start it up a few minutes earlier, every second in bed counts.
Besides, I remember from Germany every car magazine and TV show (Telemotor) telling us to start the car, get in and drive off.
Of course one should not immediately redline the car, but drive gently for a few km's.
It was more for environmental reasons and for the same reason long phase traffic lights and railway crossings will have a "switch engine off" sign on them.
But manufacturers also seem to advise that.

Mycroft H

My poor cars demister is like a asthmatic with a lung injury. You need a good five minutes to demist the windscreen in this weather.

If I have to wait I wait, if I can drive straight off, I'll do that.

And I'll wait until the temp needle has started to move before I use vigorous throttle. Which is handy as its warm enough once I meet the slip road for the motorway so I can give it some beans.

conzy

I would just drive straight away but not rev past 3000rpm until its up to temperature

eth0

LIGHTNING wrote: »

Isn't it illegal to sit and let the car idle in Germany? You have to drive it straight away.

Have you been reading one of those 'dumb laws' sites to pass the time by any chance?

I wouldn't rev it much until the engine is warm. My old car wouldn't run well if you put the foot down before it was warm particularly on a cold day. Would accelerate a bit and then would feel like the engine would cut out for a fraction of a second.

Most engine-idling is done for creature comforts and for those unfortunate enough to not have a shed or other proper indoor car storage so they can clear the window

leeroybrown

LIGHTNING wrote: »

Isn't it illegal to sit and let the car idle in Germany? You have to drive it straight away.

It's 20 seconds as far as I remember. They even have reminders at level crossings, long sequence traffic lights, etc.

Personally, I drive away as soon as I have proper visibility. If that means a few minutes to get everything de-misted properly then so be it.

RandomAccess

Apparently webasto heaters came as standard equipment on some models of e39 530d in the UK.

Google "530d auxiliary heater" and you will see many interesting results.
I've seen a similar device called a night-heater working in a Volvo truck and it was quite a neat bit of kit.

Whether you can justify hauling a few kilos of heater around the other 300 days of the year is another question.

johnos1984

Rover 75's came with a preheater which done the same thing

Mikko Mallikas

eth0 wrote: »

Have you been reading one of those 'dumb laws' sites to pass the time by any chance?

I know it´s not Germany but a quote from http://www.lvm.fi/c/document_library/get_file?folderId=24398&name=DLFE-1102.pdf
"Unnecessary engine idling is prohibited In Finland, excessive engine idling is prohibited. If the vehicle is stationary for reasons other than an unavoidable holdup,the engine may not be run for longer than two minutes. However, if the air temperature is below -15°C, the engine may be run for a maximum of four minutes before moving off."

shedweller

BX 19 wrote: »

My poor cars demister is like a asthmatic with a lung injury. You need a good five minutes to demist the windscreen in this weather.

If I have to wait I wait, if I can drive straight off, I'll do that.

And I'll wait until the temp needle has started to move before I use vigorous throttle. Which is handy as its warm enough once I meet the slip road for the motorway so I can give it some beans.

Same here. the A/C needs a top up so it isn't clearing mist like it used to. However, I did discover that by pouring a 2L bottle of hot TAP WATER, not kettle water, over the windscreen, along with the A/C doing it's measly bit, the mist evaporated off the inside more or less straight away. I took care to check the heat of the glass as i poured and once it warmed up, the mist was gone. Must get that A/C fixed though....

GhostInTheRuins

My dad is convinced that if he turns the air conditioning on when the car is cold it heats the air up faster. He's hardly right is he?

keithclancy

GhostInTheRuins wrote: »

My dad is convinced that if he turns the air conditioning on when the car is cold it heats the air up faster. He's hardly right is he?

It demists the Windows faster due to taking the moisture out of the air but I don't believe it heats up the air faster.

With the German thing, theres all sorts of bats*it crazy laws, e.g. not being able to wash your car on the street.

Most people pay no attention to it.

Myself I live in a good neighbourhood, I'll start the car leave it heat up, de-ice the windows, go in and get coffee, go out and drive off, so maybe it idles for around 3-4 minutes.

I then drive under 2000 rpm until its about a quarter up the temp gauge.

MagicMarker

I start up and drive away. If the windows are frosted over I go out, start the car and put the heater on full to try and clear up the ice/condensation on the inside while I fill a kettle with warm water to clear away the frost on the outside.

Once of these days some scummer will jump in the car while I'm filling the kettle! Hasn't happened yet though.

R.O.R

This morning I got downstairs, unlocked the front door and went and started the car. -3 outside so set the fan to full at the windscreen, rear window de-mister one and put the driver's seat heating on 1, then locked the car with the spare key before going back inside.

2-3 minutes to get my lunch and breakfast together (to have in the office) then locked the front door on the way out to the car.

Tried to put my lunch etc. in the passenger seat and realised I hadn't opened the car again, so unlocked the front door, opened the car and re-locked the front door. Still had to get the ice scraper to remove the final bits of ice on the windscreen, and then set off very gingerly.

Probably didn't get more than 1/4 throttle until I was through the second roundabout, about 2km from home, then just drove normally.

Only put the car on to idle if there is ice on the windscreen. That couple of minutes of the blower makes it much easier to clear the last of the ice of the windscreen then I can just jump in and go.