Warm Up Time

[llll1l1ll]

Hey Mafia,

Do yous guys let your cars sit at idle to warm up in cold weather (I'm talking below freezing)? My fiance always lets her car do that, as do many other people, but I've always done what the manual says and just start the engine and start driving. I've heard it's bad to let your car sit and idle since it'll foul the spark plugs. In fact, she saw on the news today that some car shop owner said to let your car sit and idle in cold weather for at least five minutes before driving off.

What say you, Mafia? Do you start and go or do you start and wait?

[TigerTater]

I typically start it up maybe sit for 30 seconds and then drive off. With that being said I don't rev the engine over 2k until after 5-10 min of driving to ensure the engine is up to operating temp. I don't want to ram a cold piston into a cold head and have problems. I just give it some time! I also don't turn the heater on until around the same time.

[ELCID86]

I do, especially if the windows are frosty. I'm sure I'll get fussed at!

[danewilson77]

My whole regimen has changed regarding this

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[llll1l1ll]

I do, especially if the windows are frosty. I'm sure I'll get fussed at!

OMG YOU'RE IN SO MUCH TRUBBLE! Haha

I try to keep the revs low when I drive off. Nothing above 3K. Then once the temp needle is out of the blue, I go no higher than 3.5K. I just imagine I have the warm up bars like in the M3s... I blast the heat with the recirc button on once the needle is out of the blue, though. No shame. If you hit auto, it does the same thing just with no recirc button.

[danewilson77]

OMG YOU'RE IN SO MUCH TRUBBLE! Haha

I try to keep the revs low when I drive off. Nothing above 3K. Then once the temp needle is out of the blue, I go no higher than 3.5K. I just imagine I have the warm up bars like in the M3s... I blast the heat with the recirc button on once the needle is out of the blue, though. No shame. If you hit auto, it does the same thing just with no recirc button.

Temp needle in blue does not mean the oil is warm though. Just as a reminder.

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[Bird-Dog]

Start and go...

Because heated seats.

[deuce08s]

I'm not a fan of warming up the car. I had a TSX for almost 7 years and never warmed it up on the coldest of days. I did, however, drive it easily until the clutch wasn't hard to push in anymore and the shifter wasn't so "stiff". With my ZHP I do the same thing. The month of January here I've had several days where I leave work and the air temp is -10 to -20.....I fire the car up and wait about 20 seconds while I get settled in the car and then just go. Revs are kept low, acceleration is not fast.......you know when the car is 'ready' for more action. Heating system is always off when I turn the car off so it's easier on startup, I let the key stay in the II position for a few seconds before I fire it over, and I don't turn the heat on till the first mark after the blue zone.

Most of us use synthetic oil, too, which flows a lot easier and sticks better to the internals, which is enough peace of mind for me as well. Plus, I've never had any issues.....so I don't change my ways. :/

Now if it's super cold and you take short trips then you're asking for trouble as I just learned. If you're in a climate below zero for an extended period, get the car up to temp and drive it before you shut it off again. This helps prevent busting your CCV and hydrolocking the engine......which happened to both my buddy and I two weeks apart on days that were -22F.

[midlandtech]

My whole regimen has changed regarding this

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Yup when i drove older carbureted cars I let it warm up for several minutes before setting out. Now I do as other have suggested an warm up for less than a minute before setting out but I do keep revs below 3k

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[ELCID86]

I'm wondering how many of you have garaged/covered parking also? Mine is out in the elements always.

And what do you do when there is frost, ice, etc? --just scrape and go?