When to drive car

[Dimitron84]

So just wondering how longhorn guys let engine run before actually driving especially when in colder climates. I notice when it's cold out and I first started car rpms go to about 1900, after about 3 mins it dipa down to 1300 and that's when I usually start to slowly get going.... Just trying to get other people's inputs.... Thanks

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[a c i d.f l y]

You are not waiting long enough, wear happens when you drive the car cold, it's like it is wearing out but on steroids. Also, this is bad for break-in which is first 40,000 miles since this car gets better as you add lots of miles! I would wait until it gets to 1000 rpm. Don't forget to not go past 2000 rpm until the coolant *and* oil gets warmed up which is 20 minutes of driving minimum!

Wish folks would stop perpetuating this myth.

https://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/a19086/warming-up-your-car-in-the-cold-just-harms-engine/

 

[isaiah0123]

You are not waiting long enough, wear happens when you drive the car cold, it's like it is wearing out but on steroids. Also, this is bad for break-in which is first 40,000 miles since this car gets better as you add lots of miles! I would wait until it gets to 1000 rpm. Don't forget to not go past 2000 rpm until the coolant *and* oil gets warmed up which is 20 minutes of driving minimum!

You think the people driving 20 year old civics did this?

 

[Browncoat3000]

2000 rpm for 20 minutes? The car can barely move at that RPM. In my area that would get you run over during rush hour.

 

[mis3]

In this weather, what I do is to wait for the RPM is somewhere dropped. This would take about 30 seconds. I will start driving slowly.

 

[jayee]

Wait 15-30 seconds till oil and lubricants start to flow and coat everything then keep it under 3000 RPM till it's up to temperature.

Here is another article explaining the same thing as the last one:
https://blog.firestonecompleteautocare.com/driving/idling-in-winter-bad-for-car/

 

[rraayy3]

Is this true for turbo engines as well?

 

[Mikeybc]

Wait 15-30 seconds till oil and lubricants start to flow and coat everything then keep it under 3000 RPM till it's up to temperature.

Here is another article explaining the same thing as the last one:
https://blog.firestonecompleteautocare.com/driving/idling-in-winter-bad-for-car/

Pretty much what I do too. About 20 -30 seconds and keep the engine load as light as possible until it’s up to temp.

I’m using a manual so I have complete control over the rpm, it’s easy to drive out my driveway and putt around just under 2000 rpm for a minute or two until I hit the highway. I don’t like to stress engine parts until they have been heated and expanded fully. I used to have a old Dodge with a slant 6 that sounded like a diesel when accelerating lightly at temps under -25 f

 

[Almostfast]

I'm out the garage 5 seconds after the car starts and on my way. Ain't nobody got time 'fo dat!

 

[charleswrivers]

When I was living in a cold climate...

When I got to the car I had at the time and it was covered in ice, I would turn it on with the defrost on max, scrape ice/spray HEET... and start driving.

If there was no ice... I'd jump in, start her up, and start driving immeidately.

When I was driving with the temp needle pinned at the low spec, I drove it gently, revving the minimal amount needed to achieve the speed limit.

We can argue all day long that it's better to idle for 15 minutes to let the car start to warm, or drive lightly loaded for 2-3 minutes to let the car start to warm up.

I think we can all agree you shouldn't rev out your car and drive it hard when it's cold.

Do whatever you want. It's your car. I would *not* drive aggressively until you're seeing the needle come off the low peg... and would resist the urge to drive it hard until it's at operating temp, as that's only coolant temp and it's not really the temp of the block itself.

If oil is a concern, the thick when cold conventional oils are *not* a concern anymore. You cannot get a conventional oil in 0w-20, so since you're running synthetic, it *will* flow well at low temperatures.

And before someone starts talking about industrial diesel generators and having them idle to warm up their temps before loading... been there... done that (Navy guy).... I don't care... it's my car... and I've never had an issue treating it like a car and maintaining it properly vice a robust but technologically ancient standby generator.

 

[motoguy128]

About 5 seconds, just so I know oil pressure is up and RPM has settled from initial startup. It's about how long it takes to buckle my seatbelt and plug in my cell phone. I'm then just idling as it back out of the driveway, then I keep it under 2000-2500RPM until it warms up. There's no traffic where i live. Warms up after about 3 miles at 30-45mph typically.

No need at all to warm up more. Just puts more gas and moisture into the oil and exhaust system. multi-weight engine oils flow fine at cool temps. Engine still heats up slow enough driving easy not to cause any problems.

What would be back is driving full throttle and high RPM's when cold and you head up the block and heads rapidly in aobut 20-30 seconds. That's not ideal and could cause some cylinder head and increase cylinder wear and bearings wear issues eventually

 

[Dimitron84]

Thanks for all the inputs, what exactly is the car doing when it goes from 1900 Rpm initial start to 1300rpm after waiting about 2 mins? Are there specific engine parameters that it meets after 2 mins that causes it to idle down or is it just a timer?

 

[charleswrivers]

Thanks for all the inputs, what exactly is the car doing when it goes from 1900 Rpm initial start to 1300rpm after waiting about 2 mins? Are there specific engine parameters that it meets after 2 mins that causes it to idle down or is it just a timer?

I thought is was from an input from the O2 sensors to show the cats are starting to light off to lower emmisions. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[mis3]

Higher RPM is because:

“In colder temperatures, fuel is more likely to get bogged down and thicken. Therefore, the vehicle overcompensates for this by producing a higher RPM initially to move gasoline more quickly. As soon as the vehicle turns on, the RPM goes back to normal, but that initial bump in RPM speed can take some drivers by surprise.”

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