guys, how many minutes do i need to heat-up my engine in the morning before i used it for driving?
thanks in advance.
thanks in advance.
how many minutes..... [to warm-up engine?]
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·guys, how many minutes do i need to heat-up my engine in the morning before i used it for driving?
thanks in advance.
thanks in advance.
G
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·Re: how many minutes.....
Not long. Most modern fuel-injected engines don't need to be "warmed-up". The pros say 30 seconds should be plenty of time.Portege_RAV4 said:
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The colder it is outside, the longer I let my Rav warm up. When I first start it up in the morning, I usually let it warm up for 2-3 minutes, or 5-10 when it is really cold out. I let the idle slow down a bit before I drive off, otherwise the high idle annoys me (since I have a clutch).
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·Yes, I understand! I too drive a manual, and I sometimes hate the high idle when I don't warm it up for long enough.Jeff said:
I end up warming up for 5-10 minutes too, especially when it is below freezing and I have to step outside to scrape away the frost from the windshield and side windows.
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When it’s very cold I too wait a few minutes because I have to defrost my fingers anyhow. 
Even though regular motor oil has come a long way it’s even better to have a synthetic for those very cold cranks. Among other things it flows better on cold starts.
Even though regular motor oil has come a long way it’s even better to have a synthetic for those very cold cranks. Among other things it flows better on cold starts.
My RAV sits outside. Most days I get in and drive away, taking it easy for a few miles. Warms up the vehicle quickly and evenly that way. If it's a cold morning I'll give it a couple of minutes, a little longer if I have to get out and clear frost or snow.
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The whole reason that all the "experts" out there are pushing the 30 seconds and drive it thing is emissions. A cold engine puts out more emissions than an engine at proper operating temperatures.
Car manufacturers want your car to get to that operating temperature as quickly as possible, so in addition to having 200 F thermostats now, the quickest way to warm up a vehicle is to drive it.
There is no real problem with just jumping in and driving. I usually let my car idle for about 1 minute as an initial check to make sure everything is good. Then drive off, but watching my rpm's. Keep the rpm's low and don't do any full throttle acceleration until the vehicle is warmed up. Once the vehicle is at operating temperature, the oil is working in its designed viscosity range, so go have fun beating the crap out of your car!
Car manufacturers want your car to get to that operating temperature as quickly as possible, so in addition to having 200 F thermostats now, the quickest way to warm up a vehicle is to drive it.
There is no real problem with just jumping in and driving. I usually let my car idle for about 1 minute as an initial check to make sure everything is good. Then drive off, but watching my rpm's. Keep the rpm's low and don't do any full throttle acceleration until the vehicle is warmed up. Once the vehicle is at operating temperature, the oil is working in its designed viscosity range, so go have fun beating the crap out of your car!
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As I recall the rational has as much to due with the refinement of modern fuel injection and computer managment as it does with emissions. There simply is no need to sit waiting for the engine to warm up as with early generation FI (TBI) or with carbs equiped with mechanical chokes.adamdirt said:
Old habit s are hard to change.
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I don't usually wait for the temp gauge to reach normal, but I give the engine a little time to get the oil flowing. You don't necessarily need to wait and let the car warm up like you did in the old days, but it's the same debate as changing you oil at 3,000 miles vs. 10,000 miles; while oil may not need to be changed for 5,000 miles or more, some people feel that it's better to change it at 3,000 miles.
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·30 seconds is plenty, the oil will have reached vital engine parts by then. also it is not just the engine and oil that need to get "warmed up", fluids in suspension, gear oil etc all need to shake out the cold, and the best way to do this is to get everything moving, just take it easy for a little while, and remember the temp gauge is coolant temp, not oil, serious performance cars have an oil temp gauge, that tells you when you can thrash it. For those driving manual transmissions, the long warm up cycle in the Rav can be a bit of a bummer. As mentioned synthetic oil makes a HUGE difference. try this- buy a litre of synthetic oil and a litre of regular, put them in your freezer for a couple of days and give them a pour. this is how a mechanic friend of mine convinced me to switch.
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·It depends on the temp outside for sure.
If you drive off in -20C or -30C weather after 30 seconds all the time, if may cause early deterioration. Even if the oil starts to warm up, if you drive off even moderately you are still forcing the engine and components to work when maybe they have not adjusted to the temp(hoses, chains etc). Unless you plug it in or have a heated garage.
My 2003 Toyota manual says dont idle more than 20 minutes and it also says when its cold to wait a few minutes(I will find the page and put the number here) before driving off.
Engines and cars have advanced but they are still rubber, plastic, steel etc and the weather affects them just as much so be careful.
I find that my RAV runs a heck of alot better in the very cold if I give it a minute to warm up. In my experience I have also found I get better fuel economy if I let it warm up when its very cold. My only guess is I burn less fuel idling to warm up then driving slowly than driving off with a very cold engine slowly to warm it up.
To each their own but I would be careful when its very cold outside.
Just my 2 cents
Cheers,
If you drive off in -20C or -30C weather after 30 seconds all the time, if may cause early deterioration. Even if the oil starts to warm up, if you drive off even moderately you are still forcing the engine and components to work when maybe they have not adjusted to the temp(hoses, chains etc). Unless you plug it in or have a heated garage.
My 2003 Toyota manual says dont idle more than 20 minutes and it also says when its cold to wait a few minutes(I will find the page and put the number here) before driving off.
Engines and cars have advanced but they are still rubber, plastic, steel etc and the weather affects them just as much so be careful.
I find that my RAV runs a heck of alot better in the very cold if I give it a minute to warm up. In my experience I have also found I get better fuel economy if I let it warm up when its very cold. My only guess is I burn less fuel idling to warm up then driving slowly than driving off with a very cold engine slowly to warm it up.
To each their own but I would be careful when its very cold outside.
Just my 2 cents
Cheers,
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At -37 degrees Celcius thats almost the same in Degrees F,.... When I start my RAV, If you listen closely I swear you can hear it chuckle a little right before you hear it say "YOU MUST BE S#!TIN' ME!!"
I feel bad starting it when its so cold out but oh well.... C'est la vie! Since I can't seem to locate the block heater cord anywhere and maybe its because its the only RAV in Canada sold without one. I do let mine warn up for as long as I can without being late for where ever I'm going. Sometimes 30 sec. Sometimes 5 mins. All depends on what I have to do such as brush the snow off or scrape. Never shovel in the morning 4x4 afterall and besides, pulling your back out first thing in the morning kind of ruins your day.
I Love winter! :lol: :lol:
Gona install an oil heater real soon. That will give me peace of mind. Later. M. :roll:
I feel bad starting it when its so cold out but oh well.... C'est la vie! Since I can't seem to locate the block heater cord anywhere and maybe its because its the only RAV in Canada sold without one. I do let mine warn up for as long as I can without being late for where ever I'm going. Sometimes 30 sec. Sometimes 5 mins. All depends on what I have to do such as brush the snow off or scrape. Never shovel in the morning 4x4 afterall and besides, pulling your back out first thing in the morning kind of ruins your day.
I Love winter! :lol: :lol:
Gona install an oil heater real soon. That will give me peace of mind. Later. M. :roll:
Depends where you are in Canada as to whether the dealer installs a block heater or not. Out west most cars get one installed before sale. Even rental cars have them. I've seen people puzzled over why rental cars all have extension cords in the back. Here in southern Ontario you have to ask if you want a block heater put in, and most people don't.
I think different rules apply to idling when it's really cold anyway. On one trip out to Edmonton last year we had -43C/-45F one morning. If people even shut their cars off at all they often have a device installed that starts the car up every so often to make sure it'll run when you actually want to go somewhere.
I think different rules apply to idling when it's really cold anyway. On one trip out to Edmonton last year we had -43C/-45F one morning. If people even shut their cars off at all they often have a device installed that starts the car up every so often to make sure it'll run when you actually want to go somewhere.
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I'm glad you said oil flowing because that's the only reason I let mine idle a bit... to start and immediately drive off is insane as the oil would not be circulating around the engine that quickly.Jeff said:
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I been building and modifing engine since the 60's, if your oil isn't circulating within about 30 seconds, you already have an engine problem. I would agree with what has been posted above, that one should not stress a cold engine with high RPMs, but driving off after 30 seconds (and assuming the outside temps are not -45F) is not going to cause any harm. :wink:SmellyTofu said:
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