ANSWERS: 10
  • Not really. Modern engines only need a few seconds before being driven.
  • I warm up my car to defrost the windows, and get some heat going. I hate driving in a freezing car first thing in the morning, and I hate scraping the windows.
  • well our family warms the engine up for at least (3) minutes-5 if its freezing. ive been taught to do it even driving with a late model car. my dad always said to prevent from unxpected stalls on the freeway.
  • It depends on the car and the weather. Usually a few seconds is enough. I start my car then fasten my seat belt; that is long enough. However in sub-zero weather, you may need a few seconds for the molasses to lubricate the nearly-seized engine (cold block shrinks and clamps down on the piston).
  • I agree with the basic premise that it is a waste of fuel to warm-up an internal combustion engine for a prolonged period of time. However, why was it recommended in the past? Primarily due to single grade oils which did not flow well when cold and the different expansion rates of aluminum pistons in cast iron cylinders. Multi-grade oils arrived quickly, but cast iron engine blocks continue in some applications in 2007. Aluminum expands more and quicker than cast iron, causing scuffing of hot piston skirts in cold iron cylinders, which leads to rapid piston ring wear and reduced engine performance and life. So you need to know if your engine block is made of iron to decide on the need for warm-up. Test your engine block using a magnet if the owner’s manual is not handy. This problem is greatly reduced in an aluminum block engine. However, I still recommend on very cold mornings, warm-up before high load driving such as mountain roads or freeways. Warm-up time may be accomplished during a slow drive in heavy traffic getting to the freeway on-ramp. But if you live very close to the on-ramp, let it warm-up a few minutes in the driveway. Even aluminum engines will live longer.
  • Absolutely. Why? Oil. Here is some information I found from Dr. Haas, a physician and surgeon. He graduated from the University of Florida with a degree in biochemistry with honors. He studied motor oils since high school where he did independent studies on this topic. He studied the properties of viscosity. 30 weight oil: Temperature ( F )....Thickness 302...........................3 212..........................10 104..........................100 32..........................250 (rough estimate) Most engines, when fully warmed up, run at approx. 212 degrees F. When cold, your oil is thick, viscosity is low. You heard people say 90 percent of engine wear occurs at startup. Now you know why: the thick oil offers minimal lubrication. It cannot flow and therefore cannot lubricate. Warm it up by idling for a couple minutes (longer if you live in a very cold climate) and then drive gently until it is up to normal temperature. It doesn't take a scientist then to realize that you should not be putting the engine under high LOAD or RPM when you have NO LUBRICATION of all the metal components due to cold oil. Driving away on a cold engine will use more fuel than simply letting it idle for a few more minutes, and cause more pollution. Your catalytic converter is useless until it is warm. If you think you're saving gas and protecting the environment by driving away on a cold engine, think again.
  • No it is not true for gasoline powerd cars in non cold weather conditions Cold weather require no more then 30 seconds before u can drive off slowly It was true for older cars. Cars built pre 50-60 due to the fact that they dispersed oil differently then modern car engines. (Hence why people still say and believe you need to warm up the oil) There papa and grand dad did it and said u have to so it still must be true. Modern cars do not need it since it disperses oil better. Letting a car Idle to long is hard on the engine due to the gas washing the oil off the cyldiners (along building up moisture since it can not burn off) and then you have no lubrication on the engine parts. You can let a car sit around for a week and there is enough oil on the engine parts to allow you to start it up get the tunes going buckle your belt and then drive off normally. Only if you let the car sit aroud for an extended period of time do you need to give it some extra time to warm up
  • Generally speaking, the older the car, the longer the warm-up time. What you don't want to do is be like a neighbor I had who, every single morning, the second the engine turned over, he floored the accelerator, and kept the engine revving at very high (and loud) RPMs for a couple minutes.
  • ppl seem to get stuck on the engine with this one. In warm weather (70+deg F) you should let your car/truck run for at least 60 seconds to circulate the oil and trans fluid. In colder weather (30F or so) I let my truck run for at least 5min. I don't think not doing this will kill your car, but may take some life off the components. Of coures if you live in so-cal your ok, but if you live in Alaska, you can do serious damage not warming your car/truck

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