Warming up your car during winter in Canada
Newbie
Joined: Sep 2007
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From: Edmonton, AB
Don't get me wrong but if you were driving our car at only 2000 rpm I think you would be getting passed by golf carts because it would take you forever to build up speed. I just use the time it takes for me to clear/scrap my windows as my warm up time.
Former Sponsor
Joined: Jul 2007
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From: the land between lancer and evo
thankyou for you input evosoul.....
the thing is ... by wut i meant wasting gas,... i meant the engine idle at 1500rpm when starting cold anyways, why not drive our car at 2000rpm max... (500 more rev then idle) so that we can make the oil burn it the efficient way, (warming up AND drive) instead of standing still, burning the gas just for warming up...
correct me if i'm wrong, cuz i've been thinking that reving 1500rpm idle vs 1500rpm driving slow would yield the same result, namely warming up the engine.. isnt it?
the thing is ... by wut i meant wasting gas,... i meant the engine idle at 1500rpm when starting cold anyways, why not drive our car at 2000rpm max... (500 more rev then idle) so that we can make the oil burn it the efficient way, (warming up AND drive) instead of standing still, burning the gas just for warming up...
correct me if i'm wrong, cuz i've been thinking that reving 1500rpm idle vs 1500rpm driving slow would yield the same result, namely warming up the engine.. isnt it?
If you have patiences then start you car in your garage with the garage door 10th the way up, 5 minutes before you leave
Last edited by evo_soul; Nov 30, 2007 at 03:49 PM.
Evolved Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 1,079
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From: Vancouver BC
^+1
Yes, you need to warm your car for a while if you want to keep it in top shape for years to come.
If you drive away after 30 seconds to 1 minute of idling then your oil temp may be up around 10-20 degrees celcius, considering if you are starting from not far under 0.
I really wish this car had an option for an oil temp gauge, or even a coolant temp gauge that actually displayed numbers.
Yes, you need to warm your car for a while if you want to keep it in top shape for years to come.
If you drive away after 30 seconds to 1 minute of idling then your oil temp may be up around 10-20 degrees celcius, considering if you are starting from not far under 0.
I really wish this car had an option for an oil temp gauge, or even a coolant temp gauge that actually displayed numbers.
Newbie
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 72
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From: San Bernardino, CA
unless mythbusters are wrong they did some test and found out warming your car up is the same **** and running it slow when you first turn your car on dont matter the temp.... so it dont MEAN **** to warm ur cars up its a MYTH!!!! and its been busted 
Also, I see no info on Mythbusters doing this story. Just the Mount Holyoke College "Energy Mythbusters" squad, who said this:
Idling for more than 10 seconds uses more fuel than restarting the engine. Excessive idling can cause incomplete combustion, harm cylinder walls, foul spark plugs, and corrode exhaust systems. Driving slowly is more effective at warming up a car than idling.
All you arguing saying starting up and driving off when cold is bad are forgetting a very important key point - modern oils are designed to flow well in a wide range of temperatures (elastic polymers FTW). Idling your car is no better that just driving it off, but the car owner must realize that they need to run the appropriate oil for the climate. If it's really cold out, you need to be running a thinner oil to compensate, then switch to a thicker oil in the summer. If it's super cold out, such as if you part your car outside and it tends to stay below 0* F, then a block heater would be a wise idea.
I've got some 0w20 oil sitting outside where it's about 19* F, and it's very thin and flowing, so it'll have no problem coating an engine as soon as it starts. I also have some 5w20, while not quite as thin, it still wouldn't have any issue coating parts as soon as the engine started.
Finally, mythbusters is never a good source to cite. Their tests are often flawed and/or inexact, particularly with automotive tests.
I've got some 0w20 oil sitting outside where it's about 19* F, and it's very thin and flowing, so it'll have no problem coating an engine as soon as it starts. I also have some 5w20, while not quite as thin, it still wouldn't have any issue coating parts as soon as the engine started.
Finally, mythbusters is never a good source to cite. Their tests are often flawed and/or inexact, particularly with automotive tests.
Evolving Member
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 115
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From: Qc , Canada
All you arguing saying starting up and driving off when cold is bad are forgetting a very important key point - modern oils are designed to flow well in a wide range of temperatures (elastic polymers FTW). Idling your car is no better that just driving it off, but the car owner must realize that they need to run the appropriate oil for the climate. If it's really cold out, you need to be running a thinner oil to compensate, then switch to a thicker oil in the summer. If it's super cold out, such as if you part your car outside and it tends to stay below 0* F, then a block heater would be a wise idea.
I've got some 0w20 oil sitting outside where it's about 19* F, and it's very thin and flowing, so it'll have no problem coating an engine as soon as it starts. I also have some 5w20, while not quite as thin, it still wouldn't have any issue coating parts as soon as the engine started.
Finally, mythbusters is never a good source to cite. Their tests are often flawed and/or inexact, particularly with automotive tests.
I've got some 0w20 oil sitting outside where it's about 19* F, and it's very thin and flowing, so it'll have no problem coating an engine as soon as it starts. I also have some 5w20, while not quite as thin, it still wouldn't have any issue coating parts as soon as the engine started.
Finally, mythbusters is never a good source to cite. Their tests are often flawed and/or inexact, particularly with automotive tests.
EXACLY my point .
- If you have the time/patience, warm the car up until the temp. gauge is at the middle (normal operating temp.).
- In more of a hurry? When the temp. gauge starts moving (like when the first block gets filled in) is decent.
- In a bigass hurry? Wait 30 seconds, then drive but keep the car in low RPMs.
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 53
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From: TO Canada
i think we have another good point brought up here
which part of the engine are we exactly warming up for? piston block is the only answer i can possibly come up with....
if it is correct, then putting load on a engine would only increase pressure on the circular area of the piston, not the side wall (rectangular area*). In an other words, if side wall is what we are lubricating for, rpm is what cause the wear and tear due to lack of engine oil, and in the mean time, whether the engine is loaded is out of our consideration.
* if u dont know what i am talking about... think of grade 8 when we are doing surface area of an cylinder = 2 circular area+ 1 rectangular piece
which part of the engine are we exactly warming up for? piston block is the only answer i can possibly come up with....
if it is correct, then putting load on a engine would only increase pressure on the circular area of the piston, not the side wall (rectangular area*). In an other words, if side wall is what we are lubricating for, rpm is what cause the wear and tear due to lack of engine oil, and in the mean time, whether the engine is loaded is out of our consideration.
* if u dont know what i am talking about... think of grade 8 when we are doing surface area of an cylinder = 2 circular area+ 1 rectangular piece