To warm? Or not to warm?

[AKguy]

So... a number of articles out there now state warming your vehicle before driving is bad because modern engines compensate for colder temps by adding extra fuel to the mixture, which will in turn dilute your oil and add wear and tear to the cylinders, cylinder walls, rings, etc. by idling for too long without driving.

Other articles state you do need to allow warming since the oil has all drained into the pan is more molasses-like. It needs to warm to become less viscous and circulate properly. Add the fact that cold, unexpanded (near) metal on metal interaction would seem to add wear and tear.

Now, my childhood was during the transition from carbureted engines to EFI. I was taught that you need to allow your vehicle some time to warm up before driving. I still tend to believe that. A car that has idled for a few minutes runs and shifts smooth like it's supposed to. I let my cars idle before driving - 5 to 10 minutes in cold temps and 2 to 4 minutes in warm/hot temps.

So what's the ODT consensus? (A) Yes, it's bad to let it warm up? (B) No it's fine? (C) Doesn't make **** for difference?

 

[Mr. Goodbar]

I do too, let my rpms come down to a certain point

 

[roundhouse]

Needs to warm up some

Putting a load on an engine that has oil that's 20 degrees is not a good idea
Depending on the engine
When I had 18 wheelers I'd go crank it and then shower and fix breakfast
I wanted the engine at or close to operating temp before I put a load on it

Same with any car , you want to warm up the oil and transmission fluid a little before you start driving it


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[sparked1]

RTFM

 

[harrycalahan]

I let it warm until the rpms drop. I hate slamming my auto trans into gear while idling at 1500rpms.

 

[fattboyzz]

Get in an go !

 

[Ex313]

Get one of these things. https://www.wolverineheater.com/Oil...ers-for-Medium-to-Heavy-Duty-Truck-s/1477.htm

 

[DirtySouth]

If you notice, modern vehicles idle high on startup, basically doing what the choke does on an engine with a carb. Once that idle sets down to normal rpm, you're good to go. Idling for excessive amounts of time burns more fuel, and may possibly do more harm than good on an engine, but letting it warm up for a few minutes while cold won't.

As far as the oil being like molasses, vehicles use thinner weight oil now, it won't "set up". Go into your garage and pour out some of that extra oil you have in your jug and you'll see it pours just fine.

Modern engines last for 100's of thousands of miles now. The days of engines being worn out in 50k miles are long gone.

 

[ccgetz]

So I have two European cars, a Mini Cooper (BMW) and a Range Rover, both only a few years old. Neither like to do jack squat when they are cold.... if you try to drive them without warming up they sound like an old cummins 12v diesel with about the same horsepower as a 60's bug.

I also have a japanese car (nissan) and a Mustang, both only a few years old. Both idle high at startup for about 30 seconds to warm up, but I can jump in, start them and take off and all is well

overall, it does no harm to warm them up and depending on the make, could do harm not to warm them up, so why not?

 

[Bypass]

When I lived in Colorado I ruined a toyota tacoma 4wd by not letting it warm up before driving. I'm talking 17 degrees and below start ups. In those conditions not warming up properly will destroy a engine.