Warming up your engine?

Warming up your engine?

Author
Discussion

kensilver

Original Poster:

312 posts

118 months

Sunday 4th October 2015
quotequote all
Do we let our V12 warm up before starting? Or drive off straight away? Back in the old days I was taught to let the car idle for a minute to let the oil flow through the pump etc.

Has that theory changed? What does everyone else do?

wokkadriver

695 posts

241 months

Sunday 4th October 2015
quotequote all
kensilver said:
Do we let our V12 warm up before starting? Or drive off straight away? Back in the old days I was taught to let the car idle for a minute to let the oil flow through the pump etc.

Has that theory changed? What does everyone else do?
Mine usually sits for a moment or two, largely as I have to get out and close a gate behind me. But being neighbourly and also to exhibit some mechanical sympathy I let the water temperature gauge get up to normal before applying any beans. Those first five minutes or so gives one a chance to get a feel for conditions underfoot, too.

Sadly these days almost no car offers a proper oil pressure gauge - I still consider this to be one of an engine's most essential instruments and yet all you usually get is a little oil can light when it's too late...

Sump

5,484 posts

166 months

Sunday 4th October 2015
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I get in and start driving. It's Ford V6s stuck together, didn't really think that it required any specific warm up cycle.

yvr

311 posts

145 months

Monday 5th October 2015
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I drive off straight away, but gently. I watch for the water temp to get to normal, then wait another few miles to let the oil temp catch up before getting generous with the right foot. Approaching 40K miles and still running very well.

wokkadriver

695 posts

241 months

Monday 5th October 2015
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Sump said:
I get in and start driving. It's Ford V6s stuck together
nono

Too much Clarkson and not enough fact.

True in so far as pistons and a few other bits common with the Ford Duratec V6, but block and cylinder heads all new and bespoke from Cosworth. nerd



Edited by wokkadriver on Monday 5th October 00:15

old phart

404 posts

109 months

Monday 5th October 2015
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Same as others. I watch the water temp before putting my foot in it.

quench

498 posts

145 months

Monday 5th October 2015
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We do not sit around to let the engine warm up. We wait until the fast idle after startup comes down to normal idle revs, then we drive off, keeping things gentle until the temp gauge shows we are warmed up.

Why? Two reasons:

1. Apart from startup (unavoidable), engine wear is greatest until everything is up to operating temperature. Things will get to this temperature much more quickly under a mild load than sitting stationary.
2. Catalytic converters work properly when warmed up; see above.

bogie

16,342 posts

271 months

Monday 5th October 2015
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I've had an oil temp gauge in a couple of cars previous. Whats surprising is just how much longer it can be to warm up than the water ...like 15 mins of driving at 60mph

I just get in and ride/drive all modern vehicles, give it another 5-10 mins after the water is up, before using all the rev range

On older vehicles with manual chokes, then yes, often warm it up enough until the choke is off before riding...

cayman-black

12,624 posts

215 months

Monday 5th October 2015
quotequote all
wokkadriver said:
nono

Too much Clarkson and not enough fact.

True in so far as pistons and a few other bits common with the Ford Duratec V6, but block and cylinder heads all new and bespoke from Cosworth. nerd



Edited by wokkadriver on Monday 5th October 00:15
Its a bespoke cosworth engine if you dont mind Sump.
Assembled in Germany hopefully with out any ex Porsche engineers.


Edited by cayman-black on Monday 5th October 09:05

moveover

345 posts

162 months

Monday 5th October 2015
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There's also the gearbox fluids to consider too. They take as long if not longer than the engine to reach operating temperature (I think).

Jon39

12,782 posts

142 months

Monday 5th October 2015
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moveover said:
There's also the gearbox fluids to consider too. They take as long if not longer than the engine to reach operating temperature (I think).

Considering how far away the gearbox is, from the initial area of heat, you must be correct.
The engine temperature gauge (coolant) indicates normal fairly soon after driving away, but I wait a couple of miles more before exceeding 3,000rpm. I am not an engineer, but presume that I am being mechanically sympathetic.


Zod

35,295 posts

257 months

Monday 5th October 2015
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Even ignoring the water gauge, the engine doesn't feel properly warmed up for the first ten minutes or so. I would like an oil temperature gauge. The last car I had with one was my M3 CSL.

Impasse

15,099 posts

240 months

Monday 5th October 2015
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Once the initial momentary start up flare had subsided just stick the car in gear and drive away. Conveniently this minor delay is usually just long enough to click the seatbelt into place and press the button for the heated seat.

Any other prolonged idling does more harm than good as you're just extending the time that the engine has to cope with cold fluids and reduced oil circulation.

mikey k

13,011 posts

215 months

Monday 5th October 2015
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moveover said:
There's also the gearbox fluids to consider too. They take as long if not longer than the engine to reach operating temperature (I think).
And the diff
And the tyres

Sump

5,484 posts

166 months

Monday 5th October 2015
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syncii said:
Impasse said:
Any other prolonged idling does more harm than good as you're just extending the time that the engine has to cope with cold fluids and reduced oil circulation.


Is this a fact? If it is I will start doing this..........
I've heard this also. Start the car and drive off, idling to warm up is apparently bad.

Impasse

15,099 posts

240 months

Monday 5th October 2015
quotequote all
Like I said, allow the initial start up flare to fade, then off you go. Each and every start will cause wear, but the least amount of wear will be caused by starting to drive straight away - but with the caveat of displaying obvious mechanical sympathy. No excessive revs or labouring of the engine while it's coming up to temperature.

The only acceptable method of warming an engine in a road car outside of simply driving it will involve an underbonnet external heating element powered either by 240 volts or some form of fuel burner ( Kenlowe Hotstart if you wish to warm up the car's engine coolant while still parked in the garage).

Neil1300r

5,487 posts

177 months

Monday 5th October 2015
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syncii said:
Impasse said:
Like I said, allow the initial start up flare to fade, then off you go. Each and every start will cause wear, but the least amount of wear will be caused by starting to drive straight away - but with the caveat of displaying obvious mechanical sympathy. No excessive revs or labouring of the engine while it's coming up to temperature.
D
The only acceptable method of warming an engine in a road car outside of simply driving it will involve an underbonnet external heating element powered either by 240 volts or some form of fuel burner ( Kenlowe Hotstart if you wish to warm up the car's engine coolant while still parked in the garage).
Understood.

But what about making sure engine oil gets to where it should be before moving off?
Well you could just pump oil around the engine before starting it. Its simple to do

Neil1300r

5,487 posts

177 months

Monday 5th October 2015
quotequote all
Accelerator flat to the floor. Then crank the car. Car won'tstart with aaccelerator fully depressed, but oil pump engaged.
Remember to stop turning the car over BEFORE releasing the accelerator.

Impasse

15,099 posts

240 months

Monday 5th October 2015
quotequote all
No need unless you're attempting to run an engine for the first time. As long as the car is serviced according to schedule and the appropriate grade fluids are used, then the engine will already have a coating of oil over its critical parts left over from when the engine was previously switched off.
There may be some benefit in a car from the 1960s going through such a procedure, but it's not necessary on any modern car utilising modern lubricants.

RobDown

3,803 posts

127 months

Monday 5th October 2015
quotequote all
Impasse said:
No need unless you're attempting to run an engine for the first time. As long as the car is serviced according to schedule and the appropriate grade fluids are used, then the engine will already have a coating of oil over its critical parts left over from when the engine was previously switched off.
There may be some benefit in a car from the 1960s going through such a procedure, but it's not necessary on any modern car utilising modern lubricants.
Agreed. For reference on the 'classic' Aston Martins 50s/60s cars, you ideally need to leave the engine to warm up before doing anything too exciting as the old aluminium blocks are more temperature sensitive (expanding materially as they heat up and vice versa as they cool). On modern cars I'm not sure leaving them to warm is going to make any noticeable difference to engine wear