warming up your car. better MPG ?

[DrMoriarty]

I warm my car up for 15mins every morning before I drive it on my 1 hour motorway trip as I feel I get better mpg from a warm engine. However my mate says the petrol used to warm it up cancels out any gain in mpg I would get. Oh and before you all say it, yes I know your should always let your car warm up before you drive to let the oil and other fluids get around the engine.

[bamberwell]

I was always told that engines aren't designed to sit at idle for long periods , and you get accelerated wear from cold

[PaulGT3]

DrMoriarty said:

I warm my car up for 15mins every morning before I drive it on my 1 hour motorway trip as I feel I get better mpg from a warm engine. However my mate says the petrol used to warm it up cancels out any gain in mpg I would get. Oh and before you all say it, yes I know your should always let your car warm up before you drive to let the oil and other fluids get around the engine.

Just start up and drive with sensible revs, idling a car for 15 mins will do more harm than good.

[iva cosworth]

Start engine.

Drive away carefully warming engine for 10-15 minutes.

simple.

[soad]

Your average road car engine is designed to be driven from cold.

[sparks_E39]

Start and drive straight away, your gaining nothing, I'm gaining 15 more minutes in bed!

[Johnboy Mac]

Get in, drive and limit max rev's to 3000 for 4-6 miles or till oil temp hits minimum 80 degrees.

[DrMoriarty]

Well I stand corrected on all accounts it seams

[samdale]

My car even says in the manual to not let it idle up to temp and just drive it

yeah yeah I know, minus man points for reading a manual...

[blondini]

DrMoriarty said:

Oh and before you all say it, yes I know your should always let your car warm up before you drive to let the oil and other fluids get around the engine.

No you shouldn't.

[sparks_E39]

I live right by the dual carriage way here in Poole. I can't think of anything healthier for warming up the engine than getting in the car, and sitting at 70 mph within 60 seconds for my 7 mile commute.

[CoolHands]

DrMoriarty said:

seams

this plus the opening post surely = obvious troll

[tercelgold]

Start car, drive , stop.

You could also heat the car beforehand with an electric or petroleum powered heater and then start it, once you've disconnected the accumate battery charger.

Edited by tercelgold on Saturday 28th January 20:11

[NHK244V]

There is more load on the engine at idle, more fuel waisted AND it taskes longer to warm an unloaded engine (especialy a turbo), get in, drive

[750turbo]

DrMoriarty said:

I warm my car up for 15mins every morning before I drive it on my 1 hour motorway trip as I feel I get better mpg from a warm engine. However my mate says the petrol used to warm it up cancels out any gain in mpg I would get. Oh and before you all say it, yes I know your should always let your car warm up before you drive to let the oil and other fluids get around the engine.

Waste

Of

Time

[blondini]

sparks_E39 said:

I live right by the dual carriage way here in Poole. I can't think of anything healthier for warming up the engine than getting in the car, and sitting at 70 mph within 60 seconds for my 7 mile commute.

70mph in top isn't going to tax the engine in a modern car. As long as you don't rev the nuts off it to get there or allow it to labour a nice steady 70mph sounds ok.

[andy-xr]

Revs, within reason won't do any harm, excessive load on a cold engine will. If you're standing on the accelerator at 1500 rpm and 'pinking' it, you'll do a lot more damage than letting it rev and accelerate slowly but steadily

[McSam]

andy-xr said:

Revs, within reason won't do any harm, excessive load on a cold engine will. If you're standing on the accelerator at 1500 rpm and 'pinking' it, you'll do a lot more damage than letting it rev and accelerate slowly but steadily

This is true, but you're better off keeping both the load and the engine speed moderate

[E38Ross]

DrMoriarty said:

Well I stand corrected on all accounts it seams

just turn on, leave for max 30-60 seconds if it's really cold out then just drive off. just drive it slowly for 15 minutes. the extra fuel you burn with it sat idling for 15mins will more than cancel out the added mpg you may get at the start of your journey.

[badlands1]

Jeeezzz, I could not be bothered with waiting 15mins to drive.