Idling the car for 15 minutes in cold weather
Discussion
:Idling the car for 15 minutes in cold weather
I have a neighbour that does this every morning. I was led to believe that this
was pointless, fuel consuming and possibly damaging to the engine. However I've
also heard the opposite and given I have little mechanical knowledge I was wondering
what PH thinks? I just wish he'd put the car in his garage as I do and save himself
the bother.
I have a neighbour that does this every morning. I was led to believe that this
was pointless, fuel consuming and possibly damaging to the engine. However I've
also heard the opposite and given I have little mechanical knowledge I was wondering
what PH thinks? I just wish he'd put the car in his garage as I do and save himself
the bother.
You've been "led to believe" correctly. Unless you're some sort of woofter who just can't bear the thought of getting into a cold car, just get in, turn on the heaters and drive off.
Engines work their best and last longer when they're running at normal operating temperature. If you leave it idling it will take a long time for this to occur, a long time for the oil to heat up and flow properly. This causes more damage than just driving it off.
Engines work their best and last longer when they're running at normal operating temperature. If you leave it idling it will take a long time for this to occur, a long time for the oil to heat up and flow properly. This causes more damage than just driving it off.
I do this for around 5 mins in the cold mornings, it defrost/demists the car without use of scrapers or de-icing fluid and gets the engine temperature up before I set off.
I dont see that it will do any damage and apart from heating up it allows oil to circulate at low revs before driving.
I dont see that it will do any damage and apart from heating up it allows oil to circulate at low revs before driving.
Warming the engine up takes longer with the car just idling than actually just driving the car, whilst keeping the engine speed down for a few minutes.
Allowing the car to idle to warm up also doesn't do anything for gearbox oil temperature, so by doing so, whilst the engine is toasty and warm, the gearbox isn't
Allowing the car to idle to warm up also doesn't do anything for gearbox oil temperature, so by doing so, whilst the engine is toasty and warm, the gearbox isn't
Howard- said:
You've been "led to believe" correctly. Unless you're some sort of woofter who just can't bear the thought of getting into a cold car, just get in, turn on the heaters and drive off.
For the record, I believe engine 'damage' for cold idling has its roots in the days of carbs, where the initial (choked) mixture was rich. Letting it idle could bore wash with unburnt fuel which could indeed lead to premature wear - however, the engine isn't under load, so even then damage would be fiarly minimal.These days of course, you're hard pushed to find a carburrated car - so happy days. As I said, far better and safer to demist/defrost the car properly before setting off.
Stig said:
For the record, I believe engine 'damage' for cold idling has its roots in the days of carbs, where the initial (choked) mixture was rich. Letting it idle could bore wash with unburnt fuel which could indeed lead to premature wear - however, the engine isn't under load, so even then damage would be fiarly minimal.
These days of course, you're hard pushed to find a carburrated car - so happy days. As I said, far better and safer to demist/defrost the car properly before setting off.
We don't have choke any more, but we do have "cold start enrichment", which does the same job of bunging a much richer mixture into the cylinders. Too much of that and you will still get bore wash.These days of course, you're hard pushed to find a carburrated car - so happy days. As I said, far better and safer to demist/defrost the car properly before setting off.
Oh this one again.
Did you know that actually using an engine in any way will mean its nearer the end of life. Sure using it it in some ways might shorten its life at slightly different speeds but at the end of the day a moden engine will probably outlast the car anyway so the question comes down to should you care? Answer probably not unless its being used in a very exceptional way or its a very exceptional car.
I have have seen snotters treated to all manor of abuse and you know they were still scrapped for something other then "reved when cold" and or "not reved when cold".
Did you know that actually using an engine in any way will mean its nearer the end of life. Sure using it it in some ways might shorten its life at slightly different speeds but at the end of the day a moden engine will probably outlast the car anyway so the question comes down to should you care? Answer probably not unless its being used in a very exceptional way or its a very exceptional car.
I have have seen snotters treated to all manor of abuse and you know they were still scrapped for something other then "reved when cold" and or "not reved when cold".
Stig said:
For the record, I believe engine 'damage' for cold idling has its roots in the days of carbs, where the initial (choked) mixture was rich. Letting it idle could bore wash with unburnt fuel which could indeed lead to premature wear - however, the engine isn't under load, so even then damage would be fiarly minimal.
These days of course, you're hard pushed to find a carburrated car - so happy days. As I said, far better and safer to demist/defrost the car properly before setting off.
Or you could, you know, clear the frost off before you drive off? Use a scraper or a luke-warm bottle of water and it takes 30 seconds These days of course, you're hard pushed to find a carburrated car - so happy days. As I said, far better and safer to demist/defrost the car properly before setting off.
Howard- said:
Or you could, you know, clear the frost off before you drive off? Use a scraper or a luke-warm bottle of water and it takes 30 seconds
I had a neighbour come out of the house about the same time as me the other morning.They opened their car and took out a tin of de-icer spray and cleared their windscreen and side windows.
Got into the car, started the engine and drove off round the corner.
I started the engine, put the heater on fan on high air blowing onto the screen.
I got out and used my ice-scraper to remove the ice on the side windows and the windscreen.
Got back in and drove round the corner, to find the neighbour pulled in at the side waiting for the windscreen to de-mist. I drove past them in an already warmed vehicle with clear windows.
JM said:
I had a neighbour come out of the house about the same time as me the other morning.
They opened their car and took out a tin of de-icer spray and cleared their windscreen and side windows.
Got into the car, started the engine and drove off round the corner.
I started the engine, put the heater on fan on high air blowing onto the screen.
I got out and used my ice-scraper to remove the ice on the side windows and the windscreen.
Got back in and drove round the corner, to find the neighbour pulled in at the side waiting for the windscreen to de-mist. I drove past them in an already warmed vehicle with clear windows.
YOU WIN! CONGRATULATIONS! They opened their car and took out a tin of de-icer spray and cleared their windscreen and side windows.
Got into the car, started the engine and drove off round the corner.
I started the engine, put the heater on fan on high air blowing onto the screen.
I got out and used my ice-scraper to remove the ice on the side windows and the windscreen.
Got back in and drove round the corner, to find the neighbour pulled in at the side waiting for the windscreen to de-mist. I drove past them in an already warmed vehicle with clear windows.
Mr Gear said:
YOU WIN! CONGRATULATIONS!
JM said:
I had a neighbour come out of the house about the same time as me the other morning.
They opened their car and took out a tin of de-icer spray and cleared their windscreen and side windows.
Got into the car, started the engine and drove off round the corner.
I started the engine, put the heater on fan on high air blowing onto the screen.
I got out and used my ice-scraper to remove the ice on the side windows and the windscreen.
Got back in and drove round the corner, to find the neighbour pulled in at the side waiting for the windscreen to de-mist. I drove past them in an already warmed vehicle with clear windows.
My car doesn't have any damp problems so doesn't mist up inside. They opened their car and took out a tin of de-icer spray and cleared their windscreen and side windows.
Got into the car, started the engine and drove off round the corner.
I started the engine, put the heater on fan on high air blowing onto the screen.
I got out and used my ice-scraper to remove the ice on the side windows and the windscreen.
Got back in and drove round the corner, to find the neighbour pulled in at the side waiting for the windscreen to de-mist. I drove past them in an already warmed vehicle with clear windows.
The MX5 likes to mist up but I don't use that first thing on a freezing cold morning
Edited by Howard- on Tuesday 7th February 16:45
JM said:
Howard- said:
Or you could, you know, clear the frost off before you drive off? Use a scraper or a luke-warm bottle of water and it takes 30 seconds
I had a neighbour come out of the house about the same time as me the other morning.They opened their car and took out a tin of de-icer spray and cleared their windscreen and side windows.
Got into the car, started the engine and drove off round the corner.
I started the engine, put the heater on fan on high air blowing onto the screen.
I got out and used my ice-scraper to remove the ice on the side windows and the windscreen.
Got back in and drove round the corner, to find the neighbour pulled in at the side waiting for the windscreen to de-mist. I drove past them in an already warmed vehicle with clear windows.
the luke warm bottle of water wont gone down well on here lol
Personally, i get in start the car stick on the rear heated screen and heater on the windscreen and screen heater if car has one, get scraper out etc scrape the side windows, clear lights, number plates and mirrors of ice, snow or anything then do windscreen and rear screen get in, stick music or whatever on then drive off, don't take long and heater has started to warm up by time I get in.
Personally, i get in start the car stick on the rear heated screen and heater on the windscreen and screen heater if car has one, get scraper out etc scrape the side windows, clear lights, number plates and mirrors of ice, snow or anything then do windscreen and rear screen get in, stick music or whatever on then drive off, don't take long and heater has started to warm up by time I get in.
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