Engine warm up

why do we need to warm up our vehicle early in the morning before engine running. i’ve read an article tell me that by doing so can damage engine and shorten engine life.is it?

Please give us the publication and date of that article! Not warming up a car on a cold day and racing off to work immediately will do a great deal of damage to your engine. Much more than warming it up first.

HOWEVER, the best option is to start it, let the oil circulate for about 20 seconds, and then GENTLY drive off. A car warms up much faster with some load on the engine.

So, the article is right only if the car sits idling for 10 minutes or so until you have finished that second coffee. Even then, it will not do a lot of damange; it will just wastes gas and pollutes the air. That’s why the government does not want you to idle your car excessively.

However, the quickest way to wreck an engine is to park it ouside in the winter in Minnesota with heavy oil(like 10W40) in the engine. Then start it up and race off to work.

It is not necessary to warm up the engine before driving the car, even on cold mornings. Drive gently for the first 10 minutes or so as the engine warms up. This is the quickest and most efficient method of warming the engine.

If your car has electronic fuel injection, there is no need to warm it up.

Driving it gently at first will help it last longer, but so will driving it gently all the time. If you really want your car to last, drive it gently all the time, even after it warms up.

Just get in and drive unless temperatures are below freezing. If the temperature is below freezing, give it 20 or 30 seconds (the time it takes to buckle your seat belt, turn on the radio, and get situated), and drive off.

I confess to starting the engine then doing the snow removal,if it costs me some “potential” miles so be it.

if need to warm up about 20 second is fair enough…but if it really depend on the weather/temperature…then on the country where hot and warm weather most of the time, might not need to warm up engine at all…perhaps jus short time about 5 to 10 seconds only.
what about diesel engine… the same prinsipal apply?i heared diesel engine take longer time to cool down (more than 5 hour)…is it?..maybe take longer to warm up…or may not? enlighten me?

what about diesel engine… the same prinsipal apply?i heared diesel engine take longer time to cool down (more than 5 hour)…is it?..maybe take longer to warm up…or may not? enlighten me?

They are about the same. They take a little longer to warm up, but they cool down about the same. They take longer to warm up because they are more efficient and create less heat.

Best bet is as noted maybe 20 seconds then drive off at surface area street speeds until things are getting warmer. When it is -20F you need more time when it is 50F you don’t need much at all.

If you car feels like it is cold, then stay off the freeway until it is driving normally.

Note, it is not just the engine that may need warming up in extreme cold. Suspension parts and tyres etc. also need to warm up.

I’ll sit there for about 30 seconds with the engine idling while I get my seat belt on and adjust the radio, then I take it easy for the first few minutes.

The only exception is when the windshield is covered with ice. I’ll run the engine with the defroster on high until I can easily clear my windshield. I don’t like hacking into the ice with a scraper - it scratches the windshield. Yes, I use up gas just sitting there, but it’s safer.

I agree with all the replies about the engine not needing a long warm up (30 seconds in cold weather, then drive slowly is fine).

However, the engine isn’t the only consideration. I believe there are two other variables.

One is safety. As DoctorPinto noted, a warmed car defroster to clear the windows can be quite valuable. I never hesitate to do that if it’s needed.

The other is comfort. On a bitterly cold day, some people enjoy getting into a warm car. I don’t buy the “wasting gas” argument. The amount of gas you waste will likely be less than the amount used on that extra trip to the store because you forgot to get a loaf of bread (or on a Sunday drive).

The issue here is NOT WARMUP, but getting the oil to circulate to the valve gear and other critical areas, which takes about 20 seonds or so if the oil is quite fluid. A 5W30 synthetic oil has a pour point of -30F or so.

The actual warmup is best done with some load on the engine, thus driving off slowly on a cold morning is best. Also, don’t “race” the engine when you first start it. When cars had carburetors that was sometimes necessary to get enough gas into the engine.