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engine warm up
This is basically a general car maintenance question. I want to maximize the life of my 2001 corolla. When I start my car in the morning, what is the minimum idle time recommended to fully warm up the engine. Is it dependent on rpm or outside temperature or other factors?
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I want this Civic to last for over 150,000 miles.
I would wait 1 min. at the most no matter who cold it is outside. Typically I would wait 30 secs. Then drive conservatively until the temperature reaches normal operating range. That may be 2 - 5 miles for most cars.
ALso I let my auto tranny fully engage before hitting the gas in really cold weather. Gives the ATF a chance to get where it wants to go and the clutches to fully engage.
So, the car warms up for about 2-4 minutes 5 months out of the year.
In addition to the windows being scraped, the car still needs to be close to warmed up before I head out to keep my breath from freezing on the inside of the windshield.
Visibility is very important and too often I've headed out quickly and was driving unsafely as I tried to navigate through teeny, tiny clear spots in the windshield.
--- Bror Jace
One guy has it rigged to a timer so that it starts about 3 hours before he goes to work. I plug mine in late at night on the last trip outside with my German Shepherd.
Truckdude1 If you want to maintain your Honda in peak condition I couldn't recommend a block heater more for temperatures below freezing.
The engine should be warmed up enough in those cold times to be driven down the street with enough heat in the engine to prevent frosting up the windshield again.
At about 5:00AM, the timer goes off and the heater turns on.
The car is free of frost, and it is about 80+ inside.
I start the engine and then open the gate, I play with the dog a bit too, until the engine slows.
I then drive out and leave the gate open if my wife is leaving to take the kid to school or is off to work herself. If the gate is left open, the dog is returned to the inside of the house. Also, if it is really cold, the dog will not stay outside for long.
I've been doing this for about 8 years now and have not burnt up a car yet. It can't be more dangerous running the heater in the car than it is on the floor of your home.
Just keep that floorboard clear of paper and trash, and inspect the cord daily.
TB
For SB Chevy V8's, at least the old generation, letting it idle when cold actually trashes the cam, because the only oil the lobes get are slung off the crank. Taffy is unslingable at 800 RPM. I have seen this on teardowns of cold WX SBC's. Just keep RPM down until warm.
If its cold enough outside to need a coat but there's no frost on windows, I will start the truck, idle it about 30 sec. and drive easy the first few minuets until hot air is coming out the heater.
If there is snow/ice on windows, I will start truck and let idle while scraping ice/frost off windows, then drive easy till heater is hot