How long should i let my car warm up in winter time?

[talontsiboy24]

Winter is here in chicago and i dont have a garage for my Automatic 97 gsx and temps are in the low 20s and teens and was wondering how long should i let my car warm up for?

im running mobil 1 15w-50 oil which is real thick for winter but thats what the car has been on ever since the mods and tune...

i usually let it idle for almost 20min and then drive i just wanna be sure that thick oil has went threw everything not just start it up and go as some people do...

what do u guys think?

 

[nyTalonTsi]

5-10 minutes just for the sake of the turbo.

I use 10w-30 all year round, id rather have thick oil in the motor. That's what the manual calls for.

My car hates cold weather.

 

[SmalltownDSMer]

fp tells me not to use anything lower then 10w-40 but thats what im gonna switch to asap for winter only and go back when it gets warm out.

Hey man,

I have the green as well. I have been using Mobil 1 fully synthetic 10w30 ever since I have owned my car. Switch to 10w30, let the DSM run for 5 maybe 10 min ( that's how long I let mine run for) then drive her easy until you reach NOT.

Jayson

 

[joat09]

10 seconds is all the time you need to give the car to warm up and have everything lubricated properly. As long as you take it easy on the car. Driving the car actually allows it to warm up faster. The reason why you take the time to warm your car up is when the temps are low outside If you are running a oil cooled turbo you want to take a while longer to warm up to running temp.

Also, always run a 0w oil. When it comes to oil it all matters at start up. When the motor is at operating temp all motor oils will be at the same viscosity.

Do you know the reason why FP said not to use anything below 10w-40? Sounds to me like they say that just to be safe.

 

[99gst214]

Mobil 1 is a fully synthetic oil which stays put it in most cavaties for a while for better protection. Just let it warm up and dont run the $#!^ out of it and you will be fine. The viscosity has nothing to really do with how long you let it warm up, but 5W30 would give you a better winter protection and possibly heat to opperating temp faster. Look at a viscosity chart!!!

 

[talontsiboy24]

10 seconds is all the time you need to give the car to warm up and have everything lubricated properly. As long as you take it easy on the car. Driving the car actually allows it to warm up faster. The reason why you take the time to warm your car up is when the temps are low outside If you are running a oil cooled turbo you want to take a while longer to warm up to running temp.

Also, always run a 0w oil. When it comes to oil it all matters at start up. When the motor is at operating temp all motor oils will be at the same viscosity.

Do you know the reason why FP said not to use anything below 10w-40? Sounds to me like they say that just to be safe.

Yea well now i have a 1g and my turbo is only oil cooled so u think i should let it warmup in winter more then 5min? Im running 5w-40 oil for now and i usually let my car run for 10min and then i throw it in drive and let it run for 2min thinkin at least the trans will be getting warmed up that way since its in gear but i heard if its automatic the motor and trans are warming up just by it being in park?

 

[habitatguy187]

Always let mine run for 30-60 seconds. Then drive it easy and shift around 2.5k until it gets a little warmer.

 

[GSX Eclipse]

With any vehicle I've had no matter what temp it is I let the car idle for about 30 seconds to a minute and then baby it till it's fully warmed. I know somewhere I've heard that's the best way to warm an engine, as it warms up everything together as you drive, compared to letting it idle and only warming up certain things. Not sure if that's true or not.

 

[97_TSi]

I let it warm up for about 5 minutes max, 20 or 30 minutes seems a little excessive to me

 

[Th3DooM]

+1 on max 5mins. When I go outside i start my engine. I scrape off the ice on the windows while it warms up. After that I drive my car normal. I need 5-10 minutes to get to the freeway/autobahn so there's plenty of time for the oil to spread all over the engine internals

 

[talontsiboy24]

Is it dumb to startup your car everyday in winter even though your not gonna drive it?

 

[GRAVEDIGGER]

Is it dumb to startup your car everyday in winter even though your not gonna drive it?

Yeah, pretty much. It wouldn't get all the way up to temperature most likely unless you let it run a pretty long while and not letting it get up to temp and then shutting off repeatedly can be hard on any engine.

 

[ramsack]

If it's summer or nice out I start it and go. In the winter I will let it run for less than 30 seconds. I just let myself get used to the cold, wake up a bit, and stop shivering, then go. It seems to run better when it's cold, then run like ass while it's starting to warm up, then run a tad better than ass once fully warmed. I also don't let it run for any more than like 10 seconds before shutting it off.

 

[SpawnedX]

Modern fuel injection does not require warm-up times, that was a carburetor issue. Like already posted it takes 30 seconds to 1 minute for oil to be fully circulating the system, even in the cold.

 

[GRAVEDIGGER]

it seems to run better when it's cold, then run like ass while it's starting to warm up, then run a tad better than ass once fully warmed.

rofl

 

[talontsiboy24]

Yeah, pretty much. It wouldn't get all the way up to temperature most likely unless you let it run a pretty long while and not letting it get up to temp and then shutting off repeatedly can be hard on any engine.

well i only drive my car if the roads are dry in winter and when im not driving it i at least go out there every other day and let it idle for 12min and move the car a lil bit is that fine?

 

[empie1]

Fuel injected cars dont need to be warmed up...but the talon as well as my brothers runs TERRIBLY unless it warms up for like 5 min. But we also have our isc/fiav removed.

 

[2GbTalonGuy]

I would say 5 mins is plenty. Thats the most I let my truck warm up in the winter if at all.

 

[ramsack]

I've never had a FIAV in my car either, and everyone else I know can't get their car to idle right in the winter without it. But no one I know has adjusted their idle properly, just fiddled with the BISS. Engines today are also clearanced to not need to be warmed up all the way, along with the fuel injection help. I'd like to see a measured gas consumption comparison between letting a car warm up for say 5 minutes versus driving right away running richer.

 

[GRAVEDIGGER]

well i only drive my car if the roads are dry in winter and when im not driving it i at least go out there every other day and let it idle for 12min and move the car a lil bit is that fine?

I'd just drive it when you are going to drive it and that's it. As long as you are driving it every now and then throughout the winter you should be fine. I would say you are causing more wear and tear by starting and moving it around than if you just drove it when needed.

 

[talontsiboy24]

My Fiav is blocked but the Isc still works so does this have anything to do with idle or starting the car?

 

[Dhan]

Some of the people on here are really over doing it. The car is not that efficient at idle and any longer than a few minutes for the temperatures some of you are saying is a waste of fuel.
If you're that cold and need the vehicle that warm to be able to drive, move to a warmer environment or put on warmer clothing.

The oil is circulating by 30 seconds and the oil is warm and viscous enough by two minutes.

 

[combatmedic]

I just read somewhere that you don't have to let your car warm up at all. Maybe 30 seconds to a min is all the time you need.

 

[Doubleot]

I've had to drive my car this winter daily and at 4am when I go to work, it's usually about 4 degrees if not colder. I warm it up for 5 minutes so the windows defrost and then go. I don't push the car but I get to work and am not late.

 

[91stocker]

Ive always let my cars warm up enough to start to show on the temp gauge. Have you ever seen oil at below freezing temps. Thicker then syrup. No way its lubing anything like that. I bet the oil pump doesnt like it much either. I also dont like taking a cold engine and warming it up very fast like by driving it. Rapid expansion taking something cold and warming it up very very fast cant be good for anything. Just seems like common sense.

 

[Juanpa]

You should install a remote start if it's that cold! Just start it from your front door before your ready to leave. Then walk to your already warmed up car. Have the heat on and you'll be fine. 20-30 minutes is a bit much. It only takes about 30 seconds to a minute for the oil to circulate.