Warming up the engine: Myth or not?

[JCool]

ya its a AT but you can still drive it in 1st and 2nd gear. it won't hert it

[mikemortal20]

Originally Posted by NiceTeggy

Is it bad if you start your car and dont warm it up until the temperature neddle goes to the normal area?
I usually let it run for two mins. just to make sure the oil circulates, then i drive at no more than 2K rpms until the temperature goes to the normal range.
what do you guys think. Is it a myth or does it really affect the longevity of your engine

I believe that it can affect the engine because it can damage the valves, plus this is good for the other internal parts, warm oil coats better.

[superdoopercooperman]

I was at Canadian Tire, and I read a pamphlet on "TERRACLEAN".

It said, and I quote:

A few questions about your vehicle....

...Do you drive before your car has been properly warmed up?.....

...If you have answered YES to any of the above questions, then your vehicle has [or is developing] a carbon build-up!

Now how much of this ad is true, I cannot say, but they continue to say that carbon is caused from incomplete combustion, and effects performance and gas mileage...so warm up your car properly before you drive it!

[95 turbo teg]

I read somewhere that it is best in hondas to let it sit for about 30 seconds then start moving but keep it at low rpms. that means NOOOO VTEC

[JCool]

Ya there’s no science about it, you just start your car and do the normal things like putting our seat belt on and checking your mirrors and then driving normal. You just want your car engine to warm up evenly. And you might as well get some gas mileage out of your car as it is running. But I also read in Popular Mechanics that if you do not let your car reach top temp and drive it 30 min. you cannot burn off water that accumulates in the oil.

[CoPilot79]

A short warm-up to assure engine is running reliably. Then take it easy so all other parts (belts, transmission, diffeential, tires, etc.) warm up along with the engine.

[AP1fun]

Lets think about the pretty logiacally. You drive a car around for 20 minutes... Your oil is at 30 weight viscosity. Before it cools most of it will run back down into the oil pan. When you crank a cold car up you are running 10 weight viscosity, which is much thicker. The car has to circulate oil threw the sprayers and into the bottem of the piston before being moved so everything is lubed up well and you don't scalled (sp?) a piston wall.

[Lunatic]

I always let the idle drop to at least 1000rpms b4 I drive away....It helps the life of the engine and the tranny as well as the clutch.....think about it just like yourself....you don't want to jump out of bed in the morning and run outside in the freezing cold before putting some cloths on....your engine doesn't want to start rotating then have to start turning the cold tranny.....

Do your car a favour and let it warm up.....it will treat you better in the long run....

[Jdubz]

I've always known it to be a good idea to let it warm up a bit and wait til it gets to NOT ( normal operating temp) before hammerin' on it...I'm quite frequent on the tune-ups and preventative maint. I gotta 98 Accord w/ 224k miles and all internals haven't been touched....yet

[GSR813]

I'll let it run for a minute or 2, then go easy on her for like 5min. then just get on it...