Just a quick question..

How long is the "recommended" time (in minutes) to allow my car to warm up, in sunny california? (no snow / ice )

Don't want to do my car any damage by not allowing it to warm up properly.

Thanks!

Just a quick question..

How long is the "recommended" time (in minutes) to allow my car to warm up, in sunny california? (no snow / ice )

Don't want to do my car any damage by not allowing it to warm up properly.

Thanks!

virtually no warm-up time is needed. Start the car, take the few secs to buckle, adjust, tune radio, adjust airflow, then drive. the only reason you used to let the car "warm up" was in the old days of carbs and chokes, so you'd get the kick-down before you drove. These days the computer adjusts most everyting on the fly, and unless you're sitting in -20F weather, "warming up" does nothing. Even here in NH winters, the only time I let the car "warm up" is when I have to melt the ice of the windows before I can safely drive. Otherwise, it's start, adjust, then go.

andy

Turn the key, put on your seatbelt, check the mirrors, fiddle with the radio and go.

The best way to bring the car up to operating temp is to just drive it, moderately of course. Most engine wear occurs in the first seconds when the car starts up and the oil system comes up to pressure. Having the proper viscosity oil is probably more important than letting an engine warm up. After that, idling does nothing except wastes fuel or helps defrost the windows while your digging the car out of a snow drift. :biggrin:

Plus, even tho after idling the temp gauge reads "warm", thats just the coolant temp. Other fluids and the suspension need to limber up so driving right away helps get everything up to speed, no pun intended.

Andy, u beat me to it, almost verbatim. ;)

So no warm up time? :S, i've always heard "you better let your car warm up!!!"

Nope, no warm up time. Drive right away and avoid jack rabbit acceleration and hard braking. Having to let a car warm up went out with carburetors. :yes:

Trip - :thmsup:

Actually, warming up the car doesn't really help your car, since idling just wastes gas, unless waiting for warm air out of the vents before you drive is a goal. But in terms of the longevity of the motor or tranny - as long as you're not going to drop it into gear and dump the clutch (or bury the throttle if you've got an automatic), you should be OK. Hondas warm up VERY quickly, so by the time you hit the end of the block the oil is already getting warm and lubricating nicely!

Just drive! :banana:

andy

wow ok thanks guys! :D, i had no idea, i always let my car warm up for a few minutes before driving in the mornings

I agree with all here. At the most I might take 30 seconds. Just remember what was pointed out above, easy does it until everything is up to operating temperature.

In winter conditions, I would let the car warm up for a couple minutes. The only reason I did this was to warm up the interior. Nowadays, I usually take off right away, or at most, about 30 seconds later.

Just remember to take it easy when you first take off.

Now, if our cars were turbo, it would be different.

30 secs is my rule of thumb.

Just to echo what everyone else has already said; 30-60 Seconds, but drive it gently, at least, till the temp gage shows normal temperature (summer or winter time).

My neighbor lets his Civic warm up for a good 10 minutes every weekday morning.

Idiot. Complete waste of gas and time. Its amazing this misinformation has propagated for so long...Start it, put your seatbelt on, tune to your fav station and go.

wow i've been starting my car and letting it warm up for about a minute lol. i just heard it was bad not to let ur engine warm up.

wooooootttt im glad i know this information now :D

I usually give my car a few seconds before I back out of the garage. I never ever bring the rpms up very high before the car gets up to temperature though. It will take my car about 15 minutes to warm up to the point where it would be after about 3 minutes of driving. No way I'm going to wait that long.

wow i've been starting my car and letting it warm up for about a minute lol. i just heard it was bad not to let ur engine warm up.

Since fuel injectors and ECU were starting to be used, there is no need for warm ups at all unless you live in sub zero weather...

now i don't feel guilty driving off immediately without letting the car warm up like i used to :D

I always let the engine warm up in the morning around 3-5 mins. until I see the temp. goes up :)

I always let the engine warm up in the morning around 3-5 mins. until I see the temp. goes up :)


Absolutely useless effort. Do some research and you will discover that your current regimen is foolish and serves no purpose other than to satisfy yourself. You are not doing your car any favors at all and you are wasting fuel on top of it all.

I always let the engine warm up in the morning around 3-5 mins. until I see the temp. goes up :)

I do the same thing when it's cold out. I can't stand being in a cold car. Besides, for some reason, if you just turn on the car and go when it's cold out, it is really hard to steer. So I always let it warm up a little bit.

But my car is so old, I really don't care if it is bad for it or not (especially right now)...:beatnik:

RTexasF, thanks for replying back to what I've wrote :)
You were correct. I made some research and I have found the following:

"The best bet? Even when it’s 10 F outside, start your car, let it run for 30 to 60 seconds to get all the fluids moving, then drive off gently. Your engine will warm up faster, your exhaust system will get up to temperature faster so the catalytic converter can do its thing, and you’ll use less fuel. Which is what you wanted all along anyhow, right?"

— Richard Backus, editor in chief, Gas Engine and Motorcycle Classics magazines.

The more I live, the more I learn from this life :D

Above 25 degree, couple of sec. of warm up time...

Below 25 degree, from 30 sec. to a couple of minutes (max. of 5 min.) of warm up time, depending on the temperature outside (colder, more warm up time).

More than that, it's useless and only pollute the air while burning gas for nothing...