If you think warming your car helps combat engine wear and promote longevity.....here is something you warmers can try next time you cold start. Practice some tach watching.
Start your car and note the RPM on your Tach. A perfectly cold car will idle (rich) at around 1500 rpm.
Understand that whether you are idling or moving, the pistons and their oil and compression rings are still working away in the cylinders… exhaust valves are still opening and closing, cams are still rotating at half the speed of the crankshaft's 1500 RPM, etc.
Note: For the seconds that it takes the oil pump to distribute oil from the sump, the most wear is occurring. It would be more beneficial for engines, if the car would crank 5-10 times before ignition actually occurs. The act of cranking engages the oil pump, but at a much slower rate than a running engine. (Back in the day, I used to pull my fuel pump fuse if the car sat too long, just to get an extended cranks of ten seconds or so. Nowadays, the oil filters are pretty good about mitigating drain-back, so oil is in the line, ready to flow.) Of course, extended cranking in this instant on world, you’d get the “what’s wrong with your car” look from others... and it would be harder on batteries.
Anyway, back on topic. So, turn the car on and see 1.5K instantly on the tach – while parked. At this 1.5K, friction is occurring whether or not the car is moving. Now, wait 10-15 seconds then put your car in gear. With your foot on the brake, you will see your idle has dropped to 1000 RPM. That’s right, your engine speed has decreased due to load. So what do you think this means to the cylinders? The pistons, connecting rods, crank, etc. are moving at a slower rate! Now take your foot off the brake and let the car roll without touching the gas and look at the tach. Well, I’ll be damned...the car is rolling and engine speed is 1000 RPM, which is considerably less than it was, sitting in park. In order to reach the "warmer's" idle of 1500 RPM, you actually have to apply gas, so now the car is moving even faster. So what are you really accomplishing just sitting there?
Now, we can argue about load and whatever stresses that generates, but it still does not change the fact that you can actually be in driving with same RPM you had sitting. Furthermore, load translates into heat which will warm your engine and its surrounding peripherals faster. Contrary to the beliefs of some, it is much better to start cold and drive off slowly, allowing your transmission, etc. to warm up nicely -vs- idling for 5 minutes then hitting the gas as some do. The rest of the car is still cold!
Unless you live right off a freeway exit, or a busy street where heavy acceleration is needed, you do not need not warm your car up. Stationary warmups not only waste gas and add unnecessary pollutants to the environment, they do not help with regard to engine wear.
So to summarize....on cold start... whether you think the oil is too cold, or whether it's flowing or not... 1500 RPM's worth of wear is still occurring. AND.... it will take less time for those RPMs to fall and oil temp to rise, if you'd just drive the damn car.
Drew
Start your car and note the RPM on your Tach. A perfectly cold car will idle (rich) at around 1500 rpm.
Understand that whether you are idling or moving, the pistons and their oil and compression rings are still working away in the cylinders… exhaust valves are still opening and closing, cams are still rotating at half the speed of the crankshaft's 1500 RPM, etc.
Note: For the seconds that it takes the oil pump to distribute oil from the sump, the most wear is occurring. It would be more beneficial for engines, if the car would crank 5-10 times before ignition actually occurs. The act of cranking engages the oil pump, but at a much slower rate than a running engine. (Back in the day, I used to pull my fuel pump fuse if the car sat too long, just to get an extended cranks of ten seconds or so. Nowadays, the oil filters are pretty good about mitigating drain-back, so oil is in the line, ready to flow.) Of course, extended cranking in this instant on world, you’d get the “what’s wrong with your car” look from others... and it would be harder on batteries.
Anyway, back on topic. So, turn the car on and see 1.5K instantly on the tach – while parked. At this 1.5K, friction is occurring whether or not the car is moving. Now, wait 10-15 seconds then put your car in gear. With your foot on the brake, you will see your idle has dropped to 1000 RPM. That’s right, your engine speed has decreased due to load. So what do you think this means to the cylinders? The pistons, connecting rods, crank, etc. are moving at a slower rate! Now take your foot off the brake and let the car roll without touching the gas and look at the tach. Well, I’ll be damned...the car is rolling and engine speed is 1000 RPM, which is considerably less than it was, sitting in park. In order to reach the "warmer's" idle of 1500 RPM, you actually have to apply gas, so now the car is moving even faster. So what are you really accomplishing just sitting there?
Now, we can argue about load and whatever stresses that generates, but it still does not change the fact that you can actually be in driving with same RPM you had sitting. Furthermore, load translates into heat which will warm your engine and its surrounding peripherals faster. Contrary to the beliefs of some, it is much better to start cold and drive off slowly, allowing your transmission, etc. to warm up nicely -vs- idling for 5 minutes then hitting the gas as some do. The rest of the car is still cold!
Unless you live right off a freeway exit, or a busy street where heavy acceleration is needed, you do not need not warm your car up. Stationary warmups not only waste gas and add unnecessary pollutants to the environment, they do not help with regard to engine wear.
So to summarize....on cold start... whether you think the oil is too cold, or whether it's flowing or not... 1500 RPM's worth of wear is still occurring. AND.... it will take less time for those RPMs to fall and oil temp to rise, if you'd just drive the damn car.
Drew
), here are a few questions I'd like to throw out to you well versed car folks. :devil 
