Should You Warm Up Your Car Before Driving?

Should You Warm Up Your Engine Before Driving Your Car?
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Cars with electronic fuel injection do not need to be warmed up before lightly driving off. This is because fuel injected engines can compensate for temperature changes. Cold engines run rich to compensate for poor fuel atomization. This means extra fuel is injected into the combustion chamber.
Now fuel is a solvent, so when extra fuel gets on the cylinder walls, it washes away the oil from the cylinders and pistons. Less oil on the cylinder walls means less protection, and because the oil is cold it makes it harder for it to be replaced. This means the longer you spend with your engine cold, the more wear you’ll have. Idling the engine doesn’t put much heat into it, so the car remains cold for a long duration.
If it’s cold outside, you can wait 15-30 seconds to ensure that oil is flowing, but you don’t need to wait for the engine to be warm. It will heat up faster by driving the car lightly. By heating it up faster, the oil gets to operating temperature more quickly, and this is what you want to prevent wear. If it’s really cold outside, the time it takes to scrape off the windows so you can see will be plenty of time for oil to start circulating, so you can get in and go once you can see out the windshield.
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[@EngineeringExplained]

*Important Note:* The amount of fuel sprayed in the cylinder in this video is significantly greater than the quantity that will actually be injected each intake stroke, as demonstrated in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/onu1c6JubZiWprc. The initial point of the video remains: today’s modern engines with modern oils (which have excellent low temp flow properties) will have oil flowing and properly protecting the engine extremely quickly, thus negating the need to warm up engines before driving off. If you want to let your engine idle for minutes before driving off, there likely won’t be long term consequences (like heating up the car, scraping ice, etc), though there likely are not benefits either, as the oil film establishes very quickly protecting the engine. TL;DR - you don’t need to warm up your engine before driving off, just don’t drive aggressively until fluids are at operating temperatures.

[@quantumbrewer]

@EngineeringExplained What about Minnesota in January?

[@johnsmith9903]

You need to contact the builders that built the house next door.And the buyer. I do like a good explanation.

[@nathanharty7364]

Hi Jason, I am using this as a research topic for one of my classes and am just wondering if you happened to use an article or another reputable source to backup this information? If so, would you be able to point me in the right direction? I've tried searching through some databases however can't seem to find anything in terms of additional wear during cold temperature start up due to rich A/F mixture.

[@FIREZ34]

Engines with forged internals need to be warmed up to reduce wear due to the fact that a forged piston must expand due to heat to fit perfectly if not it can cause bad piston slap if driven cold

[@bouldaa]

So I guess the feeler gauge that I use to build engines is just for show and thermal expansion tolerances are just bs. Also everybody warming their cars up at the track are full of it.

[@chriscrowder8505]

I just hold it at redline till the temp gauge is in the middle. Less time to warm up = less wear

[@tefrumpzax]

"don't go hard on the engine"

[@sudd3660]

red means hot so its a good thing.

[@sarrum7696]

+Andrew J lololol, I love the "I hope" at the end. :)

[@kebzeb6088]

Seriously though, can EE tell us if redlining is bad when cold in park.

[@Fatehtib]

+Keb Zeb yes red lining is bad with a cold start. especially at very low temps

[@maybeturki3362]

When it’s cold, I always launch my car in the 4th gear so not only the engine gets warm, but the transmission too.

[@tiagosilva.b5]

is that even safe?

[@chasemiller7974]

@@tiagosilva.b5 Not really, it can lug the engine, and strip the gears, plus you don't have much acceleration, there's a reason why you start in first.

[@RaviSingh-fv4sh]

Not good to start in 4gear, it will burn your gears and piston and clutch plates due to over acceleration.

[@MichaelFlatman]

I warm my clutch up a bit, extra rpm when setting off, when the engine is running rich it is a bit lumpy anyway so need more rpm (obv not excessive, just rev it up to 2000rpm where normally I can be fine at 1500.. And delay shifts to keep rpm high, automatics do this anyway)

[@charliethompson2338]

He was obviously joking

[@TheBasher-_-]

How old is this guy? Im guessing between 21 and 41

[@George10s]

Andrew Walker HILARIOUS, LMAOOO

[@M855A1]

lol seriously, im not sure, he could play off both.

[@Zyrexed]

Andrew Walker that's a hefty age gap

[@jaytheashtray7825]

😂😂😂 That range tho

[@colarmstrong57]

Andrew Walker 42 I reckon

[@kalloggs40]

I have 320k miles on my BMW e46 318i and I always warm up for 3mins, never had an oil leak, never smokes, never had an issue except batteries, mounts, hoses, and thermostat. I change my oil with fully synthetic 5w40 every 6months or 5000miles. Also warming up your car can get the desired cabin temp before jumping in. AND I HAVE USED E10 Ethanol fuel all those miles.

[@jeremymcadam7400]

so imagine how many miles you'd get if you did it properly...

[@justinnanu4338]

Hey look... the "I did it this way so it should be the exact same for everybody else ever" argument.

[@DKoldies_CEO_Drew_Scumbag]

Antonios LesvosLover Also, don't rev up the engine too high if its still cold, it will wear out the engine over time.

[@mememe84]

you must be a rare case, how did you make a bmw last that long? they usually start dying by 65k miles. also what brand oil you use?

[@ZCT808]

I wear Persol sunglasses, and I've never been attacked by a tiger. So I'm going to conclude that my sunglasses keep tigers away.

[@smartdrivetest]

Thanks Jason - brilliant explanation of why the engine should NOT be idled in cold weather. And that easy driving is the best way to warm up the engine in the winter. All the best, Cheers Rick

[@thekfcbandit3414]

How long should I let my bicycle warm up?

[@markm0000]

3 hours minimum

[@wordreet]

3 seconds minimum

[@tredfxman]

theKFCbandit The only way to warm up ur bicycle, is to use your legs while driving it...

[@f1rststring]

If you go in the house and come back out and your bike is gone... You probably waited too long

[@QuyenNguyen-cp4eq]

hehehe

[@coryr9938]

I always let the car warm up between 30 seconds to a minute, just until the rpm drops down to a regular idle.

[@zaknefain100]

@EveryDay 30-60s is fine for lubrication... it's even mentioned in the video.

[@andreew46]

@EveryDay It's not

[@zaknefain100]

@EveryDay Well by all means, do the math for us. I'm just a lowly Mechanical Engineer.. we don't do much math.

[@andreew46]

@EveryDay I'm a mechanical engineer and I know a lot about materials.

[@zaknefain100]

@EveryDay No one is saying you should sit and idle for minutes at a time, simply stating that allowing the system to fully pressurize is okay. We all live in different climates and deal with different temperature extremes. We all drive different cars with differing oiling systems; one of mine uses a remote oil filtration system, a catch can and associated plumbing. Stands to reason this type of system will need more time to fully pressurize. That said, I get in, start the car, buckle the seat belt, check mirrors, put the car in first gear and go. Maybe 30 seconds, tops. When it is "really cold" out (30ºC) I give it a little more time because as you know, viscosity and all that. But if you'd like to argue, just for the sake of argument and make a hard fast "xx seconds" rule, then you're only success is going to be... showing your own ignorance, especially when people aren't necessarily in disagreement with you. Learn when to joust with a windmill Quixote.

[@bryantr.7787]

You guys are all misunderstanding the guy he's saying you don't really need to warm up the car until the needle is in the middle of the temperature gauge. As he said in the video the time you take to clean the ice of your windows is plenty of time for you car to warm up! No need to wait 15 minutes for you car to warm up! He also mentioned that if you do drive your car without letting it warm up at all you should drive it lightly. What he's saying completely makes sense... but if you do choose to wait for your car to warm up for 15 minutes or however long you guys choose to that's on you.

[@EngineeringExplained]

+Bryant The only one ☝️

[@v1kku]

No one ever means "warm your car until it reaches operating temp" when they say let the car warm up a bit before driving off. Starting off the video by saying that you don't need to let it warm up if it's fuel injected then still go ahead to say you need to let it idle for 30 seconds to a few minutes to get the oil flowing is pointless and misleading. Those 30 seconds to a few minutes are exactly what people normally refer to when they say let the engine run for a few before driving off. The reason why is not important if you certainly have to do it. You do no harm letting it warm up but you could do harm by just driving off on a cold engine. The advice to "take it easy" to warm it up faster doesn't apply to all. For example if you have to go up a steep slope as you leave home then there is no "taking it easy" for you.

[@1HeavyHitr]

BUT IVE BEEN WAITING 15-30 MINS FOR 20000YEARS SO YOU CANT BEEEEE RIIIIIGHT. ..... smh. Simple and straightforward video.

[@MASKOAA]

On my new Subaru in the middle of winter it takes 4 minutes for cold light to go off not 15 minutes.

[@mjc0961]

A lot of people seem to be confusing "warming up your engine" with "warming up the cabin". If you want to let the car idle for 15 minutes so you don't have to be cold while you drive, fine. But the _engine_ doesn't need you to do that. You can safely drive the car, just have warm clothes on.

[@04silverado6.0]

I like to let the idle drop before I go

[@takhayc]

Same here :)

[@ryanrohauer5940]

same once it's below 1000rpms its go timr

[@MrSpartan117fan]

thats good means the car is not running in open loop , which means the o2's are warmed up and sending the afr to the ecm so the engine is not injecting a surplus of gas into the cylinders that is required for a cold start

[@adammoline]

yup

[@MrSpartan117fan]

***** Do you also let it idle a little before turning off the car?

[@Corrosion37]

I just start a fire under the oil pan before i start my car.

[@mdo]

Not sure if you meant it as a joke but people do this in some parts of the world. It's how we used to start the old Aro diesel engines back in Romania in the winter.

[@Corrosion37]

Mircea Dogaru Yes, I knew that. Im glad it doesnt get that cold here in minnesota lol.

[@OnlyNotes]

Eh, some cars don't come with block heaters. Gotta do whatcha gotta do

[@Corrosion37]

Jack Duno they have the magnet ones, or the dipstick ones. the dipstick ones suck ass though. i heard they burn the oil.

[@OnlyNotes]

Corrosion37 In theory the magnetic ones are far, far superior since they distribute the heat a more evenly through the surface of the pan. Rather than the dipstick ones which concentrate the heat to a small area.

[@MollyMcBooter]

the owners manual for my 2016 Subaru Crosstrek recommends that I wait until the blue engine oil temp light goes out before driving.. So I follow the manual.

[@joshuaheffernan4374]

Best option, this video is generalised for All engines

[@KP-sg9fm]

Nerd. The owner's manual is the first thing I get rid of in a new car, instant mpg and hp boost.

[@rotorblade9508]

How long does it take?

[@KP-sg9fm]

@@rotorblade9508 about 3 seconds, I just pop open the glove box and yeet that mofo out the window right onto the dealer's lot

[@ThePhobophile]

K P lol

[@sstroh08]

You only talk about the oil/fuel part of what is going on. You didn't mention what driving with an engine running rich can do to the catalytic converters and also what happens when you don't allow the block to evenly heat up by forcing it to warm up fast by driving it. That can be very hard on the heads. My opinion (for what it's worth) is that if it's really cold out you should allow a short warm up period so the block can evenly get warmed up some and then go get it to operating temperature by driving it.

[@benjmiester]

interesting addition! I prefer to give my cars about 60 seconds on a cool day, if it's really cold (like 15 days a year for me in Dallas), I'll give it until the guage gets into about the first 5% and gently drive off until operating temp.

[@GrandHunterMan]

What if you plug the block heater in overnight? That would solve that problem, no?

[@sranjesuper]

Driving rich can harm the cats, but the car is rich idling too, so what is your point? Also, how does a block not evenly heat up by driving it, versus idling the car? It makes no difference But i should add, that nobody talks about the transmission part of their vehicle. When idling your car and waiting for it to warm up, your transmission is still going to be mostly cold as it's not moving much inside, so it's another plus of driving away, rather than waiting for it to warm up.

[@iamthelaw69]

The problem with this EE video is this: some claims are opinionated, masquerading as facts. He believes that forcing the car to run at speed and warm it up faster will negate the oil/fuel dilution problem, but it introduces unnecessary stress all the same, and even forcing the block to wear down faster. It's not the same to look at one cylinder as opposed to the entire engine where the oil flows. Instead of letting it idle at 900rpm for a few minutes, EE suggests you run it at 2-4krpm and shorten the time. This does not reduce wear, it increases wear to not just the cylinder wall, but other parts as well. If warm-up is not a problem, then instead of a temp gauge, it should just be a red light when it gets too hot, and car manufacturers should stop suggesting owners to warm up the car before driving off.

[@iamthelaw69]

And transmission oil temp does increase with the engine temp, though not proportionately. There's this thing called heat transfer and thermodynamics.

[@Reapwhatyousow777]

In the winter I usually just give my car couple of slaps to show it who is boss. works Everytime.

[@EngineeringExplained]

Tell it Ben!

[@mrN3w7]

The car works even better if you put a gun to its head...

[@2PacPRNDL]

LOL

[@2PacPRNDL]

+mrN3w7 I'm dead :D

[@2PacPRNDL]

+Engineering Explained looool

[@boogts]

I like how this ignores all the other things that happen with cold engines - like nothing being the proper size. Bearings, gaskets, pistons, etc. Your engine's nominal is at operating temps, which makes sense. Sure, they test to see if it will still seal at -40 (if you ask me in C or F, don't ever argue against an engineer) and full load, but that's because its the worst case. Let me repeat, that's because its the worst case. Plus, if you think a rich mixture at no load and 700-1000 rpm is bad, imagine 3000rpm and under load. Your car is still going to washing down the cyls just a little until it warms up. If it takes just as many RPM to warm up, but you're doing that under load when your pistons and bearings are not at optimal diameter, they'll have play. Play is bad. All this while you're freezing inside the car and everything more brittle when you touch it. No thanks EE, you usually have very insightful and accurate videos, but going to say nope, bad idea to fire up and put a cold engine under load, regardless of its technology used to deliver fuel.

[@Thundering_Banshee]

Video brought to you from your Dealer mechanic.

[@paulderksen5852]

Yup totally agree with this, it's bang on, so people there is a reason why you don't start/drive, and you don't need to let them run for 15 or 20mins it's pretty basic common sense!!

[@mr.superstar7919]

I agree. I let it sit for 2-3 minutes then I start off. 30 sec is just not enough IMO.

[@dperr338]

If what you are saying here is true you would hear ticking and knocking from just about every cold engine there is. Machinery has caps measured in microns. Microns. Yes if it’s off by a seemingly small amount it can lead to issues but they factor in thermal expansion when they make the engines and the engines wear until the parts “match up” (for lack of words). I trust what Engineering Explained is saying because I’ve done this and haven’t ran into problems and I’ve also heard the same from a Nascar driver in an article I read a while back. Warming up an engine is old thinking from carburetor days.

[@boogts]

@@dperr338 Engines are not designed to wear until parts line up. Full stop. Right there. Also you can't compare Nascar engines (or drag race engines or...) as they are built loose and designed to last between 1/4 of a mile and 500miles. That's it. If you're looking for a 500 mile engine builder for longevity advice, you'll get what he's experienced with.

[@matthewharris214]

I believe the car idles fast at first to keep the car warming up properly with EFI. This is designed to get the engine running at first. But I can definitely tell a huge difference in performance if I allow the vehicle to warm up even just a little bit when temperatures are cold. A cold engine needs time to expand the metals and warm oils..

[@thetechlibrarian]

Yup and the transmission too, the only argument I have heard against long idling is that more fuel is injected when cold and washes away the oil. So where is the balance? is it worse to run it when cold or worse to let it warm up. I’d imagine it’s somewhere in between if I can I’d like to do the 3 to 5 minute warm-up and then drive slow

[@YourAssAintSafe]

@@thetechlibrarian if it's winter I'd wait till the heat starts to melt the ice off the windows, otherwise like you said 3-5 minutes is perfect

[@froggy0162]

Fast idle on modern engines is about getting the catalyst up to temp faster. Another good way to do that is - drive it!

[@danielfl.9347]

My car revs at 1.400 rpm the first 30-50 seconds during cold start before dropping to 900rpm, which is when I drive. No need to let it sit for 5 minutes.

[@wholeNwon]

Is that really normal behavior for your engine?

[@danielfl.9347]

wholeNwon Yes, and that is also the correct behaviour from factory. Why do you ask?

[@wholeNwon]

Just seems a little high to me. Wondering about a vacuum leak, etc.

[@danielfl.9347]

wholeNwon Nope. It's a twin charged engine with both a turbo and a compressor. Therefore the turbo needs to spool faster to get the oil flowing better. In summer it only revs up to 1.200 rpm, it's only in the cold degrees that it revs the extra 200 rpm for some reason.

[@jacobleclair899]

Turbo speed has no effect on oil flow.

[@Rickmakes]

The engine doesn't need a warm up but that is not the only factor. I used to have to warm up the car to keep the windows from fogging up (I have a garage now). This can be really important if it is snowing or sleeting out. It would certainly warm up faster with driving but it wouldn't be safe.

[@Rickmakes]

I've had instances where I wished I had a flip down windshield (like on a Jeep). It would have been super cold but at least I could see.

[@matmuffin1]

block heater

[@Rickmakes]

Block heater would have been nice but all of the times I used to park outside, there wasn't an electrical outlet available so I never installed a heater.

[@matmuffin1]

RickMakes I just use mine in the morning I park my truck in the sun so that heats it up nice

[@FSXgta]

@billigerfusel the cops saw you doing that in my country you would probably lose your license.

[@JoeIsCrazyWillman]

And we warm it up because we want the interior to get up to our preferable temperature comfort level too! Lol.

[@seig44]

JoeIsCrazyWillman and for the little ones not to be exposed to the cold temps.

[@T1Oracle]

JoeIsCrazyWillman I grind my teeth when I am cold, so my remote start is also saving my teeth.

[@matejsommer72]

Don't you take away the heat from the engine when you turn on the heat? I mean, obviously It does, but doesn't it make the engine heat up slower?

[@seig44]

Matej Sommer well, i live 5 mins from work. Say i warm it up for 30 seconds, drive to work for 5 mins, that short drive doesn't get the engine to operating temperature. So, if the argument is to drive around town to get it to operating temp before driving to work, it is wasting both my time and gas compared to warming it up, which only would waste my gas.

[@TheLe016]

och sei Well you should think about riding a bicycle to work instead of wasting fuel, time, money on insurance+registration+maintenance, and overall adding to congestion.

[@Dcc357]

I like to idle a very cold engine at least 3 minutes to get the metals expanding. Piston ring clearances and bearing clearances will be better for higher loads, and the oil gets a chance to thin a bit as the engine heats up, which is better for engine clearances in general.

[@paulderksen5852]

Yeah I tend to disagree with this as well, when there saying a minute is long enough, plus it's not just about the engine oil what about power steering Fluids and transmission fluid, yes a car will warm up faster than ideling it but I've seen power steering pumps or lines burst because of driving it too soon and the oil being to thick Which causes over pressure and things like that fail. Now I'm not saying to run the thing for 20mins that's ridiculous but I'm saying a good 4or5mins if it's just moderately cold and 7 to 10 mins in extreme cold like minus 30 to 50 which we never see on the west coast anyways. That's my opinion, thanks.

[@lorenavelvet]

@@paulderksen5852 I don't know about all the mechanical things but I do know that my car needs more than one minute to warm up in the winter. For one, my windshield needs time to defrost even if I scrape it. Some days are worse than others. If it's not too bad I give it 5 minutes. Right now we are in our coldest period so I've been going more for 10 minutes.

[@paulderksen5852]

@@lorenavelvet yup that's exactly right, no problem doing that and it gives your car the right amount of time to warm up. Your car will thank you for it. 😉👍💯

[@Toastmaster_5000]

Just to be clear - it's still good practice, for any car, to wait around 10 seconds when first starting it up so the oil circulates, right?

[@FCFordLord]

More like 30-60 seconds, whenever high idle kicks off.

[@Toastmaster_5000]

FCFordLord I'm not sure basing it on high idle isn't really the best suggestion for everyone. During winter, my car will sometimes idle at around 2000RPM for as long as 5 minutes, maybe longer, even if I'm still driving it. My car requires 0W-20 oil. I did an ECU tune a couple months ago and the idle basically drops to normal as soon as I blip the throttle past 2500 (the point of me saying this is even with the same car, the behavior can be completely changed). The way I see it, you want to wait long enough for the oil to lubricate all the parts before you start driving (which varies depending on viscosity and temperature), but you want to wait until your engine is at it's optimal temperature before you really start pushing it hard.

[@DENicholsAutoBravado]

+Peter Schmidt Brilliant post.

[@DENicholsAutoBravado]

Kirk Augustin Between this comment and your last on another thread, I think I know what you're getting at now. You're worried about modern aluminum pistons, which have too much clearance until they heat up. I still think driving after the oil gets through the the engine and driving gentle will get those pistons of yours up to temperature in a shorter time frame. Just drive gentle.

[@Boz1211111]

+Peter Schmidt what car you drive? 2000 rpm idle sounds insane...

[@SBdunks3]

I'm divided on this, this a reason there's a temp gauge, everything needs operating temperature to operate good

[@SBdunks3]

+mattybeatzkidd so it's ok to drive it after 30 sec from turning it on?

[@SBdunks3]

+Brian Ross what do you do when it's cold like -4 to 20 degrees? I live in Chicago and right now that is the average temp. I would also like to know what to do during the summer like around 70 so I can take care of my engine as of lately I've been letting it warm up for 10 min before driving to college every morning

[@SBdunks3]

+Brian Ross great advice mr Ross I will take this into account when driving from now on

[@anthonylach8089]

Thats what im saying. Engines and Transmissions have a operating range. Engines clearnces are machined at a specific tolerance. Automatic transmissions need an operating temp also.

[@mauriciomagnovska8840]

there are temp gauges so you wont overheat the engine, nothing bad happens to your engine for running it cold

[@derrickrogalsky1884]

Don't really care what he said. But in Canada -30 or below I let my car warm up at least 10 minutes. Rather start driving a car that has heat than is just too cold to sit in.

[@wordreet]

Luckily for us in the wimpy UK, the coldest recorded temp since '61 is -27.2. That's T shirt weather for you hardy Canucs ;¬)

[@gamepro9505]

Derrick Rogalsky He never mentions warming up the cabin. he's just letting you know you don't have to let the car idle for 10 minutes to warm up the engine. it's ok to drive it lightly after starting for 30 seconds. The cabin is another story haha.

[@afrosheenix]

Derrick Rogalsky I thought it was common to use a block heater at temperatures that low.

[@JACKxTHExRIPPER]

You guys are pussies. I live in Canada too and on the coldest days I'll let my car warm up for however long it takes to brush or scrape it off and start driving. I get heat coming out within a few minutes and I'm good.

[@lassaut6794]

Real Canadians don't complain about the weather being cold or the inside of my vehicle being slightly uncomfortable. The effect it has mechanically is where the concern should be ex: stiff clutch, stiff steering, stiff breaking, uneven block temp etc...

[@DynMFree7269]

The reason why we warm up our cars is to warm up the car interior when it’s freezing out, not because we want the engine warm.

[@tech99070]

100%

[@casaldana]

If you dress to be outside in the cold, you’re dressed to drive your car to warm it up. That’s what I do, even when we had -23 before windchill.

[@Michael-zn2jc]

No. It’s because we live in Miami and we’re not used to the cold so we wait like we see everyone else do on tv.

[@jacksonh7009]

Carlos Saldana yeah but I’m not gonna put on a winter coat to drive for 5 minutes and then go inside a building that has heating

[@lukefreeman828]

Jackson H you know you can take the coat off right?

[@hectordiaz7177]

when I don't warm up my car, my transmission feels a bit harsh changing gears, I have an 04 rav4 automatic

[@simon6namsguy]

Happens on my 2018 camry le also

[@jimbojimson]

I don't own any automatics, but my Accord shifts much notchier when it's cold

[@mannyk7100]

Yeah because in automatics, your tourqe converter will warm up the transmission from idling. Manual transmissions need to be driven to warm up

[@WCCXtra]

Same with my 99 Accord EX coupe. Fluid still looks fine (reddish on napkin). May have the transmission mounts inspected.

[@mikewest712]

I'm sorry but this is terrible advice, good logic but no. Your engine and especially the transmission need to warm up at idle before driving in sub freezing conditions. Here is why, all internal components of a drive train are engineered to work at operating temperatures. Bearings,chains,belts,fluids,valves,battery, are all things that work better warmed up. The chance of fuel entering your oil due to idling is very minimal, however the chance of premature transmission failure due to driving a cold car is very likely. There is a reason a car idles higher until it gets up to temp, it was programmed into the EFI to get the car up to operating temp faster. This is what i have learned from my experiences.

[@Ironboxgarage]

Mike West U do know that there is NO WAY for the transmission and other driveline components to warm up just by idling right? They aren't connected to the engine "yes the transmission is" but it doesn't share the same warm oil the engine is getting. So ur pretty much relying on the engine heat to slowly transfer into the transmission. "Which would take forever". Plus ur rear diff isn't warming up nor is ur transfer case. The only way to warm those components would be to drive gingerly for the first 10 or so min. The wear would be minimal at best especially if ur driving gingerly for the first few min.

[@thooper4380]

lilseip-B14 you do know what a transmission cooler is right?

[@whtbuick]

Cars have warmers inline to warm up transmission fluid before the thermostat opens dumbass. 25 year ASE / Infiniti Technician..............

[@ArtyBlackops]

dude if you have a transmission with a dip stick you see it says hot or cold. when you check the fluid you need to have the car running.

[@whtbuick]

ArtyBlackops most vehicles don't have a dipstick these days, you pull an overfilled plug at a certain temperature, it is far more accurate. I have probably forgoten more about cars than you will ever know.

[@TopiasSalakka]

We in Finland use engine warmers when it gets under 5C or so, less wear if the engine's warm before starting, and starts up easier. In older cars (or new base models) we also use interior warmers that are linked with the engine warmer, so the inside is warm when you get in.

[@Mars21681]

The last 30 seconds is most important -dont drive it hard.. In otherwords you still need to allow the engine to warm up. you drive a cold engine hard you will cause wear, do it enough all winter and you have a good chance of having an exhaust manifold issue -like a crack or leak. ...But as most have already said, you're usually defrosting the windows anyways. This video could have been executed better. The point in the video of carb vs efi is lost to most of us -the greater practicality of cold and warm up and various factors involved are more concerning and leads back to the same thing -you still need to let the engine warm up (you shouldn't drive a cold engine hard)

[@stevenyia2778]

Start driving the car not hard but slowly

[@Zero_Ninety]

Sooooo you're saying that I *don't* need to idle for 20 minutes every morning before I drive away?

[@Driftuner]

you dont and you shouldnt

[@mrcofer]

It's a free country, you do whatever you wanna do. 'Murica!

[@orenthaljames5244]

No but your neighbors enjoy the ambient noise.

[@Zero_Ninety]

Orenthal James Especially at 6am!

[@Driftuner]

wow, you guys are feeling patriotic today, arent ya?

[@WTGRacing]

One point about carbureted engines. Most all carbs have chokes to control the mixture in cold temps that either block air from entering the carb (which is the traditional way) or simply drop the main jets to richen the mixture (much like an SU carb).

[@orangetruckman]

You bring up valid points and do a great job of explaining. My issues on this topic would be about waiting to drive because of a carburetor...I respectfully disagree. Things like different metals and their expansion. Forged aluminum pistons will expand in a cast iron cylinder bore at different rates when heated, but the excessive “play” or “slop” can leave scoring on cylinder walls- my understanding. I know Chevy LS motors used hypereutectic pistons in the early 2000’s and created a “piston slapping” sound that people mistook for a rod knock until the motor was throughly warmed up. Then turbochargers need oil to prevent early damage, and I’ve seen it take motor oil 30-45 seconds to make its way to the top, out of a rocker arm on a small and big block Chevy with low miles on them!!! Yes, not everything can be covered in a video. But more than just a carburetor is why I wait to start driving my autos. Just my buck fifty 😉 Keep up the great topics!

[@FlexSZN23]

I’m sure your “understanding” is more than the plethora of engineers who designed these engines and the engineer who made this video.

[@elliot438bcfcVTEC]

I've been guilty of too long idle warm up periods in the past. Now I base my warm up on outside temperature, 5 minutes max and that's for below freezing. About 2 minutes is plenty if it's above freezing. Also think of what conditions are you going to be driving in with a cold engine, for example if you have to accelerate to a higher speed or up a steep hill as soon as you leave then you might want to give it another minute or 2. If you only need to go 20mph or be stuck in traffic 30 seconds is enough

[@Matp345]

I warm up everything. things I truly care about I wait till almost operating temperature to move them. even in the summer I like to let the oil circulate for 2 minutes before driving. being a mechanic I've seen way too many oil and transmission leaks from people just hitting the key, dump it in drive and go. when the engine warms up too quickly certain metals and materials can't expand at the same rate cause leaks

[@MouseyBusiness]

matt parker But you need to understand that idling an engine doesn't do much "warming up". All you're doing is wasting gas sitting in a running car for 2 minutes Like he said in the video, you get in and drive it to get to operating temperature, but don't drive it hard.

[@jmccann6735]

The Mouse In Your Room Lmao I'm trusting the mechanic on this one. Metal expansion, idle speed, AFR, oil viscosity and temp are all crucial factors when it comes to a cold or hot motor. Driving on a cold motor is just retarded

[@Matp345]

The Mouse In Your Room if I burn 10 extra gallons in one year warming up my vehicle's that's a lot. Well worth it to me. You also need to remember certain vehicles warm up quickly and some take forever. I've never known another mechanic or another mechanically inclined person not to warm up their vehicle. I do however know people that don't and have dealt with leaks and failing components. A neighbor of mine gets in her Toyota and regardless of outside temperature throws it in drive before the starter is finished spinning. She's on her 2nd engine and this one is already burning oil. Same words came from her mouth " I don't want to waste gas" $20 vs $1500. Seems worth to me

[@Matp345]

Rollo Larson she says she's far from Mario Andretti. Never been in the car with her but I know she does maintain it. Regardless just warm up an engine there's really nothing to argue about

[@theshield1613]

The Mouse In Your Room False.

[@Romeo204FC3S]

"I broke my engine bc I warmed it up" Says no Canadians! lol

[@JohnSmith-zg2id]

What if the main road where you live is a high-speed road? For me going fast at the start of my trip is compulsory, unless I drive in circles in my neighborhood first which I'd rather not. In this case I'm guessing it's best to let the car warm up a bit (I usually start it, brush off the snow, set up the GPS and other accessories, and then go).

[@EngineeringExplained]

I think your plan sounds solid!

[@isitfast2067]

Atleast 2 min and your good

[@catfishonetwo3]

Some one needs some field experience before they think they know what they're talking about.

[@rayford21]

Just drive it in a lower gear for a minute or so.

[@syrthdr09sybr34]

Perfectly said man, 30 sec to a couple of minutes of idle to ensure a good volume of oil is getting to the head is ideal. But letting the engine warm up is definitely not required.

[@Abitibidoug]

What you said is consistent with what I've heard from many sources, and that's what I do. I'm sure it's a contributing factor to why the last 3 cars I retired had over 300,000 Km on the clock. The engines were still good, but the bodies were rusting out.

[@walter6574]

reminds me of my three divorced wives i had, the engine was good the body went bad. lol

[@jakewilliams8296]

I usually warm up my car for 2 hours to ensure proper warming up

[@haithamh5081]

Jake Williams lol

[@-_____-]

I start my car in the evening with the block heater. The next morning I fuel it up (I keep it running, obviously), and my car is already warm!

[@johnsmith-zm1uf]

It helps if you cover the exhaust too, to hold in the heat.

[@rayford21]

By reading the comments I suspect the posters must be engineers for the auto repair industry,

[@Gimbergp]

This is jokes, I warm up mine for 6 hours.

[@LostBeetle]

Hey, all I know is I've had several old cars (that were fuel injected) and they can sound pretty rough until they warm up a little. I think there is some validity with worn engines.

[@Jetsonn]

I feel that way too. I have a 2008 Toyota and I live in Minnesota and this winter there were many many days that had -20 and -30 degree mornings and it just doesn’t feel right when a car has been sitting all night to just start ‘er up and drive off immediately when the transmission fluid and oil has been sitting in That temperature all night. I should probably be switching to 0W grade oil next year but I haven’t yet because I’ve just stuck with what Toyota suggests which is 5W. Also when I have started my car and drove away quickly when I’ve been running late for example, the shifting feels slow/delayed and I don’t know some of the driving functions just feel off. Myth or not, I’m with you I feel like there really is some validity for letting it warm up a little bit with older vehicles, even if they are fuel injected.

[@LostBeetle]

@@Jetsonn My girlfriend's 07 civic definitely runs rougher before it's warmed up a little in cold weather, more so than my 98 civic. It has virtually no blow by and good compression too.

[@Greyknight308]

With a turbocharged car letting your car warm up a bit is actually beneficial. From just leaving a stop sign or regular acceleration to get on to the highway your turbo can spin upwards of 30k+ rpms, cold oil is very thick and isn't going to be properly lubricating your turbo so allowing your car to warm up a bit will help prolong turbo life. As far as fuel getting into the oil, its really not a big concern as it happens normally in any piston operated motor and when oil is at operating temp it will be boiled out anyways. Plus if you change your oil at regular intervals like you should this is a non factor.

[@stevenwedge6850]

Man this is bull, try driving off immediately in -39c here in Canada Winnipeg, car literally wont go past 40km ...need to warm up at least 5 min on those temperatures

[@rileystanek]

Well said

[@SlipKnotRicky]

The real reason people warm up their cars before driving? It is cold out! Most women really don't give a rip about the mechanical nature of a car's engine, they want to car to be nice and cozy when they plant themselves in it! That's the whole point of "Remote-Start"....

[@gamingradeon]

SlipKnotRicky when i start my car i set it to blow lowest temp possible and only as much as not to make my windows fog. For 10mins I drive frozen but atleast my car’s engine is warm and cozy. My engine is more important for me than my whimp ass.

[@christophervanzetta]

The point of a remote starter is to reduce the time it takes to head out. Let the transmission fluid warm up and it'll last longer... An engine is useless without a functioning transmission.

[@randytaylor9245]

Most people let the engine idle to operating temperature because they're actually waiting for the heater to warm the car and melt ice on the windshield. Over 90% of engine wear occurs during the first few minutes after the engine starts, and with the plethora of fancy metals and alloys in modern engines the tolerances between the parts are all enlarged when they're cold. But they heat quicker under load, which also means the heater starts working sooner. Sitting in your car waiting for everything to warm up is killing your engine.

[@DENicholsAutoBravado]

Thanks. If the video isn't enough, this'll help break down the myths!

[@a.dudeman7715]

But all of that means nothing when you cannot see anything out of your windshield. I owned a '99 S10 back in the day, and lemme tell you, until the cabin was warm, you literally could not see anything out the front, no matter how much you cleaned the windshield beforehand (for verification, I'm talking about when it's cold out.). She had close to 500k miles on her before the radiator blew and took the coolant with it.

[@DENicholsAutoBravado]

A. DudeMan I understand and agree with you completely. Outside of those extremes, I have another comment for Kirk.

[@DENicholsAutoBravado]

Kirk Augustin More damage happens to engines that stay cold longer, from not being driven right away to get them into being warmed up sooner. I am talking about when the temperatures aren't extremely cold. Lots of things break faster even under light load if you live in too cold of a place. If that's the case, you need a block heater installed, and you should STILL drive right away. Heck, I've wanted block heaters in milder climates just because I think the engine would last longer. Driving right away reduces how long those parts are smaller and the wrong temperature - still, the size change is pretty small. If your engine is built in the tolerances, it's fine.

[@a.dudeman7715]

DE Nichols At the end of the day, I think that older engines were more okay with things like this. I still miss my old S10, but nothing can part me from my Civic. I can get a hundred miles from pennies! Just have to take precautions in cold weather.

[@TheBlork74]

Not a single word said about diesel engine cars ! Do I need to warm it up ?

[@ljones2752]

I would believe the same applies as long as you have fuel injection. I read another comment from Engineering Explained saying to stay away from the turbo until warm though.

[@TheBlork74]

Leon Jones "as long as you have fuel injection", really ? I have never heard of carburetor diesel engine

[@schumifan78]

Diesel engines should only be used in tractors and generators.

[@TheBlork74]

schumifan78 With my almost 20 year old 1.9 liter, I'm getting about 55 mpg, so I think, diesel works in cars quite well.

[@schumifan78]

+Mark Schulz IV Well, if you only drive for mpg, maybe.

[@offtherip3198]

I’ve watched other videos on the same topic and they seem to ignore that the main reason for letting it run for a min is to let the oil get pumped back into place to ensure parts are properly lubricated before use, since most the oil drains out of the places it’s supposed to lubricate after it’s been sitting

[@travism8597]

but wouldn't putting the engine under load while it's cold causes more ware than letting it warm up standing still ?

[@travism8597]

***** he said two contradicting things, when the engine is cold gasoline will delute the oil due to rich mixture, that is an exact reason why you should warm up by idling even to a minimum as you said, but yet he said this is why you should start moving ... And i totally agree with you about those environmental dumbs, they blame you for your car yet they drive a car, hybrid most of the time which they have no clue what environmental damage their batteries cause to the environment, add to that most of them are smokers ...

[@travism8597]

***** hahaha i Agree

[@VintageCars999]

Yeah, not only that once you drive you are pushing more cold air onto the engine while driving it so it's better to allow to warm up the engine a bit before driving it. Anything under 40F i let the engine temp gauge move before i take off and anything above that i let the RPMs settle. As for these environmentalists i don't think they understand the cost to manufacture new engine components (or buying a more eco friendly car) also has a detrimental impact on the environment. It's more eco friendly to take care of the car you already have, limit the amount of driving you do (within your means of course). Most people want their cars to last for a long time (because it's not cheap to buy a new one) so they'll want to take care of it and let the car warm up before driving, most just warm it up to get the heater working.

[@jarhead1145]

Doesn't take long to get the oil flowing.

[@travism8597]

Archer it's not just a matter of getting the oil flowing...

[@rjallenbach1]

I say the answers yes. You oil is cold and thick sitting at the bottom of them engine and needs to warm up to cycle through the engine, that’s why the number one cause of wear is during start up. Also metals expand when heated and most engines are designed to run at an optimum level of heat. Why do you think engines, even new are so loud and chattery when cold, then quiet down after warming up?

[@MrBales]

It hurts me to drive right away. Almost like my truck tells me not too.

[@Lubbocksfinest]

Ben Dover they actually drive different versus when they’re not warmed up

[@vicerichter1163]

@@Lubbocksfinest yea. Everytime I start it cold, it sounds really rough. Same with my taco. You can really hear that resonance of the exhaust pipes. I feel bad hammering it.

[@joefries365]

@@vicerichter1163 thats your vehicle telling you somthing! lol listen to it

[@james2042]

This is when a high idle switch or high idle remote start comes in real handy. If it holds the vehicle around 1200RPM, it can quickly lean out the fuel back to normal levels. Also if you live in a cold climate, the best thing you can do is either keep your vehicle in a heated garage. But if thats not an option, then using an engine block heater is your next best option as it at least keeps the block hot for starts. It also means the heat will work sooner

[@darrin2053]

Living in Saskatchewan I like a warm car. Car doesn’t blow heat immediately, when it is really cold you can fog on the interior of the windows if it is not blowing warm enough air

[@Billy123bobzzz]

It fogs because you have the recirc on or had it on. I've driven my car after only ten seconds of idling, in -60 º F weather and it warmed up in 2 minutes and never ever fogged the windows. You don't need "warm" air to defrost the windows, that is an old waive's tale. You only need air that is barely a few degrees less cold that the outside air and it will defrost the windows just fine (I have done it for decades in below freezing weather), even if it doesn't feel warm to your hand at all. Just don't use the recirc, that is what traps moisture in the vents and fogs your windows.

[@russlehman2070]

@@Billy123bobzzz Who besides me tghinks Billy Bob has never actually driven a car in cold weather. Actually, I wouldn't be surprised if he's never driven a car at all, because he's 12.

[@Billy123bobzzz]

@@russlehman2070 You are too funny, but completely clueless!

[@extrememike]

Warning time It also depends of the engine size. My small TFSI 2.0 takes half the time to get to operating temp compared to the big V8 on the Camaro SS.

[@rofln00b]

"When it's really cold", temperature barely below freezing... It gets colder in a lot of places, you know. And not only in Canada, Finland and other nordic countries get below -30 at times too.

[@MsJfraser]

Northern central USA gets frigid as well. Guess you have never lived there?

[@videomaniac108]

If I'm not mistaken, Ferarri recommends warming up one of their engines on a cold start for about 10 min before putting it under load, to ensure that there's sufficient oil flow through the main and big-end connecting rod bearings to support the loads on the bearings. I notice that it takes about 8 to 10 min for the oil temperature in my 370Z to get up to about 140 deg F when I cold-start the engine. I've been following this procedure on my Z since it was new and I now have about 13,000 miles on it. My last computation of oil usage was 5oz/3300 miles, so I believe that there is good cylinder sealing and minimal leakage. Two Blackstone Labs used oil analyses showed no excessive contamination of the oil or any other abnormalities in terms of chemical contamination or excessive wear metals in the used oil. Do you think that the modern computer-controlled fuel injection on late-model cars is maybe capable of maintaining good fuel atomization and keeping the A/F ratio correct during cold idle operation? Thanks for your always interesting and informative videos.

[@christophervanzetta]

Still doesn't negate lubrication and the transmission... A vehicle is useless if the transmission start slipping

[@Xfacehack]

13.000 miles. That’s cute. I have about 180 000miles on my bmw 330d and i just idle for 30 sec and of i go. 10min is way to long dudd

[@videomaniac108]

@@Xfacehack With today's thinner viscosity oils, it may not be necessary to warm up modern engines for as long as in the past. My main concern is still the oil's flow rate through the very small bearing shell to journal spaces when the oil is cold and more viscous. I don't mind burning a little extra gas if it ensures that I'm not causing premature bearing wear.

[@Xfacehack]

@@videomaniac108 What you talking about? Do you drive an Ferrari or what? "Race" engines do have tighter clearances. But modern engines do also have tighter clearances. One of the reason for being in production cars is full synthetic oil have good flow rate even in sub zero temperatures . The viscosity should stay the same. But ofcourse i does change depending on temperatures. But at 90c they should all be what the label states. Another big reason for tighter clearances in modern engine is, better economy, more modern electronics that calculate fuel and air mix (injection systems) and efficiency (fuel economy, power, responsiveness) But even engines with tight clearances should not be idling for 10 minutes. The engine will stay cold for longer and will be prone to more wear. Actually driving it carefully for 10 min is much better. Also the driveline will have time to warm up if you start driving. But if you that careful about you vehicle i suggests parking your car indoor with about 16-20c in temperature. It should be rather cold, but not to cold. You want all the plastic and rubber out of the sun (uv light). Also turn on the heat to about 30c before driving. And have an block heater. But don't leave it the block heater still attached, you also want to circulate the oil before cranking . Alsoalso, have tire heaters. Actually don't drive, that will for sure wear out everything...

[@videomaniac108]

@@Xfacehack Sure Sparky, I'll give that sage advice the consideration it deserves, from somebody who was only capable of making derisive comments and not able to answer the simple question by addressing the concerns stated.

[@tnsteele95]

Actually, most people warm their cars to defrost the windows and to have a warm car to drive to work in. lol

[@EngineeringExplained]

+tnsteele95 seems logical to me!

[@mindkiller76]

tnsteele95 I do so because piston seal gaps are calculated for a warm engine, not cold.

[@maxdm1583]

+Alexander Shepard That is exactly it. You don't just get out of bed and start a sprint. Of course you warm up first.

[@-slurmdaddy-8147]

Max D M I usually take a nice dump first

[@MJT-DA]

DictatorMass That's because it's a Jeep they are one of the least reliable Chrysler cars. Jeeps 3.8L v6 had alot of blow by issues which got solved with their bew 3.6l but it's still not perfect. My mom drives her 2003 civic right after start it's already at 257,000kms and has zero issues. If you want a reliable car buy a Japanese or Korean car. My 2010 Hyundai Elantra heats up quick from -4 degrees Celsius. After about 2 minutes of driving I'm already at 78 degrees in engine temperature

[@spiffcats]

Right after I leave home I have 2 routes out of town, both require climbing up a steep hill. So, its -20 I either let it warm up, or I have to push a cold engine to climb.

[@silvandjala3900]

let it warm up

[@peppeddu]

As with everything mechanical, it's always better to minimize the thermal shock by warming up the engine gradually. The Prius for example, starting the car in cold weather, even with the battery fully charged it keeps the engine running for three to four minutes before turning it off.

[@QuincyStick]

That's because the engine always has to be up to operating temp- they don't want you driving it cold. Also because the prius (certain year models, not all) can use heat from the engine to warm the battery up which significantly increases battery life.

[@biggyb5000]

When a piston is cold, it is a different shape from when it is hot. A cold piston is slightly oval because of it's use of metals. When you put that cold oval piston under load, you are shapping it, please let your car warm up :)

[@joefries365]

Agreed. Also when you have a cast iron block and aluminum Heads, one will expand faster than the other ( usually ) and that can be hard on the gaskets. I knew a guy who had a 70s ford with a 460 Big block with aftermarket heads and it always leaked oil. ALWAYS. hed get it fixed and 6 months later would be spewing oil out of 3 places again. its because hed get in it in -45 and just drive it down the highway without letting it warm up. He finally got it fixed for the 3rd time, let it warm up from there on and not an issue since.

[@Community-Action]

Not true!! Many Subarus have a blue engine light on the dash that indicates when the engine is cold and shuts off when it's warm enough to drive.Takes about 2-3 minutes in warm weather to shut off and 5-8 minutes in cold weather. They are on all different years including the new 2017 Impreza

[@guthrie1181]

Pretty sure that light is there to let you know when you have heat. They're not only in subaru's.

[@Community-Action]

Robbspeed3/- and I bet you think when it turns red you can cook a burrito off the windshield vent haha

[@guthrie1181]

skojo3e I should be asking you that.

[@Community-Action]

Robbspeed3- actually read the owners manual instead of thinking your right without doing your homework!!!

[@guthrie1181]

skojo3e Wow it only took you 5 weeks to reply, nice job. I already read the owners manual.

[@DuncanInUK]

I always park my car in the bedroom so it will always be warm when I drive off, need to get rid of the bed and sleep in the car though

[@christopherking2012]

They make car beds. Best of both worlds.

[@unclemarksdiyauto]

Duncan Hui, Dan Tanna use to do the same! (Private eye show called Vegas around 1978) doubt it got cold there though

[@MattMaranMotoring]

Excellent and concise video Jason! You do videos like this better than anyone! Keep up the great work!

[@EngineeringExplained]

Thanks Matt!

[@conradkelly8101]

agreed

[@jordanmendes6165]

Cold start and 95% throttle for 5 minutes straight and you’re go to go.

[@imoffendedthatyouareoffended]

That’s the only way to insure that your up to temp.

[@Scottsummers95]

Jordan Mendes make sure its 5 am and you have a cammed or straight piped mustang And live in a quiet close housed neighborhood

[@JakeSDN]

Wes Miller You will definitely get the heat on you.

[@Billy123bobzzz]

In my neighborhood the police will issue you a ticket every day for being hostile towards your neighbors. Don't do it.

[@AhmadSaleem1992]

Best advice ever.

[@johnathanayala453]

while you drive off calmly, you have people driving behind you beeping their horn like crazy because you're driving slow......always happen in NYC.

[@EngineeringExplained]

I wasn't aware there were roads in NYC with traffic flowing smoothly! Never really been haha. You don't have to drive slow to drive non-aggressively. Low throttle, low RPM, whatever speed.

[@TucsonDude]

Same in rural Arizona with a manual transmission.

[@deplorablerussionbot5008]

Same here in rural Nevada

[@eric1h0069]

Drive calm for a minute and then gun it and flip them off.

[@Zynderion117]

Then laugh as they eat burnt rubber.

[@larryspiller15]

in extreme cold like around -35°c before windshield it is wise to give it at least 5 minutes. you can easily damage other components like power steering and such. but other then that your just wasting money and time.

[@JoshuaZiesmer]

and get frostbite from not having heat

[@JoshuaZiesmer]

in severe cold I always let it idle for 15 to 20 minutes, last car I had had 250,000 miles and only died cuz I hit a dear, everyone I know does the same thing, no one has issues.

[@larryspiller15]

+SDD525 mothers power steering blew and cost 2 grand because the vehicle only idled for 3 minutes with a -40 windshield.

[@JoshuaZiesmer]

at minus 40 F, metal can be as brittle as glass, and fluids are exponentially thicker.

[@larryspiller15]

+SDD525 less stressed if warmed up. the car had 85000 km on it and it was -40°c.

[@stevenharden803]

upon start up on a cold engine a vehicle will usually idle higher, after a few minutes it idles normal. That's when i drive it, so i usually let my vehicle idle for about 5 mins.

[@wheezin_mtnbkr3576]

Steven Harden Exactly, and that happens on purpose to get the vehicle up to temperature, so the car protects the engine without you having to drive it. It needs to warm up so you don't stress hydrolics like clutch master/slave and power steering pump etc. These things break when cold.

[@stevenharden803]

TheSolitaryObserver Thats what im saying lol. My rule of thumb is to let it warm up until the vehicle idles normal which is within 5 minutes usually.

[@the_batmobile0.4]

Its -20c here in Canada and I' WILL 100% recommend warm your car up

[@davidcampbell1899]

I am Canadian too and always warm the car up in the winter.....especially when its -35C to -40C

[@the_batmobile0.4]

@@davidcampbell1899 you NEED to warm up the car I dont know how these EXPERTS are saying you dont need to warm it up...it was _-25c last week Wednesday and I didn't warm the car and the car was struggling so hard to move people were honking at me because i was going too slow

[@mr.b1362]

Canadian too so I also take 5 minutes to warm it up in winter

[@davidcampbell1899]

@@the_batmobile0.4 If you start it and just let it sit for 5 minutes idling when its colder than -18C / 0F the "engine" will be warm enough to drive, then if you drive slowly for a few blocks the wheel bearing, tires and brakes will warm up enough to operate normally.

[@nickwebb9937]

David Campbell screw Canada down here in Florida it’s always warm can’t stand the cold

[@jeffleemon5925]

In what temperatures are you speaking of? Have you looked inside the engines that have not been properly warmed up at various temps? 30, 10, -10, -20...? I understand your point but you really need to be more specific at for the temp ranges your referring to.

[@PaulCTownsend]

I tottaly agree that long idle warmups are not necessary and the engine will heatup faster under a light load not hurting anthing in the engine. You will need a good winshield scraper. But a vehicle with a automatic transmission filled with DexronIII atf needs to warm up longer then fifteen seconds on extrem cold starts. The trans fluid will flow to slow through the coolers and reduce gear train lube causing gear train damage over time. Some transmissions are equipped with a thermal bypass valve in the valve body or the pump just for this problem. A simple H bypass in the cooler lines is a good idea especially if the trans cooler in the radiator is bypassed which helps the atf warm up faster. Enjoy all your videos keep them coming.

[@richardkent9621]

I'm sure he is right, you only need to run the engine for a couple minutes to keep from damaging the engine. That said if you are not getting heat out of the defrosters you are driving along and the windows fog up and you can't see which can cause you to have an accident. I warm mine up enough that i know the windows are going to stay clear. As for a fuel injected engine putting to much fuel in when cold and causing it to wear more because the oil has been washed away I don't think you could measure that wear on an engine and prove it. I live in northern Ontario Canada, we don't worry about the engine wearing out much here with the salt they put on the roads, how good the oil is now, how good most engines are now, the body will be gone long before the engine wears out.

[@xanlord2k]

You don't really need heat to defrost as much as drying, which can be achieved with the AC on, as AC units dry by design.

[@b-pinpandey8582]

yeah, that's the thing. If you are driving normally then its okay, but I personally have to go through steep inclines and bit of bad roads where I have to run the cars on higher revs thus I always warm up before hand just to be safe.

[@YouGotsTheRabies]

I agree with everything in this video from personal experience. In the old days, a family car with a carburetor simply struggled to be driven until it warmed up. Some interesting pedal skills were learned. Once the computer-controlled sequential fuel injection systems took over, drive-ability during cold temps was seriously improved. So now the focus is on oil circulation right after start-up and oil quality in extreme temps.

[@BashMonkeyRC]

Although under some circumstances it's necessary to have a warm car before setting off. In the town where I go to school, so many pedestrians/cyclists get hit, especially in winter, that cops will now cite drivers who have a visibly foggy windshield. Even if you scraped your windshield, it'll still be fogged up on the inside, and no matter how you try to clear it or wipe it it'll stay that way until the heater kicks on and warms it up. I've tried defogger sprays but those hardly work worth a damn.

[@BashMonkeyRC]

I've actually tried that, but in the time it takes to defog I could've had the heater warm it up and set off 15 minutes down the road

[@BashMonkeyRC]

***** Not REALLY cold, just cold and quite humid. Even if it's kept dry, a pane of glass will get condensed over outside

[@mohammadkamran5862]

Hey Jason, so you said wait 15-30 seconds. What about when the temperature is below minus 20 degrees Celsius, should I wait a little bit longer?

[@denislavkaragiozov5876]

Thanks for the video. I have this friend of mine who warms up his car for 5+ minutes before every trip. It's part of his routine to get the car started 10 minutes earlier before departure in order to warm it up...

[@radudunarentu4124]

facepalm

[@crxracer805]

If it's freezing outside, turn on the car, turn on the heater on low, lock the car and let the car on idle warm up for 5 mins. Come back to it and you'll have a nice warm interior and ready to go!

[@82raptor]

Carb cars have a thing called a choke which restricts air while the jets are adding the same amount of fuel in order to make the fuel air ratio more rich. With a fuel injected car in the extreme cold it is not a bad idea to warm it up a bit, you are not going to wash the oil away and damage your engine. Modern OBD II cars go into closed loop mode VERY quickly. If this video was done with the use of a EGT or a AFR you would be able to see just how quickly this happens in modern cars. You "can" start your car at -10F and drive away with fuel injection but the temperature shock to the internals of the engine will do damage over time. I am an ASE certified automotive technician who likes this channel but as a mechanic it is always fun to point out an engineers mistake!

[@EngineeringExplained]

+82raptor I know what a choke is haha, used for cold starts. But if you try to drive off with a choke closed you won't have enough air. Hence it's used for starts. When driving, the choke isn't there to help create a rich mixture and thus the engine can stall. I make plenty of mistakes, all of us do.

[@htcooley04]

soooo???

[@yourfacelookslikebut]

+Engineering Explained You can absolutely 100% drive away while the choke is on. You don't have as much power but it's still definitely there. The problem starts when the car becomes warm and then the air cut severely impacts the power.

[@yourfacelookslikebut]

+Kirk Augustin we are talking about carbureted engines.... and still with fuel injection the air to fuel ratio is very rich...... you are a special cookie

[@ldl50]

The question being addressed is that the engine has wear while cold and how do you avoid that. The answer is drive *lightly* because that is going to warm your engine up quickly and not cause that much additional wear. Assuming your cold engine wear is time dependent: W (total wear) = f(some cold engine wear factor * t(amount of time engine is cold while running). W=ft. The point is idling does very little to heat up your engine, so t is going to be large and therefore W is going to be large. The f is going to be slightly larger while you are driving the car lightly than while idling, but the t is going to be much smaller. So net W is smaller, even though you are working your engine a little while driving it lightly. I don't think how quickly it goes to closed loop function has anything to do with it. That is just whether you have a heated oxygen sensor or not. If the oxygen sensor has its own heating element, it will get to operating temperature quickly and the ECM will start using it (i.e. closed loop). If it doesn't, it relies on the exhaust to heat it up which takes longer. The only reason you have open loop operation is because cold oxygen sensors don't have a voltage that maps well to oxygen content (i.e. they don't work cold).

[@tredfxman]

Question, i have engine heater for my car. Wont this replace the need to start the car beforehand? It also cannot wear the walls of the cylinders, coz its not acually starting the engine. Am i right or am i right..? Engine heater must still be a good thing to get your engine up to temperature, before driving of isnt it..?

[@Psyko100]

yes, block heaters are the best thing for cold starts, block heater manufacturers say to plug in 2 hours before starting for max temp increase, leaving it plugged in for longer just wastes electricity and dosnt really make the engine any warmer

[@foufoufun]

I usually let it warm up to get rid of the frost in the windows. You can scrape most of it on the outside but if there is any on the inside, you can't really do that. Gotta wait.

[@Matp345]

I don't care what the temperature is I always warm my engine up. Especially colder weather. Being a mechanic I know what's going on inside. Even if it's 90° i at least let the oil circulate before moving. I hate people that hit the key and jam it in D. Then they wonder why their cars burn oil and leak. In an engine are different metals and materials that expend and contract differently in temp change. Heat them up quickly and you could create issues.

[@sultanabran1]

as long oil is circulating, you can drive the car. i've taken the tappet covers off a cold engine. took 30 sec for oil to get up there. once oil is circulating, it's fine.

[@pwdt4r313]

sultanabran1 exactly. Don’t cold start it then floor it. Start it, wait under that minute to let the oil go everywhere, then drive lightly until everything is all good to go

[@sultanabran1]

@@pwdt4r313 too difficult for people realise they're wrong and change.

[@sultanabran1]

@Armando Sturzenegger you're welcome

[@andrewmcintosh9832]

@@sultanabran1 Sorry but that is not true. The oil viscosity it too thick to lubricate properly when cold. Most engine wear occurs on start up as a result. While engineering explained is correct that the car runs rich when cold, putting load on an engine where the oil is too thick causes wear on the rod bearings which have oil passages only millimeters in width that the oil must pass through. I would much rather have my oil pressure close to what it is at operating temp before I put any load on the engine. Yes, there will be more fuel dilution, but it will put less stress on the rod bearings which are usually the cause of catastrophic failure. If your worried about fuel dilution then change your oil more often.

[@ZzzRoofus]

I use valve grinding compound additive in my engine oil. Creates more friction. More friction=more heat=less warm up time=less emissions. The thing to remember is that idling the engine uses less fuel than driving it. When I drive my car to work on cold mornings without warming it up, I fill up more frequently than idling it for 10 minutes at least then taking off. As he stated, the fuel is enriched until the engine warms up, and more load means more fuel. Also, the piston ring end gap and space between compression rings and sleeves is greater until the engine warms up, thus allowing more fuel and exhaust gases to enter the pcv system and oil. This will darken your oil faster, proof of concept when I drive mostly highway for 5000 miles my oil is the same color as 3000 miles of short trip driving. Whereas 5000 miles of short trips darkens it faster. Warming it up in the summer isn't necessary however, with modern engines and tight tolerances, at subzero temps it's imperitive that oil is thin enough to flow freely through all orifices.

[@naste3950]

Is it different with turbo vehicles, most people will turn their car on for like 5 minutes before they actually drive it

[@EngineeringExplained]

It's not different, just don't drive in the boost until things are warmed up. Fine to drive at low throttle.

[@wolf0491]

I find it hard to stay out of boost lol. Because people like to be all up on my ass. Maybe I just live in to populated an area.

[@MaxCaud]

I thought turbos warmed up really fast?

[@alt572]

The turbo does, but the oil that cools and lubricates the turbo does not. You need good oil flow for safe operation.

[@MaxCaud]

Henry Griffiths thanks!

[@madsmaltesen4708]

Hey Jason, is it okay to start the car and wait 1-2 minutes and then drive carefully to it’s up to operating temperature?

[@DM12345]

There may be a typo in your video description: "it washes away the gasoline" => "it washes away the oil"

[@EngineeringExplained]

+David Massey fixed, thanks!

[@giorgiobrown9811]

I warm up my vehicles so their transmission can warm up as well. My vehicles don't shift well when they are cold.

[@Wren4123]

I've had this same experience. Let it warm up and I don't have problems. Smooth shifting. Drive on a cold start and herky jerky shifting

[@stylicho]

I had a car that leaked transmission fluid. I could always tell when it was low because if it was cold out and I tried to leave without warming it up first the car wouldn't move lol

[@WeAreCarFans]

Jason, how about the diesel cars? They shouldn't affect engine oil in same way as petrol, should it?

[@andreiolteanu6502]

I am also curious about that as the video didn’t mention.

[@shadowprince4482]

I've noticed that my diesel vehicle runs like crap until it warms up even if I use the engine block warmer. The block warmer helps a ton but isn't perfect.

[@bdavis12758]

Well diesels(talking about my 6.0) use a high pressure oil pump to fire injectors as well as some other things. Driving a cold diesel will run like crap or lose performance until temp is a little warm. Going by my experience, driving my 6.0 with a 5r110w trans is crap when it’s cold. Doesn’t like to go like it should or shift when it should bc of the fluid being cold and thick..... as soon as it’s warm, she’s good.....

[@miloslavholy5168]

Definitely diesel cars take longer to warmup, at least from my experience

[@WeAreCarFans]

Yes, but mine question was more of question about lubrication of cylinders since diesel is not solvant and it provides some lubrication by itself. So, shold be formulated more like how much wear do have diesel engines when they are cold compared to gasoline engines...

[@EdAb]

These answers may be technically sound, but they don't address the main reason many people warm up their engines. Most of us in northern climates (I live in Alberta) warm up the engine to heat the car's interior. In the north, even after scrapping, the windows can ice over because of moist breath being expelled by passengers. Iced windows, while driving, is more dangerous than fuel dilution.

[@roberttucker805]

It depends on how long you expect your car to last. Most cars these days are capable of doing around 200k miles as long as they get serviced regularly. If you buy new and intend to sell it after a couple of years then whatever you do is unlikely to cause you any problems. However if you're hoping to wring out the last mile from it like I do I think perhaps a minute or two on very cold mornings shouldn't do any harm.

[@h.d.h]

We did watch the video, didn't we Robert?

[@Dan-uq4mf]

I've always warmed up my cars never had any problems until the body rusted out. It runs and sounds better warmed up too.

[@wassgucci]

I usually wait like 10 minutes, at least 5, to warm up my car, 88 rx7 vert. Don't wanna blow any seals.

[@Altcor]

I'm sure you'd be fine with 5 minutes as long as you're really easy on the gas for a bit

[@OneGearMode]

5 mins ain't enough.

[@rotaryperfection]

Your actually doing harm to your rotary unless your doing regular carbon cleanings? I've owned all 3 generations of Rx7's and have a 20b in my fd. With modern fuel injection, cold starts dump in more fuel. In a rotary, it takes a very long time to warm up the combustion chamber idling because of how long it is. With excessive fuel being dumped in, the unburned fuel will turn to carbon buildup. Carbon buildup is the #1 killer of NA rotary's because over time bits and pieces break off the rotor face and cause carbon lock of the apex seals. This is why these engines flood so much as the carbon will also coat the spark plugs which makes them more susceptible to fouling. Your engine have 3 piece apex seals and that bottom piece is very prone to sticking within the rotor groove therefore leaving the top piece to bounce around the rotor chamber (not good). It's best you crank up the engine and as soon as oil pressure hits, raise rpm to above 2k for a few seconds (15 or so) to quickly raise the exhaust temps. Doing this helps burn off the excessive fuel that was dumped I'm during the cold start. Now you can drive off like normal. With rotary's, the faster you warm up the combustion chamber, the less carbon you build up.

[@OneGearMode]

+RotaryPerfection okay, my mistake. What I meant to say is driving it slowly, not giving too much rpm or throttle, not letting it idle for too long.

[@wassgucci]

+RotaryPerfection well when I start the car it idles at around 3k for a few seconds, about 5, then drops below 1k and sounds like it wants to stall out, but I just step on the gas a bit and the rpms shoot up to about 1500-2000 and it stays there for a bit, then it eventually settles down to idle speed which is like 900 rpms after I've let the car run for a few minutes

[@ethanmarshall8083]

I don't know about anyone else but my Subaru sti always drives like trash until the block is warm from the get go. If I ever start driving it after a minute, the rest of the drive is trash. Only after 3-4+ minutes of warming up will everything feel spot on. Any thoughts?

[@unclemarksdiyauto]

Up here in canada, you could install a circulating block heater, (rare that anyone does unless you have a diesel semi) but i have had one years ago in a gas carbureted car and heat blew warm from the second you started the car! Friend has a 2000 Jetta diesel and installed one, blows warm from the start, and the car warms up a bit faster too! -40C/F

[@ChevyFtWss]

Im still gonna warm my car up for a couple mins before i drive.

[@ChevyFtWss]

+SDD525 no I'm not.

[@GogogoFolowMe]

So what are you doing during this time ? Normally I just drive out of the garage, close the door (manually) and go. Drive at low rpm until mid temp. period

[@GogogoFolowMe]

And in winter, if you don't breathe heavily the windows will not fog up.

[@ChevyFtWss]

+epiphonesg007 ditto to you sir. I want my oil viscosity to be thinner to oil up my turbo. You sheep can follow what he says.

[@epiphonesg007]

R-Spec Sheep? You are following a method that has been around for almost 100 years, that's what everyone still does. Unless you live in really cold climates, 10 seconds is enough to warm up everything. You are warming up the engine slower, much slower, then just driving calmly. A good half/full synthetic oil is about the same viscosity cold or warm.

[@atrejo389]

From reading the comments, a lot of people dont seem to understand that the car warms up MUCH faster as you drive it.

[@relaxcards3778]

my car idles at 2k rpm when I start it, its manual i wait a couple minutes and it goes down to 1k rpm then im ready to drive off if i take off immediately the car tends to get all jumpy and stally

[@villkar1373]

Same, thats the 4g63 life

[@mr.manson1195]

My truck usually idles high on a cold start for maybe 40 seconds before dropping to 700 rpm.

[@imoffendedthatyouareoffended]

Relax Music same here 2018 manual Impreza and I have to wait until the blue light goes off which means it’s ready to go.

[@jmandameloya]

My diesel Peugeot 407 also gets all jumpy and stally the first 30 or 40 seconds

[@mcintosh.motors]

imagine having cats to warm up ahaha. I have a cold start DELETE

[@stevenhs8821]

Carbeurated engines had chokes, so they did have a method to increase the fuel-air mixture when cold. But they didn't have all the sophiscated controls to get it just right. In fact when chokes were manual, many drivers would forget to dechoke the engine when it warmed up. Some small engines in snow throwers and lawn mowers still have manual chokes. Automatic chokes were operated via a bimetalic coil thermostat in the liquid cool system.

[@austingibson3315]

As a full time Auto Repair Tech, I entirely disagree...based on my location. Alaska reaches -30 to -40 every winter and lack of idling to bring up to temp will wear out a motor rather quickly. But in most places, winters of 0 degrees Fahrenheit, I wouldn't worry about idling the motor til it hits operating temp. In that I think we agree.

[@enj5932]

will the same go for turbo vehicles? the newer wrx has the temp gauge so would you recommend a oil temp to start off at to be extra cautious warming up the engine while driving?

[@EngineeringExplained]

+BellaWrx _NJ absolutely, wait to romp until oil is at operating temp.

[@enj5932]

Engineering Explained I keep seeing there so many variables with types of oil used in different size engines determine operating temp. what would operating temp be for the newer wrx? I heard 150 Fahrenheit is good.

[@enj5932]

MV60 that's the issue. on cold days my temp can take awhile to reach temp and 200F is about the normal when not running it hard. I like the oil pressure idea, hope the AP has that so I can jus use that.

[@enj5932]

MV60 makes perfect sense. thanks.

[@silntlegend]

What exactly would be considered operating temp? I have a 2016 Mustang Ecoboost if it matters.

[@pwoodson21]

I always tell people: "do you wake up in the morning and immediately start running as hard as you can? so why should your car?"

[@joefries365]

Up in canada where it hits -50... if we just drove our cars and not let them warm up like this guy says it just wouldnt move half the time.

[@DanielRamirez-hq4tf]

I personally drive a ‘95 Nissan Pickup. I used to warm up my truck all the time and would have to put in a quart of oil every week and a half. When I read about the harm of warming up the vehicle I stopped. Now I start driving within the first minute of starting her up. Ever since, I don’t lose oil anymore. Now if it’s below freezing, then yeah it’s better to let the parts run for a bit than worry about losing a little oil.

[@BNR_248]

Hey mate, just wondering, what is considered light driving? I rev my car upto around 3500 rpm during the warm up stage of driving. Is this okay? I recently had my engine built (RB28) and tend to get a bit paranoid about the warm up procedure.

[@atticstattic]

It's my transmission that needs the warming up...

[@snufflyraccoon]

atticstattic been looking for someone to say this. Mine gets so cold it's hard to move the shifter into gear even after letting the engine warm up.

[@patriot3431]

My cvt will not shift out of first gear until my car gets towards operating temperature.

[@Cheeseypoofs85]

patriot3431 well technically, a cvt doesn't have any gears 😉

[@kokweichia5753]

Have to agree on this. Even in tropical temperatures, I find it hard to shift gears without warming up the my old manual transmission.

[@nickleonard9521]

does this still apply at temperatures of around-40F to -60F? because at those temperatures things seem to change regarding vehicles. this is a serious question

[@EngineeringExplained]

0W-## oils are rated for oil flow at around -35 to -40 degrees. If you're getting into this temperature range, it's good to have an engine block heater. I'd probably wait a bit before driving as at these temperatures nothing is going to be happy haha.

[@nickleonard9521]

Growing up in Alaska we always had block heaters but I didn't realize why they might be necessary until now. Thank you

[@Cliff_P]

look up 2-stroke "cold seize". with modern tighter? tolerances I wonder Ii would apply to car engines. btw even synthetics are as thick as honey at these temps. sometimes also threes no place tp plug in a block heater (say, at work). and your right about fuel dilution, but what about in the extreme cold? I don't know which is better as the engine will be running rich until a certain point , don't forget short trips also which can lead to large fuel dilution and also moisture build up. I would idle after a short trip maybe lol

[@danc1197]

The engine operates efficiently at operating temperature. If the oil is cold than the transmission fluid is cold and will cause rougher shifts. And it also depends on what climate you live in. If you live in hot climate than your car will warm up immediately ,if you live in cold climate your windows will ice up when you start driving unless you have heat on the windows.