hey whats up guys...hope all don't good in this weather..

anyway, what is better for long life engine...

turn on the engine leave it for 5-10 min. to worm up, and then driving it. ??

OR

turn on the engine and driving immediately?

what does Lexus say??

 

This is no question: Drive immediately as this worms up the engine faster and, last but not least, it helps to keep the air cleaner. Fortunately in some countries idle engines are forbidden, you have to switch off after 90 seconds. Some of us have already understood that children breathes air too and cannot hold a long time:

 

Don't do it, worms are not good for your engine : )

Sorry could not help myself.

Seriously though - if the engine is cold (for me this means its maybe below 45 or so outside) I do let it idle for a 30-60 seconds before I start off. On cold start days I also tend to drive gently for the first few minutes giving my engine time to warm up a little so that the oil warms up and is providing maximum lubrication before I put any stress on the engine

 

"The best way to bring your car up to a warm operating temperature in the winter is to let it idle for 30 seconds or so and then drive slowly without excessive speeding up or slowing down for the first five kilometres. This will allow all the components of the car to heat up at the proper rate"

"excessive idling could actually be bad for the car. It could damage some of the components like spark plugs, cylinders and the exhaust system. Idling only warms up the engine but does nothing to warm the transmission, axles and tires."

Quoted from http://www.canadiandriver.com/2008/0...ght-idling.htm

More info at http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/transportatio...cts.cfm?attr=8 and http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/transportatio...-up.cfm?attr=8

 

+1 to StanVanDam's comments. No need to excessively idle and spew more hydrocarbons and CO into the air. We already pollute enough.

I fire up my star ship, let the warp core settle after about 10 seconds or so, then proceed at 1/4 impulse for about a mile or two, then full warp speed ahead to where no man (or woman) has gone before.

 

Asked my tech this back when i first got my "star ship" and he said no need to let the car warm up b/c it is not good for the car. Like the others said above, let it idle for 30 sec and drive slow until she is at normal operating temp.

 

If it's like 20F, I'll let it idle a few minutes to warm up if parked outside all night. Otherwise, if parked outside in the upper 30's or warmer or garaged, I pretty much drive it immediately, but I go easy (speed bumps in the housing tract help that out), then I gently accelerate up to a constant speed. It takes about 8 miles of driving to fully warm up the engine block. I think the LS's 3UZ lower block is aluminum vs. the cast iron in the LX and GX 2UZ, so it should warm up faster. The cast iron V8's take a lot of driving to warm up. If you don't warm it up sufficiently, the cylinder heads, which are always aluminum, expand faster than the colder, more massive lower block. And if you gun the engine, you add additional, unnecessary stress on the head gasket, whose job it is to keep in all the hot gasses/liquids with metals on either side expanding at different rates.

 

Correct me if I am wrong, Lexus manual does indicate that you do need to idle for a few minutes in cold weather. In warm weather or warm engine, I only let it idle for 10 seconds and 2-4 min in 30s degree. I do not rev the cold engine though.

 

well... thanks guys. thats proof what I read about worming up the car is not good.
I usually used to start the car and let it worm for about 5 min at least!!!! But from now on I will not leave more than 1 min.

 

Down here Its Really bad to just start up the engine and drive off i guess that shouldnt be done anywhere in the world example when you wakeup from your sleep your still in your bed trying to stretch your bones you just dont immediately get up and start running :/ i would never do that start the engine and move on i always wait for atleast 4 to 5 mins

 

no need to WARM them up,, that is why we use multi viscosity oil,, if it is cold the oil is thin to start flowing quickly for lubrication,,

really doubt that a minute does any warming except to the cylinders them selves,, the rest of the engine and coolant is still at ambient,,

Derry

 

I was saying like what you said. BUT after I read and read and what all the members and experiences said I changed my theory.

 

I only have the 2002 LS430 manual, and here is what it says about idling:

"Avoid lengthy warm–up idling. Once the engine is
running smoothly, begin driving – but gently. Remember,
however, that on cold winter days this may take a little
longer."

"Avoid long engine idling. If you have a long wait and you
are not in traffic, it is better to turn off the engine and start
again later."

"Do not drive, idle or park your vehicle over anything
that might burn easily such as grass, leaves, paper or
rags."

"Do not allow the engine to run at idle speed for more
than 20 minutes."

My startup procedure is: turn the car on, put my blackberry in the cigarette ashtray, put my gloves on, put my seatbelt on, find a song on my iPod and adjust volume, then start driving. This takes 30-60 seconds of engine idling.

Winter or summer, I always keep my revs under 2000rpm until the engine heat level is at the first notch (takes about 10 minutes of driving when it's -10C to -20C outside), and then light/normal driving until the middle/3rd notch (another 10 minutes when it's -10C to -20C). After the middle notch is reached, I can drive more aggressively if required.

 

My thing is what is so bad about warming up your engine? Other than I guess pollutants, what damage are you doing to your car. I always warm up my car before I drive off for at least 5-10 mins by remote start before i drive off on temp days below 30 degrees f. Reason being because, for one, I don't like to drive in a cold car when I can get in a a nice warm one and secondly anytime i drive off in a cold car the transmission shifts differently.....it would hold 2nd gear longer than usual until the engine warms up, and personally, I don't want to have to monitor my speed/rpms on my way to my destination.

 

AGREE WITH YOU 100%

I notice this today. It was my first time to drive the car without worming it up. I wanted to see and do like what other members are saying. and the result was like what you said, it shifted differently. you feel like the car doesn't respond fast like when its worm.