Maserati89

Hi everyone. I'm just wondering how long people usually warm up their cars for before they first drive it. People told me usually 5 mins depending on the weather if it is cold. But I heard warming up a car over time can mess up your catalytic converter. Is that true?

So what is the most effective way to warm up a car or how long should i do it for? Thanks.

wr332

i don't on a summer day( right now ), but on colder days i run it 2~3 mins before i drive it.

968racer

Your car will run rich & dump more fuel in the cylinders until the O2 sensors warm up. This extra fuel can run down cylinder walls & thin the oil. The quickest & best way to warm up your car is to drive it. That way your warming your transmission fluid & diff fluid as well. Regardless of the temp, you should start your car & drive away. Just keep the RPMs low until the engine warms up fully.

Maserati89

oooo great! i read alot of other forums and they say the same thing. start n go, and that way i save so much more gas too!!! Thanks alot!

RX330inFL

Start and go, however, I take it easy for the first few minutes while everything is warming up. Not hard due to where I live and how far it is to get to the roads.