Do you warm up?

**Pauly** · 04-03-2008 01:39 PM

Hi guys and gals,

Just did a quick search but couldnt find any threads on warming up the car before you drive.
I was just wondering if you let your euro warm up before you drive it?? If so for how long??

Every time i start the euro i wait until the tempreture gauge needle is a bit above the bottom white line before i take off.. This takes approx 2 minutes as the needle starts well below the white line.

Also by doing this are there any benefits, such as preventing engine wear.

**akina** · 04-03-2008 01:57 PM

i just wait until my revs drop a little bit.

**EuroDude** · 04-03-2008 03:21 PM

If you keep the revs near the idle speed (around 1500rpm-2000rpm) then its ok to drive off straight away, but its still better to warm the engine up completely before driving off.

The most damage is done when you rev the engine high when its cold.

**Bo0o0ost** · 04-03-2008 03:33 PM

I agree with EuroDude

Its always best to warm up and cool down any car but you have to take into consideration what kind of driving your going to be doing
If you drive normally and sensibly you can take off and turn it off when your finished straight away but when your thrashing it all through the rev range its always better to give the car a chance to come back down to normal temps regardless if the temperature increases or not.

**EuroDude** · 04-03-2008 03:43 PM

It depends, I mean if you drive off straight away and go up a steep hill at low revs, you are putting excessive load on the engine which is virtually the same as revving it high.

If its a freezing cold 3c winter day, you should warm it up for at least a few minutes before driving off.

**Blitzen** · 04-03-2008 03:47 PM

come'on... idling dosn't waste that much fuel...

please warm up, I read some scientific article telling us not to because environmental polution and necessity in question to mechanical damage, but I don't believe them, apparently the Canadian gov dose, and implementing laws to ban engine idling in the snowy alps...

look... you've only got to try it your self, I didn't warm up my dad's big bore V6 Prado and drove it off, and every time I apply throtle, I just feel bad to do such thing to it, the sound is not pleasent, and i'm sure - mechanically, it was not good for it

it's like excercise, you ever do it? you have to warm up first, orelse the next thing you tend to experience is injury

**Pauly** · 04-03-2008 04:07 PM

The way i see it is, its better to wait 2 minutes and warm it up, then driving straight away and run the risk of having engine troubles later on.

2 minutes of idling is not going to cost you in petrol anywhere near as much as fixing your engine will cost.

**Exar Kun** · 04-03-2008 04:14 PM

Everything I've ever read on this indicates that you do not let the car idle to warm up. The idle state of the engine is a compromise - it's much happier being driven under some load - that engineers are essentially forced to include in the engine. You should drive away pretty much straight away but keep revs and load low until the engine reaches normal operating temperature. It will warm the engine up much quicker which is better for it and better for your fuel bill too.

**JasonGilholme** · 04-03-2008 04:29 PM

I agree with exar kun.

Just make sure you take it easy until its warm and you'll be fine. prolonged idling to warm the car up can cause glazing of the cylinder bores.

**tony1234** · 04-03-2008 05:16 PM

Originally Posted by JasonGilholme

I agree with exar kun.

Just make sure you take it easy until its warm and you'll be fine. prolonged idling to warm the car up can cause glazing of the cylinder bores.

Agreed.i idle my car for approx.15-20 seconds then slowly accelerate through the gears not taking it above 2.5k RPM until` the temp.gauge has risen 1/4-1/3 of the way from cold.7