| Author |
Message |
Ryan
Guest
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 Posted:
Fri Dec 24, 2004 3:59 pm Post subject:
Starting/Driving a cold car questions |
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I keep seeing and hearing different opinions about this:
When it's cold outside (say 32 degrees or lower), what is the best way to
get a car going after it has been sitting and the engine is cold?
Years ago I read an article from some Q&A article in the newspaper. These
two guys said it's better for a car if you just get in and go. For
starters, the car will warm up quicker...plus there is something about that
it's easier on the engine. For years I have always drove this way...get in
and go. After about 1.5 to 2 miles, the car is at normal operating
temperature. Well, a co-worker at work said that you actually want to leave
them run to heat up the oil. His opinion (this was mostly for older cars)
was that if you don't allow the oil to heat up, it might ruin the
transmission.
So I am asking folks here: My previous car did have some transmission
problems, but that occurred after 100K miles. I know that the previous
owner did let it sit and heat up. I didn't, and I now wonder if it
eventually caused problems. This was in a V6 with 5w-30 motor oil. I now
have a 2000 Grand Am V6. This summer I switched from 5w-30 to 10w-30 Max
Life oil since the engine has over 100K on it now. The car actually runs
pretty well. I want to try to keep it as it will be paid off come February.
So, to the folks here....what is the best way to drive a cold car in the
winter? Let it warm up fully? Partially? Or just start driving and have
it warm up quicker? Is the cold oil that big of a problem with the
transmission? Granted I have not had a problem over the last 4 years,
however I am now using a heavy oil (first time using it this winter)...could
that make a difference?
PS: My owners manual says nothing about this in the book. At least not what
I could find.
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Reynaud
Guest
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| Posted:
Fri Dec 24, 2004 5:21 pm Post subject:
Re: Starting/Driving a cold car questions |
|
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"Ryan" <nomoremail@netzero.com> wrote in message
news:IESyd.249706$V41.213638@attbi_s52...
| Quote: | I keep seeing and hearing different opinions about this:
When it's cold outside (say 32 degrees or lower), what is the best way to
get a car going after it has been sitting and the engine is cold?
Years ago I read an article from some Q&A article in the newspaper. These
two guys said it's better for a car if you just get in and go. For
starters, the car will warm up quicker...plus there is something about
that
it's easier on the engine. For years I have always drove this way...get
in
and go. After about 1.5 to 2 miles, the car is at normal operating
temperature. Well, a co-worker at work said that you actually want to
leave
them run to heat up the oil. His opinion (this was mostly for older cars)
was that if you don't allow the oil to heat up, it might ruin the
transmission.
So I am asking folks here: My previous car did have some transmission
problems, but that occurred after 100K miles. I know that the previous
owner did let it sit and heat up. I didn't, and I now wonder if it
eventually caused problems. This was in a V6 with 5w-30 motor oil. I now
have a 2000 Grand Am V6. This summer I switched from 5w-30 to 10w-30 Max
Life oil since the engine has over 100K on it now. The car actually runs
pretty well. I want to try to keep it as it will be paid off come
February.
So, to the folks here....what is the best way to drive a cold car in the
winter? Let it warm up fully? Partially? Or just start driving and have
it warm up quicker? Is the cold oil that big of a problem with the
transmission? Granted I have not had a problem over the last 4 years,
however I am now using a heavy oil (first time using it this
winter)...could
that make a difference?
PS: My owners manual says nothing about this in the book. At least not
what
I could find.
#%*
Most people in Man. where it gets real cold just warm the vehicle for an few |
minutes and then drive slowly till the heater starts throwing heat
thereafter normal operation.
Rey |
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Robert Klauka
Guest
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| Posted:
Fri Dec 24, 2004 5:48 pm Post subject:
Re: Starting/Driving a cold car questions |
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Today's oils are much different from those of 20 years ago. They do not
thicken up in cold weather. Their chemical makeup is designed to keep them
fluid during 'normal' temps. (-10 to 100).
Just start the car and drive it. You will not increase wear on the moving
parts unless the oil level is low or the oil is extremely contaminated.
Bob K
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el Diablo
Guest
|
| Posted:
Fri Dec 24, 2004 7:07 pm Post subject:
Re: Starting/Driving a cold car questions |
|
|
"Reynaud" <sjimk@mts.net> wrote in message
news:dRTyd.5439$Ka6.35038@news1.mts.net...
| Quote: |
"Ryan" <nomoremail@netzero.com> wrote in message
news:IESyd.249706$V41.213638@attbi_s52...
I keep seeing and hearing different opinions about this:
When it's cold outside (say 32 degrees or lower), what is the best way
to
get a car going after it has been sitting and the engine is cold?
Years ago I read an article from some Q&A article in the newspaper.
These
two guys said it's better for a car if you just get in and go. For
starters, the car will warm up quicker...plus there is something about
that
it's easier on the engine. For years I have always drove this way...get
in
and go. After about 1.5 to 2 miles, the car is at normal operating
temperature. Well, a co-worker at work said that you actually want to
leave
them run to heat up the oil. His opinion (this was mostly for older
cars)
was that if you don't allow the oil to heat up, it might ruin the
transmission.
So I am asking folks here: My previous car did have some transmission
problems, but that occurred after 100K miles. I know that the previous
owner did let it sit and heat up. I didn't, and I now wonder if it
eventually caused problems. This was in a V6 with 5w-30 motor oil. I
now
have a 2000 Grand Am V6. This summer I switched from 5w-30 to 10w-30
Max
Life oil since the engine has over 100K on it now. The car actually
runs
pretty well. I want to try to keep it as it will be paid off come
February.
So, to the folks here....what is the best way to drive a cold car in the
winter? Let it warm up fully? Partially? Or just start driving and
have
it warm up quicker? Is the cold oil that big of a problem with the
transmission? Granted I have not had a problem over the last 4 years,
however I am now using a heavy oil (first time using it this
winter)...could
that make a difference?
PS: My owners manual says nothing about this in the book. At least not
what
I could find.
#%*
Most people in Man. where it gets real cold just warm the vehicle for an
few
minutes and then drive slowly till the heater starts throwing heat
thereafter normal operation.
Rey
|
Follow Reynaud's advice, you can't go wrong with a few minutes of war up in
cold weather. It allows the metals to start warming and expanding before
putting major stress on the engine and transmission.
Brian |
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shiden_kai
Guest
|
| Posted:
Sat Dec 25, 2004 4:47 am Post subject:
Re: Starting/Driving a cold car questions |
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Ryan wrote:
| Quote: | Years ago I read an article from some Q&A article in the newspaper.
These two guys said it's better for a car if you just get in and go.
For starters, the car will warm up quicker...plus there is something
about that it's easier on the engine. For years I have always drove
this way...get in and go. After about 1.5 to 2 miles, the car is at
normal operating temperature. Well, a co-worker at work said that
you actually want to leave them run to heat up the oil. His opinion
(this was mostly for older cars) was that if you don't allow the oil
to heat up, it might ruin the transmission.
So I am asking folks here: My previous car did have some transmission
problems, but that occurred after 100K miles. I know that the
previous owner did let it sit and heat up. I didn't, and I now
wonder if it eventually caused problems. This was in a V6 with 5w-30
motor oil. I now have a 2000 Grand Am V6. This summer I switched
from 5w-30 to 10w-30 Max Life oil since the engine has over 100K on
it now. The car actually runs pretty well. I want to try to keep it
as it will be paid off come February. So, to the folks here....what
is the best way to drive a cold car in the winter? Let it warm up
fully? Partially? Or just start driving and have it warm up
quicker? Is the cold oil that big of a problem with the
transmission? Granted I have not had a problem over the last 4
years, however I am now using a heavy oil (first time using it this
winter)...could that make a difference?
PS: My owners manual says nothing about this in the book. At least
not what I could find.
|
Just start the car and drive it. If it's really cold and you are parked
outside,
you will likely have to scrape the windows and get the ice off. This is
enough
time for the engine to run before you start off. As far as I'm concerned
and
by personal experience, there is no advantage to letting the car run for a
while.
This used to be the normal way of doing things when you had a carbureted
vehicle, back then...it made sense. You didn't want to drive right away as
the car would often stall. With fuel injected vehicles and the oil that we
are
using these days...it makes no difference whether you warm it up or just
drive it.
Ian |
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Guest
|
| Posted:
Sat Dec 25, 2004 7:49 am Post subject:
Re: Starting/Driving a cold car questions |
|
|
On Fri, 24 Dec 2004 09:07:01 -0500, "el Diablo" <nomail@spam.not>
wrote:
| Quote: |
"Reynaud" <sjimk@mts.net> wrote in message
news:dRTyd.5439$Ka6.35038@news1.mts.net...
"Ryan" <nomoremail@netzero.com> wrote in message
news:IESyd.249706$V41.213638@attbi_s52...
I keep seeing and hearing different opinions about this:
When it's cold outside (say 32 degrees or lower), what is the best way
to
get a car going after it has been sitting and the engine is cold?
Years ago I read an article from some Q&A article in the newspaper.
These
two guys said it's better for a car if you just get in and go. For
starters, the car will warm up quicker...plus there is something about
that
it's easier on the engine. For years I have always drove this way...get
in
and go. After about 1.5 to 2 miles, the car is at normal operating
temperature. Well, a co-worker at work said that you actually want to
leave
them run to heat up the oil. His opinion (this was mostly for older
cars)
was that if you don't allow the oil to heat up, it might ruin the
transmission.
So I am asking folks here: My previous car did have some transmission
problems, but that occurred after 100K miles. I know that the previous
owner did let it sit and heat up. I didn't, and I now wonder if it
eventually caused problems. This was in a V6 with 5w-30 motor oil. I
now
have a 2000 Grand Am V6. This summer I switched from 5w-30 to 10w-30
Max
Life oil since the engine has over 100K on it now. The car actually
runs
pretty well. I want to try to keep it as it will be paid off come
February.
So, to the folks here....what is the best way to drive a cold car in the
winter? Let it warm up fully? Partially? Or just start driving and
have
it warm up quicker? Is the cold oil that big of a problem with the
transmission? Granted I have not had a problem over the last 4 years,
however I am now using a heavy oil (first time using it this
winter)...could
that make a difference?
PS: My owners manual says nothing about this in the book. At least not
what
I could find.
#%*
Most people in Man. where it gets real cold just warm the vehicle for an
few
minutes and then drive slowly till the heater starts throwing heat
thereafter normal operation.
Rey
Follow Reynaud's advice, you can't go wrong with a few minutes of war up in
cold weather. It allows the metals to start warming and expanding before
putting major stress on the engine and transmission.
Brian
As a mechanic, my advice is start the car, get out and make sure your |
headlights, tail-lights and licence plates are free of snow and the
wipers not frozen to the windshield. Scrape the windsheild if
necessary, then drive away gently. Do not "push" the car untill the
temperature guage comes off the bottom or you start to get heat from
the heater, then progressively increase your power.
This "warmup" before putting in gear and driving away should be
minimum 15 seconds - 2 minutes. That is generally sufficient - and
gentle driving warms the engine, transmission, final drive, and wheel
bearings together.
Warming the car up for 10 minutes then driving like a bat out of hell
is very hard on final drive and bearings, and can also be hard on
transmissions. |
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James C. Reeves
Guest
|
| Posted:
Sat Dec 25, 2004 7:49 am Post subject:
Re: Starting/Driving a cold car questions |
|
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Start it and go. Been doing that for 30+ years with only one tranny issue
at 26K miles on a 1979 Ford LTD (knock on wood), which was a problem caused
from a factory assembly defect. And I mostly drive Chryslers (that are
known for tranny issues!) with a few Fords and GMs thrown in for good
measure. The key is drive them relatively easily the first mile or two. |
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