Do u mean warming it up by letting it idle for 5 minutes or plugging in your block heater? I drove my car once when it was really cold, cuz i was late for work, and it was really hard to shift and it was obvious the engine was struggling by the weird noise it was making.

 

Sorry What I meant is should I let my truck idle for atleast 5 mins every morning before driving it would this have a negative effect on my engine in the long run if I don't warm my engine up.

 

Yes. By doing that the engine may get warmed up some, but the rest of the drivetrain remains cold. You start accellerating thinking everythings all warm, but what your actually doing is putting much more stress on the rest of the drivetrain where the fluids and parts are still cold. You'd be better off to start it up, put it in gear, and sit for about a minute to let most of the fluids start to get circulated. Then drive away, just take it easy and slow for the first 10 mins. The components will actually warm up faster this way and more importantly, evenly.

 

I have to disagree (with those that suggest idling to warm up).

In very cold climates, warming with engine block and battery heaters is a good idea.
However, sitting for 5 or 10 minutes in the driveway is a waste of fuel.
Driving "gently", avoiding jack rabbit starts and hard acceleration is much better. Idling (with or without the tranny in gear) will circulate the fluids and warm them (except the differentials, transfer cases,etc) but that can happen just as easily while driving if you don't drive harshly.

It's better to start, and drive off with non-abusive accelerations than to sit for 5 minutes and then drive like a maniac. Give your vehicle the 10 minutes of easy driving to warm it up.

The manual probably says as much, and most reference sources will as well.

 

Here in Germany it is against the law to idle your car for more than 2 minutes. I start my truck and go, no idling. I feel sorry enough for my neighbors at 4:30 when the beast rumbles to life anyway, no need to torture them. I use rain-X anti fog on the inside so my windows don't fog up, and scrape the ice off before I get in. In your driveway your truck gets 0 MPG.

 

Here in Germany it is against the law to idle your car for more than 2 minutes.

It is against the law in other places as well, like here where I live. Get a cop having a bad morning, and you will get a ticket.

What the hell for? Global warming? LOL ROFL! :lol::lol::lol::lol:

 

It is against the law in other places as well, like here where I live. Get a cop having a bad morning, and you will get a ticket.

 

Just get in the car and drive. I let it idle for as long as it takes to put on my sunglasses, my seatbelt, and put it in D. My development has a 20mph speed limit with speed bumps and I live a mile back and that's plenty warm up for the truck.

That's just so pathetic. What the heck is going on.. Thank you Sierra Club.

 

The manual basically states what others have posted. Start the truck and drive away easy till its warmed up. It is a waste of gas to sit and idle for 10 minutes.

 

I don't know about anyone else....

When its cold - I always let my vehicles idle for 5-10 minutes before I get in them. I've been doing it for years on various vehicles.

Yeah, it's a waste of gas - and I honestly don't worry about that. I do this mostly for comfort....I hate the cold weather, I hate getting into a cold vehicle, and I hate grabbing onto a cold steering wheel. I personally don't function well when it's cold and sitting in a cold environment. Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr..... Yeah, I'm hoping Santa brings me some heated seat elements for Christmas. :clap:

 

I think that you should let the truck warm up. I know that it does not heat up the tranny, but it will bring your engine oil up to temp before you start moving. It wont hurt too much if you get in and drive easy for the first 10 mins, but listen to this, stress on all parts of an engine increase exponentionally as engine speed increases. Oil thats not fully up to temp is more viscus and will not protect as well. As for the tranny, diff and transfer case. you just gotta drive to warm them up.

 

12 degrees the other day i started it and went, less then 3 min later i was on the highway. never had a problem. As long as you start it and let it sit for like 40 seconds the oil is through the engine and your good.

 

I usually let the truck idle for 5 minutes or so. I have a remote start so I don't have to venture into the snow covered driveway to do so. It works for me and I'm sticking to it. Ever watch someone who throws a cold vehicle into drive as soon as the engine comes to life? A tower of blackish blue smoke usually comes from the tailpipe. Good or not I don't know. I always have let my engines warm a little before driving. Anyone know what happens when a piston expands quicker than the cylinder?

Even with a warm engine you still have to keep in mind the tranny isn't up to temp. Some co workers will idle their vehicle in neutral (AT) as they say it circulates and warms the fluid. I can't verify that myth though.

 

I think it's a good idea to just let it idle long enough to get past that "fast idle" stage, when RPMS drop to around 1K or less. For mine, this is usually around a minute in cold weather, less in warm weather.

 

When you get in and just drive, you man not see any damage that is being done, but it is a slow wear that is happening within, and when you add up all the time you do it, it will probably shorten the life of the engine. If not ideling an engine was ok, then why do people use block heater and dealerships sell them? becasue it helps to get things warm before you drive. I.E. letting the truck warm for 5 mins ideling does the same thing, right? if you just get in and drive your stressing your engine without proper warm up.

 

Just keep in mind an engine at idle (no movement) = 0 mpg. Just my .02

 

What in God's name are you implying? Please tell me you're not saying that if you're not moving, you're not using gas.

...either that, or you're captain obvious, and you're confirming that by not moving you're getting zero miles per gallon burned. :slap:

 

I've heard the best thing to do is start & drive.
Now that is what I used to do when my truck was parked in the garage. Now that my truck is parked outside, I have a remote starter and let it warm up. My bad!

 

I solved the problem by renting a spot in the heated parking garage in my apartment complex Overpriced apartment amenities ftw!.

 

I've always been taught to warm my vehicles for at least 5 minutes before i drive them. I'm not bothering anybody with it sitting there. I dont believe i'm wasting any gas either, my mileage is always a constant 20MPG. Just IMO...

 

I've always been taught to warm my vehicles for at least 5 minutes before i drive them. I'm not bothering anybody with it sitting there. I dont believe i'm wasting any gas either, my mileage is always a constant 20MPG. Just IMO...

Warming up the equipment is valid -if you're going to heavily load it. But for normal or mild driving, there's no point to it -and manufacturers point that out in the manuals. And yes, you are wasting gasoline. (Your engine is running, burning fuel, and you're not getting any closer to where you intend to go.) If it's really cold, drive conservatively until it warms -or do whatever you want, it is yours to burn. But if you want to make the decision on a technical basis, don't sit idle for 10 minutes -drive.

 

Warm up your engine.. just think about whats goin on in there.

expanding metal.. part flying around at several hundred rpms...

yikes. i let mine alway warm up... never lost a motor.. never had a smoker...

cheers
Wart

 

i just get in and go. take it easy to let it warm up. if it was parked outside overnight, it would take half an hour to warm the tranny/clutch up. in my turck, the cluctch pedal becomes harder to push in, and when you left off the cluctch, the pedal will stay down for a few seconds. weird.

but now i have agarage so it doesn't really matter.

 

i just get in and go. take it easy to let it warm up. if it was parked outside overnight, it would take half an hour to warm the tranny/clutch up. in my turck, the cluctch pedal becomes harder to push in, and when you left off the cluctch, the pedal will stay down for a few seconds. weird.

but now i have agarage so it doesn't really matter.

excuse me, your clu7ch does what?

 

do those of you that idle your truck for 5 minutes also warm up the brakes? Cold breaks and hard breaking can lead to warped rotors you know.

 

i just let the oil pressure come up and go.

 

The ECU is trying to get out of "closed loop". The faster the engine warms,
the better. It is designed to be driven to warm up.

 

Just understand the stresses applied to a engine at load, at slow easy driving or hard driving. It is pretty hard on a motor that is trying to expand and lub itself. Hey gas is not a problem when the benifit is a longer engine life. Where is the line that a person should drive "gentle" to warm it up. So the harder you drive the worse it is for you motor. So with that logic, not driving at all can do no harm what so ever and damage will increase as you put more load on an engine. and even gently driving will apply load so that will cause some damage.

 

As you wish. You can think it thru on your own, or you can follow the advice of engineers that design equipment for a living. (fwiw, the engine is -or damned sure better be, "lub"ed by the time you take your hand off the key, press the brake, and put it in gear -unless you're trying to race it. As for thermal expansion, nobody wants to read the disertation that would come from debating that.)

 

They may write that as advice, but who is to say that it is the best way to do it. they can say to change your oil every 5000 miles, but do you think an engine can last longer doing it every 1000 miles.(and i know no one will do it evey 1000 miles, its just an example). The toyota way is not always the best way. PS im a mechanical engineer myself and studied engines

 

ROTFLMAO:lol:

 

Amen, to each his own i guess

 

wow

I like to sit in the driveway and hold the engine at 6000 rpm until it is warm. It's quicker. You guys are funny.

 

3-5 minutes wont hurt anything, it will allow the rpms to drop to normal at the very least before you put it in gear/engage clutch. I warm my snowmobile the same way but usually for longer. But truthfully this debate will never end and we'll never know who's way is actually better so whether you let idle for a few, take right off, or start it and floor it for 2 minutes i hope it works for u