Drive it cold or let her warm up?

[swynx]

I wanna say that its an old tale but no worry. Top gear? Or the myth busters? Did a segmemt on cars in the cold. I let mine warm up tho. Can't hurt

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

When it is 15* or colder I usually let it run for about 10 minutes to warm up. It really helps it get up to temp once I get moving and the tranny feels more cooridinated. Also it is just getting up to temp by the time I get to work if I don't warm it up, you still get a little of the snot on the oil cap but I think it helps if it gets up to temp for longer periods of time. Direct cold start I am 7/8 the way to work before I get good heat, let it idle for 10 and I have it in half a mile, huge difference even though the needle is still pegged out cold when I jump in to go. On really cold days the power steering makes some hateful noises when I first start it, for better or worse I like to have it warm up sitting there than steering the truck. Good defroster heat also helps freezing precip scour off the windshield with the wipers. I still take it easy, but it is nice not shivering so hard my back hurts in addition to everything else related to a cold truck.

IMO I feel it is well worth the few cents in gas it costs to have a warm truck being lubed like it was supposed to.

 

[Slammin Sam]

Mine has a factory block heater that still works after 24 years! If the weather-guessers predict single digit lows, I usually plug it in. Then I let it idle while I scrape the windows, about 3-4 minutes.

 

[racsan]

i dont let mine warm up, once the oil pressure has fully came up, its off and running. i have a short 6 mile trip to work, and only 2 miles of that is at highway speed, the rest is through town. i do have a grille cover during the winter so it can get up to temperature sooner, by the time i get to work, its just getting warm. i do let it get fully up to temperature before shutting it off.

 

[swynx]

If I may ask what is it in the carburetors that make them not run right when cold. Whatever that is the efi must not have it

 

[gw33gp]

In SoCal where it rarely gets much below 40, I just start it up and take off within 30 seconds. I do drive it easy for the first couple miles. If it is near freezing I think it is a good idea to let the engine warm up a minute or two. The colder it is the longer the warm up time should be.

This is especially true with the more modern engines and the use of mixed metal components. Aluminum and steel have different thermal expansion rates. Gaskets expand more with higher temperatures also. Driving with the engine cold is not that bad as long as the rpm and stress on the engine is low.

 

[naford]

Just start it up and clean it off if necessary. Seatbelt on, heat on, radio on, cellphone in cup holder. Off we go. Take it nice and easy on the gas. This is easy when leaving from home. The only thing I do that I think helps out a lot is I will drive it for longer periods after it is warmed up. I have even taken it on the highway to let the fluids heat up. I know that in the past they have talked about wax in the oil becoming a solid and also moisture in oil. So by running the truck longer and at highway speeds for a couple of miles it helps to evaporate the water that should then be pulled into the intake and burned with the gas. The wax should also melt.

 

[racsan]

If I may ask what is it in the carburetors that make them not run right when cold. Whatever that is the efi must not have it

carburetors have a choke that comes into play when the engine is cold, will cause reduced airflow/more fuel until the choke goes off, choke is either controllled by a heated coil that gradually pulls it open or ive seen some that had a steel line going to a exhaust manifold and used heat from the manifold to let the choke open as the motor warmed up. the I.A.C. valve (on fords) took the place of the choke, not sure about gm systems, theres more than one, and its possible the newer fords could be using something different by now...theres so much more computer-controlled stuff now, sensors and stuff, it lets the engine be more effieceint, pollute less and start/drive better than they used to "back in the day". heck, i had a very dirty air cleaner i just changed a month ago, had been in the truck probly 4 years, in a carb engine, it would have caused a few issues, one of them being using more fuel, but i noticed nothing, cause the computer adjusted things and made the engine run on the same level as if it had a new clean air filter. (a carb engine would have acted like the choke was on) i remember my moms maverick back in the day, at the same spot every day, it would stumble, probly the choke coming off but the motor wasnt quite warmed up yet to run without it.
link-->http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carburator

 

[Mark_88]

If I may ask what is it in the carburetors that make them not run right when cold. Whatever that is the efi must not have it

For some reason I couldn't quote this from the post...but, anyway, as mentioned by racsan the choke plays a big part in the start/warm up...but my truck hasn't had a choke since I put the current carb in...and it simply will not start in cold weather...anything below -10* C and I can crank it all day and it won't start without manually choking it...but if I plug the block heater in and let it warm up for about an hour (depending on how cold it is) it will start every time first crank...

So I think part of the problem has to do with block temperature...and carbs will NOT run properly without a bit of a warm up after starting...mine spits, sputters and sometimes stalls if I try to drive it right after starting in cold weather...

 

[BLOODBANE]

When I lived in Gunnison CO, I would let things warm up real good (no garage, block heater, and average temps well below zero). Coldest I ever seen it (my Ranger as well)was -55 (no windchill). Everything was cold (the C-6 whined pretty good at start up). I live in a much better climate now and still let everything I drive run a little bit before driving. Easier to make sure things are moving like they should at home, rather than the side of the highway, broke down.

 

[swynx]

If I may ask what is it in the carburetors that make them not run right when cold. Whatever that is the efi must not have it

For some reason I couldn't quote this from the post...but, anyway, as mentioned by racsan the choke plays a big part in the start/warm up...but my truck hasn't had a choke since I put the current carb in...and it simply will not start in cold weather...anything below -10* C and I can crank it all day and it won't start without manually choking it...but if I plug the block heater in and let it warm up for about an hour (depending on how cold it is) it will start every time first crank...

So I think part of the problem has to do with block temperature...and carbs will NOT run properly without a bit of a warm up after starting...mine spits, sputters and sometimes stalls if I try to drive it right after starting in cold weather...

when I hard a carburator. I had to warm it up before driving it. Or else it'd just die when youbgave it gas

 

[adsm08]

If I may ask what is it in the carburetors that make them not run right when cold. Whatever that is the efi must not have it

Well in the 1800s when the carburetor as invented they didn't have the technology to actively adjust the fuel mix to the conditions as they changed. Since it spends more time at temp than cold the mix is set to run warm and there was another plate (the choke) that was supposed to be closed while the engine was cold to block air, increase vacuum, and richen the mix until it warms up.

In the 21st century we have the technology to allow the computer to adjust the fuel mix to running conditions as they change. Much more accurate and reliable. So it's isn't what carbs have the EFI doesn't, it's was EFI can do that carbs can't.




I have said it before, I will say it again, and there is now, and I'm sure always will be, some nay-sayer that disagrees. Carbs were a neat idea in their time. Now they are an obsolete throw-back to a century past, nothing more than a toilet bowl you bolt on the top of your engine.

 

[tmcalavy]

Carbs were a necessary curse back in the day. Too cold or too damp or too hot caused problems cause you had so many moving parts regulating the laws of physics and gas/vapor. Impatience meant minutes/hours by the side of the road...had to treat em' like your best gal with the lunar flu...easy does it, easy does it.

 

[96Indyram]

I have said it before, I will say it again, and there is now, and I'm sure always will be, some nay-sayer that disagrees. Carbs were a neat idea in their time. Now they are an obsolete throw-back to a century past, nothing more than a toilet bowl you bolt on the top of your engine.

holley predator carb ( the flying toilet)!

I am not a nay-sayer that disagrees that EFI is awesome....... when it works...but when something goes wrong it is a PITA to troubleshoot.

I guess I am old fashoned...I love the simplicity of carbs and non-electronic iginition. I was never stranded on the side of the road in any of my old outdated obsolete vehicles. A extra set of points in the glove box with a matchbook was usually all one needed....But I have been stranded in my newer EFI vehicles because some sensor went out or the PCM fried.
And have been stranded MANY times because of the electric in tank fuel pump crapped out ( always with a full tank to!).....never once with a old mechanical fuel pump.

I like manual chokes on my carbs, and can adjust them as needed from the drivers seat.

I live in KS...pretty flat..no hills..no elevation changes. A carb can get finiky in cold weather...but thats ok.

And one may never know.......We could get hit with a EMP...from a solar flare or by other means.... and them "throw-back to a century past" vehicles will be the only things still running.


And as for the topic of the thread....... I let them warm up a few minutes before driving.

 

[4x4junkie]

I let mine warm up for a minute or two, then drive gently until it's up to full temp.

If it's cold out (less than 40°F) I'll give it an additional minute or two before starting off.

Wasn't mentioned, but in addition to other factors already mentioned, cylinder wall wear is increased by driving with a cold engine also.

I am not a nay-sayer that disagrees that EFI is awesome....... when it works...but when something goes wrong it is a PITA to troubleshoot.

There's another difference though... Things rarely go wrong with EFI. I think in the 20 years I've had my vehicles, only once have I had anything go wrong with the EFI, which only caused it to run poorly, not stall out or leave me stranded (and I do agree, it was a PITA to troubleshoot, though it was mostly my own fault for sticking a K&N air cleaner on it).