[MacDaddy]

When cold starting a Zook engine, is it ok to just start and go, or better let the engine up first ?

I am old school, and Always let my engine warm up first, before i drive anywhere... but a family friend has said, that with the modern engines and oils, there is no need to warm the engine up first, just start it and go, and warming the engine also wastes fuel... to me this just doesnt sound right

However, i thought i would throw it up here, and get a definitive answer, so it may benefit others as well !

[rick1970]

Yeah, i'm still from the let it warm up a bit school of things. I at least drive very sedatly till its up to temp.

[SierraDan]

On carby cars (my Sierra) I warm it up to operating temperature before I go.
On modern injected computerized cars I let it warm up for a minute or two.

And on both I stay out if the high rpm range until it's warm.

[stollie]

i always give it time to warm up before taking of
dont think the waste of fuel is much of an arguement .. no different to sitting at a set of traffic lights

[Teracis]

True, I just head off, only problem with not warming it up is the fact that it will stall really easy.

The only engines I bother to warm up are the bike (because it revs so high) and I used to let the boat engine warm up because it would stall and then could be quite hard to get started again, which was a pita when you're out on the water...

[ajsr]

engines are still operating on the same basic principals as they did 50 years ago, they have hot and cold tolerences (yes they may be closer these days) but both require them to get up to some sort of temp before you load them up . but they are designed to be running in the hot range, and until then shit is really just slopping around in there hopeing your oil will protect it.

modern oils will help plotect you engine better at start and inital load up , due to the speed they allow you to get oil pressure , and improved sheer properties. but thats a lot to ask of your poor oil.

on a lot of modern common rail diesels the ecu will only allow about 1/4 to a 1/3 boost untill it deems the engine warm enough to handle it as its possible to FLOAT the head and blow the head gaskets due to tolerences no being up to spec.

my belief a couple of minute warmup is a good investment in the life of your engine.

[shakes]

To encourage some discussion, The other school of thought I've heard is an idling engine doesnt always bring your oil pressure up high enough quick enough and can do damage to the motor...

I'm with AJ, couple of minute warm up, and drive sedatly for the first few minutes.

[whincup]

with my sierra, i let it sit for a minute or two then drive like an old granny for the first 5 or so minutes. my other car which is much newer, i just start and go, however i also drive that like an old grandma for the first few minutes...

[billrogers]

On my older carby cars of yester, warm up was somewhat a necessity...
splutter ,, cough,,, stalling.....
On my later ecu/mpi motors warm up has become redundant... possibly for the worse....
* A little warm up time will certainly not do any damage.
*Arguments would favour some "warm up"
Just my 1 cents worth !! Bill

[Scrawny]

My diesel Prado I try to warm up a little then drive sedately till it is warm. My work van- 08 Hiace diesel- I just jump in and go. Queensland never really gets that cold so not a big deal. When in sub zero temps I would let it warm up for a while.

[SierraDan]

My work van I just jump in and go too. Fiat ducato TD. but I don't thrash it till it's warm.

[alien]

i always "warm" mine up... never till its actually at driving temperature, but it at least gets a few minutes before i start driving, and i avoid revving it too hard till its up to temp.

[zook95]

in my sierra i have no choice but to sit there and warm it up because if i dont it has shitt all power it wouldnt even get up the driveway until its warm it has no power wat so ever lol but even if it did i would always warm it up aniway

[BUZOOKA]

with my cars i used 2 start em and have a smoke .. let em warm up while i warm up lol .. but it depends if im running late lol then neither get a warm up

[abclarke]

Kinda related, didnt think id bother making a new thread about it though. My temp guage even after sitting on the highway at 80kmh still sits jsut above the bottom.

Any ideas what it would be? Id like to know if the things burning its nuts off

[dm90]

if i dont warm the lj up, it wont go anywhere

[MacDaddy]

I was just reading the GV manual... and under " Improving Fuel Economy ", it says, " When warming up a cold engine, allow the engine to idle until the temperature gauge comes up to the " C " position, in this position, the engine is sufficiently warm for starting off. "

When i warm the engine up, i wait till the pointer is just above the " C "...

I usually go start the engine, make a cuppa, drink it, and by the time i am finished, it is warm enough, easy !

[sando]

abclarke wrote:

Kinda related, didnt think id bother making a new thread about it though. My temp guage even after sitting on the highway at 80kmh still sits jsut above the bottom.

Any ideas what it would be? Id like to know if the things burning its nuts off

Does it take ages to warm up? Chances are the thermostat has had it. I would be replacing your thermostat and flushing the coolant system while you are at it.

[steak_knife]

abclarke wrote:

Kinda related, didnt think id bother making a new thread about it though. My temp guage even after sitting on the highway at 80kmh still sits jsut above the bottom.

Any ideas what it would be? Id like to know if the things burning its nuts off

put yo hand on the radiator, if you can hold you hand there for more than 5sec, it's not "burning its nuts off"....

Check your thermostat....

[mondo]

stollie wrote:

i always give it time to warm up before taking of
dont think the waste of fuel is much of an arguement .. no different to sitting at a set of traffic lights

regarding the wasting fuel at traffic lights, in germany, if you have to stop at a set of lights that have just turned red, you have to turn your car off. its illegal to leave the car sitting there idling for minutes at a time at every traffic light. and no i don't know how they enforce this law, but it seems to be a driving habit over there.

[dogbox]

let the engine fast idle till oil pressure is up then drive sedately till up to operating temp
which in modern cars by the time your out of the driveway an around the corner she is up to operating temp

[cairns27]

I'd love to let mine warm up, but the black shit that comes out the exhaust is hard to get off walls and statesman; I start, and get out of the carport.

bye

[PJ.zook]

What a lot of people forget, is if you warm up your engine and then drive, your engine may be warm, but your gearbox and diff are still stone cold. The best way is start your engine and let it idle for a minute or two, then drive sedately for a bit... unless you drive a work van. In that case, first is already selected and the clutch is being released at the same time you are turning the key to start the engine.

[SierraDan]

PJ.zook wrote:

What a lot of people forget, is if you warm up your engine and then drive, your engine may be warm, but your gearbox and diff are still stone cold. The best way is start your engine and let it idle for a minute or two, then drive sedately for a bit... unless you drive a work van. In that case, first is already selected and the clutch is being released at the same time you are turning the key to start the engine.

Haha so true. I'm glad it's not just me.

[Taylor74]

I beleve spend 100 bucks on oil a ltr and drive it cold how you want, modern oils have improved so has the output of modern cars meaning there is no difference from the old days, let it get some warmth before sticking the boot into it.

[MacDaddy]

cairns27 wrote:

I'd love to let mine warm up, but the black shit that comes out the exhaust is hard to get off walls and statesman; I start, and get out of the carport.

bye

That black shit is from the standard unleaded, it has alot of Sulphur in it, you can smell it sometimes, its not a very clean burning fuel, mix it will cold morning moisture/dew, and it drips/sprays it out your exhaust... if you havnt already, and can afford it, switch to premium unleaded, it burns cleaner, and has only a little Sulphur in it... should make alot more mess... other than that, change the direction of your exhaust outlet, and put a drip tray or something under it...

[SuziBlu]

The statesman manuel says, start and drive, about a 30 sec run up. The Vitara, coffs and farts like an 80 year old smoker till it is warm, the toy, no choke, start, run till ya settle ya bum in, seat belt on, then away.

Run up time will depend greatly on your ambient temperature, if your north, and into the 30s, there will be a much shorter run up time than say if you are in snow country.

[zukenutter]

My old Sierra was warmed for 99% of cold starts for it's entire life and when I sold it at 230,000 the original, never been opened engine was still purring like a kitten. No smoke, started first crank every time.

New skool say not needed but this Old skooler says experience proves it. Show me a Sierra 1.3 that hasn't been warmed with 230,000 that's never been opened, runs as new and maybe I'll reconsider.

I've always been a warmer.

[SuziBlu]

Carbys, yes, high tech computer controlled injected, hmmm, I do as the manuel says.

[weaves]

My warm up routine is, start the car, open the gates, drive out, close the gates... then its a gentle drive down to the lights. After that its on for young and old.

i have always warmed up for a minute, then drove sedately till it reaches operating temp.