Cold Weather Warm up Methods/Procedures

[RussToy]

Running a vehicle in a closed garage? Be careful of carbon monoxide poisoning. I know you say it's only for 30 seconds, but still...

Thank you Sir for your concern and the great safety advice!! My wife was also very concerned about the same things when we where building the garage...especially due to it being attached to the house!! Therefore, we have several CO2 detector both inside the garage and inside the house!

 

[Supermoney]

I always cringe a little when i hear someone go jump in their truck, start it up and the thing is in gear and they are pulling away before they've even let go of the key lol. I always let it run for a minute or so in the summer and if possible a few minutes in the winter before driving away.

I cringe at that too....at least let them damn idle drop to normal!

 

[02SE]

I let mine run for 30 seconds or so inside my heated garage...which, it usually stays between 60*-70* during the wintertime! As those 30 seconds are ticking by...I'm hitting the garage door button that starts opening the door...and a way we go!!

It's nice when you pull in...when you get home. I open the garage door and I back in. Once I'm parked...I'll close the garage door. So just as the door closes...I'll shut the engine off. That way you don't have to deal with any of the cold windy weather!! Although, it does take 30-45 mins to get the garage all warmed all the back up again!

Just an FYI, a heated garage for a vehicle that drives on salted roads, can REALLY speed up the formation of rust. Wash and inspect your frame and axle housing often.

 

[02SE]

I've been running synthetic oils in my entire drivetrain, since my 4Runner was only a few thousand miles old. In bitter cold temps, say -30° F, I'll start it up, and if I didn't have the block heater plugged in, I'll let it run long enough for the oil to circulate, say 30 seconds. Then put it in gear and drive gently until all of the drivetrain components have some heat in them.

I've been using that method for 17+ years now for the 4Runner. It still runs like new.

Sitting there idling for longer periods of time, just wastes fuel. With the engine running rich for long periods, the excess fuel being injected is also more likely to get past the rings, wash down the cylinder bores, and dilute the oil.

A so-called dynamic warm-up, wherein you start driving gently after minimal run time, warms the engine and the rest of the drivetrain up much more quickly. That's better for the engine, it reduces your emissions, and you'll have heat sooner too.

 

[NathanOfSeattle]

I've owned my 4Runner for over 100,000 miles now without any major issues beyond just regular maintenance. During that time, it has seen some very cold environments. I think it is a myth that you need to idle your car beyond a few seconds thanks to fuel injection. Personally I think idling to warm up just wastes gas and time. Driving is the best way to warm up. Even my mechanic told me it is an old myth that can't seem to go away. It is perfectly fine to just start it up and start driving.

https://ca.autos.yahoo.com/blogs/green/8-facts-myths-warming-car-winter-201000465.html

 

[slides]

lets face it, once the oil is circulating its fine to drive. I let mine warm up for at least a few minutes though since i have a remote starter and hate getting in a cold car.

The transmission temp is what always gets me, i have an external cooler and live a mile from the highway so it gets up to about 80f before i get on the highway but once im cruising it cools down to 60-64f for some time. It seems as though when i let off the gas it heats up then gets cold again once im on the gas again. Usualy when its cold (under 20f) it never gets above 95f while highway driving.

 

[PoshSnoop]

in the 2002 T4R Limited 4WD I just picked up on Wednesday, I'm following the instructions (page 210), which are sound advice in this case:

- after the engine runs for about 10 seconds, you are ready to drive
- if the weather is below freezing, let the engine warm up for a few minutes before driving

obligatory picture:

 

[beyond]

I've been running synthetic oils in my entire drivetrain, since my 4Runner was only a few thousand miles old. In bitter cold temps, say -30° F, I'll start it up, and if I didn't have the block heater plugged in, I'll let it run long enough for the oil to circulate, say 30 seconds. Then put it in gear and drive gently until all of the drivetrain components have some heat in them.

I've been using that method for 17+ years now for the 4Runner. It still runs like new.

Sitting there idling for longer periods of time, just wastes fuel. With the engine running rich for long periods, the excess fuel being injected is also more likely to get past the rings, wash down the cylinder bores, and dilute the oil.

A so-called dynamic warm-up, wherein you start driving gently after minimal run time, warms the engine and the rest of the drivetrain up much more quickly. That's better for the engine, it reduces your emissions, and you'll have heat sooner too.

I've owned my 4Runner for over 100,000 miles now without any major issues beyond just regular maintenance. During that time, it has seen some very cold environments. I think it is a myth that you need to idle your car beyond a few seconds thanks to fuel injection. Personally I think idling to warm up just wastes gas and time. Driving is the best way to warm up. Even my mechanic told me it is an old myth that can't seem to go away. It is perfectly fine to just start it up and start driving.

https://ca.autos.yahoo.com/blogs/green/8-facts-myths-warming-car-winter-201000465.html

in the 2002 T4R Limited 4WD I just picked up on Wednesday, I'm following the instructions (page 210), which are sound advice in this case:

- after the engine runs for about 10 seconds, you are ready to drive
- if the weather is below freezing, let the engine warm up for a few minutes before driving

obligatory picture:

YES! Thank you!

This is the type of info I was in search for. Reply Gold!!! (Although it all was very helpful)

Now I feel comfortable with my future freezing morning commutes haha

Thanks everyone for your helpful $.02s - Collin

 

[nissanh]

It is CO (carbon monoxide) that is very toxic

Thank you Sir for your concern and the great safety advice!! My wife was also very concerned about the same things when we where building the garage...especially due to it being attached to the house!! Therefore, we have several CO2 detector both inside the garage and inside the house!

Hi,
You need a CO sensors as these are very toxic for living beings. Carbon monoxide attaches to the hemoglobin iron atom in the blood and never leaves. However, carbon dioxide (CO2) can be added and removed from the iron in the hemoglobin.

If you have an attic entrance in the garage, run a big fan pulling air out of the garage into the attic and leave the garage door open few inches while the engine is running.

 

[aeroneer1]

Remote start about 10 mins before I go anywhere! That thing is gold in the winter.

When I was in auto class in high school the 80 year old auto master tech always preached about letting your car warm up before you get into the RPMs.

I too cringe when someone starts it up, slams it in gear, and takes off. One of my neighbors in a 3rd Gen does it all the time. Even if it's not cold outside, I let the thing circulate for 10 seconds before shifting into drive.

 

[AssBurns]

I live in a mountain town in So Cal called Forest Falls that's about 5600' elevation. During the winter it gets wells below freezing. I usually wake up around 3:30 for work. I wake up get dressed, make coffee, piss, brush teeth, go outside to start vehicle, make breakfast while wife makes lunch (about 10 min), then I'm on my way. Because I drive downhill for the first 20 minutes my temp gauge sometimes actually goes down when its below freezing while I'm driving. I try down shifting and using the throttle but i still cant always keep my temp up

 

[Monkeybutt2000]

We've been having negative temps here in the morning the past few weeks,but my routine really hasn't changed. Start the truck,buckle my seat belt,put in gear,adjust whatever and I drive out of my subdivision for my 6.5mi drive to work. Modern fuel injection is awesome,long gone are the days of actually "warming up" a carbed vehicle where it had an electric choke.

 

[02SE]

I live in a mountain town in So Cal called Forest Falls that's about 5600' elevation. During the winter it gets wells below freezing. I usually wake up around 3:30 for work. I wake up get dressed, make coffee, piss, brush teeth, go outside to start vehicle, make breakfast while wife makes lunch (about 10 min), then I'm on my way. Because I drive downhill for the first 20 minutes my temp gauge sometimes actually goes down when its below freezing while I'm driving. I try down shifting and using the throttle but i still cant always keep my temp up

It sounds like you should consider flushing your cooling system, and replacing your thermostat. A properly functioning thermostat will close if the ambient temps are cold enough, and will keep the coolant near the 180° F thermostat opening temperature, even when ambient temps are below -20° F.

Our factory temperature gauge, is really nothing more than a fancy idiot light. It reads in the 'Normal' range, (just below the halfway point) from approx. 158° F, to well over 200° F.

If you want to know the actual coolant temp., you'll need a Scangauge, Ultragauge, or an app for a smart phone to plug into your OBDII interface plug.

 

[lgc285]

transmission doesnt shift when cold, so I usually let it warm to operating temp then hit the road. I always feel like I am doing damage to the trans driving it cold, when the rpms are high and the transmission is not shifting..

 

[02SE]

Toyota intentionally designs their automatic transmission equipped vehicles to delay upshifting when cold, so the higher engine RPM warms the drivetrain up quicker.

 

[flighht2k5]

Let it sit and run just long enough for the oil to circulate around the engine. Thirty seconds to a minute is long enough.

Then drive it taking it easy for a mile or two.



At -16° a couple of weeks ago my water temperature was up to 130 in less than two miles from my home, and I go downhill for most of those two miles.

Oh boy, if it takes 30 seconds to a minute for the oil to circulate, there is an issue. That's a lot of damage being done. Within seconds the oil is flowing.

 

[02SE]

Oh boy, if it takes 30 seconds to a minute for the oil to circulate, there is an issue. That's a lot of damage being done. Within seconds the oil is flowing.

Actually it's start flowing, the instant the starter starts spinning the engine.

 

[Frontier719]

In CO, I usually let it run while I chip all the ice off the windows. On really cold days (-10 to 10 degs) I get a whistling noise for a few minutes until the engine is warm.

When the whistling goes away, then I'm good to go

 

[Monkeybutt2000]

In CO, I usually let it run while I chip all the ice off the windows. On really cold days (-10 to 10 degs) I get a whistling noise for a few minutes until the engine is warm.

When the whistling goes away, then I'm good to go

The "whistling" is your cutch fan engaged. When it warms up it disengages.

 

[flighht2k5]

Actually it's start flowing, the instant the starter starts spinning the engine.

It does