warming engine

justwatchme · 11-29-2004, 01:39 AM

im not really sure if we have to warm up our engine in cold weather just like normal cars or can we just start and go? I know it's not very good for regular cars to just start up cold and start moving.

V8Cobrakid · 11-29-2004, 01:54 AM

Just go. Your dealer *should* have told you this. But then again, he or she is just a dealer. It's designed to warm up when driving. It also warms up faster when driving. All you're going to do when sitting, is make your MPG drop a lot and pollute.

daniel · 11-29-2004, 08:40 AM

All modern cars should be started and driven immediately. Conventional cars benefit from maybe 5 seconds to let the oil pressure come up. The Prius does not even start its ICE for ten seconds or so. The moment the Ready light comes on, it's ready to drive.

Having said that, if it's colder than about fifteen degrees below zero, I pre-heat the car to get some heat into the cab before i get into it. This is for me, not for the engine. The engine is fine. But even with winter gloves and socks, I'm too much of a wimp to sit in a car colder than 15 below zero. A heated garage would be nice.

8AA · 11-29-2004, 08:46 AM

On an old fashioned car (I don't like the term "normal"

), you don't have to wait for the engine to warm up, you only need to wait a moment for the oil to distribute itself before putting a load on the engine.

disneydad · 11-29-2004, 08:59 AM

You might consider a Block Heater, this will keep your engine block and oil warm. I've heard that this is standard on Canadian models. I'm planning on using it with a timer to pre-warm my engine a few hours before i need to leave in the morning. Even with the lite weight oils these cars require, warm oil would have to cut down on engine ware.

Hytec · 11-29-2004, 09:45 AM

Quote:

You might consider a Block Heater......

Isn't this the function of the coolant thermos? I agree that the oil and block will cool to the ambient temp overnight. But, since the ICE isn't started until after the coolant has been returned and warmed the block, and the oil has been redistributed, it seems that a block heater would be unnecessary.

BTW, are the block heaters in Canada an official Toyota option, or just an after-market or dealer add-on item?

Areometer · 11-29-2004, 10:25 AM

Quote:

im not really sure if we have to warm up our engine in cold weather just like normal cars or can we just start and go? I know it's not very good for regular cars to just start up cold and start moving.

Others please correct me if I am wrong, for a normal car, warming up a really cold engine for longer than 1 - 2 minutes can be detrimental to the engine, they call this cold engine idling and something like the deposits got accumulated more so in such state & are more abrasive than if you immediate move the car and its oil right away. They suggest letting the car move by itself slowly for a few minutes (ie: do NOT press on the accelerator, just let it go by itself while engaging the gear in D). Any one else heard of this?

TCD · 11-29-2004, 10:33 AM

Hi Folks,

Years ago BMW motorcycles came out with a statement relating to this question. They also recommended that you could drive shortly after starting up. However, they also reminded everyone that it is just important to warm up all of the other components of the vehicle (e.g., transmission, differential). So, they recommended that you take it easy for the first few miles.

YMMV

jayman · 11-29-2004, 10:45 AM

I think the entire issue of warm-up depends on the motor you have. For most diesels, it's usually a good idea to run them 2-5 mins at temps below 0 F, especially before you work them. Remember carbs? It was also a good idea to warm the motor a bit, so the thing wouldn't buck or stall.

Ah the good 'ole days.

However, just because the motor may be warm, the transmission and axle (On a rear-drive) are NOT. A HD automatic, like the Allison, has a warning that below a certain temp, usually -15 F, a mandatory "preheat" for 5-15 minutes is needed.

What Allison means is to leave the motor running with the transmission in N the entire time until the ATF warms.

Speaking of transmission, anybody know what kind of fluid our CVT has? If it's DexIII or a comparable fluid, I would like to change over to a synthetic ATF.

On the topic of block heaters, although the Prius has a thermos, I don't think it would be that effective below 0 F. As far as I can tell, all Canadian market Prius have block heaters, mine sure does.

If you must park outside, you should plug in to reduce engine wear on start-up and to allow for much faster - and therefore more efficient - warm ups. A block heater timer can be used to click on the heater from 1-4 hours before starting.

Or if your apartment or place of work has plug ins, just leave it plugged in 24x7. That's what I do if I can. Sure is nice to have heated underground parking at my condo and not have to worry about that nonsense!

DaveinOlyWA · 11-29-2004, 02:39 PM

how you warm up your car doesnt matter in the sense of lengthening the life of your engine. as the only factor is how many cooling cycles the metal undergoes.

your oil will circulate even at idle speed. driving moderately when cold will help your mileage, but for most of us, we start the car, clean the windows and go. no need to do anything other than that.

i will say that for once the Prius is ready to drive when i get in. no more waiting for the defroster to work like my other cars.

11-29-2004, 01:39 AM	#1
justwatchme Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Ca Posts: 54 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	warming engine im not really sure if we have to warm up our engine in cold weather just like normal cars or can we just start and go? I know it's not very good for regular cars to just start up cold and start moving.

11-29-2004, 08:40 AM	#3
daniel Cat Lovers Against the Bomb Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 8,590 My Car: 2004 Prius Package: #6 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	All modern cars should be started and driven immediately. Conventional cars benefit from maybe 5 seconds to let the oil pressure come up. The Prius does not even start its ICE for ten seconds or so. The moment the Ready light comes on, it's ready to drive. Having said that, if it's colder than about fifteen degrees below zero, I pre-heat the car to get some heat into the cab before i get into it. This is for me, not for the engine. The engine is fine. But even with winter gloves and socks, I'm too much of a wimp to sit in a car colder than 15 below zero. A heated garage would be nice. __________________ Daniel ---------------------- Primary car: Zap Xebra SD: 100% electric car. 1.9 cents per mile, using electrons generated from water power. (The Prius is my gas guzzler, used when I have to travel farther than 35 miles in a day.) "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal." -- Emma Goldman "Anyone who has ever looked into the glazed eyes of a soldier dying on the battlefield will think long and hard before starting a war." -- Otto von Bismarck

11-29-2004, 08:59 AM	#5
disneydad Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Leominster, MA Posts: 82 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Re: warming engine You might consider a Block Heater, this will keep your engine block and oil warm. I've heard that this is standard on Canadian models. I'm planning on using it with a timer to pre-warm my engine a few hours before i need to leave in the morning. Even with the lite weight oils these cars require, warm oil would have to cut down on engine ware.

11-29-2004, 10:45 AM	#9
jayman Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Winnipeg Manitoba Posts: 6,168 My Car: 2004 Prius Package: B Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 4	Re: warming engine I think the entire issue of warm-up depends on the motor you have. For most diesels, it's usually a good idea to run them 2-5 mins at temps below 0 F, especially before you work them. Remember carbs? It was also a good idea to warm the motor a bit, so the thing wouldn't buck or stall. Ah the good 'ole days. However, just because the motor may be warm, the transmission and axle (On a rear-drive) are NOT. A HD automatic, like the Allison, has a warning that below a certain temp, usually -15 F, a mandatory "preheat" for 5-15 minutes is needed. What Allison means is to leave the motor running with the transmission in N the entire time until the ATF warms. Speaking of transmission, anybody know what kind of fluid our CVT has? If it's DexIII or a comparable fluid, I would like to change over to a synthetic ATF. On the topic of block heaters, although the Prius has a thermos, I don't think it would be that effective below 0 F. As far as I can tell, all Canadian market Prius have block heaters, mine sure does. If you must park outside, you should plug in to reduce engine wear on start-up and to allow for much faster - and therefore more efficient - warm ups. A block heater timer can be used to click on the heater from 1-4 hours before starting. Or if your apartment or place of work has plug ins, just leave it plugged in 24x7. That's what I do if I can. Sure is nice to have heated underground parking at my condo and not have to worry about that nonsense!

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11-29-2004, 01:54 AM	#2
V8Cobrakid some guy... Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 2,439 My Car: 2004 Prius Package: #9 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 4	Just go. Your dealer should have told you this. But then again, he or she is just a dealer. It's designed to warm up when driving. It also warms up faster when driving. All you're going to do when sitting, is make your MPG drop a lot and pollute.

11-29-2004, 08:46 AM	#4
8AA Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Maryland Posts: 492 My Car: 2004 Prius Package: #9 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	On an old fashioned car (I don't like the term "normal" ), you don't have to wait for the engine to warm up, you only need to wait a moment for the oil to distribute itself before putting a load on the engine.

11-29-2004, 10:33 AM	#8
TCD Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Reno, NV Posts: 95 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Hi Folks, Years ago BMW motorcycles came out with a statement relating to this question. They also recommended that you could drive shortly after starting up. However, they also reminded everyone that it is just important to warm up all of the other components of the vehicle (e.g., transmission, differential). So, they recommended that you take it easy for the first few miles. YMMV

11-29-2004, 02:39 PM	#10
DaveinOlyWA Opps !! I Did it Again!! Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: South Puget Sound, WA Posts: 9,254 My Car: 2006 Prius Package: #4 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 4	how you warm up your car doesnt matter in the sense of lengthening the life of your engine. as the only factor is how many cooling cycles the metal undergoes. your oil will circulate even at idle speed. driving moderately when cold will help your mileage, but for most of us, we start the car, clean the windows and go. no need to do anything other than that. i will say that for once the Prius is ready to drive when i get in. no more waiting for the defroster to work like my other cars.