Engine takes ages to warm up

[CompoSimmonite]

Not to mention those who leave 3" of snow on the roof. First time they stop it all slips forward covering the screen and stalling the wipers.

In late 80's I got seconded to an office 70 miles away. I could leave home, at 900 feet, in snow and arrive at the office where it was nice & sunny ! One day I thought I'd be clever and leave the 6" of snow on the roof of my Cortina estate to make people stare when I got to work. On the way I opened the sun roof as I'd cleared the snow off the front of the roof. What I forgot is the remaining snow becoming loose as the roof warmed up so you can imagine what happened when somebody pulled out in front of me and I had to brake sharply. Went to work that day looking as if I'd peed myself ! Journey home wasn't any better as seats were still wet.

 

[Gareth J]

The biggest problem is people, not the cars heating system. Most people just go to their vehicle as if it was summer and get in and expect to simply drive away, if they got up 10 minutes earlier and actually defrosted their car there would be no problems but they often cannot be bothered to; they get into their vehicles and start them up and drive away and expect a cold engine to provide hot water for the heating system and run the fan flat out for the heating system and all they are doing is moving cold air about and slowing the engine from warming by running the heating system fan; then moan about their cars not warming and defrosting quickly.

Now the Police have seen this as another money spinner and apparently they are looking to nick Postmen Pat or wannabe sailors who have a letterbox slit or a porthole cleared on their windscreens.

I disagree.
Idling a cold car is counter productive, the engine at idle will be using naff all fuel, idling it for 10mins is 10mins of cold engine running. If it's petrol, it'll be potentially overfuelling to compensate for the cold and compromising the oil film in the bores too.

I feel that the best way to get heat into the engine is to start driving, you're actually doing work so it heats up pretty quickly. I'm not saying jump in and redline it, more start, idle for 10 -30s, drive off steadily and don't go bananas until everything is a bit warmer. Obviously the screen and bits need to be clear of ice/snow first.

People who do short trips should be encouraged to buy small engined petrol cars, my little sister's 3cyl vw polo flips up to temp in a jiffy.

 

[GW8IZR]

I disagree.
Idling a cold car is counter productive,

Hmm.. only takes a few minutes for my electric windscreen to clear so in my case its very productive ;-)

 

[skotl]

Agree - especially true for diesels - surefire way to gum up an EGR / manifold

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

Agree.
Cold frosty morning, water in the screen, have a coffee.
Get in start up, blower on full.
Drive.
I am lucky, the first few miles of my drive is estates and town roads. By the time I am on thee main roads I can see needle movement on the gauge.

 

[Gareth J]

I see the same 'advice' on bike forums too - just to leave it to idle before going out to 'warm it up properly'.

It doesn't warm it up properly, nor does it warm it up as quickly as simply driving it.

Exactly, especially pertinent on carbed stuff. Someone never fails to recommend running up an engine on a stored bike once a month over winter. The horror! It'll never get off choke, all the excess fuel will rinse the bores and fill the oil with all manner of unburned HC and water.

 

[GW8IZR]

Exactly, especially pertinent on carbed stuff. Someone never fails to recommend running up an engine on a stored bike once a month over winter. The horror! It'll never get off choke, all the excess fuel will rinse the bores and fill the oil with all manner of unburned HC and water.

there was a standing instruction to start and idle the NA 2.5 LR engine every day and I've no doubt that helped the long term reputation of that engine.

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

Slightly of topic, but a bit relevant.

An old neighbour of ours had a Metro, it one year it did 1,100 miles. To the school twice a day. It never came of choke.

It failed the MOT, emissions to high.

I was asked to have a look.

Choke cable rusted, But when we pulled the head off we found the exhaust partly blocked with a thick film of carbon. Along with the combustion chambers.

The piston bores were so washed with oil they had worn 32 thou over size.

All because she never ran it to get it hot enough.

Yes, the oil did smell of 4 star.

Brunt well.

 

[rambo]

Another vote for thermostat.
My 1.8 mondeo started using more fuel, looked at google and found this;
http://www.talkford.com/community/topic/202366-poor-mpg/

Going to be doing mine this week.

 

[the snooper]

Slightly of topic, but a bit relevant.

An old neighbour of ours had a Metro, it one year it did 1,100 miles. To the school twice a day. It never came of choke.

The piston bores were so washed with oil they had worn 32 thou over size.

.

think i will go drain all the oil out of my car if thats the case

 

[Mee]

Agree - especially true for diesels - surefire way to gum up an EGR / manifold

Please explain to us all why most diesel engine manuals supplied by the manufacturers of diesel engined cars state clearly in their own manuals that when you start a diesel engine, particularly a turbo engine, that you should start it and let it idle for anything up to two minutes to circulate the engine oil before driving off?

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

https://thoughtsandopinionsofanangr...lr_m8zg1sbcoy1qatq26o1_500-e1377434633219.png

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

The same reason they say you idle them for 2 minutes at the end of the journey.
To get the oil into the turbo.

 

[Gareth J]

Please explain to us all why most diesel engine manuals supplied by the manufacturers of diesel engined cars state clearly in their own manuals that when you start a diesel engine, particularly a turbo engine, that you should start it and let it idle for anything up to two minutes to circulate the engine oil before driving off?

Because it's less likely to cause a catastrophic failure in the warantee period than if they said, "jump in and go" ?

Look, I only said I disagree with your choice of startup procedure and gave some reasons why. You're free to do as you please tell the world about it too. But you don't need to be upset because I don't agree.

 

[daleyd]

 

[the snooper]

View attachment 97287

cheapskate buy a proper one

 

[daleyd]

cheapskate buy a proper one

lol I'm even too cheap for those! We had a load of credit card type "blanks" in my previous job that had our company logo on that we gave away as "tape applicators" - I'm using those!!

 

[the snooper]

lol I'm even too cheap for those! We had a load of credit card type "blanks" in my previous job that had our company logo on that we gave away as "tape applicators" - I'm using those!!

ive bought them in the past then i aquired a free one that has a brass blade, best thing ive ever used for it

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

@daleyd

There are 2 other ways.
Global warming, if they are right we will be in a tropical paradise soon.
Or. lets someone hot air de frost all our cold engines and frozen screens.

 

[daleyd]

they are doing is moving cold air about and slowing the engine from warming by running the heating system fan; then moan about their cars not warming and defrosting quickly.

Would having the fan running not put more load on the engine, thus helping it warm quicker? (Genuine question)