What is the recommended method to warm up a cold engine in the morning? I have a few miles to go at city speed (25 to 30 MPH) before I get to the freeway, so what is the proper way to drive those miles while the engine is warming up?

I tend to up shift early to keep the engine RPM low; but I've also heard others say to keep the RPM high so it will warm up quicker. The Honda service rep I spoke to said the oil is always there in the modern engines and so there is no need to let the engine warm up in idle (but of course, we all know we can't push it to 7K RPM until the 3 temp bars are lit).

 

hug it.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by WhiteS2k:
[B]What is the recommended method to warm up a cold engine in the morning?

 

yes short shift BUT do not lug the engine under 2000rpm, there is the posibility of overcoming the oil pressure at the crank at low rpms, but that is at any engine temp. I would just let the car idle for at least 3 min and then drive easy between 3-5000 for a few miles while at the same time warming up the tires.
The dealer may have meant the warm up time is LESS critical in modern cars, and with newer oil technology, BUT it is still critical to engine life, as in scoring bearings/cylinders/cams. Warming up also lets metal parts expand to fit to closer tolerances = less chance for piston slap, and I think this engine has unusually short/small piston skirts, which may need the warm up.

 

My Honda mechanic (now has his own shop) tells me not to take it over 3,500 RPM's until I have three bars. Also said not to lug it. Short shifting is the way to go.

 

I usually let it sit 5-8 minutes minimum when I start the car so that it has 2 bars before I drive off. Is that bad? I read somewhere that excessive idling builts up something(can't remember what it is)

 

Carbon Maybe!

 

This topic comes up periodically.

If I had the time I would keep the engine off-load at 3KRPM for 5 minutes. I don't, so I just drive off.

Letting it idle when cold just prolongs the time it takes the engine to reach operating temperature.

Some will tell you that that is when engine wear is at its highest. And they have good arguments to support it.

 

Hey Luis are you saying that if I let the engine idle when it is cold it will be bad?(cause you said "Some will tell you that that is when engine wear is at its highest. And they have good arguments to support it.")

Can you please explain it to me?

I also read somewhere on this board that reving the the car without any load is bad. So wouldn't it be a bad thing if you rev it at 3k rpm for 5 min?

thanks for any enlightening info

 

I would explain that as there isnt a complete burn at idle causing carbon build up . . . but when you start driving hard that helps clean it up, and since your engine doesnt idle for the life of the car. . .

As for reving it w/no load I dont beleive that would be any worse than hard acceleration or deceleration. Maybe a chance for over rev, but why would a non-loaded rev put any more strain on it? Maybe after alot of engine wear and things start slapping around in there??