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TIRE WORLD Complete Auto Service & Repair Stores |
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Tire World's Tech Tips (10) click here to return to the list of Tech Tips Should you warm up your engine? Opinions on this differ. Environmentalists would prefer that any extra running of engines be minimized. Many people consider that well maintained newer cars are not harmed when driven cold. Additionally, taking the time to warm your engine on cold days is extra work and can make it easier for thieves to simply drive off with your investment.
However, it is good to let any engine idle for at least 1 minute with your foot off the accelerator - even in warm weather. This gets the oil out of the pan and onto engine surfaces. Quickly accelerating a cold engine can cause its gaskets to fail. Letting older cars idle on colder days, at least until the needle begins to move toward the normal range on the temperature gage, will reduce the wear being added to already worn parts. Drive slowly and keep power-hungry
accessories off until the engine reaches its proper operating temperature
(about 3 minutes) to reduce wear on engine bearings. |
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Your brand-new, $50,000 SUV probably
has the same kind of oil as the $2,000 one you traded in on it. New cars
face similar challenges when you take the time to warm them, too. In some
ways, it is more important to warm a car with a new engine since the internal,
moving parts are closer together. Wear increases the space or "clearance"
between surfaces.
Oil drains into the pan of a parked car until there is only a very thin coat on the cylinder walls, bearings, etc. that oil is designed to protect. Most engine wear occurs in the first few minutes after a car is started. Additionally, cold oil is thicker and less able to flow to do the work of cleaning and lubricating your engine. Synthetic oil will lubricate and flow much better when cold but still needs to be warmed to work best. Meanwhile, your windshield will be easier to keep clear when the car is warm. Plan extra time to let your car run a bit in cold weather and add more time for driving if the roads are bad. You can still watch your car while clearing off ice and snow from your car or sidewalks. This is also a good time to observe the gages on your dash, which should be done periodically while driving as well. You can invest in an engine heater for when the weather is colder, especially if you own a diesel. Remote starters enable you to start your car from inside your home. Be sure to only run cars in open areas. Running them inside a garage can cause carbon monoxide to build and jeopardize your health. Tire World looks forward to seeing
you for those regular oil changes that keep your engine's moving parts
moving smoothly.
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