Engine warm up

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

Motorcity muscle

Full Access Members
Joined
May 6, 2018
Posts
594
Reaction score
212
Location
Motorcity
When starting my '07 when it is cold, well below freezing, the engine stays on high idle for three or four minutes before returning to a normal idle speed. Curious how many let the truck return to a normal idle before driving off. The only vehicles I remember with this long of a warm up had a carburetor. Wonder if this has to do with peoples differences in the cam phasers/chain problems.
 

JExpedition07

That One Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Mar 30, 2017
Posts
6,509
Reaction score
3,119
Location
New York
Mine did the same last winter, would sit at 1,250 RPM for a few minutes. During the summer I did a full tune up (plugs, boots, fuel filter, air filter). It no longer has a prolonged high idle this winter post tune up. It goes back down to 1000 RPM within a few seconds.
 

1955moose

Full Access Members
Joined
Nov 23, 2014
Posts
5,981
Reaction score
1,336
Could be the worn plugs or other worn secondary ignition parts is telling the computer to stay in closed loop longer. That and the colder temps are going to vary how long the enrichment cycle activates. As a vehicle gets older, along with various sensors slowly failing, it's a wonder it works at all. In the old days when I was a young moose, we had carburetors with heat sensitive coil springs on the carbs. They worked either by electric current, or in earlier ones by a tube from the exaust up to the carb. Most times they worked, but when any little thing went south, power loss to choke, exaust pipe breakage/ blockage, you pumped the throttle 2-4 times and hoped for the best. Ah the good old crappy days!

Sent from my N9131 using Tapatalk
 

ManUpOrShutUp

Full Access Members
Joined
Mar 27, 2016
Posts
2,038
Reaction score
1,076
Location
PA
I just wait until it drops a tad before I head off. In warmer weather I let it level out completely, but I'm not sitting there for 5 minutes in the cold. :p
 

lbv150

Full Access Members
Joined
Mar 12, 2011
Posts
606
Reaction score
283
Location
Northeast
We let all our vehicles warm up to normal operating temperature before driving. If that means running for 15 minutes on cold mornings so be it.
 

JExpedition07

That One Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Mar 30, 2017
Posts
6,509
Reaction score
3,119
Location
New York
I let it idle as I scrape the windows (but I park in a garage at home).

And then there's this:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...driving/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.bed548fad1ce

But some people also change their oil every 3,000 miles.

I disagree with this article but agree with you. I always let it idle down. Half that article is EPA BS, they just don’t want you to idle because of pullution. They could care less about your engine. It’s simply untrue what they say about idling. Shutting down and restarting the engine instead of extended Idling causes more wear and damage to starters.
 
Last edited:

ExplorerTom

Full Access Members
Joined
Apr 2, 2015
Posts
2,239
Reaction score
990
Location
Colorado
Tons of cars with that "auto start" feature where the engine shuts off at stop lights.
 

JExpedition07

That One Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Mar 30, 2017
Posts
6,509
Reaction score
3,119
Location
New York
Tons of cars with that "auto start" feature where the engine shuts off at stop lights.

Valid point. Relatively new tech though and the few studies done on it show it to be a loser as the saved fuel is low and won’t cover extra starter replacements. Maybe they have it to the point of better reliability though, jury is still out there. Many owners of newer expys have opted to disable the feature. Sorry I brought us off topic here.
 
Last edited:

Plati

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 4, 2016
Posts
2,782
Reaction score
1,364
Location
.
Start my 2014EL 5.4 up and its idle drops to 750rpm in less than 30 seconds then I'll slip it into gear and go. Drive easy first few minutes until it warms lives & limbers up.

The extended idle warm-up routine is so 1970's.
 
Last edited:

Latest posts

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
53,396
Posts
500,653
Members
46,812
Latest member
Dcleghorn01
Top