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how long do you leave your..



  F56 MINI Cooper S
why is it bad for it? what if your waiting in a que of traffic its just the same, stand still ticking over.
 

DrR

ClioSport Club Member
  VW Golf GTD
Pull my blanket of the windscreen, jump in start it then I'm off.
 
  Fiesta Zetec S TDCi
I usually have mine running when I'm scraping off ice, then go. Didn't know it wasn't a good idea!
 
  Megane 265 Cup
Never leave mine idling to warm up, someone told me it was bad letting it sit idling to warm. Dunno if that is true, but I normally just drive it really gentle and keep it below 3k revs until it is fully warmed up.
 
  Never above 25mpg
Soon as the windscreen/rear screen's clear. No point in not being able to see where you're going!!

Love my heated seats now! Will never get another car without them!
 
  Corsa Van. Meh.
I scrape the windscreen before I get in.

Turn key and go. Car warms up much quicker driving than it does idling.
 
  LY R26 #288
I've let all my cars warm up a bit before I leave for work in this weather. Its just nice to get into a warm car.

I thought it wasnt recommended as the oil takes longer to warm up idling than it does driving, causing more wear?.
 
  182 FF (Black Gold)
I've let all my cars warm up a bit before I leave for work in this weather. Its just nice to get into a warm car.

I thought it wasnt recommended as the oil takes longer to warm up idling than it does driving, causing more wear?.

It does yes, the oil isnt flowing freely due to it idling cold! Best to get it moving soon as really.
 

Brian

ClioSport Admin
  LY 220 Trophy
I get moving as soon as I can see out the windows properly (in the work van)
Doesn't require any time wasting in the 200, apart from getting out to close the garage door.

Where I was working today though, I pulled on the drive to find an X5 sat there engine running, no one in sight... Not a problem though, the bloke came out the house 15 mins later to turn it off :eek: If I ever have a need for an X5, I'll know where to find one.
 

Iain C

ClioSport Club Member
I get moving as soon as I can see out the windows properly (in the work van)
Doesn't require any time wasting in the 200, apart from getting out to close the garage door.

Where I was working today though, I pulled on the drive to find an X5 sat there engine running, no one in sight... Not a problem though, the bloke came out the house 15 mins later to turn it off :eek: If I ever have a need for an X5, I'll know where to find one.

Like your 200 ever ventures out if its cold, wet or dark
 

DrR

ClioSport Club Member
  VW Golf GTD
I get moving as soon as I can see out the windows properly (in the work van)
Doesn't require any time wasting in the 200, apart from getting out to close the garage door.

Where I was working today though, I pulled on the drive to find an X5 sat there engine running, no one in sight... Not a problem though, the bloke came out the house 15 mins later to turn it off :eek: If I ever have a need for an X5, I'll know where to find one.


Could you show me where this is on google maps?
 
  182 FF (Black Gold)
I'd better get an ice scraper then. Usually let the heaters de-ice my screen lol.

Its what I usually do :) De-ice the windows first then get the engine running, you ideally want to bring the oil temp up quickly as possible, idling cold will take an age and do more damage to the engine. Not something I have really looked into regads to solid proof that it does indeed damage the enigine but its common practice really to get the oil moving round and to normal temp.
 
This time of year it runs while I scrape the ice off then I go. In warmer weather I just go.

It does run like crap for a minute or so though so I always take it easy.
 
  R26
Am I the only one who just pours a bit of lukewarm water over the windscreen this time of year instead of f**king about scraping the ice?
 
Not sure how true/likely the cracking windscreen thing is but I've never done it just to be on the safe side. Plus scraping it doesn't take that long. A minute, if that?
 

MarcB

ClioSport Club Member
  Too Many
I have heard for years that hot water will crack the windscreen so i try not to do it.

As for the car warming up i have always left the vectra for 3/4 mins till the secondary air pump switches off.

With the clio i guess it will be just aslong as it takes me to decide what CD to put in
 
  260% JCW
I get moving as soon as I can see out the windows properly (in the work van)
Doesn't require any time wasting in the 200, apart from getting out to close the garage door.

Where I was working today though, I pulled on the drive to find an X5 sat there engine running, no one in sight... Not a problem though, the bloke came out the house 15 mins later to turn it off :eek: If I ever have a need for an X5, I'll know where to find one.

I sometimes do this in the Mini, fire her up leave the fob in the car but take the keys and lock it.
 
I used to just use a kettle full of warm/hot tap water (before I had a heated windscreen). Flick the wipers on, pour away, take kettle back inside. Done. Warm water has never cracked any of my windscreens, and I've been driving for twenty years.
 
  200 cup & 106 GTi
It says in most manuals to drive off straight away, even old 80s BMW ones say drive straight away and never leave to idle.

Few issues(main first):

Oil pressure: This will be very low at idle when cold, especially when you haven't revved the car up at all. Oil creates a film on moving parts, the film varies in thickness depending on the temperature, also the mechanical parts vary in size with temperature, the gaps between parts(bearings are worst affected) are bigger when cold and hence need oil to fill the gap, when the engine is hot(oil and coolant) then the oil almost perfectly fills the gaps and lubricates the parts meaning that very little wear occurs within normal operating parameters. When the engine is cold the most wear occurs, especially under heavy loads and high revs. If you rev the car to 3-4k the oil pressure should be around it's maximum and hence will provide good lubrication. Also the engine will heat up faster. So drive off straight away, don't accelerate hard, do rev to 3.5k and don't rev low(sub 2k)

Bore glazing: When you leave a car to idle, the oil in the bores can glaze and cause premature wear on the liners. Oil can glaze on bearings too!!! Sitting at a constant speed cruising can also cause glazing if it's at light load.

Also someone could and would steal your car and you wouldn't be insured.
 
No doubt all valid points if one intends to keep one's engine for like a hundred years. Pretty sure modern engines are designed to cope with being started from cold and left to idle. 0-40w FTW anyway.
 
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realnumber 1

ClioSport Club Member
Quick scrape or warm water if bad and off I go. Used water for years without damage... Don't know how any can drive normally and stay below 3000rpm for 15-20 min unless they live in a very flat area.
 

MarkCup

ClioSport Club Member
Relatively speaking, cars take an age to warm up if just left ticking over. All the while you've got nice cold oil sludging about. When an engine runs at its worst, you leave it like it :S

Much better to drive it, give it a few squirts, and generate some heat.

Leave your heater off for the first 5 minutes as well to help it along..
 


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