OK if I mildly disagree with you, gingerb? There was a time, quite a few years back, when it was suggested that cars be warmed up for some extended time before moving. That recommendation has been changed, and there is a new method.

First of all, you're somewhat correct that much engine wear occurs in the first few seconds/minutes when started. However, that doesn't have much to do with "oil temperature". Rather, it has to do with the fact that oil drains away from metal parts (centrifugal forces), and that leaves metal-to-metal contact which is exactly what one does not want.

Second, today's engines in many cars (but by no means all cars and trucks) are built to much finer tolerances----for emissions reasons, for warranty reasons, for performance reasons, for marketing reasons, etc. What that means in engine wear is that metal contact on start up is more likely, but with a "finer" constructed engine. The good and the bad.

And that is one of the reasons why manufacturers are now specifying thinner oils that tend to get moving faster in a cold engine (10 in the 10W-30 oils). Many are specifying 5W-30 and even some are going with 0W-30. The resultant benefits are not only that engines get their lubrication sooner, but that in colder climates oil will flow easier.

Finally, what is the recommended warm up time period and method today? Having started my car in -20F weather, I know how hard it can be to shift a manual transmission in those conditions. For that reason, very cold outside temperature, one may need to warm up their car, sitting in place, for a bit more than a minute. But not by much.

The best warmup for the engine and all the driveline components (as well as the heating/cooling system) is to moderately (MODERATELY) accelerate and move the car after about a minute or less of waiting. This doesn't mean you can't go on the highway; it just means don't push the pedal to the floor and stress parts and their lubricating fluids that are still coming up to operating temperature. Moderately can mean half-gas pedal or less.

And that's what it is today.


BONDg35c

 

Looks like this ended up in a good discussion. Also looks like there is no clear cut winner but good arguments on both sides of the fence. Thanks to you all! Let's move it another direction....say I opt to just let it sit in my 40 degree garage. (Seems like the safest thing to do.) Give me some recommendations on trickle charging the battery to keep it alive. Is it possible to "over-charge the battery? What is a good charger?

 

I recommend the Deltran Battery Tender. They are about $50 and will not over charge a battery. Guaranteed for 10 years.

 

Cool. Thanks!