My husband has just bought a diesel car and before we can drive off anywhere he insists on sitting for a good 5 minutes or more to "warm up the engine". Is it really necessary or is he just being annoying?
2007-04-16 22:20:08 · 24 answers · asked by sazzag 1 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Other - Cars & Transportation
You are both right.
He is annoying but there is some logic. It takes time for the engine catalyst to heat up to an operating temperature, this heat up period is where almost all the Nitric Oxide and Carbon Monoxide are emitted from your engine. It heats up faster if you drive but during that time more pollution is pumped out. So there is no real clear winning solution.
Older diesels needed to be given time to warm up particularly on colder days. Modern engines are much better and it is not necessary unless it is a very very cold day. It is also a waste of fuel.
Engine wear is also important and is worse if the engine is cooler. There is no easy engineering answer to the question both sides have benefits, I suppose if you drive smoothly and dont rev the engine too hard for the first few minutes there is no argument for waiting 5 minutes. It is just too annoying.
2007-04-18 20:16:38 · answer #1 · answered by Andrew 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Diesel Engine Warm Up
2016-12-12 05:44:22 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Don’t be that guy who starts his cold engine and immediately revs it up. The only thing you’re showing off is that you don’t know your turbo and engine bearings won’t get lubricated properly with cold, thick oil. Let your engine warm up like you warm up in the morning. Let the glow plugs and intake heater do their job. Fire the engine and give it some time for the combustion heat to warm the engine evenly.
This practice is very important on extremely cold mornings. Hot and cold engine parts expand at different rates, so gaps can form, which could cause leaks or gasket failures. Wait until your engine oil and coolant temperature gauges show you are in the right operating range. You do have these readings…don’t you? Also, if it’s really cold, don’t turn the steering wheel too much right away or you could risk blowing a hydraulic hose. The other thing that’ll keep your engine running longer is preheated coolant. The more cold-starts your diesel is subjected to, the shorter its lifespan will be. Inconsistent metal expansion and poor-flowing (thick) lubricants don’t provide protection from moving parts.
2014-03-04 00:48:59 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
5 minutes is excessive for a cold engine. Just allow long enough for the oil to start circulating but you should remember not to put any strain on the engine by hard acceleration till you see the temperature gauge has come up. A more important point if your car is a turbo diesel is to give it 5 minutes when you end your journey.The turbocharger revs much faster than the engine and the bearing inside needs to cool and get fresh oil through it otherwise burnt deposits will form which will shorten the turbo's life significantly.
2007-04-17 01:02:17 · answer #4 · answered by Roman H 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
He has the wrong end of the stick!
When you turn the key, there is a little light which probably looks like a coil. This heats up the diesel and you need to wait for it to go off before you start the engine (this takes just a few seconds).
After that yuo are good to go.
In fact, just sitting there with the engire running is not doig your car much good as it is not being cooled, and you are just polluting the environment for no reason.
2007-04-16 22:29:46 · answer #5 · answered by Marky 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I had heard from a diesel 4WD enthusiast that 5 mins rest should be done in conjunction with a minimum 15 mins of driving to give the injectors time to burn excess corrosive substances in the diesel. Short trips in diesels can be bad news, but that may have all changed with the new generation direct-injection-diesel motors.
2007-04-16 22:57:36 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Read the owner's manual.
In any modern car it will say that you should drive off immediately, to save fuel and to minimise total wear on the engine.
In extremely low temperatures (below -20°C) it might be necessary to sit with the engine running for a while, to bring the cabin up to a bearable temperature and defrost the glass, before driving off.
2007-04-16 23:56:52 · answer #7 · answered by Neil 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My whole family drives diesel cars and we don't sit for 5 mins at a time we wait a couple of seconds for light to come on (i'll find out which one and get back to you on that) but as far as i know not for 5 mins at a time i think he just taking the mick lol
2007-04-16 22:24:13 · answer #8 · answered by laurabrown26 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Dallenmarket is right and to the point on this one. Even with new cars today its always best to give it at least 5 mins (recommend 10 - 15 mins during winter) to let it warm up. Let the oil get warm and trust me you'll notice less problems to form in the future compared to the ones that turn the key and go. Be patient and save on repairs down the road. Its all part of upkeep.
2016-03-18 08:10:10 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No,the car is not designed to sit with no cooling.You should just get in and drive off,obviously if you want to look after it then keep the revs low for the first 5-10 mins of driving.To let the oil circulate properly
2007-04-16 22:26:08 · answer #10 · answered by ? 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋