Warming up the truck still necessary?

You are correct. Oil disillusion, if any, happens during cold starts, or frequent starts (as in short distance trips-more starts) but most so in cold weather starts. I replace oil and filters right at the end of winter (too much idling and extremely cold starts during the winter). I replace it again by November or so, unless I don't drive very mush during the summer, in which case I replace them the next year.
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That said, (this is not directed to you, so please don't get me wrong) there is no need for any of us to argue about things like warming up our vehicle's engines. All depends on your geographical location, and weather (temperatures). If you believe government organizations that try or enforce the CAFE Standards, or even "clean air"...one would not even warm the engine, nor let it idle. Some automobile manufacturers recommend long intervals, 10,000-mile, even 30,000 miles for oil changes. But again, it is for one (every one of us) to decide what to do, since it is one's vehicle, regardless if it is an airplane, ATV, motorboat, and so on. However, some (not all) automobile makers recommend to warm the engine and transmission before driving the automobile.

 

Humor me, name one.

 

Ram diesels recommend an idle warm up in cold weather. If I’m parked outside and not plugged in I get this message almost daily in the winter if I don’t remote start and let the interior warm up before jumping in.

 

I am pleased this has become an oil thread. Bravo!

 

Really had to dig deep for that one, a diesel, engines which can suffer from fuel gelling, this has absolutely NOTHING to do with gasoline engines; try again.

 

As a diesel engine mechanic, I can state with fact that idling a diesel engine is how you prematurely wear them out. At idle there is so little fuel in the chamber to create cylinder pressure that the rings do not push out against the cylinder walls and cause the rings and cylinder walls to glaze and cause more fuel dilution of the oil. This is a known issue with Cummins in small trucks. A know issue with any diesel engine. That is why most have a high idle switch. Diesel engines last longer when worked hard! You want a Cummins to last in your Dodge truck, tow a boat or heavy trailer behind it constantly. And don't let it idle!

 

Actually just opened the manual in my glovebox one morning when it popped up with a “power reduced during warmup” message.

 

These newer ones will idle themselves up so they don’t sit at a low idle, pretty handy. Mine tows and hauls a lot so the engine gets a decent workout at least once a week.

 

That's a cool feature. I haven't encountered that on the equipment I work on yet.

 

It’s pretty nice compared to having to hold the pedal and flip a switch back in the day. You can even manually set the high idle speed by 50rpm increments up to about 1500ish by just pressing the cruise control button. Nice when trying for a quicker warm up or pushing higher voltage/amperage for jump starting equipment.

 

In the summer I start and go. In the winter start the truck and let it idle while I scrape snow and ice off or just until it warms enough to be safe to drive without fogging up. Then just drive it easy till everything gets fully up to temp. Not super complicated.

 

Well, it’s gonna get down in the single digits the next few days and negative windchill so I’m gonna warm up my truck real good. Oh crap, I guess that means I’ll only get about 300,000 miles out of this truck.

 

Windchill has no impact on the core temperature of the engine.

 

I warm it up a few minutes when it's really cold out. Gives me time to clear the every overnight snow and shovel the walkway. I'm not worried about a little fuel dilusion (if that actually happens) it will work its way out by thetime it's warmed up.

 

It may not tell you how long to warm the engine, but in the manual for the 2009 Subaru Forester, page 3-13 there are instructions for the coolant Low Temperature Warning Light. This light turn on in blue color when one starts the engine and stays on until the engine warms to a preset temperature, then it turns off once the temperature has reached the preset temperature. It does not mean that one should should not drive-away as soon as the engine starts, since that's up to you the driver, but the caution light is there there to let the driver know that the engine is cold. This light also comes on if the coolant level is low, and it turns read if the engine overheats.

Some other vehicles also have a Coolant Low Temperature Light:
https://www.theautodoc.net/blog/what-does-a-blue-engine-coolant-temperature-light-indicate

As I mentioned before I would not tell anybody else to warm your engine. That's a personal decision for every one of us to make. But I have always done so, not only for creature comfort. That said, everything depends on how cold cold is where you live at. If it is warm, I have no issues starting my truck and driving as few seconds later, but not during the cold winters.

 

The heavy equipment I drove in the 80's had a manual throttle one would use to set the engine on high idle (from 1,000-1,500) during cold starts, then I would go inside to stay warm until the cab was nice and warm. Now I just start the engines from my living room with the remote

 

My wife's Mazda has a blue light as well, the light in no way means don't drive until the light goes out. In the case of her car, the Owner's Manual specifically states, "Avoid long warm ups. Once the engine runs smoothly, begin driving."

Circling back to your earlier claim about stating:

You have yet to substantiate said claim.

 

Just conveniently ignoring the post that does exactly that…

 

Two words: don’t care

 

You’re doing it wrong. This is the internet, you must argue like you’re an expert on everything and the other guy just called your mom a whore. This is the way.