Cold Tacoma? Why You Should Let It Warm Up First

Recently there was a thread started, asking opinions on which was worse for wear - Warming it up first or just getting in and driving it. This article, while generic, explains what happens to some of your Tacoma's parts when it gets really cold. In addition, there have been plenty of posts lately on the freezing cold and it's effects on washer fluid, brakes and batteries. Pay attention to the first graphic in the link. Hopefully, this will help some of you understand what happens to vehicles when it gets really cold. Enjoy! https://jalopnik.com/exactly-why-you-need-to-warm-up-your-car-when-its-cold-1821737173

 

I don't warm my truck up more than a minute or two. Having said that, we rarely see temps lower than -20C where I live (and if we do, it's not for an extended period). One of the data points I monitor with OBD fusion is engine oil temp, and I can tell you it comes up quite quickly - much faster than the coolant BTW. Anyhow, that article mentions how thick oil is when cold. I would suggest this video for an explanation as to why this is not such a problem with the 0W-20 synthetic in our trucks:

https://youtu.be/tYkg0oDUXs8

I'm in the minimal warm up, drive easy till she's fully up to temp camp.

 

Even if my truck "can take it" I try and warm it up for a few minutes. If I'm in a big hurry I just accelerate much slower than usual.

I think that's a pretty good hard and fast way to go about it.

 

I have to say that using Jalopnik as a technical reference is about as good as using Wikipedia for a thesis, esp when Jason Torchinsky or David Tracy are in the by line. Jalopniks good talent left years ago. They struggle to even write amusing articles these days.

 

Nonsense, I still trust the engineers at BMW more, they all agree to not warmup via idle its even in BMW owner's manuals:



They even tell you why in your own link: engines run like shit when they're cold.... its takes a lot longer for your engine to warm up by idling.... so why would you want to leave it running like shit longer than necessary??

That's why BMW manuals tell you to drive immediately just don't go high into the RPMs.

The faster the car warms up the less time it spends running like shit which leads to longer engine life.

Cars hate to idle, especially in really cold temps.

 

The content is valid, especially the graphics. The video is also from someone who knows more than many. It all depends on which article from Wikipedia lol. There is some brilliant stuff on hard science and physics there, you just have to wade through the BS. If the topic has anything to do with opinion, forget it.

 

Porsche also recommends against warming up the engine, because a rich air/fuel mixture can wash oil off the cylinder walls. I only let mine warm until the idle comes down.

 

I'm not sure about the 2.7, but the V6 exhaust sound changes less than a minute after cold start. This coincides with a reduction in idle speed, and that's when I go.

 

If you can’t see out of the windshield, it’s not time to go yet.

 

Scraper, defrost on blast, temp on HI. Mirror defog even. Not a problem.
There are very few times I need to idle more than a couple of minutes.
From a safety standpoint, u are correct though.

 

Minus 32 F where I'm at this morning. Used remote start to warm it up about 5 minutes and then took her real slow and easy for first couple of miles. Didn't really feel heat in the cab until 20 minutes into my drive.

 

No taint warmers? Damn, they absolutely rock on my truck.

 

I park in an unheated garage at home. When it's time to leave, we get in the truck, start it, and start driving.

When at work and I park outside I'll do the same thing if there's no snow or ice. If there's either, then I'll start the truck, clean it off COMPLETELY, then drive away when I can see out of all of the glass and there's no snow on the roof or hood.

 

I wish more ppl did that. Nothing like a huge sheet of snow/ ice flying off some douche's vehicle to ruin your day.

 

I don’t have remote start because I am a Luddite heathen. The end of my morning routine after begging a chicken shit SoCal raised pit bull to please for the love of god pick a place to pee in the snow so we can both end this sub zero morning fiasco is to walk to my truck and get inside of it. I turn it on and sit there for a split seconds moment of peace and then that peace is shattered when the Bluetooth kicks in without warning (which I should be aware of by now) and happens to be at the same volume I left it when I got home the day before, which is roughly “standing next to a CIWS” or volume all the way up black metal. Now this shit has 1) frightened me to my core while I was half asleep 2) convinced all of my neighbors I’m a devil worshipper. At this point, nothing that lesbian from engineering explained has said is even registering because my morning is shot and I need to get to work.

 

I read that yesterday and saw little to support the article title. Not a strong case made. I have tried both methods and my vehicles warm up faster while driving than wasting gas idling.

 

That’s all fine and dandy until it’s snow and ice covered. I’m not one for scraping, I’ll let it idle to warm up by using the remote start.

 

Maybe this "tech video" will register in the brain . The host is way easier to .. listen to.. yeah that's it:

http://www.tflcar.com/2017/06/chemistry-cars-lower-octane-fuel-bad-car-video/

 

I have always heard that it is harder on auto tranny to let it just set an idle.

 

I think people over think things. Warming your car before driving is so 1970's.

I get in, start the engine, put on the seat belt and get on my way. If the truck is covered in ice and snow I have a little different process. I brush the snow off the driver's door, start the engine, remove the snow/ice from all of the windows, lights and turn signals, get in, get on my way. The reason I start the engine has nothing to do with warming it up, but getting a head start on getting the heater going, because you know, cold.