Engine Warm-up?

My 2008 Owner's Manual states "Engine should be warmed up by driving, not in idle. For warming up, drive with smoothly turning engine until engine coolant temperature is within normal range." (p.304). On page 305, it states "Do not race a cold engine".
I called 3 different dealers in the area and recieved 3 different responses as to engine warm-up. Our temperatures lately have been around 16 below (F)overnight and low single digits during day, not counting windchill. One guy said that you don't need to warm it up, another guy says warm up about about 30 seconds and another guy says 10 to 15 minutes.

I'm sure there are a lot of opinions out there on this issue of engine warm-up. Lets hear your opinions as related to engine longevity.

 

Nothing that cold here in NM, but I idle just long enough for the RPMs to drop to ~1000 (from 1500 at startup) and then head out. Probably around 60 seconds I would guess.

 

I start my car and let it warm up 147.3 seconds or 2 minutes and 27.3 seconds.

 

On very cold mornings I let my truck warm up for at least 2-3 minutes. I just can't imgine the damage you must inflict when starting a car or truck on a cold morning and racing off into the distance!..Just like most, if not all my neighbors do!

 

Yeah, I drive slow and evenly till the temp is up or the idle is down at the next stop light.

 

I read this too. I have been starting it waiting about a minute then driving as if Ms. Daisy was in my back seat until the temp comes up.

 

I just crank her up and go. although i do baby her until she warms up. If i wanted something finicky i would have bought an old porche. I know everyone wants their truck to last forever, but i got toyota so i wouldnt have to worry about it. I'm not gonna neglect it but i'm not gonna baby it either, an i expect to get plenty of miles out of it. Although at 16 below i understand wanting to take some caution. Your oil has to be the consistancy of oatmeal at those temps. I would probably wait a minute or two but i wouldnt wait 10 to 15.

 

I am not that cold but it was 13 degrees this morning, I let it idle for at least 15 mins before I got in and drove to work, heater and defroster was blowing hot air and it was pretty cozy inside. I do baby it until I get on the highway, and then slowly get it to 65-70 mph. I have been doing this for years with my other vehicles and seem no worse for wear.

 

Mine is garaged and my lowest temps outside are only in the teens. I still let her idle for a good minute or so till the idle drops to/near normal then drive like the old fart I am .

If I lived somewhere that outside temps reached sub zero temps over night and parked my truck outside, I'd think about getting a oil pre-heater. can leave on all night or preferably attached a cheap timer to have it come on an hr to 3 before time to depart.

I haven't looked for these in the last several years, but they use to make/sell dipstick heaters that weren't too expensive. Worked fair, but the ones that you attached permanently to the oil pan and a spot or two to the block worked best.

Examples:
http://www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/...05253/p-2005253/N-111+10201+600001648/c-10101

http://www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/...00837/p-2000837/N-111+10201+600001648/c-10101

http://www.wolverineheater.com/

 

It has been -7 this week hitting -14 with windchill. My baby sits in the garage all night but I still let it warm up for 5 minutes before I leave for work in the morning. After work she has been sitting outside all day, I sit an listen to a tune or two on the radio before I take off. I have done this with all my cars in the past. I see people hop in race off and the car sounds like SH*T and I think to myself that can't be good.

 

It's been about low 70's here and I still let warm up for a few minutes. Not in a hurry to get to work.

 

When I do a search for car warm up, most of the articles say to not warm up your car (a minute or two maximum) and that with modern cars they warm up the best when driving.

Here's one example:

http://www.cartalk.com/content/columns/Archive/2008/January/04.html

 

ndcouch,

im with you! i bought a toyota cuz well, i've always wanted a tacoma they look great, and 2. they are very durable and reliable!! but, i understand everyone's concerns. it got down to about 30 a couple times this month or last month hehe, that's about it. prolly 2-5 days out of the month in dec. and jan. it will get down to about 30, sometimes it will get down in 20's!!! brrrrr but i don't have to worry about the cold like most of u guys do.

 

I completely understand that in extremely cold temps the oil thickens, but come on, these trucks are built like tanks. a good engine can last no matter what you do with the oil. In the beamer i changed the oil out between 5 and 10 thousand miles and it was just dino oil in a car with well over 200k miles. never had a problem. my vehicle better be able to toake some abuse or i have no interest in owning it. if the 2nd gen proves that it needs special treatment then i'll just sell it nd buya 1st gen taco. those are tried and true and can be abused with no problem. If the engine is engineered properly you should never have oil related issues.

 

I agree with Ljack and NDC, my procedure has kind of morphed into this, when I come down for work I take my lunch and gym bag out to the truck, start it, and go back inside for the coffee & thermos of coffee, and lace up the boots. I have never had an issue with carbon build up, and by then the windshield is mostly defrosted.

 

<~~autostart baby. Comes in handy in Alaska. I don't have a block heater, because I do have a garage, so the only time I could actually plug it in is when I'm not at home, and its not like they have outlets in parking lots...

 

I was taught to let the engine "warm up" before accellerating or applying a load to the engine --- not so much to actually warm the engine, but to allow enough time for the oil, which has settled by gravity into the oil pan, to travel (pump) through the journals to lubricate the top end (camshaft bearings, valve guides, etc.).

Boy howdy, I've seen plenty of neighbors over the years get in their late model vehicles, fire up, and then immediately drive off, and then see those vehicles prematurely turn into smokers.

 

Weather is warming up. Heat wave! It only got down to about 8 F degrees last night and up to about 26 F today.

 

since i have had my truck I have always just hopped in and started it and im already moving soon as the engine turned over and as for dont race it while its cold i dont see how that dose anything Colder intake temp means better horsepower and i personaly see that my truck just wants to take off when its cold and im usualy freezing so i want to get going

 

Anyone got some punctuation to loan Tacoma_CT?