Winter has well and truly landed in Australia, and with it, chilly mornings and cold fingers while we wait for our car cabins to warm.
For many motorists, the colder weather prompts an age-old question: do you need to warm up your engine before driving your car?
Many readers will recall memories of their parents starting the family vehicle and leaving it run idle in the driveway.
The practice was considered important in older carburettor vehicles, cycling through the oil that had drained to the bottom of the oil pan (or sump) overnight, lubricating critical components in the process and allowing the engine to reach optimum temperature.
With the advent of electronic fuel injection, modern cars no longer require a few minutes of running time to get their air-fuel mixture just right.
While oil still drains to the bottom of the oil pan, most modern vehicles feature sophisticated lubricating systems that get oil to the critical parts of an engine almost immediately.
Additionally, oil technology has also improved to ensure better lubrication, longevity, and performance and viscosity across all conditions. Including cold weather.
The short answer, if you’re driving a modern vehicle with fuel injection, is no. The truth is most modern vehicles will work up to optimum temperature not long after you’ve clicked in your seatbelt, checked your little ones in the rear, and connected your phone.
It wouldn’t be prudent to go searching for an engine’s rev limiter when it is cold, but regular driving won’t pose any risk to your engine if you simply start it and drive off.
That said, there are still some benefits to allowing your vehicle to stand idle for a moment or two.
On colder mornings, as the engine warms then so does your cabin temperature. This not only ensures warmer occupants, but also the removal of condensation or even frost on your windshield, allowing you to see safely.
If your car has been sitting for longer than a week, it might also pay to let it sit idling for an additional moment before taking off.
Otherwise, letting your engine to sit idling every morning can create needless emissions and waste fuel.
Although engine technology has changed, the rules around warming up an older carburettor engine have not.
So, if you are still getting about in a car fitted with a carburettor engine, then it’s prudent to let it warm up a few moments so it can reach the optimum fuel-to-air ratio and the oil can circulate through the engine.
The electric car sits at the opposite extreme to an older carburettor car. With no moving engine parts, there is no requirement to warm up the drivetrain whatsoever. Just turn it on and drive off.
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