The best way to warm an engine?

[ringway]

What is the best way to warm an engine.

Diesel?

Petrol?

I can remember back in the day I let my then Sierra 1.8 petrol tick-over for half an hour and after that it was always very tappety..

So is it into the car and drive off straight away?

Or wait a minute or so to let the oil flush around?

I thought I'd ask this question because at this time of year a lot of people will be leaving their cars running to warm up.


TIA.

Paul.

 

[renault12ts]

No point in trying with the 320,it will not warm up standing still, just drive it.

 

[big john]

unless your heater booster is on

 

[whitenemesis]

Get in and drive, as said the diesel won't warm up on tickover

 

[Aoraki]

^ and another

 

[Baron_Samedi]

Get in, drive, but don't rev the motor too hard until its fully warmed up.

 

[Gridlock]

Petrol at least, you should blip it up while cold to throw some oil around. Sounds counter-intuitive but it's what race engineers do and will stop your tappity Sierra

Worst thing to do is put load on a cold, unlubricated engine.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Yep, into gear/drive and away. Warmer air quicker. Warmer oil quicker. Result.

Only exception might be if windows are heavily steamed up on the inside - I would wait for the demister to clear it rather than wipe.

 

[BTB 500]

As above, virtually all handbooks say not to leave the engine idling i.e. get in and drive. But you do need to get the windows cleared first, so in this weather you may have no option but to leave it standing for a bit.

 

[BTB 500]

Get in, drive, but don't rev the motor too hard until its fully warmed up.

I wish Mercs had an oil temp. gauge like VAG cars do. It's the only way to know when the engine is fully warmed up.

 

[johnsco]

Fire it up ... Give it a few moments at a fast tick-over to get the oil pressure into all the oil-ways ... Then drive it away.

I was very impressed the way my E300TD fired up without a moment's hesitation at minus 5 degrees this morning.

If the screen is frosted, I tend to use the blower to clear it with the engine running at a fast tick-over

Thank God for a car with a really good heater.
Cheers.
Johnsco

 

[st4]

I wish Mercs had an oil temp. gauge like VAG cars do. It's the only way to know when the engine is fully warmed up.

Mine does??

 

[BTB 500]

Mine does??

Interesting, not noticed one in any Merc I've been in. The SL has a an oil pressure gauge which is pretty pointless IMHO as you only care if the pressure is low (and there's a warning light for that). Oil temp you'd use every time you drove the car.

 

[Gridlock]

My 1990 Golf has trip computer with oil temp, outside temp, mpg etc etc; my 1998 AMG has none of these except outside temp (not that I want an MPG gauge..).

I suspect that like Rolls Royces have "enough" horespower, Mercedes don't want customers to worry about that sort of thing..

 

[BTB 500]

Yup our Audi A4 has an oil temp. gauge, so did my VW Sharan.

 

[st4]

Mine is to the right of the rev meter. Can always tell oil temp and when engine warm. Takes ages being a derv to warm up

 

[Gridlock]

Cardboard over the rad - works for cabbies and Landys

 

[bennesspipers]

I was thinking
1 -Start a fire
2 -Insurance claim
3 -Buy a petrol car
But then i remembered, you already know how to start a flood,hehe

Merry Christmas to all MB owners that have got a fault. (If it is'nt faulty,please see stealer immediately,& a new gremlin will be ordered free of charge)

 

[SilverSaloon]

the oil light is the level not the pressure. Earlier cars (pre 2000-ish) had oil pressure guages. no temp

 

[Satch]

"A woman in Tianjin municipality made a fire under her car, thinking it would warm up the vehicle's engine on Monday. The car went up in flames."

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/m/tianjin/e/2009-11/06/content_8923861.htm