To warm or not to warm?

[BillyW124]

I have it at 12 o clock i rearly change this adjustment. If im doing a long M way journey and its cold i turn the heater off or well i put it on the dot so it just whiff's warm air.

not sure if keeping the heater on actually slows the process of warming the car up from start.

 

[kwakdonut]

I have it at 12 o clock i rearly change this adjustment. If im doing a long M way journey and its cold i turn the heater off or well i put it on the dot so it just whiff's warm air.

not sure if keeping the heater on actually slows the process of warming the car up from start.

I wouldn't have thought that it would make a significant amount of difference as ram air effect will still draw air through the heater matrix and into the car. The fan just augments the flow of air of course.

It is nice to have climate control in the car as you can just 'set and forget'!

 

[kwakdonut]

cheers Kwak,

how about this then...turn engine on, wait for high revs to drop to normal idle, then drive off?

All in all like you said MAX 15 seconds

My high idle on the c124 drop down say after 5 seconds. sometimes it doesnt even high idle at all.

I base this on my old Peugeot 205 GTi I had many moons ago. The only car I ever owned with an oil pressure guage. On first start, I would let the needle come up and settle so I knew that the oil pressure was ok. This would take between 5-15 seconds depending on the ambient temperature.

I still do this now, using the 'getting settled' process (seat belt on, phone in cubby hole, wallet in door pocket!), usually takes 15 seconds anyway!

Each to their own though I suppose, whatever people are happiest doing. We are creatures of habit (even bad ones!) after all.

 

[BillyW124]

heres what i do upon start up:

w211: one notch wait till glow light goes off (btw number 4 went the other day but got this changed) then ignite.

c124: one notch, wait till oil pressure reaches number three (i have a habit if waiting intill the SRS light goes off then i fire her up. just my routine really.

i find that if i crank straight away without waiting at least a second or so, it cranks for longer. I guess the fuel pump needs to work inbetween this time so i wait like mentioned. unless i'm totally wrong!

 

[kwakdonut]

With regards to diesels, it is very important at this time of year to let the glow-plug light go out before starting. It might sound stupid, but I have witnessed quite a few diesels being started without! Lots of cranking then a huge plume of black smoke out the back - that can't be good for car or the environment!

 

[BillyW124]

+1

 

[Benjy]

Guys would it do any harm leaving the car on tick over for an hour?

 

[BillyW124]

benjy are you joking?

 

[kwakdonut]

Didn't one of our forum members leave his car idling for several hours when he was putting it away then got diverted by something else? Think this was during the summer though and after he had been out in it so can't imagine any damage would have been caused apart from a dent in his wallet!

 

[Rob77]

Guys would it do any harm leaving the car on tick over for an hour?

Any running of the car at all will be doing some harm. Will it be doing more harm than if it were switched off? I would think it must be.

Will it be doing more harm than racing round a track? I doubt it.

More harm than normal driving? Perhaps.

Hope my thoughts on this are of help

 

[renault12ts]

heres what i do upon start up:

w211: one notch wait till glow light goes off (btw number 4 went the other day but got this changed) then ignite.

c124: one notch, wait till oil pressure reaches number three (i have a habit if waiting intill the SRS light goes off then i fire her up. just my routine really.

i find that if i crank straight away without waiting at least a second or so, it cranks for longer. I guess the fuel pump needs to work inbetween this time so i wait like mentioned. unless i'm totally wrong!

Do you then drive straight away or wait?

 

[Benjy]

benjy are you joking?

No I was clearing the car and drive while I left her ticking over to get some warmth in the car with the blowers going full blast.....What harm would this do?

 

[kwakdonut]

Huge amounts of premature wear to the engine! See my previous explanation about fuel wash in the bores......

 

[Benjy]

Well you live and learn I suppose.....I cant see the harm it would do!

 

[kwakdonut]

Exactly, you won't SEE the harm it will do but harm will be done!

I call it 'mechanical sympathy'.....

 

[BillyW124]

Do you then drive straight away or wait?

I would wait till a little warm then drive away.

but seeing as the majority are saying just start and go i'm not so sure now

 

[kwakdonut]

Billy, as I stated before, each to their own. Explanations have been offered but if you wish to let the car warm a little first, then that's your decision. I don't think anyone is trying to force you to drive off straight away!

I am an engineer, both car and aeronautical and understand the principles of metal-on-metal wear!

 

[renault12ts]

edit

 

[BillyW124]

Billy, as I stated before, each to their own. Explanations have been offered but if you wish to let the car warm a little first, then that's your decision. I don't think anyone is trying to force you to drive off straight away!

I am an engineer, both car and aeronautical and understand the principles of metal-on-metal wear!

explanations taken on board. thanks guys.

if you come to think of it, i barely take the car over 2000rpm or rev high while im driving off untill the temp gauge shows it has warmed up properly. Sitting idiling at 1000rpm is pretty much the same thing too so i guess there is no harm in just driving off as i would...

 

[BillyW124]

..by this i mean perhaps forget warming up as long as i do currently and just keep to low revs while moving off until warm, which in turn will make the oil spread quicker hence warm quicker than if just sitting there.

are we agreed?