Is Warming Up Your Car’s Engine Before Starting It A Myth Or A Fact?

Until the engine is warmed up to operating temperature, the RPM should remain in the lower part of its overall range.

Does each engine need to be warmed up to operating temperature?

Many car manufacturers claim that the internal combustion engine no longer needs to be warmed up to operating temperature. This claim is justified by the high production standards according to which the engines are produced and the choice of materials. But if you want to enjoy your vehicle for a long time, you shouldn’t listen to them, according to German magazine Autobild.

Every engine should be warmed up, they say, to minimize wear. Cold engine oil is usually much thicker and more viscous than engine oil that is at operating temperature. During a cold start, it takes more time for the oil to be pumped to the bearings and lubrication points of the engine and turbocharger. If you accelerate immediately after the start, you risk insufficient lubrication of important parts, then greater wear and, in the worst case, even damage to the engine. Of course, this also applies to cold starts in summer, but even more so in winter temperatures.

What to do?

Start the engine first, then fasten your seat belt. Anyone who follows this little rule does the engine a lot of good. However, even if the oil has reached all the important lubrication points in the engine or in the turbocharger, the engine should not be throttled immediately. An internal combustion engine consists of more than 1,000 parts made of different materials. This means that the components expand at different rates as they heat up. For example, pistons heat up very quickly due to the combustion that takes place in the cylinder, which causes them to expand more quickly. The cylinder walls, which are part of the engine block, take longer to do this. The clearance, that is, the distance between the pistons and the cylinder walls, becomes too small, which means additional wear.

The cylinder head is also often made of a different material than the engine block. If the components do not spread evenly, leakage may occur near the cylinder head gasket. Stress cracks can also appear in the cylinder head. Until the engine reaches operating temperature, the rpm should remain in the lower third of the rev range. It is recommended not to go full throttle. However, the warm-up is not good if the car is at rest. Then, all the components cannot be heated as quickly and efficiently as they should be. So go ahead, but don’t force the engine until it warms up.

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