Cold Car Starting / Driving

[FTL_Ian]

I heard something about how if it's cold out you shouldn't start a car and drive it right away.  Is this true, and why?

Julia said the car was extra loud this morning when she went to work.

If it's true, at what temperature should one take precautions, and what precautions should one take?  How long should one let the engine idle?  I've heard the level of idle RPMs are a factor, is this true?

[Raineyrocks]

I found this on a website:
Best Answer - Chosen By Voters

When it is real cold the viscosity of the fluids in your car are very high, meaning they are very thick. This will impede the flow of the fluids. As the car warms, the fluids will thin out to normal viscosity and properly lubricate everything. Bottom line, it is a real good idea to let the car warm up before driving it. If you have to drive it cold, keep off the gas, rev the engine as little as possible.

My dad always waited in Connecticut winters until the car warmed up to drive it, judging by temperature gauge on the dashboard.  My husband says it doesn't matter with new cars, but I totally disagree with him.

[money dollars]

My husband says it doesn't matter with new cars, but I totally disagree with him.

I think your husband is mostly right.....

But on days like today(single digit temps), or any day that I have a bunch of ice on my car, I let my car warm up for 5 or 10 mins...

May car makes strange noises when I start it on cold days.....belts whining and other strange things.....it has been going on for years and I haven't had a problem.....

[FTL_Ian]

My husband says it doesn't matter with new cars, but I totally disagree with him.

I think your husband is mostly right.....

"New" meaning:

1. Cars with low mileage?
2. Cars manufactured within the last 5 years regardless of mileage?
3. Cars manufactured within the last 10 years?

[Kat Kanning]

And sometimes on days like this, my car doors freeze shut.  People tell me you can put beeswax around the door seal to stop it.  I havent tried it yet.

[money dollars]

last 10 years at least....

[Lloyd Danforth]

And sometimes on days like this, my car doors freeze shut.  People tell me you can put beeswax around the door seal to stop it.  I havent tried it yet.

I'll put some in my car for the next trip up there. Sometimes the freeze after a drizzle. Tarp!

[Lloyd Danforth]

last 10 years at least....

Post carburator

[money dollars]

And sometimes on days like this, my car doors freeze shut.  People tell me you can put beeswax around the door seal to stop it.  I havent tried it yet.

I had the opposite problem a couple time....something in the door seized up, and after I opend it, I could not get it to stay shut......

[mvpel]

Actually, letting a modern car warm up is a waste of (expensive) gasoline.  When you're idling, you're getting negative miles per gallon.

You needed to warm up carb cars because of the way in which the fuel is vaporized for combustion - cold fuel through a cold carb has a low vapor pressure and doesn't atomize well.

With fuel-injected cars, though, this issue goes away since the fuel is atomized by the injector, not by the application of thermodynamic principles.  Also, modern oils maintain their viscous properties through a much wider range of temperatures than ever before.  Driving gently the first couple of miles is the best warm up.

Also: http://www.ec.gc.ca/cleanair-airpur/Facts-WS2309FEF9-1_En.htm#roadfacts

? An idling engine releases twice as many exhaust fumes than a vehicle in motion.
    ? If every driver in Canada avoided idling for 5 minutes a day, we could prevent 1.6 million tonnes of carbon dioxide from being emitted.
    ? No more than 30 seconds of idling is needed for oil to circulate through your engine. Many components, such as the wheel bearings, tires and suspension system will only warm up once the vehicle is moving.
    ? Restarting your car many times has little impact on engine components, adding only around $10 per year to the cost of driving, money that is recovered in fuel savings.
    ? Ten seconds of idling uses more fuel than restarting the engine.
    ? Idling can damage your engine since it is not operating at its peak temperature where fuel is completely burned. Fuel residue from incomplete burning can damage engine parts.
    ? Idling a vehicle for 10 minutes a day uses an average of 100 litres of gas a year. If gas costs 70 cents a litre, you will save $70 per year, just by turning your key.
    ? During the winter, Canadians idle their vehicles for a combined total of 75 million minutes/day. This is equal to a vehicle idling for 144 years. Although we idle our vehicles about 40% less in summer, we still waste an enormous amount of fuel and money.
    ? A block heater warms the oil and engine coolant, making it easier to start your vehicle and improving winter fuel economy by as much as 10%.

When I lived in San Jose, one of our neighbors made a practice of "warming up" his car in 40-degree weather for about 10 minutes every weekday at about 6:30am. 

Oh, and a good cold-weather car trick - they make these tarps sized to your front windshield with sturdy handles, so if you have to park outside, and it snows or ices up, you can just pull the tarp off and have an instantly clear windshield, rather than chipping and scraping and brushing.  Any old tarp will do, of course.

[Raineyrocks]

New" meaning:

1. Cars with low mileage?
2. Cars manufactured within the last 5 years regardless of mileage?
3. Cars manufactured within the last 10 years?

He means #3.

I think your husband is mostly right.....

Wow, I'll have to show him this he never hears he's right.

Thanks!

[Kat Kanning]

And sometimes on days like this, my car doors freeze shut.  People tell me you can put beeswax around the door seal to stop it.  I havent tried it yet.

I had the opposite problem a couple time....something in the door seized up, and after I opend it, I could not get it to stay shut......

Oh I had that once, too.

[Kat Kanning]

And sometimes on days like this, my car doors freeze shut.  People tell me you can put beeswax around the door seal to stop it.  I havent tried it yet.

I'll put some in my car for the next trip up there. Sometimes the freeze after a drizzle. Tarp!

Thanks, Lloyd!

[Russell Kanning]

I like to give it a minute at least.
If you really want to baby your car .... you can keep the engine warm or the oil in the pan.

[eques]

I'm too impatient to wait very long, and I don't like to leave my car running without me sitting in it.

The only thing that's weird for me is that the clutch is very stiff when it's 0F out.  However, the transmission will really only warm up once I get moving anyway.