Warming Up

[TurboMan]

Does anyone have a definitive answer as to whether it is a good idea to warm up your car, and if so, how long? I have heard mixed results on the subject. Some people say it's a good idea if you haven't driven it in that day, or if it's cold outside, etc. Can whoever responds also please give me a specific technical answer to why i should or should not warm up. I like detail!

 

[Striker187]

just a guess. since metals expand when they're heated, perhaps you have to let the car warm up so that the pistons (rings) will seal correctly against the wall. i just know that it's bad to push a car that isn't up to operating temps.

 

[EvilMSP]

You need to warm up if you plan on zipping around. Otherwise if the car is cold you can drive around normally and it will warm up slowly. In a perfect world warming up is always better.

Here is my version of the technical answer you want:

As metal heats it expands. The clearances in the engine are very very small. When Mazda makes and sets up their engine they do it to full operating temperateures. Once everything has expanded and the engine is at full operating temperature the car is at it's best. All the engines clearances are where they should be. If you push the car too hard when the engine is not at full temp some parts may be off enough that you can cause engine dammage over time. IE Don't start your car and floor it on the nearest onramp every mourning. The car is not just going to break on you if it is cold. It's just about making everything last as long as possible. Hope that was enough for you.

 

[EvilMSP]

Oh and the little Monkey inside your car that controls the camshaft doesn't like to be cold. So he will work harder when warm.

You don't want this happeneing in your engine (piss)

Keep the monkey happy

 

[AFaceInTheCrowd]

Oh and the little Monkey inside your car that controls the camshaft doesn't like to be cold. So he will work harder when warm.

You don't want this happeneing in your engine (piss)

Keep the monkey happy

**** the monkey. he can go to hell. he likes the cold. when he doesn't i have to spank him.

 

[II-Savy]

You don't need a real technical answer, like those dudes said, don't jump in a cold car, start it up, and run it to red line. The car will warm up fast, just take it easy at first.

 

[Captain KRM P5]

on the third gen proteges, the ECU has a fuel enrichment process that runs for the first five minutes. i don't know if this carries over to the MSP

 

[Dr.Sound]

umm
u warm up your car after it's been sitting there for a while because u want the oil from the pan to come up into the engine, since most of it drips down overnight.

that's why the iddle is higher when u just start the car.
if u run it hard cold, u will get metal on metal friction which is very bad.
synthetic oil comes up faster, and stays on engine parts longer........

 

[MazdaDryvr]

I dont put my car in boost until shes at full running temp for a at least 5 mins.

 

[BrianV]

Like the other guy said, the real warmup process has more to do with warming and circulating the oil. Oil lubes much better at temperature.

 

[BrianV]

I have generally just waited until the water temp guage is reading normal, but on 99.99% of occassions I don't get on it till 5-10 minutes after that, and that's if I get on it at all, I drive pretty civily, and see no reason to go over 4k rpm.

 

[MazdaDryvr]

cause it's fun?

 

[new2boost]

No reason to get above 4K! Why buy a turbo car and only use the turbo for 1500 RPM? Thats no fun!