If you’ve ever lived in a state with freezing winters, you’ve probably seen people go out and warm up their car while removing the ice from the windshield before driving away. The truth is, this was something people had to do in the 1980s. Warming up the vehicle is no longer a necessary process. This process was done during the time of carbureted cars.
Warming carbureted engines
The process of warming up a car originated with carbureted engines which used a choke adjustment to maintain a proper air-fuel mixture while running an engine when it was cold. At that time, it took more fuel, but cars didn’t have the sensors that today’s fuel-injected cars do to fine-tune the adjustment.
Carburetors became obsolete in the 1980s as emissions regulations became more rigorous and cost-effective. They were replaced by fuel injection systems that were far more precise. This change had a significant impact on how engines work and how we start them in cold weather.
Modern engines no longer require extensive warming
Modern vehicles employ electronic fuel injectors capable of detecting cold weather and injecting additional gasoline into the gas-air mixture to accommodate the evaporation issue. It means that the engine should be ready to begin operation as soon as it is turned on.
For those who unknowingly warm up their vehicle, the engine will warm up some, but it is not the most efficient way to do this; in fact, it can harm your vehicle. All it takes to get the car to its proper operating temperature is to drive it.
How warming the car can have a negative impact
With every few minutes your car idles, it absorbs a quarter of a gallon of fuel or more. Furthermore, you are releasing toxins into the atmosphere, which cause harm to the environment. Apart from wasting fuel and damaging the environment, there is another factor to consider when idling your vehicle, and that’s engine wear.
Excessive idling can negatively affect your engine’s spark plugs, cylinders, and emissions process. If you remain idle for more than a few minutes, it may be prudent to switch off the engine. Restarting the car consumes less gasoline than idling, which is why carmakers have integrated automatic stop and start technology into most vehicles.
There is little to do outside of removing the snow from your vehicle; secure yourself with the seatbelt, and turn on the defroster then go. Keep in mind your vehicle’s engine is still warming up, so don’t rush off; do a gradual increase in speed.
Should you ever warm your car?
While the previous statement indicates that there’s no need to warm your car, it doesn’t mean that there’s never a good reason to give it a bit of time to get the engine going. Even though you are not likely to have engine problems in cold weather due to a lack of warm-up time, the engine oils should remain liquid when you initially start your car.
With the new vehicle technology, the only reason to warm up an engine is for lubrication. It only takes a short time for the oil to circulate throughout your vehicle’s engine, coating all of the moving parts. Once this occurs, it is safe to drive your vehicle.
Conclusion
Warming up your car is a thing of the past, especially with new vehicle technology development. The practice of idling to warm up a car engine to defrost it is not necessary. Therefore, avoid spending fifteen minutes or more engaged in this process. To quickly warm up your engine and achieve optimal fuel economy, performance, emissions, and cabin heat, you must get out on the road. Driving the vehicle more slowly during the first five minutes of each operation will keep your vehicle operating smoothly for the rest of the drive.