Should I warm my Civic up before I drive?

EricRKinney · 01-11-2007, 02:46 AM

Should I warm my Civic up before I drive? How long?
It's about 30-40F in the morning

sf-si-02 · 01-11-2007, 02:53 AM

omg yes. If its an si, wait till the idle is atleast at 1000 if not lower. The damage done to oil thinning is remarkable. In the fit, there is a warm-up light that goes off only after the motor is warm enough to safely drive away... wish we had on e in the si to convince the wife that its important to wait!

P4rD0nM3 · 01-11-2007, 03:07 AM

Yes you need to warm it up especially on the cold.

ThatOneGuy · 01-11-2007, 03:39 AM

serious ?!? I always let mine get to AT LEAST 5 bars. better safe than sorry ...

White06 · 01-11-2007, 03:39 AM

Warm it up alil but just be gentle on it till it warms up to normal operating temp. Keep the revs low and you will be fine.

jasongg06 · 01-11-2007, 04:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThatOneGuy

serious ?!? I always let mine get to AT LEAST 5 bars. better safe than sorry ...

you let it warm up til 5 bars? thats just a waste of gas, especially in cali

even in 40 degree weather i warm up for under 2 minutes, under 1 minute for 70 or so degree weather, thats all you need

just drive off slowly and don't gun it until it reaches regular operating temp

BATANG CITY JAIL · 01-11-2007, 04:48 AM

YES....

**Silver8th** · 01-11-2007, 04:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jasongg06

In 40 degree weather I warm up for under 2 minutes, under 1 minute for 70 or so degree weather, thats all you need

just drive off slowly and don't gun it until it reaches regular operating temp

What he said^
warm up?

Kidekat · 01-11-2007, 06:15 AM

In my previous vehicles I just warmed it up until the needle starts moving. Slightly longer with forged pistons.

With the Civic, I only wait until 2-3 bars on the temp gauge, but drive it normal.

**GeezerSi** · 01-11-2007, 08:41 AM

19 F this morning. I let it run a minute or two, then drive away keeping the revs below 3K. In a couple of miles, most of the bars are up.

Seemund · 01-11-2007, 09:02 AM

Thats one of the things that I always myself.. I see ppl here in US just starting the car and taking off right away.. in Brazil its even in the manual, you SHOULD warm the car a little bit before driving it.. Don't understand it

I always wait.. for at least 3bars

***letsgoflyers81*** · 01-11-2007, 09:20 AM

I wait until the idling drops to below 1500 RPM then I get going. But I take it easy for a few minutes, until I'm up to about three bars on the temp gauge.

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeezerSi

19 F this morning. I let it run a minute or two, then drive away keeping the revs below 3K. In a couple of miles, most of the bars are up.

Crap yes it was cold this morning. Damn winter for finally showing up!

SIcBoy · 01-11-2007, 09:24 AM

its kinda like sex,
you just dont start going to town on your partner, you have to warm her up,
then you go to town

town= hardcore pounding

eddie22 · 01-11-2007, 09:36 AM

yes. its important to warm up your car first before driving

wait atlis 3 bars:)

CHRIS · 01-11-2007, 09:47 AM

My father had a 92 hatch with over 350,000 miles before he gave it away! ran perfect. always warmed it up in the morning and he always told me i should...thats enough to convince me

dREsTrUcTiON · 01-11-2007, 10:00 AM

Oil pressure reaches maximum 20 seconds or so after you start the car. After that it's safe to drive away as long as you keep it under 3k RPM. Allowing the motor to idle for longer than that causes more damage than driving it, which allows it to warm more quickly. The motor stays colder for a longer period of time if you just wait there. Also, the transmission does not get warmed up while idling, so even if you were to start your car in the morning and let it warm up all the way and immediately go haul ass, you would still be causing damage to the transmission. On a particularly cold day, however, I too would probably let it sit for about a minute.

**CameronJr9** · 01-11-2007, 10:04 AM

warm up?

Quote:

Originally Posted by webby

Unless it's below freezing, cars don't need to be warmed up at all. Driving them gently is the best warm up there is. If it's 25 degrees out, you might want to let it warm up for 30 seconds. If it's 10 degrees out, warm it up for a minute.

That was from another site ^^^ I've looked all over in past years for a definate answer. Some say it's really bad for your car to sit for longer than a min on idle, but I can't prove it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janizary

+1 on webby's information. 'Warming up' for extended periods can actually cause more harm than good. Somewhere over at Edmunds there were some good links on this debate. For myself, I give it about 30 seconds to get the oil flowing and drive gently until the temps come up. For colder weather I believe the information said 'until idling smoothly' then drive. I'll see if I can dig up the articles if I get a chance today.

+1 I completely agree, and research and studies that I've read have proven this.

CHRIS · 01-11-2007, 10:06 AM

So whats the answer?

CHRIS · 01-11-2007, 10:07 AM

I have a solution, lets meet in the middle...

Warm it up for ONE minute. Period, then drive it easy untill the temp bars are up.

SIcBoy · 01-11-2007, 10:09 AM

start your car put on your safty belt, check your mirrors, this should take a minute or so, then drive and keep your rpms low until its warm

01-11-2007, 02:46 AM	#1 (permalink)
EricRKinney Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 13 iTrader: 0 / 0%	Should I warm my Civic up before I drive? Should I warm my Civic up before I drive? How long? It's about 30-40F in the morning

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01-11-2007, 02:53 AM	#2 (permalink)
sf-si-02 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: your mom (so cal) Posts: 630 iTrader: 3 / 100%	omg yes. If its an si, wait till the idle is atleast at 1000 if not lower. The damage done to oil thinning is remarkable. In the fit, there is a warm-up light that goes off only after the motor is warm enough to safely drive away... wish we had on e in the si to convince the wife that its important to wait!

01-11-2007, 03:07 AM	#3 (permalink)
P4rD0nM3 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 1,323 iTrader: 0 / 0%	Yes you need to warm it up especially on the cold.

01-11-2007, 03:39 AM	#4 (permalink)
ThatOneGuy Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Fontana, CA 909 Age: 21 Posts: 74 Bryan Mota iTrader: 0 / 0%	serious ?!? I always let mine get to AT LEAST 5 bars. better safe than sorry ...

01-11-2007, 03:39 AM	#5 (permalink)
White06 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: IL Age: 23 Posts: 263 iTrader: 0 / 0%	Warm it up alil but just be gentle on it till it warms up to normal operating temp. Keep the revs low and you will be fine.

01-11-2007, 04:48 AM	#7 (permalink)
BATANG CITY JAIL Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Durham, NC..£╖╒◙o├æ Posts: 8,327 iTrader: 10 / 100%	YES....

01-11-2007, 06:15 AM	#9 (permalink)
Kidekat Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Placentia, CA Posts: 715 iTrader: 0 / 0%	In my previous vehicles I just warmed it up until the needle starts moving. Slightly longer with forged pistons. With the Civic, I only wait until 2-3 bars on the temp gauge, but drive it normal.

01-11-2007, 08:41 AM	#10 (permalink)
GeezerSi Hidy Ho Neighbor Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Palm, PA Posts: 14,472 -> Ken iTrader: 5 / 100%	19 F this morning. I let it run a minute or two, then drive away keeping the revs below 3K. In a couple of miles, most of the bars are up.

01-11-2007, 09:02 AM	#11 (permalink)
Seemund Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 1,570 iTrader: 2 / 100%	Thats one of the things that I always myself.. I see ppl here in US just starting the car and taking off right away.. in Brazil its even in the manual, you SHOULD warm the car a little bit before driving it.. Don't understand it I always wait.. for at least 3bars

01-11-2007, 09:24 AM	#13 (permalink)
SIcBoy Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: peoria az Age: 24 Posts: 3,440 jr iTrader: 3 / 100%	its kinda like sex, you just dont start going to town on your partner, you have to warm her up, then you go to town town= hardcore pounding

01-11-2007, 09:36 AM	#14 (permalink)
eddie22 Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Age: 27 Posts: 50 iTrader: 0 / 0%	yes. its important to warm up your car first before driving wait atlis 3 bars:)

01-11-2007, 09:47 AM	#15 (permalink)
CHRIS Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: The Big Apple Age: 24 Posts: 5,361 iTrader: 0 / 0%	My father had a 92 hatch with over 350,000 miles before he gave it away! ran perfect. always warmed it up in the morning and he always told me i should...thats enough to convince me

01-11-2007, 10:00 AM	#16 (permalink)
dREsTrUcTiON Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Indiana Posts: 165 iTrader: 2 / 100%	Oil pressure reaches maximum 20 seconds or so after you start the car. After that it's safe to drive away as long as you keep it under 3k RPM. Allowing the motor to idle for longer than that causes more damage than driving it, which allows it to warm more quickly. The motor stays colder for a longer period of time if you just wait there. Also, the transmission does not get warmed up while idling, so even if you were to start your car in the morning and let it warm up all the way and immediately go haul ass, you would still be causing damage to the transmission. On a particularly cold day, however, I too would probably let it sit for about a minute.

01-11-2007, 10:06 AM	#18 (permalink)
CHRIS Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: The Big Apple Age: 24 Posts: 5,361 iTrader: 0 / 0%	So whats the answer?

01-11-2007, 10:07 AM	#19 (permalink)
CHRIS Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: The Big Apple Age: 24 Posts: 5,361 iTrader: 0 / 0%	I have a solution, lets meet in the middle... Warm it up for ONE minute. Period, then drive it easy untill the temp bars are up.

01-11-2007, 10:09 AM	#20 (permalink)
SIcBoy Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: peoria az Age: 24 Posts: 3,440 jr iTrader: 3 / 100%	start your car put on your safty belt, check your mirrors, this should take a minute or so, then drive and keep your rpms low until its warm