Leuth

Anyone have any idea just how much warming your car up (5-10 minutes idling) kills your fuel economy? I was getting 22mpg highway even with a bad O2 sensor, and now I'm getting something like 18-19mpg (if I'm lucky!).

Of course warming the car up has something to do with it, but I have to wonder just how much of a difference it really makes?

desired_speeds

it might be a combination of winter blend of gas mixed with warming up. The car runs rich until it reaches normal operating temp, so it kills a bit more.

THATPRELUDEGUY

There's no need to warm a car up for more than a minute or so, after that you're just wasting gas.

The Life

i have to disagree with you there prelude guy. depending on how you drive warming up your car makes a big difference with a v-tec car if it is not at least 1/4 the way warm v-tec will not pop

Go90go

^ Why the fuck would you want to rev so high on cold oil? Forget longevity if you like to rev your 3G that high when cold.

LudeGuy is right, for normal driving, a quick one to two minute of idling is perfect, since within two minutes of driving, you'll be at normal operating temp anyhow thanks to the load put on the motor.

~Cheers~

Go90go

The difference is the flash point vs. summer gas. After all, you wouldn't want a gas can exploding in the summer time if it's left in 100* sun. Mileage isn't really affected by the gas itself between the two, but consider that the warmer air = less dense, and the fact that you've most likely got the AC going, .

~Cheers~

The Life

just pointing out the fact that it would not activate on a cold motor so yes depending on the driving style it would make a difference. personally i never bring the car above 4k even when trying to merge onthe highway no need to car has planty of pep

Leuth

Alright, so I'm wasting a ton of gas warming up 'too much', basically. All is well, then. I'll just warm up for a couple of minutes instead going forward. Three minutes tops before departure.

THATPRELUDEGUY

Despite a warm motor the rest of the car isnt quite warm, transmission, diff, suspension etc... so really making sure the oil has circulated a bit and then driving normally (i.e. not beating on it) until its at operating tempature makes more sense and leaves less chance of stressing components out.

desired_speeds

all this talk about letting the car warm up and vtec is nonsense. That is, that is makes no sense. Warming up of the car by idling isn't required. Start up the car, let the fast idle valve do its job. As soon as the RPM drops to around 1k, you're good to go. That doesn't mean the car is ready to be smashed on, just take it easy letting the car shift no higher than 3k rpm until it reaches operating temp for 1-2 minutes. Idling your car until it reaches operating temperature is a waste of gas. It does not warm up anything other than the engine. The rest of the drive train is still cold.

Don't believe me? Read the owners manual.

tmnhs81

^+1.

Mandy

++++2 As soon as the rpm goes down, you are ready to go. And yes, do not punch that gas pedal. Take it slow.

Mandy

In winter time, I just allow the seats to warm up and off I go. The car is garaged so it does not take too much time to warn up.

Mandy

Love the heated seats. I hate that my wife's Lexus has no heated seats! Freeking cold in winter!

YeuEmMaiMai

the fastest way to warm up your car is to drive it. All you have to do is start it, wait about 30 seconds or so and GENTLY drive away. I start my car and if needed clean the windows and drive away, otherwise 30 seconds I am moving. if it gets to -25 or so I will wait about 2 minutes

Leuth

Heated seats = WIN