Nuke

Start the engine, buckle up, check your gauges and drive off gently for the first 5-10 miles. Excessive idling will cause carbon buildup. Driving will help the engine warm up faster, also.

dlazrael

That is my general philosophy

AJ06GT

Yes, I also let the idle at least settle, but past that I typically go and drive gently for a little while, and under 3k RPMs until warm.

Here's something to think about. While you sit there and idle your engine, you are warming your motor oil and getting it moving, which is great and all, but you still have oil and parts in your transmission and rear end that needs to warm up. So just letting your car sit there until the temperature gauge says warm doesn't mean your car is warmed up and ready to go racing. That's why I suggest just driving, but doing so gently until warm.

Ricardo

I'm going to make two logs of engine run time/coolant temp/ambient temp/distance traveled and share it here.
First will be idling until engine reaches 160F, no pressing the gas pedal.
Second will be engine start, wait 30 seconds (time it takes to buckle and settle in), and driving with RPMs staying under 2k until engine reaches 160F.

People can't deny what the cars computer is saying.

edit: did a quick test and it took over 400 seconds idling to reach 160F in 29F ambient temp. wasting gas!

Cruzinaround

I honestly haven't had a problem heading out in the morning since the garage is heated. Yep...I'm sperled. But, I do have to deal with the cold temps coming back after having my car parked for several hours. And today the temperature at my parking destination was a balmy -8 degrees Fahrenheit. It will gradually warm up to a smoking hot zero degrees by the time I get back from my commute. Then I will start it up, allow the idle to settle to under 1000 RPM and head for that heated garage at a deliberate but normal driving speed staying within the ebb and flow of regular traffic.

Perhaps rinse off the muck from the road and then towel it off and go enjoy a nice movie on my 14 foot screen in the man cave, kick back with the kids and maybe hang with the dogs a bit in the arena afterwards. Then go back to the cave and play Need for Speed Rivals using my virtual 2015 Mustang GT to do all the sort of nastiness I don't put my real world Mustang through.


Then after a good night sleep...perhaps take the real one out again in the freezing sub-zero temps.

Soooo dangerous. ;-)

Norm Peterson

That is directly opposite my experience with the 4.6L. This engine has been the most cold-blooded, slowest to warm up of any engine I've ever had, and I'm retired. I'd rather waste a little gas to be sure I've got adequate oil flow than waste a cam or two or a set of bearings due to lubrication not being quite up to what's needed (been there, too).

Letting the rpms drop is the least you should do.

Beyond that, the temp needle should have clearly moved and/or significant warmth felt coming out the dash vents before leaning on it at all. This includes avoiding normal Interstate speeds (which in my experience tend to run 10 - 15 mph above posted except during rush hours).


There are too many texting "u's" and not enough choices in the poll, so I didn't "vote".


Norm

JIM5.0

Do what he just said.

Drive it but easy on the gas pedal. Don't gun it, but don't let it idle so long.

Cruzinaround

Ummm...started it up for ride the home tonite ... Waited for Idle drop to 1000. Temp gauge started to move a bit heat was blowing from the registers.... Drove off slowly... Then noticed the EPS was a little delayed response. This was at -2 degrees Fahrenheit after sitting out for about 6 hours. Also, does anyone have any idea how many miles the battery should be replaced at? I noticed the car was a little sluggish to turn over and start. After the temp gauge was at normal the steering started to respond like normal as well. So I'm willing to bet... Without the EPS in the cold... The 4.6 GT's have an advantage in sub zero temps. ....???

Goldenpony

I guess I'm old school, but I like to warm it up a bit before driving if it's cold outside.

2005Redfire6

As mentioned on this thread already I generally wait until the RPMs drop back down.