What problems can it cause not just a mustang but any car if the car has been sitting in very cold wheather for several hours and it is started up and just driven? I ask because people always say warm up your car, but what happens if you dont warm up your car? Can something be damaged internally?

 

oh yea.... when metal heats up it expands. Most engine parts are designed to fit when hot. If the motor hasnt had time to heat up then the parts will have a bit of extra room to move about and cause more friction, and damage. If you live in colder areas let the car warm up for 10-15 min to lessen the chance for damage. Cold starts alone are brutal on the motor. If you try to drive it cold, well I just feel bad for the motor. The best way to avoid cold starts is a block heater but thats kinda hard to be practical. Just warm it up if you want it to last longer. I mean are you that much of a busy person where you cant take 10-15 min out of a 24hour day to save your car........sorry, I got carried away. Im a mechanic and I see too much neglect!

 

haha, well thanks alot turt(what kinda name is that? lol). Good details Ya I let my stang warm up atleast 10-15 mins when it sits awhile in cold weather. So since the internals have room in the cold and that, are you saying I shouldnt rev it up to try to get it warmed up more/quicker because the moving parts? Thanks.

 

One good thing would be to get an oil warmer. That will keep the oil from getting super thick from the cold and starting the car will be alot easier on it. Just plug it in whenever you get home and your good to go. Just dont forget to unplug it before you drive away.

 

When you first start it up its ok to bring the rpm to about 2,000 for a few seconds to get the oil pressure up but after that idle is nice. Usually cars have an automatic choke that will do all this for you. All you have to do is turn the key and go inside and stay warm.

 

wow looks like my car has been taking punishment everyday during the winter.. cuz i just drive it the second the car is ready... or the second thres no more ice on the windshields.

 

mine is pretty rough when i fire it up, it sounds pretty badass actually (like a big block with a nasty cam). i think my egr is busted, but its no big deal i wont be driving it too much anyway. mine doesnt give me a choice either, if i dont warm it up...it drives like crap. warming it up is the way to go, gets your heat running too[sm=smiley20.gif]

 

Ever just start the car up cold and drive it off? Listen to the sounds comming from the engine. If turt (+1, what the hell kinda name is that... its awesome) is a mechanic, he can tell you alot more than me, but you need to wait for everything to expand and the oil to get where it needs to go... remember oil settles and seeps in the engine

Jim