Just was on You Tube listening to Flowmaster American Thunder axle back mufflers. I see a lot of Mustang owners rev the &*^% out of their cars before they even have a chance to warm up.
Do you let you Mustangs warm up fully before you take off and/or rev them up or do you just jump in, start the Stangs, and run them hard right away?
I personally always let my vehicles warm up even on warm days. Am I wrong and not saving gas by letting them warm up?
Thank you for the replies!
Phil

 

I tend to wait at least a good 5 minutes (10+ if it's real cold) before taking the engine over 4k rpms.

 

I try to let it warm up before redlining it through every gear, but that doesn't always happen. Actually, it doesn't happen quite often...

 

My Lotus Dealer told me years ago that the best way to warm up an engine is to drive away easily - vs extended idling in the driveway building up carbon. So I rev as needed to get up to speed while shifting, but never redline that soon.

Also just because the water gauge says up to temp doesn't mean the block and heads are fully heated. Probably takes 10-15 minutes drive time at highway speeds to fully get up to temp.

So my habit is, I have a 30 minute drive at highway speeds until I get to town. On my first turn on another road is where I redline it in 2nd. Redline a day keeps the mechanic away!

My first oil sample to Blackstone Labs was done this winter at 26k miles and showed very low wear metals. They concluded "Nice engine at 26047 miles". So I'm sticking with my method.

 

Interesting replies!

CharlieHorse I think you have made some very good points!

Thank you all for the ideas.

Please keep them coming if you like!

Regards,

Phil

 

I crank up, then squeegee off the windows for a minute or so, then get in a drive. If there is no dew on the windows, I usually just crank up and go. I don't normally get on it though so my car doesn't see much over 2K rpm. I have gotten on it before cold.

 

It might depend on how cold you're talking about also. I don't think you can hurt much revving it as long as you're not holding it to the limiter or revving very long. There's no real load on the engine while you're not moving. I won't do it to my car mostly because I'm running high boost. It's better to be at operating temps before I let the boost gauge climb.

 

AKA an Italian tune-up.

 

If the coolant is up to normal, you can about bet so are the block, heads, water jackets as that's what heats the coolant.

Usually I start it up, let it run while I buckle in and set XM, and just drive away. I drive away "normal", 'cause it's not a race. If it's really "cold" out, I let it run a couple minutes or maybe 3 ... then I just "drive" away. My personal stuff I take it easy with at least until I build the heat in the engine. A engine idling in the drive way on a 25-30 degree day will take longer to warm up than one driven easily and carefully after a minute or two.

I'm paying for the cars and trucks now and any repairs are a product of my labor and wallet. Only way I would take off wide open or redlining it from cold is if a bona fide emergency exist and my presence is required. Otherwise, what is the point?

 

I respect all viewpoints here and driving away easy probably is a good idea on engines that are not fully warmed up.

When it is warm out, I usually let the car (or truck) warm up for about 2 minutes before pulling away. When it is around the 40's or 50's temperature wise, I let the vehicle warm up for about 5 minutes. Below freezing, about 10 minutes warm up time.

Not sure if my method is correct, however I have a 2007 company F150 with over 196,500 miles on it plus a lot of idle time (due to the job) and the 5.4 engine and auto tranny are still working great!

When I was watching you-tube and saw some of the guys showing off the new mufflers just reving the heck out of their cars after they had just started them cold, it made me think that might not be the best idea...

Who really knows though? They may last a long time too!

Regards,

Phil

 

I let it idle till the rpm drops from a cold start, probably less than a minute, then drive normally to warm it up, rip a little 5k pull on the highway on-ramp to get up to speed but won't slam it till it's warmed up ever.

 

I live in Fl so doesn't cet cold to often. I start it buckel up set radio and gps for trafic reports. Then it is 6 blocks 2 stop sign i trafic light then the on ramp to the interstate time to drive it like I stole it.