Noobi mechanical question

Sam_Boss260 · 27-07-2011, 01:33 PM

I am not exactly mechanically minded, and love to know some actual facts about this question that I am posing here.

What sort of long term damage could be done if a car is warmed up correctly before revving it hard? Situation is the wife just gets in her car, and whether it is hot or cold just takes off out of the driveway and just nails it.

She never listens to me when I say warm the engine slightly and don't nail it when taking off. The car is regularly serviced, but now is hagged and I would to be able to say that it was her driving the car when cold like this that has had long term effect.

Cheers

|Nate · 27-07-2011, 01:37 PM

I'd also like to know what damage can be done as my girlfriends dad just gets up, in the nearly 0 temperature in Ballarat, starts his car, revs it and floors it to work, but I warm it up for at least 5-8 minutes in Ballarat, and about 2-5 in warmer suburbs.

TheInterceptor · 27-07-2011, 01:43 PM

Increases wear as the oil is still thick and wont lubricate things properly?

GTP owner · 27-07-2011, 01:53 PM

Pistons not expanded to working size, so glazes bores and increases ring wear. Bearings not lubricated because oil is too thick to reach them, so they wear without the thin layer of oil on them. Gaskets in exhaust let go because the exhaust has not heated up and expanded to compress them properly.

It's just bad carma to flog a cold car

Fiesta God · 27-07-2011, 02:00 PM

I will only let my car warm up by "idling" for 15-20 seconds (i.e. turn it on and sit there).

But I will then drive for the first 10-15 minutes very carefully, never revving past 3000RPM (in a manual) and changing smoothly until the engine warms up ...

Sam_Boss260 · 27-07-2011, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GTP owner

Pistons not expanded to working size, so glazes bores and increases ring wear. Bearings not lubricated because oil is too thick to reach them, so they wear without the thin layer of oil on them. Gaskets in exhaust let go because the exhaust has not heated up and expanded to compress them properly.

It's just bad carma to flog a cold car

Ok... now I know that this is a loaded question and a car's issue cannot be diagnosed over the internet... but hyperethetically, If this increased rign wear and glazed bores was to happen, is that when the car blows black smoke, or can it cause issues over in the camshaft area causing excessive wear and tear there and oil ****ing out from the cam shaft seals?

I know stupid question, but as I said mechanically inept so I have to ask.

GTP owner · 27-07-2011, 02:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sam_Boss260

Ok... now I know that this is a loaded question and a car's issue cannot be diagnosed over the internet... but hyperethetically, If this increased rign wear and glazed bores was to happen, is that when the car blows black smoke, or can it cause issues over in the camshaft area causing excessive wear and tear there and oil ****ing out from the cam shaft seals?

I know stupid question, but as I said mechanically inept so I have to ask.

Too hard to tell without having a careful look at it, sorry.

Linkachu · 27-07-2011, 02:02 PM

Take her keys and tell her untill she works out why. It'll save money in the long run

Sam_Boss260 · 27-07-2011, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Linkachu

Take her keys and tell her untill she works out why. It'll save money in the long run

Too late I think...

Ford_The_Win · 27-07-2011, 02:07 PM

Also important to remember that it's not just the engine that is cold - gearbox and diff will still be stone cold as well so I dare say it would cause excessive wear on those components also. When it's cold I let my car warm for a minute or two, longer if it's bitterly cold, then take it easy until it approaches operating temperature.

XR6_661 · 27-07-2011, 02:08 PM

I dare say, as long as your aren't limiter bashing up the road...It's probably not too much of a major problem...sure it's an issue, but geez...

davenl5l · 27-07-2011, 03:30 PM

time to trade her in......probably the car as well lol

Sam_Boss260 · 27-07-2011, 03:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davenl5l

time to trade her in......probably the car as well lol

AMEN TO THAT !!!

Windsor342ci · 27-07-2011, 05:10 PM

Ok so no one else noticed the 2 back to back posts at the very top, one of the Wife and the other of the Girlfriend??

Lucky man I should say!

PHANTMXR6 · 27-07-2011, 05:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CRYHSV

Ok so no one else noticed the 2 back to back posts at the very top, one of the Wife and the other of the Girlfriend??

Lucky man I should say!

2 different posters mate.

falconnut · 27-07-2011, 05:14 PM

I always wait until my engine is at normal operating temp before i give it the guts, although its a tourqey engine so i dont really need to and i dont notice the cold and keep it below 2000rpm

irish2 · 27-07-2011, 05:19 PM

Cold engines also have far greater bearing tolerances. Beating on them when cold will see them down to copper in no time.

falconnut · 27-07-2011, 05:26 PM

Not to meantion when giving a cold engine the boot will cost alot more in Fuel then when its hot.

**GasoLane** · 27-07-2011, 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sam_Boss260

Situation is the wife just gets in her car, and whether it is hot or cold just takes off out of the driveway and just nails it.

I'd say if she drives like this first thing, she drives like it all the time. The engine is probably shagged from just regular driver abuse.

Has she got a sewing machine ? If so get in there and hold it flat out while she's there

Bobman · 27-07-2011, 06:52 PM

It's mechanical torture to thrash a vehicle when dead cold.

Exactly why fire engines (and some ambulances) have 240V inputs to keep the engine warm.

Ben73 · 27-07-2011, 07:09 PM

Here's a question. Is it ok to start your car from cold. Drive it for 30 seconds then switch it off again?

I have heard you should let it warm up before switching it off again.

sudszy · 27-07-2011, 08:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ben73

Here's a question. Is it ok to start your car from cold. Drive it for 30 seconds then switch it off again?

I have heard you should let it warm up before switching it off again.

Due to the limited vaporisation of petrol at colder temperatures more petrol than is actually burnt by the motor has to be fed into the cylinders in liquid form. Some of this fuel remains inside the cylinders and leaks past the rings to contaminate dilute the oil, same thing happens with the colder petrol vapor left over in the process, and also with the water vapor produced in combustion.

warming the cylinders up stops this from happening. Also getting the oil warm actually evaporates some of the oil and water out of it. There is also the potential to end up with fouled spark plugs

Its also something that's not much good for the exhaust either, hence why exhausts rust out on cars that only do 5 min trips very quickly.

In my opinion though, its better to save the money on the fuel and change the oil more often, though as to the exhaust, it depends on how easily it rusts out and how expensive it is.

Road Games · 27-07-2011, 08:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sudszy

Due to the limited vaporisation of petrol at colder temperatures more petrol than is actually burnt by the motor has to be fed into the cylinders in liquid form. Some of this fuel remains inside the cylinders and leaks past the rings to contaminate dilute the oil, same thing happens with the colder petrol vapor left over in the process, and also with the water vapor produced in combustion.

warming the cylinders up stops this from happening. Also getting the oil warm actually evaporates some of the oil and water out of it. There is also the potential to end up with fouled spark plugs

Its also something that's not much good for the exhaust either, hence why exhausts rust out on cars that only do 5 min trips very quickly.

In my opinion though, its better to save the money on the fuel and change the oil more often, though as to the exhaust, it depends on how easily it rusts out and how expensive it is.

Hang on a cottin pickin' minute !
Who are you?
And what have you done with sudszy ??!

sudszy · 27-07-2011, 08:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sam_Boss260

I am not exactly mechanically minded, and love to know some actual facts about this question that I am posing here.

What sort of long term damage could be done if a car is warmed up correctly before revving it hard? Situation is the wife just gets in her car, and whether it is hot or cold just takes off out of the driveway and just nails it.

She never listens to me when I say warm the engine slightly and don't nail it when taking off. The car is regularly serviced, but now is hagged and I would to be able to say that it was her driving the car when cold like this that has had long term effect.

Cheers

As has been pointed out by others, basically its just going to wear faster.
My experience with woman and cars.....doesnt matter how much you spell out the errors of their ways ..........they will continue to do what they do.

So, just resign yourself to a lower engine life....perhaps car designers will put together the "woman driver" chip where the throttle wont go past 1/3 and the revs are limited to 3000rpm until it gets to operating temp.

TheInterceptor · 27-07-2011, 08:21 PM

Hahaha thats actually gold!

Ben73 · 27-07-2011, 08:25 PM

In the e39 M5 apparently the "redline" actually moves lower then 4000rpm when the engine is cold, then once it is up to temp the redline moves back up to about 6000rpm or whatever its normal position is.

sudszy · 27-07-2011, 08:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ben73

In the e39 M5 apparently the "redline" actually moves lower then 4000rpm when the engine is cold, then once it is up to temp the redline moves back up to about 6000rpm or whatever its normal position is.

good technology, but to the woman at the centre of this type of abuse I would anticipate that they are more familiar with phrases such as "pantyline" and "eyeliner' than care about "redline" and any numbers on that thing next to the speedo.

Jim Goose · 27-07-2011, 08:39 PM

Its not women who abuse their cars... have seen plenty of males in my street who start their cold commodores up and red line it first thing in the morning.

sudszy · 27-07-2011, 08:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Goose

Its not women who abuse their cars... have seen plenty of males in my street who start their cold commodores up and red line it first thing in the morning.

Yes, you are right, there are some men who do the same too.

Though I find those male types who think they need to warm the thing up in their drive way at 2000rpm for 5 mins just as annoying.

Jim Goose · 27-07-2011, 09:01 PM

Not "just" women.. i meant..

Yes I knew one particular private pilot who used to do that to his Cessna182!
We always cringed everytime.... despite the fact it would take 5mins just to taxi to the holding point to take off which gave him plenty of time to warm up the engine.

Had a guy across the road in an old landcruiser who would start it before the glow plug came on (it would crank for 30sec non stop before it would start), then rev the crap out of it (all the time the alt belt would be squealing its ring out) and drive off.

Very cringe worthy at 6am in winter...