Warming Up In cold Weather?? | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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Warming Up In cold Weather??

fedyfedz

Well-Known Member
Joined
April 26, 2010
Messages
876
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City, State
Suffolk County, NY
Year, Model & Trim Level
2002 limited v8
Just wondering if anyone else with a v8 has the same issue i have.

When starting my truck in the morning when it is cold, the heat or temp gauge for engine does not budge at all until the truck starts moving. This means it is pointless to go out and warm my truck up because nothing gets warm. Once it starts moving the heat progressively get warmer and temp gauge moves up slowly.

In my opinion a remote starter would be pointless and a waste of money. Ive seen the things where you plug it into an outlet and keeps your engine warm but dont want to go that route.

Any outside info would help...
 



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My 4.6 warms up in a seemingly "normal" amount of time.
One factor is the outside temp. Another consideration is, if you had your Ex running for 5 minutes on a frigid morning, hopped in and it was still cold then you'd at least have a head start on seeing heat come from the vents.
 






Ive seen the things where you plug it into an outlet and keeps your engine warm but dont want to go that route.
.

Those crank case heaters you are referring to is to keep the engine oil warm. They don't heat the whole engine. The ones I've seen in the past are inserted thru the dipstick tube. Those are generally used in below zero climates.
 






I think warming it up is for wussies. I get in her crank and go. It takes about 15-20 minutes idling compared to five minutes under acceleration. Waste of time and fuel if you ask me. But I did see an electronic heater takes 30 seconds to warm up and plug it in your cigarette lighter.
Jk about the wussy thing I just can't afford it right now. Besides I'm always scared about someone splicing wires in my car.
 






Check your coolant level.... Prob fine, but I had same complaint... Turns out was a few quarts low... Didn't find out till the summer when over heated (only 4 miles to work). If it's low wont get to the heater... At least that's what I think... Been wrong many times before though.
 






My remote start warms the vehicle just fine, but I'm still wiring the remote to also heat the seats. 4.6 here also. Guess I'm a warm wussy who's not afraid to splice when I need to.
 






I think warming it up is for wussies. I get in her crank and go. It takes about 15-20 minutes idling compared to five minutes under acceleration. Waste of time and fuel if you ask me. .
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

LMAO, it depends on how cold it is when it comes to warming up the vehicle and what you personally consider cold temps. I do agree it wastes fuel if you warm it up for too long and it costs you more $$$$ in the winter to drive doing that. I'll warm it up for a few minutes then drive off and within 5 minutes or so I can feel the heat coming thru the vents as I drive. Last Feb., I remember a day where it was -14 degrees below zero on the outside temp gauge in the Ex and that wasn't counting the wind chill, which made it around -25 below zero. The EX groaned a little during start up and that was with a new, 850 CCA battery in it and a new tune up done. I don't care who you are or where you live, you are not jumping in the vehicle and driving off right after a cold start up when it is that cold, it's not gonna happen! You will have to at least warm it up for a few minutes to get the fluids flowing. Trying to drive off in a vehicle right after start up when it's that cold, is like an old, 80 year old, arthritic man trying to jump out of bed and run around the house right after waking up in the morning, can't do it, too stiff! Takes the old man a few minutes sitting on the edge of the bed checking that every joint is functioning right first, before he attempts to stand up and take that first step of the day.
 






Rocco if you have splicing skills I would love to see you install a heated steering wheel I don't think its been done on the 3rd gens yet that would be sweet.

Exproblems I read in an automotive mag that since the beginning of efi warm up is no longer needed for the vehicle to function properly after a cold start. Once the rpm drops to normal from high start up rev you are good to go. Like old men warm up is for old cars.
You guys got me thinking. A heated car cover ?
 






Exproblems I read in an automotive mag that since the beginning of efi warm up is no longer needed for the vehicle to function properly after a cold start. Once the rpm drops to normal from high start up rev you are good to go. Like old men warm up is for old cars.
You guys got me thinking. A heated car cover ?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Guilateen,

That car magazine you read is referring to the EFI fuel injection only being ready after rpms drop, so what does that have to do with the rest of the frozen vehicle or fluids, like tranny fluid, gear oils and other electrical/mechanical components etc? I wasn't referring to old vehicles only, I'm talking about any vehicle made today new or used and -25 below temps or below 20 degrees for that matter at start up. It's best to let them warm up for at least a few minutes, properly circulating the fluids/lubricants and I've lived in a cold climate for 51 1/2 years or my entire life. Nearly 36 years of that driving, so I've got the been there, done that thing working for me. New or used cars do not like having nearly frozen, thickened up oils and liquids forced thru them under a load of driving until they've had a little chance to thaw out. I wouldn't believe everything I read in some magazine either. Maybe the person who wrote that article thinks 40 degrees is cold, but I don't.
 












Trans fluid will not warm up until your moving same with gear oil. Google it.
http://www.dadacanada.com/idling-facts-and-myths/idling-myths.html
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

I don't need to google anything in regards to what I said, I know exactly what a frozen vehicle sounds like at start up and one you put it into gear right away and start driving, versus one you let warm up for several minutes or more before taking off. I can garauntee you that if you let a very cold vehicle warm up for 15 minutes or so in Park or close to operating temp, that heat build up in the engine will transfer to the tranny fluid and the transmission will run and sound much better, than a vehicle you didn't let warm up and drove off immediately in after a cold start up as you suggested you do with your vehicle. The longer you let it warm up after sitting all night in very cold temps, the better it will drive and sound when you go to drive off in it. I know this from experience by driving in very cold temps every winter. Maybe you've never experienced real cold temps and wind chills like I have. Like I also said previously, the warm up time varies depending on how cold it is outside and how long the vehicle sat.
 






hmmmm
New York,
New Jersey,

NOW, let somebody that lives where it gets cold add to this,,

yes oil pan heaters are not the answer, but it was provided for you in the form of a block heater ,that warms the coolant,
i live where it gets to -45 in the night with high temps of -35 in the day for long periods of time,
I am going to add a remote start to my Explorer cause with the block heater combination and a few minutes of idle time just before i go out to drive away , my scangauge 2 says my engine gets to almost 170 f before i leave my driveway,

i would say that is ideal as there is already real good heat coming out of the vents or defroster and allows for much easier window scraping if there is snow or ice on the window,,
with inlet air temps at -15 or less the engine will still warm up pretty good if the coolant starts at 80-90 degrees from the block heater,

also with my scangauge 2 it gives me a trans temp too, and it does start to warm the fluid in an automatic as soon as the engine starts running ,
so there you have it, as it works from the real cold,,
 






Sorry to upset you. I live in RI. It's in New England you not to far from you. I was going to say Google map it but I don't want to upset the New Yorker. But I was just putting some info out there didn't mean to throw it in your face that your just wasting fuel and increasing carbon build up in your engine.
 






When its cold you start dealing with the viscosity of the oil. 10W30 is really rated for a minimum temp of -20* and 5W30 is for about -30* so a 5W30 oil is better suited for the winters in cold areas

You "should" wait for your oil to warm up enough to at least start flowing properly, not enough oil in your valvetrain and worn parts.

Most people will not notice a difference in warming a car up for a minute to a car sitting there for 30 minutes. The colder the weather the more it should be warmed up. I warm my cars up for a minute or two but im not in an area that drops down to much below zero.
 






Sorry to upset you. I live in RI. It's in New England you not to far from you. I was going to say Google map it but I don't want to upset the New Yorker. But I was just putting some info out there didn't mean to throw it in your face that your just wasting fuel and increasing carbon build up in your engine.[/QUOTE>>>>>>>>>>>>

Quilateen, relax, you didn't upset me. I'm simply trying to inform you it's best to let a very cold vehicle warm up first before driving off on a cold start up. As far as you living in Rhode Island and your weather there, thats nothing compared to the weather I deal with here all winter. The more south east you go from me, the warmer and milder it is in winter. I'd rather waste some money on warm up fuel in winter months, than drive off right after starting a frozen vehicle up and damaging or blowing a motor or tranny up due to lack of lubrication due to thickened fluids. No one where I live jumps in their cold vehicles during winter months and throws it into gear and drives right off after starting up their vehicles, they let them warm up first, so it's not just me. I'm sure you read "Corkeys" message, and he is from Northern Ontario Canada and from his area description (Ice Roads), I'm thinking he is not far from Hudson Bay, which has extremely cold temps and longer winters than my area. They use crank case/block heaters there.
 






You "should" wait for your oil to warm up enough to at least start flowing properly, not enough oil in your valvetrain and worn parts.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Thats the point I have been trying to make.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Most people will not notice a difference in warming a car up for a minute to a car sitting there for 30 minutes. >>>>>>>>>>

Absolutely correct!

>>>>>>>>The colder the weather the more it should be warmed up. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Exactly!
 






I cant win an argument with the wife so I tried here. You could of gave me the win on this one.
On another note if its -45 I'm still not warming her up cause my butt won't be going anywhere in those temps.
I will stick with my procedure though. Once the oil is flowing properly (hence the drop in rpm ) you are good to go. The block heaters are to insure start up. If its cold enough were you need one, your vehicle won't start without it. I drive for a living, gas, diesel, even a hydro powered freightliner so I know vehicles as well. Trust me we get cold temps here in RI as well. I'm not that far away from you.
 






I cant win an argument with the wife so I tried here.>>>>>>>>>>>>>

LOL, your problem, not mine! BTW, thats what they make bar stools for and they don't talk back
.

>>>>>>>>You could of gave me the win on this one. >>>>>>>>>>>

I kind of did in a way and if I point them out to you, then I didn't let you win or slide on them.

>>>>>>>>>>>On another note if its -45 I'm still not warming her up cause my butt won't be going anywhere in those temps.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

That would work for you or I because we don't live where it gets -45 below zero, but some people do and don't have that luxury and have to get to get to work in those temps and they do.

>>>>>>>>.I will stick with my procedure though.>>>>>>>>>

It's your vehicle, run it the way you want to. I never told you how you had to drive your vehicle, only my lengthy experience operating a vehicle in a truly cold and snowy US climate and my recommendations on start up procedures. Others have chimed in here who are from similar cold climates as me and said the same thing I have.

>>>>>>>>>>Once the oil is flowing properly (hence the drop in rpm ) you are good to go.<<<<<<<<<<<<

The rpm's drop long before the oil has had a chance to warm up or thin out properly. I started the truck this morning it was 27 degrees, the rpm's dropped in about 1 minute of run time. No where near enough time to warm up and thin out the oil or transfer heat to other parts of the vehicle.

>>>>>>>The block heaters are to insure start up.>>>>>>>>>>>

Thats only part of what they use them for. It's also for heating up the oil and coolant for proper engine lubrication and shorter warm up periods before they can safely drive the vehicle after sitting in frigid temps.

>>>>>>>>>If its cold enough were you need one, your vehicle won't start without it.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Not always. Depends how cold it is and the condition of the vehicle. Some people use the heaters even though it isn't 30 or 40 below zero.

>>>>>> Trust me we get cold temps here in RI as well. <<<<<<<<

I didn't say you didn't, but not like we do here. It's not the same. Our winters are much colder, longer and definately snowier!

>>>>>>>>>I'm not that far away from you.>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Far enough east and south and your out of the Canadian jet stream that I'm in the middle of with Canadian artic air blowing down across Lake Erie and I live 1 1/2 mile from the shores of the lake.
 






Just couldn't let it go could ya. And ya had to quote me too. Damn you, I hope your coolant turns into a block of ice when you have to get home in a hurry to take a dump or something. Lol
 



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Just couldn't let it go could ya. And ya had to quote me too. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

I had to let you know I gave you partial win or a slide. Quoting another post is what you should do when responding to one, and if "you" wanted to let it go, you should have just admitted you were wrong on driving off right away in a vehicle that sat cold in frigid temps and the associated dangers to your vehicle's engine and drive train in doing that. You also failed to recongnize the "fact" that a warming up engine in cold temps will transfer some of its heat build up to warming up transmission fluid.

>>>>>>>>>>>>Damn you, I hope your coolant turns into a block of ice when you have to get home in a hurry to take a dump or something. Lol>>>>>>>>>>>>>

LOL, thats pretty weak! Lets just hope if that ever happens to my coolant, I'm driving by your house at the time when it does, cause I'm gonna leave that "dump" in your driveway as you hurriedly back out of your driveway in your unthawed Explorer. Better start checking your tires for my calling card :D
 






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