Warming Car In Winter

[ozzy10]

Is it a good thing to idle cars for a few minutes for the 1st start ? Read somewhere the company recommends against it.....

Also how do you guys handle it when the windows freeze and wont roll down ? I tried pouring some warm water and it kinda seems to work. any suggestions?

[moto]

Ozzy10. I don't drive my bimmer in the winter but if
I did, I would idle for a few minutes if it was real cold.
What I do with my cars is if it's above 0 c (32 f), I let
it idle for 30 seconds, then drive off gently. If it's below
and really cold, I let it idle two minutes then drive off
gently until up to operating temp.
As far as frozen windows, I would never try to open
them up in any car.

[trojp]

Originally posted by ozzy10@Dec 30 2004, 10:06 AM
Is it a good thing to idle cars for a few minutes for the 1st start ? Read somewhere the company recommends against it.....

Also how do you guys handle it when the windows freeze and wont roll down ? I tried pouring some warm water and it kinda seems to work. any suggestions?

[snapback]260934[/snapback]

I would NOT recommend pouring warm or hot water onto a frozen window beause the sudden temperature change can cause the window to crack

[peterkulesza]

1. engines warm up much faster under load. so, i'd not exceed 3.5 k rpm until it gets to temp, but not idle it.
2. the window freezing is so goddamn annoying!!! i use the spray cans (methanol under pressure) to soak the hell out of the outside, works sometimes... i am not sure what this is doing to the gaskets...

[exjarhead328]

How about keeping a squirt gun with window washer fluid in the car? Me?.... I just don't open the windows. Hot water is NG!!

[alpinestar]

Originally posted by trojp@Jan 4 2005, 08:35 AM
I would NOT recommend pouring warm or hot water onto a frozen window beause the sudden temperature change can cause the window to crack

[snapback]263954[/snapback]

Correct! I knew someone who thought it was a good idea to pour warm tap water on their windshield to quickly melt the ice... until his windshield cracked. The sudden temp change can cause glass to crack (or at least make it more susceptible to cracking). Same principle when blasting hot air from your defroster directly on a windshield with ice on the other side ...gotta be careful. You can see effect this when you drop ice cubes in a cup of liquid or pour room temp cola over fresh ice.

Also, sitting water in crevices that hasn't had a chance to properly drain can only freeze and expand in place... why take a chance on what that could damage.

As far as warming up the car, its better on the engine to do low rpm + load vs. high rpm and no-load (revving).

[AIO]

I think you can safely start driving at low revs even when it's pretty cold. In Germany, idling the car is prohibited (to keep emission low at national scale), so their engines are engineered to meet those standards.

[mixalot]

idling the car uses fuel at a very fast rate. It does, however, warm up the inside if you are a wimp and forgot your hat. All the girls in my office let their Chevy Tahoes warm up for 30 minutes before driving home. I start mu bimmer, scrape the windshield and go. Within 5-10 minutes the heater is blowing nice, hot air.

Usually the vents will not warm until the temp gauge gets out of the blue.

As far as damage to the engine, make sure the oil has warmed up before you rev it above 3500. This goes for the summer too.

[exjarhead328]

Does it warm up the interior if your'e not a wimp?