As the title says…what are you all doing?

  • ASeriesOfPoorChoices@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Myth and lie.

    You are absolutely not supposed to do that. In fact, you’re supposed to do the opposite. Letting your car idle to warm up kills it faster because the oil pump isn’t running because the car isn’t moving.

    The exception to this is:

    A) when it’s really freezing cold out, and then still not more than a minute (not “at least a minute”. No more than a minute. 30 seconds is plenty in winter. To be clear, if it isn’t cold out, this doesn’t apply, and you shouldn’t wait at all.

    B) if your car is ancient, like with a manual choke or similar. Well over 40 years old.

    C) if the manufacturer says so for that model.

    • quinkin@lemmy.world
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      11 months ago

      The oil pump is running but it is generating less pressure at idle.

      You should however keep the revs lower, not as low as idle as you point out but also don’t red line it. If it’s a turbo try not to generate lots of boost either.

    • rifugee@lemmy.world
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      11 months ago

      You are absolutely not supposed to do that. In fact, you’re supposed to do the opposite. Letting your car idle to warm up kills it faster because the oil pump isn’t running because the car isn’t moving.

      That is absolutely not true. The engine runs the oil pump, so the pump is working as long as the engine is spinning, assuming the pump is not faulty, of course. I’m not aware of any car engine ever built where that isn’t true.

      That being said, idling your (modern) car for longer than a minute, or as long as necessary to defrost the windows in the winter, is a waste of fuel and, consequently, emissions. It’s also an unnecessary wear on mechanical parts, but not because the engine is cold or hot, but simply because it’s in use.

      https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/cars-driving/should-you-warm-up-your-car-before-driving-a5580016349/

    • lightnsfw@reddthat.com
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      11 months ago

      The car doesn’t have to be in gear for the oil pump to run. If the engine is running the oil pump is on. That’s why there’s a red light that looks like an oil can when the key is on before you start it but it turns off when the engine is running because there is oil pressure. If that light is on when the engine is running you need to shut it off immediately or you’re going to be replacing an engine.

    • Meuzzin@lemmy.world
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      11 months ago

      This is 100% correct. There’s a lot of “tips and tricks” that are extremely out dated, and typically for vehicles prior to the implentation of fuel injection.

      • lightnsfw@reddthat.com
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        11 months ago

        They said the oil pump isn’t running when the car isn’t moving. That’s definitely 100% wrong.

      • 1847953620@lemmy.world
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        11 months ago

        to be fair, the last point more so covers margin cases that are more likely to be covered if the user/driver informs themselves than trying to list every margin case here.