dont let it idle ?

[0311_lifer]

is it bad to leave your car to sit idling for more than 5 or 10 minutes ? i have an 04 crown vic and its really cold where i live even around this time of year. someone told me the best way to warm your car up is to drive it under 15 mph for a few minutes till the engine temp rises.

[UnexplodedCow]

5 minutes probably won't hurt anything, but 10 is too long. I always gave my car a couple minutes to get the oil circulating better. What kind of oil are you using, anyway?

[mustangmike351c]

it doesnt hurt to let them warm up to operating temp before you drive how ever long it takes a warm motor will not wear parts out as fast as a cold motor will

[oldschool muscle]

You could be driving your at 15mph and revving at 3 1/2 grand which isn't going to be good for a cold motor. Just let it idle, maybe a bit of throttle. I'd usually let my car idle two minutes if I was patient enough.

[tturnpaw]

Originally Posted by 0311_lifer

is it bad to leave your car to sit idling for more than 5 or 10 minutes ? i have an 04 crown vic and its really cold where i live even around this time of year. someone told me the best way to warm your car up is to drive it under 15 mph for a few minutes till the engine temp rises.

A mechanic once told me that older motors (like 90 and older) require warming up for 5 min or more before driving because it is hard on them to get in and go. He said that the newer vehicles were designed as the opposite. Its better to just get in and warm up for 1-2 mins and go. No idea how this works, but he wasnt the only one that said that.