Hi All,

I am new to this forum. I took deliver of my DS/blk top MCS December 30th.

Question for you? Do you guys warm up your car before driving it in cold weather conditions. Is it ok to drive the car without warming up the engine.

Freezing in New Jersey.

SlvrSrfr

 

Welcome aboard! This is a great site for ALL kinds of info.

 

I read somewhere, either in the manual, or in the "unofficial manual" (which you can find online at MINIUSA.com) that you should not warm up your MINI by letting it sit and idle. I guess it is harmful to have the engine running without the oil and other fluids circulating through it as it would while driving it.

I used to always let my other car run for about 10 minutes before jumping in and taking off for work, but not my MINI. I get in, pop on the heated seats, and motor off (slowly). Just be careful not to push the engine too hard until the temp. gauge is at operating temp. People often remember this part, but forget that the other parts of a car need to warm up too, like the suspension. So try not to go bashing through potholes when you first pull out of the driveway.

 

Thanks....This is a great site with lots of info. Now to the tire and wheel forum for atermarkert wheels and tires. :smile:

 

Meenee.Coopah,

And I thought tha by warming up the car I was doing the car some good by having it reach it's operating temp. Thanks for the info.

Great to be part of this forum.

 

"Modern" cars don't need to warm up like cars of old (e.g., the 1960s). But they still benefit from a minute (actually, a bit less) to come up to smooth idle and to insure that oil pressure is at normal levels before reving the engine beyond idle.

On the other hand, I don't think it's particularly harmful to let your car warm up longer. If you don't have the winter package (heated seats), you may want a couple of minutes for the heat to come up before getting in and driving off. Long warmups aren't harmful...just perhaps a bit wasteful of gas.

It seems like most drivers in really severe winter climates (any Canadians tuned in??) will always let their cars warm up before driving off. But here we're talking about double-digit below zero stuff...you know, block heaters and the like. Most of us down here in the lower 48 don't have to worry about that. Thank god.

 

Yes, getting all the fluids churning is best ... when I used to live in Upstate NY, I sometimes had to let it sit first: the ice storms off the Lake left a sheet of ice on everything about 1/4 inch thick ... I'd chip around the door and start the old Mini and sit inside for a couple of minutes with the heater blasting (as much as it could 'blast' in that car ...) and that would be enough to free-up the ice - i'd get out and give the car a good 'THUWNCK!' right on the top and the ice would fall off in sheets .... then I could drive off ...

 

Anyone using Mobil One 0-30 up north?

 

You don't want to let the engine warm up for an extended period of time as when it first starts it is running richer than normal. When running rich it is possible for the excess fuel to wash off the cylinder walls into the crankcase and ultimately dilute the oil. Best thing to do is to let it sit for 15 sec to a minute and then slowly drive off. Very bad idea to start up and then immediately rev it. Best to drive slowly as things get to operating temperature.

 

I start him up, brush off the car, and go. If I do drive right off, it stumbles at the first stop. Warming it up a bit lessens this. I have an August build though, without any upgrades, so this may not happen with others.

 

>>You don't want to let the engine warm up for an extended period of time as when it first starts it is running richer than normal. When running rich it is possible for the excess fuel to wash off the cylinder walls into the crankcase and ultimately dilute the oil. Best thing to do is to let it sit for 15 sec to a minute and then slowly drive off. Very bad idea to start up and then immediately rev it. Best to drive slowly as things get to operating temperature.

Thanks Ocracoke, I knew that there had to be a better explanation. I read this information somewhere that MINI had printed it. This is my opinion on the whole thing, MINI made the car, they know what they did, and why they did it. Anything that they suggest, oil changes, no long idles, break-in periods, anything really, I'm going to follow. Anything else is all speculation, and unsubstatiated.

 

>>Thanks Ocracoke, I knew that there had to be a better explanation. I read this information somewhere that MINI had printed it. This is my opinion on the whole thing, MINI made the car, they know what they did, and why they did it. Anything that they suggest, oil changes, no long idles, break-in periods, anything really, I'm going to follow. Anything else is all speculation, and unsubstatiated.

Meenee,
You are correct about not letting it still idle and warm up. It is in the Official Owner's Manual, and they do recommend that you drive at a moderate speed until it is warm.

I remembered reading it also when I first got the car and I reread it on Monday past because I still thought I was doing harm by just driving off when the temperature was 18 degrees.

Lolo

 

AND!! Be sure to use a good 0W-30 synthetic motor oil that is guaranteed to -54 degrees!

 

Here in the great frozen midwest, the debate always rages on, however, most auto experts will tell you that warming up an engine is really a waste of gas and oil. It's best to drive the car gently for the first few minutes to let the fluids circulate. Of course the real issue is getting the engine warm so the heater blows hot air instead of cold. Without a cold weather package, there is someething to be said for that when it's -20F outside :smile: mcs; brg/s; cold weather and sport packages