Upset neighbour and high comp engines

[Wobba]

A rather strange crazy lady that lives nearby started ranting and shrieking at me when I was about to drive off from home today.

She asked me 'if I had to do that' when I approached my Williams, which was happily chugging away at idle. I told her yes, as I needed to start the car to make it move. I then started to explain that if we all pushed cars everywhere, that would be rather stupid. She got upset and ranted more, threatening to send her poor communication skills in the form of a letter to the local Council, who no doubt have a special room just for the storage of her many complaint letters.

But, after I got home later in the day and chilled out, I did think that perhaps others may share her view as it is a rather loud car.

It's been a habit of mine to run my engine at idle for about 5 minutes when cold each time I go off somewhere. I do this just to warm the oil up as the engine can sound a bit rattly at first start.

I think its also a habit since the APD work as that particular engines cold map was so bad before it was adjusted I had to sit there with my foot on the throttle for 5-10 minutes otherwise it would stall.

So, assuming I observe a strict low rev and short shifting regime, is a shorter warm up stage not going to have any negative effect on an engine like mine?

[chip]

Should be no problem to drive off straight from cold if you are gentle with the the throttle and the revs.

[stevie_b]

Should be fine. I don't do any warming up on the spot but I do drive them very gently, slow and deliberate gear changes, etc. for the first 5 miles or so until the temps come up to normal.

Not much you can do about idle noise if it is just ticking over and you are not blipping it. If she is an older lady it is probably a lot better than it used to be... My neighbour had a Dino and despite having a relatively small engine that made a right racket whilst he left it there coughing as it warmed up. I think he probably would have struggled to drive that when cold as it sounded very lumpy initially. I didn't mind but some of the other neighbours had mentioned their disapproval in passing, especially when he was going on a road trip somewhere that meant him starting at 5am!

[Wobba]

Ok thanks lads

Dino at 5 am? WTF are they moaning about!

[sideways danny]

no need for warming up at idle, infact it's more likely doing more harm than good

[schakal]

no need for warming up at idle, infact it's more likely doing more harm than good

what sort of harm ?

[Imperial_16v]

no need for warming up at idle, infact it's more likely doing more harm than good

Yup can end up doing more bad than good.

I used to do this, but, when I was flicking through the handbook after picking up the MPS it specifically says "do not sit idling" and to "start and drive". It limits the revs automatically until it has warmed up... kind of like not being allowed to go into V-Tec from cold.

So just sit, give it maybes 20-30s for the auto choke to drop off and then drive. I usually short shift for a few minutes until up to temp.

Not sure on the exact reason for not to sit idling... but there is one. Honest. lol.

[tutuur]

the oil lubricates better when it's on the right temp. so all the time you have it idling when the oil is not hot it's bad for the engine.

when driving you generate more heat so the oil will warm up faster

[theweekendhaslanded]

Yep.......pretty much all vehicle handbooks advise to drive from cold and not to let them sit ticking over.

Poor old lady! Say your sorry and buy some cheapo chocs from Aldi and take them round for her :P

[sideways danny]

no need for warming up at idle, infact it's more likely doing more harm than good

what sort of harm ?

premature coking up of the engine in general, comtamination of the oil, condensation, and the most noticable will be fouling of sparkplugs