I have to warm up for like 10 minutes for the windows not to fog up after scraping the ice off in the -20 even with a block heater. Idk what the hell to do as an alternative. Drive with my head out the window??? I don't care if I'm cold I work outside anyways.
Block heater is a must for cold climate. My coolant is 95 degrees when I start it. Let idle for a few minutes coolant cools off oil warms up. Block heater is most important.
Back in the day, block heater on the gasoline engine installed in one of the frost plugs. -20 below-zero day in Minnesota, and no issues starting. Nowadays, I have the "luxury" of a heated garage, which saves tremendously on the entire car/truck.
@snowcrest7863 Are your roads salted? Roadsalt and a heated garage is a perfect mix for rust. If your car is protected with something like fluid film then it's not so pig problem I suppose.
Where I live, it gets to be -30 degrees C in Winter. You need more than 10-15 seconds after startup before you can drive the thing for sure. It takes a while for the high idle to come down on the gasoline cars and much longer in those conditions. I usually wait for the high idle to come down.
Totally agree, I live in mb canada was minus 44 with WC last few days, I plug in my block heater in for min 3 hours and let it idle for up to 10 min then drive off slowly as the tires can be lumpy for a km or 2, been doing this for 45 years and yes i change my oil every 4000 km😅
I have always done this with my 2008 F250 diesel. The only time it idles in the winter is to melt ice off of the windows. If the windows are ice-free, I start it, put my seat belt on, and drive easy until it warms up. 304,000 miles and still runs great.
Actually he said 15 seconds, then drive. These new engines aren't the same as 25 years ago. In the 70's &80's we let big trucks idle all night in cold weather.
Best to use a little throttle (manual or electronic) and raise the ram's above idle by 1-200 rpm. Fuel economy raises and engine is dmother, more efficient with good oil pressure
It's great to hear you say the same thing I have been telling my customers for years. Personally I have a block heater, trans heater and trickle charger on my Ram Cummins, 260k miles and counting!
@@AndreasJordanidis yea most cars/trucks come with them from the dealer in cold climates, has a 3 prong plug hanging out the front you hook a extension cord up too overnight
Truck Driver here. If it's Really Cold Negative put Card Board in front of the Radiator. Let Warm up a few minutes then increase Rpm to 1000. Let the trans warm to. 10 minutes. If you have to idle you Raise the Rpm About 900 to a 1000 😅
Thanks, Dave. I live in interior Alaska, and we plug our vehicles into heater block, oil pan and tranny pan heater and trickle charger or battery warmers when its cold here. I will send this to all the people I work with idling for 20 mins waiting for heat to blow out the vents.
@ I would use anti-gel additives if it gets that cold, but winter diesel usually has it covered. Heating pads stick to the oil pans to keep the oil warmer, I use T6 0w-40 oil in the winter.
My 1.9 tdi does -34f cold starts with no block heater. Battery tender ect. If your engine is good shape there is no need for block heater unless it’s inferior design. Like a diesel without glow plugs
I plug my 01 3500 Duramax in at night during cold weather. It's not just a block heater, it has an electric water pump and circulates the coolant so everything is warm. I always let it warm up in all weather because it maxes out the oil pressure gauge when cold. It has 320,000 miles now on the original engine so I assume it's working for it.
Really good and sound advice. What you forgot to mention is that when you drive the car around after a cold start, not only does your engine warm up quicker, but your HVAC system heats up quicker as well. I don't know if this is a good analogy or not, but I equate to if you are in the cold and you stand around, you will be cold and it will take you a while to warm up. But if you are moving around you will heat up quicker.
I kinda think of it as, if I don’t stretch my body before working out there’s a higher probability of injury. I always let my vehicles idle for at least 2-3 minutes before driving off and when I do drive off I keep the rpm’s as low as possible until operating temps.
@@litoaykiu Yes, i would too, if i would have time and money 4 the fuel, but, because i don't , i just drive Very Slowly, until it warmes up, but when the oil warmes up, i give it the Full Booost .
Thats like jumpin out of bed and heading straight out the door for a jog. Doesnt matter if you have synthetic oil or not, when its -35C that oil is gonna be like trying pour out syrup. Oil pressure will peg the gauge and the oil pump is working its hardest trying to pump that cold oil. I let my trucks and equipment warm up before it gets put in to gear. Cant comprehend the idea that its ok to drive away with frost on the crank. And there hasn't ever been anything mentioned about cold and contraction and heat and expansion. Be nice if Dave commented his theories with that. Even a pan heater helps, but gotta let the metals expand and do their thing. I totally agree with not letting an engine gas or diesel dead idle. If you can idle it up to get to normal oil pressure then thats all you need.
I don’t think Dave knows what real cold is! We let our tractors warm up for 30 min before heading out in the winter. Trying to leave the yard with a cold engine will get you a blown head gasket plenty fast.
@canadiansnowplowguy2852 blown headgssket and or blown apart oil filter. I had 2 early Duramax's that would blow the torque converter seals when it was -40
Yep and when thr piston is 0 degrees so you drive it and let combustuon temps get 800⁰ the cylinder and piston expand at different rates. Ill let it idle till it has heat.
Idling doesn't prevent that, tho. Either way, when the oil is -35 syrup, the engine is not as lubricated as it should be, which accelerates wear. Idling to warm it up doesn't prevent that. Accelerated wear is happening during the entire warm-up time. So, if you have to do a cold start anyways, how do you minimize the damage you do? You driving it normally, under a reasonable load. It isn't more stressful than idling, and it warms up much faster. Driving gently with frozen oil isn't going to do more damage than idling with frozen oil.
I have a block heater and a NOCO smart charger hardwired into my '11 Duramax. It has over 400,000 miles on it. I plug it in under 40 degrees F. It does its automatic high-idle procedure and when that's done, I drive it very gingerly. That has worked so far for me!
I thought you were going to say the opposite! I agree with you 100% about the warm ups! People let their cold engines idle for 20-30 min and then wonder why their cats are burned up by 100k
My cold start procedure for single digit or below weather. I get in the diesel truck start the engine. As soon as it fires I put the truck in gear and floor it .
@@John-hv5sxmy l5p has elevated idle that use the transmission to create drag to warm the engine up faster. Leaving right after start up is plain stupid you dont do that in northen canada 😂
@@D-max94exactly this guy knows nothing about how a modern truck works and are programmed to warm up. Starting and just jumping in a new diesel is basically asking for issues
If your vehicle does not have one, add a block heater if you live in cold weather. Plug it in at night, plugging the extrnsion cord into a good quality timer inside or under a porch. Set timer to turn on block heater 30min to 1 hour before your departure. Turn HVAC to defrost & temperature to high. Your winfows will be clear & everything warm & ready to go. Be sure to run the extension cord out & up over the tire do if you forget to unplug it, the tire will.
@@litoaykiualthough a risk, I saw my father pour a bucket of hot water on his 2007 Mercedes benz sprinters windshield every winter, even at - 20°C, no cracks
Most block heaters don’t work like that. Ideally, need to plug them on when the engine is still warm from last shut off, and leave them on. They just don’t produce a high enough heat to work effectively in an hour or so. A timer might be good for turning it on 2 hours after last shut down (before the engine cools too much), if you wanted to try and save on electric, or get yourself into a cheaper electric cost time of evening.
You might want to go 2 hrs below 20 - 25 degrees depending on the wind chill. At above 25, an hour or + has always worked fine on both a Ford 7.3 IDI (glow plug) & a 7.5 gas, both starting right up & and a windshield clear enough to safely drive. GRADUAL CONVECTION HEAT WILL NOT CRACK YOUR WINDSHIELD. Please disregard the idiotic comment. Note: I plugged diesel in on timer forv3 months with starting Temps 40-50 degrees when glow plug controller bad. Block is warm, crank, it starts right up & and you're good.
In mountains at 5000 ft snow 3+ hrs on timer minimum. Here I plug in the truck, bobcat, & excavator once I arrive, after using, lunch, etc all weekend, so ready to work.
I used to have one of those diesel converted gas engines from general motors and a guy used to idle his fast to warm it up and he blew a rod right through the block .. just start them up and let them idle they will warm up eventually.. be safe
I'm here because ZipTies N' BiasPlies says this is a good channel for advice. I own two 30 year old diesels (Ford IDI & OM606) I usually get it going then after 15 seconds I rev them up to 1-1.5k RPM and hold it for about 30 seconds then put the vehicle in drive and go. Theres only ONE way to warm a diesel up without a block heater, and it's too drive. I like to run used/new motor oil as a fuel additive to keep my upper cylinders lubed. No CATs, NO DPF, NO EGR? NO PROBLEM
Here in Northern Minnesota when its -20 or colder , we plug it in overnight and warm it up before we leave . Sorry but when its chattering when taking off cold cant be good , and warming it up keeps the window clear its nice .
I installed a webasto in my old 7.3 years ago and warm up my engine religiously before starting and taking off right away. I also use a little amsoil interceptor 2-stroke oil (meant for power exhaust valves which dissolves deposits and glazing) in the fuel especially in the cold to prevent gelling and lubricity issues with the injectors here in Northern Ontario. I don't put alot of miles on my old van in a year so I change the engine oil and filter once a year. I hear about all these issues that other people have with fuel and oil based problems in their newer diesels and I've never had those issues except for a seal on the hpop that started leaking. My old 7.3 always starts and runs smooth and I can't brag enough about it but I put in the maintenance time on it which I'm sure helps..
I'm a retired semi truck driver I would put the tractor into gear and drive it very slowly to the trailer lot where the loaded an empty trailers were at hook up to the loaded one drive slow to the scales check the weight get in put transmission in gear and start driving but still slowly letting the water and oil temperature warm up to the first mark off of the cold mark before I would get up to highway speed! Our boss had block heaters on his fleet of semi tractors up in Illinois
I have a PACCAR 6.7 and change oil every 10k km (6213 M) start cold and bring up to 1000rpm once oil pressures up for a few minutes until windows are ice free, then drive normally. It has 436,000km. Love your videos Dave! Always educational or firm up what I've been taught from old timers, though I'm now an old timer haha
This is a good way to blow head gaskets not letting it warm up. Diesel's only. Do yourself a favor and if its below 20 degrees plug it in or let it idle. Some good advise here and some poor. 300k + and original gaskets turbo etc. no leaks no issues. 100% coming from a Tech that works on Diesels let it warm up until the idle comes down. A normal diesel has a warm up cycle it performs until it reaches a certain temp. Every manufactures tune is different.
Opinion on gas cars? 4cyl I believe my grandpa might have blown the head gasket not allowing it to warm up. Oil analysis comes back with 100 ppm potassium (coolant) in it. Shorter intervals were recommended.
@@Jasiel.95 Gas cars warm up much faster. Living in MN I give them a min or two depending on how cold out it is. Mine has a high idle so I give it a min then start rolling down the driveway. I'll get on the hwy but get up to speed like I'm driving for MPG, then once the coolant temp reaches ~50% of normal operating temp I'll drive like normal. This usually takes less than 5min.
In Northern Europe (Sweden, Norway and Finland), most diesel car cars comes with a diesel Liquid Heater (at some point 70% of the cars was diesel, so a lot of experience) . Some units just run when the car is on, others can be used to preheat the engine and interior...
@@havardwahlkongsgard7205 diesel heaters are semi rare here in Finland, block heater + interior blower are more common. Couldn't live without my Webasto though lol
I followed your instructions this morning, -45 here this morning. I started my truck, scraped the ice off the windows for 3 minutes and started driving. The truck was still misfiring badly when I started driving on the highway but after 10 miles it was warmed right up!
Wise words, Dave. When I was a kid my dad taught me to let the car warm up for several minutes (5-10) when it was say 20F or below. Well, in MN that's quite often so when I got my first car (99 Grand Marquis) and was going back home from work I'd start the car up, go back to my desk to gather my things and head out. I saw just how much fuel it was wasting and wondered if this was really necessary. Every resource I've seen echoes what you have stated. When it's 32F or below I let it warm up for 30 seconds, sit another 10 seconds or so when I shift out of park, and gently go on my way. If it's say 10 F or below I'll let it warm up initially for a minute. I have plenty of time before I get on the freeway on the way to work for the engine to warm up especially with a brand new thermostat, but on the way home my office is basically next to the freeway and I don't want to push the cold engine hard on the onramp so sometimes I will slowly drive a few laps around the parking lot to warm it up that way. I've put 100K miles on that ES300 engine, and changed my oil every 5K or 6M, no issues at all.
We have an extended on ramp where I live, because it's uphill and there's a gravel pit nearby. I'm the only car that actually uses the whole length in the morning, going slow seems to hurt people's feelings or something, they all floor it and spew white smoke out the rear end of their cold ass engines just so they can merge as quickly as possible
That is where I am at. I stopped long idle years ago. That is the best compromise. I also shift into gears(automatic) momentarily while sitting there. I think the transmission is the biggest thing to take it easy on when it's cold. I usually scrape windows quickly and if I feel the need to sit there longer, I step on the throttle lightly.
You are so right Dave... regular oil/filter changes are cheap insurance against costly repairs down the road same goes for the transmission and cooling systems.... Your breakdown on how an injection system works is perfect. I know there are alot of people that trade cars every couple years but for those of us that like to run them into the ground maintenance is the key.... I've got a 1998 Chevrolet K1500 with 200k on it and have never had any trouble with it.. Original engine oil and filter changed at 3000 since new doesn't use a drop of oil between changes. Transmission filter change 3yr/36000 mile all Original and coolant flush every 5 yrs and still run dexcool.. I average 7500 miles a year.... I use it like a truck but dont abuse it...Todays cars in my opinion should go 200k with proper maintenance all day long..
I have a '20 Subaru WRX. Since new I've let idle until the oil temp shows 86 degrees, the minimum it will register, then I start driving. It doesn't burn oil between changes and I've zero mechanical problems in 85K miles.
I have a '25 Subaru Crosstrek. When I start it, it will idle at ~2000 rpm and I let it idle like that until it automatically drops to. 1000. I learned on this channel that direct injection vehicles need to warm up before put it under a load.
My 2011 lexus is250 with 150k (direct injection), I start it, put in gear and drive it after like 10 seconds. Doesnt burn oil between changes, no oil leaks, never had any mechanical issues.
@@groosbro1 sure... but we talking about cold starts and driving cold vs warming up, not what happens when you already warm. Your oil aint more stressed any more than mine when it's cold start
Still haven’t addressed using high idle. I have gotten blackstone lab reports on every one of the oil changes on my 21’ Cummins. Deleted. No fuel whatsoever detected in the oil. I high idle my truck in the winter….im not talking about 32 degrees outside. I’m talking about in the negatives. I plug it in when I can. But up in the mountains at 10k feet I’m not just gonna drive my diesel “gently” cause when you start off you’re already on a freaking hill. High idle is for a reason. I use hotshots edt and winter edt. Oil change every 7500. Runs like a top. I idle it but within reason.
I own Semi trucks freightliners with old series 60s....i would Highly recommended Warming up any Iron block especially before just Operating.......now my little 2.4 in my 02 Toyota camry it doesn't matter car wont die 280k and still ticking...
I agree with everything that you said with the exception of any HEUI injected motors. Under 20° F I idle my 6.0 powerstroke for at least 10 minutes before driving. The engine management system automatically increases rpm at idle after a couple of minutes.
Mercedes Benz diesel 2005 (common rail) user manual: if temperatures outside get below -15C you can start using 5% petro/gasoline to aid the startig. Every 5 degrees C lower you can add 2.5-5% gasoline/petrol in the fuel tank
That would probably kill modern high pressure injectors as it will lower the lubricity of the diesel, they would be ok for a while but would wear rapidly.
I have followed the procedure you just posted for all my diesel trucks. Ford F250or F350. I also use my block heater if temps are under 30’F. Start seatbelts check things I’m gone. I always use additive. I’ll order and give your Secret Sauce a try.
One thing about driving the vehicle in extreme conditions is the windshield factor. When its -30 you'll be a long time driving for that oil pan to heat up.
Remember, windchill only applies to human skin or living things and not inanimate objects. Now, you're right windy conditions will cool off and object sooner.
Thanks for the video. I’ve come from owning turbo 4 cylinders for a while and I have always waited until the oil heats up to bring up the boost and always let the oil temp come down before shutting off the engine. I recently purchased my first turbo diesel truck and I’m doing my best to learn as much as I can about it. It does have a block heater installed on it and once it starts staying in the 30’s consistently I’m probably going to plug it in. I just topped off my tank last night and put a good dose of HSS EDT+ winter formula in it.
Northern Canada all my vehicles have three plug in heaters on them, block heater, oil pan heater and battery blanket. Some guys have another heater on the transmission pan but I’ve never gone that far. It’s painful to have to start a vehicle at -40 or lower and thump your way down the road for the first bit because the tires have frozen flat spotted on the bottom.
It’s currently-5’f here in Canada. Having a grill cover to keep that heat in, the block heater and when it greats really cold I have a oil pan heater which I run for 20-30mins to allow the sump oil to be a liquid again. Those are more extreme measures but they work. I also suck it up and wait till my engine is warmer before turning on the vents if the windows are clear. He really made a good point that you are probably stressing your oil/engine so wouldn’t hurt to do a lesser mileage oil change over those colder times.
Transmissions love trying to do stuff when the fluid is -15 degrees and below. Dave, do an experiment with a trans with fluid thats 20 below, would be interested see what percentage of slippage it has.
As long as the pump can make pressure it won’t have issue holding force on the clutches. You’re likely to get a few harsh shifts as the viscosity of fluid traveling through the solenoids is much higher than normal. As long as you make sure to let the vehicle idle for at least a few seconds to get the fluid pushed through the valve body, you will be ok.
@@stefanp7603i mean sure if your driving a automatic. I still have a stick shift and my car does not like to shift if I just start it and drive after 20-30 seconds.
@@Atomic_dipper if you drive a stick it likely doesn't have a trans cooler (autos will heat up because of coolant temps) so it wouldn't matter much anyway. With enough idling it will begin to heat up, but not for what its worth.
I have an 04 6.0 and in my state in the south it gets cold sometimes below freezing maybe get some snow as well. I keep my heater on it plugged in even if it’s not below freezing. Now when I go to turn it on, I turn it on give it 15-20 minutes to warm up then roll of. I don’t rev it like what Dave was “recommending” to do. Feel free to drop a comment because I don’t quite understand the logic behind all of this. TIA!
Way overkill. Living in MN we give out trucks ~5 min to "warm up" even in -30 degree weather. Block heaters help, but really aren't needed till sub zero temps though I will add that they are a nice comfort feature. Personally one of the biggest things is once you start driving to drive like your trying to get great mpg (slowly up to speed keeping rpm lower). I usually wait till the temp gauge is ~50% to normal operating temps untill I drive normally (aka spirited).
I was a Transfer Driver @ Ryder for 17 years & I've seen a lot of diesel trucks destroyed because they get floored when it's like 15 degrees outside. I even seen the mechanics doing it. I even told the shop manager & it went in one ear & out the other.
At the OEMs we would use ECT of 160F and EOT of 140F as the temperatures where the engine "should" be OK with a full load application. There were also other factors with TOT and differential lubricant temperature. Some engines needed 180F, otherwise cylinder heads would bend and cause combustion gas leaks into the cooling system. Other factors, such as windshield defrost requirements required engines to idle before driving. Is that why diesels have extra clap trap in their exhaust controls? Also, front cover AND cylinder cavitation damage happens, if bad cold driveaway advice is followed. Scuffing wear happens when the aluminum pistons expand faster than the iron block or liners. The piston bowl limits the advance that is possible for the injectors, so piston lip cracking happens when cold driveaway is too much. Unless someone works at the OEM in these specific development capacities, they just don't get the exposure to the data. On top of that, every driver or mechanic is an expert; just ask them. They are always smarter than a development engineer that spent his entire adult life on that topic, used as an expert to do that exact work for worldwide OEMs and the military.
I've seen enough UA-cam videos of mechanics saying that, idling your (non-diesel) engine is bad, that I absolutely believe them.........yet, at the same time, I used to work with a 'car guy' who'd routinely let his gasoline engines (Mercedes, Land Cruiser, Jeep XJ) engines 'warm up' for 10, 20, sometimes even 30 minutes.........year round. All his vehicles were high mileage and problem free. And, I thought that was the major selling point of remote starters 'back in the day'................start the vehicle, from your house while you're brewing your morning coffee or getting dressed or whatever.........surely those tasks take more than 5 minutes. I am not patient enough to wait 20+ minutes, however, it just SEEMS like my gasoline engines run 'better' or smoother if 'warmed up' for 5 minutes or so........especially in colder weather. My trucks are also of the 2012~2015 vintage and have been problem free. Similarly, as illogical (or "wasteful") as some would call it, I am a HUGE proponent of 3,000 to 5,000 mile oil changes. When you get old, you often become, "stuck in your ways" and I always lived by the adage, "Oil is cheap, engine repairs are super-expensive."
Live in Utah and I have a 2004 F-250 6.0 powerstroke and the 15 years I’ve owned it I have always used a additive and when cold it’ll run at low idle for a few minutes then jump to a high idle and gradually come down as oil and coolant temps rise and always wait till oil temperature is at least 100 degrees. Have never had injector issues or anything it’s at 153,000 miles and I’ve done general maintenance ficm voltage regulator two alternators batteries oil transmission and cooliant fluid changes shocks and brakes it’s been a great truck
On my 1986 M1009 CUCV with 6.2 diesel I let it warm up a few minutes. On my 2000 7.3 powerstroke it has automatic high idle. I also have an FS2500 oil bypass filter on it. You can extend your oil changes with an oil bypass filter because it filter the oil down to 1- 3 microns depending on the filter.
Since I retired, I only drive between 4,000- 5,000 miles a year. I still change the oil and filter twice a year because of the condensation that builds up with the seasonal temperature swings.
Condensation is used up during a proper drive cycle. That trip to 7-11 ain't gonna do it! That trip down the interstate will. The systems and lubricants will come to operating temperature for a long enough duration to vapor off any moisture. Short trippers are so easy to spot... The inside of the oil filler cap looks like a nice hot cuppa with heavy cream!! Sufficient drive cycle use does not do that unless head gaskets have let go or worse!
@@andymike6575 Assuming it is condensate, les than 20 miles should do it. A daily driver that sees 10 miles one way, daily will not have a condensate problem. One that hits the corner 7-11 for munchies, you're gonna get in trouble! Pull the oil filler cap and inspect it. If it looks like hot cocoa was served, gotta change the driving habit.
@@Sunspot-19 thanks. My drive to work is 18 miles one way at mostly 65-70 mph but the oil doesn’t reach 180° until about 15 miles so I was concerned about putting too much moisture in the oil. It’s a 6.7L Cummins diesel with twice the engine size and crankcase capacity of a regular daily driver
@@andymike6575 Being that you are daily driving along with some incidental driving, you should be fine. PCV will take any vapor out and replace it with filtered air from the tube between the air filter and turbo inlet. That process also removes fuel that may sneak by during warmup. Warmup is the time that blowby is at its greatest. That helps to keep oil contamination to a minimum. Maintenance is also very important.
14 months and 800k subs is pretty insane. Well done! Always great knowledge here. The only thing I'd add is that sadly, many of use in the north have to park outside, so you're waiting a little longer than 15 seconds if you need to scrape snow and ice, then defrost windows haha.
Block heater is a huge plus. But I also think it’s worth noting to look into what oil you are running. During cold weather months, it’s a good idea to get a good flowing oil. (Crazy to see how different oils flow that are all 15w-40).
I was (now retired) an electrical / mechanical technician at a Navy power plant that supplied emergency power for a satellite communication site that had three big Catapillar diesel generators that each had dual jacket water coolant heaters that kept the coolant always heated to about 125 degrees for those generator could start up automatically and come on-line suppling power within a minute or so. It seems that if you can't park in a heated garage, some sort of engine block heater would be good aftermarket product to have. I presently have a gas Ford 6.8 V10 in my class C RV and a Dodger Challenger 6.4 Hemi V8, both of my motors some times have to sit for weeks, or even months without running. What I'd like to see / install is some kind of built in 12 volt electric pump that would pump the engine oil up to the top of the valve trains and circulate and heat the oil before starting the motors after those extended periods.
I would like to send a big shout-out to you and your TEAM at DAVE'S AUTO CENTER, I hale from Ontario, Canada and have done exactally what you tell your follower's, my 5.3 supercharged/tuned for speed 2014 Yukon get's a little warm up before take-off and with regular maintenence has never let me down!
@@themountainman2613 It's a high speed metal-on-metal machine with very tight clearances. The more gradually and uniformly you get the parts up to temperature, the better. So yes, it does need to warm up.
Just watched this, and I absolutely agree with these things you say. A good visual aid you can use for a great visualization is to get a dollar store spray bottle with the adjustable spray twist nozzle. This way you can demonstrate the difference in how a good injector spray pattern looks versus the needle point spray pattern of a dirty or clogged injector. Also, spraying this water mist on, say, a sheet of paper can illustrate how the fine mist of a good injector will only wet the paper, while the needle point pattern will eat a hole right thru it. Just a suggestion, I'm a big fan of your channel living here in the midwest. I don't have any diesels, but everything you school us on is pretty much applicable to gas engines as well.
Congratulations on hitting the 200k milestone! That's an incredible growth from 14k in just a few months - what strategies or investments did you implement to achieve this remarkable success?🎉🎉
I'm beyond thrilled to see your progress! From 14k to 200k in such a short time is amazing. Would love to hear about your journey and the key decisions that led to this success.
DREAMS DO COME TRUE! Huge thanks to Elizabeth Marie Hawley, my financial guardian angel! Your wisdom and encouragement helped me achieve financial freedom. I couldn't have done it without you!
Just be open-minded, and trust the process. Elizabeth Marie Hawley will guide you every step of the way. And don't forget to share your testimony with others when you see the results!
I agree... but would add wait until u see your rpm gauge drop to idle rpm around 600 rpm. It may take more than 10 sec's to get to idle rpm. Another thing... I would do oil changes at half of manufacturers suggested maintenance interval.
High idle is important. If your windows are frozen don't start the rig a half hour early to get it "warm". Sit there with your foot on the pedal and keep it around 1500rpm until it's warm, or add a high idle system to the vehicle. Low idle is incredibly descructive and does very little to warm up the motor
Why does it say in most diesel pickup owners manuals to let the engine warm up for several minutes before driving when the outside temp is below zero. If the manufacturer didn’t want you to warm up the engine? Also, what about high idle? Which is a option on most pickups in the settings
While I’m not entirely against high idling a diesel, your argument of the manufacturer saying to do something doesn’t really hold water. They also say you can do a 10k mile oil change and that’s been debunked many, many times. OEMs are in the car selling business. Nobody (generally speaking) keeps a vehicle 10+ years or 100s of thousands of miles any more.
I let my engine idle until it idles down. It always runs at higher rpm when first started cold. It usually takes 30 seconds to a minute to idle down when cold. Up to 2 minutes when it's very cold. In the summer months it idles down within just a few seconds, so I don't wait.
@@Maynardd 2013 Ford 350 6.7l 2008 ram 5500 6.7l Two work trucks I've had experience with that low idle on startup. Most others idle at 1k until they warm up. It's not universal
7:00 those are words of wisdom “Do your maintenance “ don’t procrastinate and don’t wear shorts with flip flops 🩴 while you’re working on your truck show some respect and wear proper clothing and working boots 👀👋😊👋
Its not just engine oil that needs to build up some heat, its the transmission, and the the power steering pump too. I've blown three power steering hoses driving a vehicle too quickly in our -50* Canadian winters
This is the first man that I ever heard that understood this issue 100% not 100% sure on the ratio but kerosene and motor oil will keep your diesel from gelling over over and out
I tell my family, if you're going to let car idle cold don't run the darn heat inside the car until you're ready to drive - that only makes warm up 20x longer cause you're actually cooling the water and making it harder to get to temp - run the electric defroster. It's exponentially faster to let the motor warm up then add all the accessories than to turn everything on and wait...Dave, I use your technique with vehicles that are garaged cause windows are clear...when I have an ice cube outside I use mine and it seems to work well...
I get what you’re saying. I generally let the engine reach a smooth idle and an RPM drop before I take off. The problem is when it’s so cold that your engine computer gives you a sixty second countdown before you can drive away. Also, if it’s below fifteen degrees the truck won’t want to shift into overdrive for a few miles unless it warms up for a good 3-5 minutes. In general though I think this video is awesome. I’ve had people get mad because I drove away with an oil temperature of “only” 150 degrees. That’s just silly.
At least wait till the RPM's reach the normal idling speed. That has heated the engine enough to run 'nomal' without driving it like you stole it. It takes from 25 to a 90 seconds depending on the car. Turbo engines need a lot more time to get the turbo a little bit of heat
04 550 dump plow truck. Block heater, clacks it to life in like 6-7 revos. Then the high idle takes over. Then I go back inside. Then I have more coffee. Then I go. Then I forget to unplug block heater. Then I go (again).
I think what he means is drive it as soon as possible, for me i start it up, idle up to the gate, close it and then i drive like grandma untill i see the coolant temp come up, i never have jet black oil when i do my oil changes, it all makes sense
So what does diesel pickups have an elevated idle feature from factory, Dave? Come to Canada in January when it's -50 and we'll show you why elevated idle is such a thing.
A. you should be using a block heater primarily, And yes people up in Canada need high idle for when you park somewhere where you don't have one. But it's not like you need to use that unless it's Sub-Zero which generally doesn't happen much in the lower 40 ish states, where 90% of people live.
Here in Iowa we have winter fuel so its not suppose to gel but it willl lol, so we add a fuel additive but on really cold days we plug them in so their warm when we start them, my old 7.3 ford I just plug it in and never had a problem with it but I do keep up with maintance on the truck fresh oil change before cold weather and good batteries and make sure the filters are all changed , love my 7.3 it has 260k on it and keeps running
Just my road. I get chased down the road but dive off to a loop that takes me back to the road. An extra three minutes then it’s literally downhill for the next mile.
Many disagree with your statement on cold starts. I have owned transports and equipment for many years and we always raise the idle and set until the coolent gage moves and then drive with minimal hp until up to operating temperature. The heads, block, transmission components are all made out of different alloys and react to temperature at different rates. By driving before engine is up to operating temperatures increases the probability of blown seals and gaskets.
Agreed comin from manitoba we had 3 days of -44C/ -47F this week and if we didn't have block heater/oil heaters there's no way we would've started up & made any money
Yep I live in Wisconsin & had -14 where I'm at just the other night & that was with no wind-chill and I live in a rural area so I always let my vehicle run for a while because none of them have block heaters. Been doing this for 40 years and have yet to have any problems with the engines in a variety of cars and trucks I've had through those years but I also change my oil be it on a vehicle that uses synthetic or dino oil every 3,000 miles with a new oil filter and I think by doing these short oil change intervals helps with getting any moisture & unburned fuel out of the oil when doing these low mile oil changes. Got to remember oil is cheap blown engines aren't . I've had on some winter clear nights with no wind-chill where the outside thermometer has dipped into -27 below so it gets damn cold out here at times compared to the cities . Most of these new vehicles once started the idle comes down pretty quickly where as my old 82 K10 that I put a 400 SBC in it that's carbureted I can go out and push the gas pedal 2 times and it fires right up & will stay in its high idle until I kick the idle down so when I go out to start it in cold winter weather I just leave it in its high idle with the defrost on & go in the house and wait for 15 minutes and it's warmed up & ready to plow my driveway with it after I step on the throttle to get the choke to fully open up and the high idle comes down to regular idle speed . These new vehicles are designed so you start them & let them come down on high idle then start driving which where we live your going to freeze your ass off by the time it warms up lol unless you got long johns on & insulated coveralls on & a heavy winter jacket and good insulated boots on .
Should of seen the steamy smoke off a 12 valve Cummins in a '89 Dodge 250 at -40C. Plugged in all winter. 1995 Northern Ontario winter; 54 consecutive days temperature average -35C. Still shiver remembering logging trees and working 7 days a week all winter! We idled and began carefully. Hydraulics were slowest to warm.
I dont think people understand when its -20 with 30mph wind nobody is starting their vehicle to heat up the oil. Its so we dont freeze to death.
the oil does warm up just not as fast it needs to warm up enough so it will flow to lubricate properly
Block heaters allow the heating system to work better too.
Get a block heater timer and warm for 4 hours if it is -30.
@@wayneessar7489some times that's not possible but yes if it's setting outside it really helps
Inside a sealed car out of the wind. -20f is not that bad.
Wear a coat
I have to warm up for like 10 minutes for the windows not to fog up after scraping the ice off in the -20 even with a block heater. Idk what the hell to do as an alternative. Drive with my head out the window??? I don't care if I'm cold I work outside anyways.
Block heater is a must for cold climate. My coolant is 95 degrees when I start it. Let idle for a few minutes coolant cools off oil warms up. Block heater is most important.
Block heater is a fart in the wind compared to a webasto
My block heater runs for before I start the car but doesn't seem to do much. Its 350w oem unit
@ I think mine is 1000 or 1500 watt for Cummins 6.7. It runs 3 hours before I start it.
Back in the day, block heater on the gasoline engine installed in one of the frost plugs. -20 below-zero day in Minnesota, and no issues starting. Nowadays, I have the "luxury" of a heated garage, which saves tremendously on the entire car/truck.
@snowcrest7863 Are your roads salted? Roadsalt and a heated garage is a perfect mix for rust. If your car is protected with something like fluid film then it's not so pig problem I suppose.
Where I live, it gets to be -30 degrees C in Winter. You need more than 10-15 seconds after startup before you can drive the thing for sure. It takes a while for the high idle to come down on the gasoline cars and much longer in those conditions. I usually wait for the high idle to come down.
I ALWAYS wait for the idle to come down and the temp needle to move just a smidge. Then I'll pamper untill she's up to temp.
Totally agree, I live in mb canada was minus 44 with WC last few days, I plug in my block heater in for min 3 hours and let it idle for up to 10 min then drive off slowly as the tires can be lumpy for a km or 2, been doing this for 45 years and yes i change my oil every 4000 km😅
This old fool has know clue what he talking about. Big con
But at -30 a block heater should have been plugged in all night.
I find with a cold start the transmission is always grumpier than the engine haha. I have a manual and my second gear is usually the one to complain.
I have always done this with my 2008 F250 diesel. The only time it idles in the winter is to melt ice off of the windows. If the windows are ice-free, I start it, put my seat belt on, and drive easy until it warms up. 304,000 miles and still runs great.
Actually he said 15 seconds, then drive. These new engines aren't the same as 25 years ago. In the 70's &80's we let big trucks idle all night in cold weather.
Best to use a little throttle (manual or electronic) and raise the ram's above idle by 1-200 rpm. Fuel economy raises and engine is dmother, more efficient with good oil pressure
My 2001 F350 has a high idle switch. This is what's recommended for all diesels that need to idle for extended periods. Preferably 1200-1500rpm.
308k miles and your 6.4 still runs great? 🤔
Same truck at 180k running great.
I’m still gonna warm up my rig before I drive it and if I have a diesel, I’m gonna use a block heater
I mean my dirtbike has to run on choke in 60 degree weather before I drive it race wise.
It's great to hear you say the same thing I have been telling my customers for years. Personally I have a block heater, trans heater and trickle charger on my Ram Cummins, 260k miles and counting!
whats that? like something that heats the engine before you start it?
You are a smart man you will get a half a million on that thing no problem
Trans heater 😂 did it used to be a dude or a lady
@@AndreasJordanidis yea most cars/trucks come with them from the dealer in cold climates, has a 3 prong plug hanging out the front you hook a extension cord up too overnight
@@Arron29802 never seen that so far wow, not much here in europe
Truck Driver here. If it's Really Cold Negative put Card Board in front of the Radiator. Let Warm up a few minutes then increase Rpm to 1000. Let the trans warm to. 10 minutes. If you have to idle you Raise the Rpm About 900 to a 1000 😅
Why would putting cardboard make any difference if your thermostat is likely completely closed until the coolant is up to temp?
@@kamilb8232blocks the cold air from rapid cooling the radiator at speed. -17 at speed is like -70
@@kamilb8232 cardboard blocks more cold air from coming in
Cold wind or air flow from moving... Think about wind chill
Thanks, Dave. I live in interior Alaska, and we plug our vehicles into heater block, oil pan and tranny pan heater and trickle charger or battery warmers when its cold here. I will send this to all the people I work with idling for 20 mins waiting for heat to blow out the vents.
Same setup here in Canada, plus my truck sleeps in my garage. If you look after them they will last longer.
What type setup do you use on like heating the fuel lines (if you have such a creature) or tranny oils?
Id like to see the trans oil heater setup.
@ I would use anti-gel additives if it gets that cold, but winter diesel usually has it covered. Heating pads stick to the oil pans to keep the oil warmer, I use T6 0w-40 oil in the winter.
My 1.9 tdi does -34f cold starts with no block heater. Battery tender ect.
If your engine is good shape there is no need for block heater unless it’s inferior design.
Like a diesel without glow plugs
I plug my 01 3500 Duramax in at night during cold weather. It's not just a block heater, it has an electric water pump and circulates the coolant so everything is warm. I always let it warm up in all weather because it maxes out the oil pressure gauge when cold. It has 320,000 miles now on the original engine so I assume it's working for it.
Really good and sound advice.
What you forgot to mention is that when you drive the car around after a cold start, not only does your engine warm up quicker, but your HVAC system heats up quicker as well.
I don't know if this is a good analogy or not, but I equate to if you are in the cold and you stand around, you will be cold and it will take you a while to warm up. But if you are moving around you will heat up quicker.
Yup. Like firewood. the fuel that warms you up twice.
I kinda think of it as, if I don’t stretch my body before working out there’s a higher probability of injury. I always let my vehicles idle for at least 2-3 minutes before driving off and when I do drive off I keep the rpm’s as low as possible until operating temps.
Old fool must did some good drugs back in the 50 60 and 70
A sexual fact
I plug my diesels in at night during cold weather so the block heater keeps them nice and cozy!
Smart man.
On cold days I would let it idle. Worked Siberia and Northern Canada.
I do that even in the warmer months.
@@litoaykiu Yes, i would too, if i would have time and money 4 the fuel, but, because i don't , i just drive Very Slowly, until it warmes up, but when the oil warmes up, i give it the Full Booost .
@@litoaykiu big mistake...
Thats like jumpin out of bed and heading straight out the door for a jog. Doesnt matter if you have synthetic oil or not, when its -35C that oil is gonna be like trying pour out syrup. Oil pressure will peg the gauge and the oil pump is working its hardest trying to pump that cold oil. I let my trucks and equipment warm up before it gets put in to gear. Cant comprehend the idea that its ok to drive away with frost on the crank. And there hasn't ever been anything mentioned about cold and contraction and heat and expansion. Be nice if Dave commented his theories with that. Even a pan heater helps, but gotta let the metals expand and do their thing. I totally agree with not letting an engine gas or diesel dead idle. If you can idle it up to get to normal oil pressure then thats all you need.
I don’t think Dave knows what real cold is! We let our tractors warm up for 30 min before heading out in the winter. Trying to leave the yard with a cold engine will get you a blown head gasket plenty fast.
@canadiansnowplowguy2852 blown headgssket and or blown apart oil filter. I had 2 early Duramax's that would blow the torque converter seals when it was -40
Well, my comment got deleted immediately, but yeah, I was kind of thinking the same thought. There’s more to the engine than the oil.
Yep and when thr piston is 0 degrees so you drive it and let combustuon temps get 800⁰ the cylinder and piston expand at different rates. Ill let it idle till it has heat.
Idling doesn't prevent that, tho. Either way, when the oil is -35 syrup, the engine is not as lubricated as it should be, which accelerates wear. Idling to warm it up doesn't prevent that. Accelerated wear is happening during the entire warm-up time. So, if you have to do a cold start anyways, how do you minimize the damage you do? You driving it normally, under a reasonable load. It isn't more stressful than idling, and it warms up much faster. Driving gently with frozen oil isn't going to do more damage than idling with frozen oil.
I have a block heater and a NOCO smart charger hardwired into my '11 Duramax. It has over 400,000 miles on it. I plug it in under 40 degrees F. It does its automatic high-idle procedure and when that's done, I drive it very gingerly. That has worked so far for me!
I thought you were going to say the opposite! I agree with you 100% about the warm ups! People let their cold engines idle for 20-30 min and then wonder why their cats are burned up by 100k
My cold start procedure for single digit or below weather. I get in the diesel truck start the engine. As soon as it fires I put the truck in gear and floor it .
Optimal procedure.
Like a real man should. Hell yea brother.
Newer diesels you can safely idle. They automatically will idle up to about 1100 rpm if left alone. My dad’s 2008 f450 has this feature.
There's still no engine load high idle has been around long my 95 7.3 has it on my tuner
My 2001 7.3 and my 2006 6.0 both do that.
@@John-hv5sxmy l5p has elevated idle that use the transmission to create drag to warm the engine up faster. Leaving right after start up is plain stupid you dont do that in northen canada 😂
@@D-max94exactly this guy knows nothing about how a modern truck works and are programmed to warm up. Starting and just jumping in a new diesel is basically asking for issues
If your vehicle does not have one, add a block heater if you live in cold weather. Plug it in at night, plugging the extrnsion cord into a good quality timer inside or under a porch. Set timer to turn on block heater 30min to 1 hour before your departure. Turn HVAC to defrost & temperature to high. Your winfows will be clear & everything warm & ready to go. Be sure to run the extension cord out & up over the tire do if you forget to unplug it, the tire will.
Great way to get cracked windshield, slow warm up is the way to go.
@@litoaykiualthough a risk, I saw my father pour a bucket of hot water on his 2007 Mercedes benz sprinters windshield every winter, even at - 20°C, no cracks
Most block heaters don’t work like that. Ideally, need to plug them on when the engine is still warm from last shut off, and leave them on. They just don’t produce a high enough heat to work effectively in an hour or so. A timer might be good for turning it on 2 hours after last shut down (before the engine cools too much), if you wanted to try and save on electric, or get yourself into a cheaper electric cost time of evening.
You might want to go 2 hrs below 20 - 25 degrees depending on the wind chill. At above 25, an hour or + has always worked fine on both a Ford 7.3 IDI (glow plug) & a 7.5 gas, both starting right up & and a windshield clear enough to safely drive. GRADUAL CONVECTION HEAT WILL NOT CRACK YOUR WINDSHIELD. Please disregard the idiotic comment. Note: I plugged diesel in on timer forv3 months with starting Temps 40-50 degrees when glow plug controller bad. Block is warm, crank, it starts right up & and you're good.
In mountains at 5000 ft snow 3+ hrs on timer minimum. Here I plug in the truck, bobcat, & excavator once I arrive, after using, lunch, etc all weekend, so ready to work.
Block heaters for gas and diesel make so much sense. Aftermarket options can be very useful as well.....
I used to have one of those diesel converted gas engines from general motors and a guy used to idle his fast to warm it up and he blew a rod right through the block .. just start them up and let them idle they will warm up eventually.. be safe
My father had the Pontiac diesel engine from 80s . He hated it. It was a gas engine turned to diesel.
I'm here because ZipTies N' BiasPlies says this is a good channel for advice. I own two 30 year old diesels (Ford IDI & OM606) I usually get it going then after 15 seconds I rev them up to 1-1.5k RPM and hold it for about 30 seconds then put the vehicle in drive and go. Theres only ONE way to warm a diesel up without a block heater, and it's too drive. I like to run used/new motor oil as a fuel additive to keep my upper cylinders lubed. No CATs, NO DPF, NO EGR? NO PROBLEM
Here in Northern Minnesota when its -20 or colder , we plug it in overnight and warm it up before we leave .
Sorry but when its chattering when taking off cold cant be good , and warming it up keeps the window clear its nice .
I installed a webasto in my old 7.3 years ago and warm up my engine religiously before starting and taking off right away. I also use a little amsoil interceptor 2-stroke oil (meant for power exhaust valves which dissolves deposits and glazing) in the fuel especially in the cold to prevent gelling and lubricity issues with the injectors here in Northern Ontario. I don't put alot of miles on my old van in a year so I change the engine oil and filter once a year. I hear about all these issues that other people have with fuel and oil based problems in their newer diesels and I've never had those issues except for a seal on the hpop that started leaking. My old 7.3 always starts and runs smooth and I can't brag enough about it but I put in the maintenance time on it which I'm sure helps..
I'm a retired semi truck driver I would put the tractor into gear and drive it very slowly to the trailer lot where the loaded an empty trailers were at hook up to the loaded one drive slow to the scales check the weight get in put transmission in gear and start driving but still slowly letting the water and oil temperature warm up to the first mark off of the cold mark before I would get up to highway speed! Our boss had block heaters on his fleet of semi tractors up in Illinois
I have a PACCAR 6.7 and change oil every 10k km (6213 M) start cold and bring up to 1000rpm once oil pressures up for a few minutes until windows are ice free, then drive normally. It has 436,000km. Love your videos Dave! Always educational or firm up what I've been taught from old timers, though I'm now an old timer haha
This is a good way to blow head gaskets not letting it warm up. Diesel's only. Do yourself a favor and if its below 20 degrees plug it in or let it idle. Some good advise here and some poor. 300k + and original gaskets turbo etc. no leaks no issues. 100% coming from a Tech that works on Diesels let it warm up until the idle comes down. A normal diesel has a warm up cycle it performs until it reaches a certain temp. Every manufactures tune is different.
Opinion on gas cars? 4cyl I believe my grandpa might have blown the head gasket not allowing it to warm up. Oil analysis comes back with 100 ppm potassium (coolant) in it. Shorter intervals were recommended.
@@Jasiel.95 Gas cars warm up much faster. Living in MN I give them a min or two depending on how cold out it is. Mine has a high idle so I give it a min then start rolling down the driveway. I'll get on the hwy but get up to speed like I'm driving for MPG, then once the coolant temp reaches ~50% of normal operating temp I'll drive like normal. This usually takes less than 5min.
In Northern Europe (Sweden, Norway and Finland), most diesel car cars comes with a diesel Liquid Heater (at some point 70% of the cars was diesel, so a lot of experience) . Some units just run when the car is on, others can be used to preheat the engine and interior...
@@havardwahlkongsgard7205 diesel heaters are semi rare here in Finland, block heater + interior blower are more common. Couldn't live without my Webasto though lol
Never had issues letting gassers idle. I high idle diesels to warm them up. If you drive right off you probably don't actually live in the cold
Exactly. This guy knows quite a lot of stuff about engines. Doesn't mean he's always right though 😅
Love this guy and his knowledge
I wish more folks can have his mindset across multiple fields. To help others honestly.
You are a good man, trying to educate people.
He's an engine builder, not an engineer, thermodynamics arent considered.
I followed your instructions this morning, -45 here this morning. I started my truck, scraped the ice off the windows for 3 minutes and started driving. The truck was still misfiring badly when I started driving on the highway but after 10 miles it was warmed right up!
Wise words, Dave. When I was a kid my dad taught me to let the car warm up for several minutes (5-10) when it was say 20F or below. Well, in MN that's quite often so when I got my first car (99 Grand Marquis) and was going back home from work I'd start the car up, go back to my desk to gather my things and head out. I saw just how much fuel it was wasting and wondered if this was really necessary.
Every resource I've seen echoes what you have stated. When it's 32F or below I let it warm up for 30 seconds, sit another 10 seconds or so when I shift out of park, and gently go on my way. If it's say 10 F or below I'll let it warm up initially for a minute. I have plenty of time before I get on the freeway on the way to work for the engine to warm up especially with a brand new thermostat, but on the way home my office is basically next to the freeway and I don't want to push the cold engine hard on the onramp so sometimes I will slowly drive a few laps around the parking lot to warm it up that way. I've put 100K miles on that ES300 engine, and changed my oil every 5K or 6M, no issues at all.
We have an extended on ramp where I live, because it's uphill and there's a gravel pit nearby.
I'm the only car that actually uses the whole length in the morning, going slow seems to hurt people's feelings or something, they all floor it and spew white smoke out the rear end of their cold ass engines just so they can merge as quickly as possible
@AnalogWolf what do you do about frosty windows that haven't warmed up yet, obstructing visibility?
That is where I am at. I stopped long idle years ago. That is the best compromise. I also shift into gears(automatic) momentarily while sitting there. I think the transmission is the biggest thing to take it easy on when it's cold. I usually scrape windows quickly and if I feel the need to sit there longer, I step on the throttle lightly.
You are so right Dave... regular oil/filter changes are cheap insurance against costly repairs down the road same goes for the transmission and cooling systems.... Your breakdown on how an injection system works is perfect. I know there are alot of people that trade cars every couple years but for those of us that like to run them into the ground maintenance is the key.... I've got a 1998 Chevrolet K1500 with 200k on it and have never had any trouble with it.. Original engine oil and filter changed at 3000 since new doesn't use a drop of oil between changes. Transmission filter change 3yr/36000 mile all Original and coolant flush every 5 yrs and still run dexcool.. I average 7500 miles a year.... I use it like a truck but dont abuse it...Todays cars in my opinion should go 200k with proper maintenance all day long..
I have a '20 Subaru WRX. Since new I've let idle until the oil temp shows 86 degrees, the minimum it will register, then I start driving.
It doesn't burn oil between changes and I've zero mechanical problems in 85K miles.
I have a '25 Subaru Crosstrek. When I start it, it will idle at ~2000 rpm and I let it idle like that until it automatically drops to. 1000. I learned on this channel that direct injection vehicles need to warm up before put it under a load.
My 2011 lexus is250 with 150k (direct injection), I start it, put in gear and drive it after like 10 seconds. Doesnt burn oil between changes, no oil leaks, never had any mechanical issues.
@@drivewayhero
Normally aspirated engines are not as stressed, nor do they stress their oil as much as turbo engines.
@@groosbro1 sure... but we talking about cold starts and driving cold vs warming up, not what happens when you already warm. Your oil aint more stressed any more than mine when it's cold start
Still haven’t addressed using high idle. I have gotten blackstone lab reports on every one of the oil changes on my 21’ Cummins. Deleted. No fuel whatsoever detected in the oil. I high idle my truck in the winter….im not talking about 32 degrees outside. I’m talking about in the negatives. I plug it in when I can. But up in the mountains at 10k feet I’m not just gonna drive my diesel “gently” cause when you start off you’re already on a freaking hill. High idle is for a reason. I use hotshots edt and winter edt. Oil change every 7500. Runs like a top. I idle it but within reason.
How many miles? Thanks!
I own Semi trucks freightliners with old series 60s....i would Highly recommended Warming up any Iron block especially before just Operating.......now my little 2.4 in my 02 Toyota camry it doesn't matter car wont die 280k and still ticking...
I drive a series 60 and I have to let it run 5+ mins anyway before moving in the morning just to build air pressure
Always tell people warning up your car is stupid but they call me stupid for saying that 😂 thanks dave you are the mannnn !
Most of the wear and tear on a motor occurs when it is cold. Logic tells us that it is best not to load it when it is cold.
Exactly. Just giving an engine 15-30 seconds to "warm-up" before even "lightly" driving it is just insane to me.
I agree with everything that you said with the exception of any HEUI injected motors.
Under 20° F I idle my 6.0 powerstroke for at least 10 minutes before driving. The engine management system automatically increases rpm at idle after a couple of minutes.
Mercedes Benz diesel 2005 (common rail) user manual: if temperatures outside get below -15C you can start using 5% petro/gasoline to aid the startig. Every 5 degrees C lower you can add 2.5-5% gasoline/petrol in the fuel tank
That would probably kill modern high pressure injectors as it will lower the lubricity of the diesel, they would be ok for a while but would wear rapidly.
I have followed the procedure you just posted for all my diesel trucks. Ford F250or F350. I also use my block heater if temps are under 30’F. Start seatbelts check things I’m gone. I always use additive. I’ll order and give your Secret Sauce a try.
One thing about driving the vehicle in extreme conditions is the windshield factor. When its -30 you'll be a long time driving for that oil pan to heat up.
The word you’re looking for is “Windchill”.
Remember, windchill only applies to human skin or living things and not inanimate objects.
Now, you're right windy conditions will cool off and object sooner.
Thanks for the video. I’ve come from owning turbo 4 cylinders for a while and I have always waited until the oil heats up to bring up the boost and always let the oil temp come down before shutting off the engine. I recently purchased my first turbo diesel truck and I’m doing my best to learn as much as I can about it. It does have a block heater installed on it and once it starts staying in the 30’s consistently I’m probably going to plug it in. I just topped off my tank last night and put a good dose of HSS EDT+ winter formula in it.
Northern Canada all my vehicles have three plug in heaters on them, block heater, oil pan heater and battery blanket. Some guys have another heater on the transmission pan but I’ve never gone that far. It’s painful to have to start a vehicle at -40 or lower and thump your way down the road for the first bit because the tires have frozen flat spotted on the bottom.
sounds like you need tire heaters too
It’s currently-5’f here in Canada. Having a grill cover to keep that heat in, the block heater and when it greats really cold I have a oil pan heater which I run for 20-30mins to allow the sump oil to be a liquid again. Those are more extreme measures but they work. I also suck it up and wait till my engine is warmer before turning on the vents if the windows are clear. He really made a good point that you are probably stressing your oil/engine so wouldn’t hurt to do a lesser mileage oil change over those colder times.
Transmissions love trying to do stuff when the fluid is -15 degrees and below. Dave, do an experiment with a trans with fluid thats 20 below, would be interested see what percentage of slippage it has.
He's not an engineer, thermodynamics arent considered.
Keep waiting 😢
As long as the pump can make pressure it won’t have issue holding force on the clutches. You’re likely to get a few harsh shifts as the viscosity of fluid traveling through the solenoids is much higher than normal. As long as you make sure to let the vehicle idle for at least a few seconds to get the fluid pushed through the valve body, you will be ok.
@@stefanp7603i mean sure if your driving a automatic. I still have a stick shift and my car does not like to shift if I just start it and drive after 20-30 seconds.
@@Atomic_dipper if you drive a stick it likely doesn't have a trans cooler (autos will heat up because of coolant temps) so it wouldn't matter much anyway. With enough idling it will begin to heat up, but not for what its worth.
The different language audio tracks are awesome! Nice touch!
I have an 04 6.0 and in my state in the south it gets cold sometimes below freezing maybe get some snow as well. I keep my heater on it plugged in even if it’s not below freezing. Now when I go to turn it on, I turn it on give it 15-20 minutes to warm up then roll of.
I don’t rev it like what Dave was “recommending” to do.
Feel free to drop a comment because I don’t quite understand the logic behind all of this.
TIA!
Way overkill. Living in MN we give out trucks ~5 min to "warm up" even in -30 degree weather. Block heaters help, but really aren't needed till sub zero temps though I will add that they are a nice comfort feature. Personally one of the biggest things is once you start driving to drive like your trying to get great mpg (slowly up to speed keeping rpm lower). I usually wait till the temp gauge is ~50% to normal operating temps untill I drive normally (aka spirited).
I was a Transfer Driver @ Ryder for 17 years & I've seen a lot of diesel trucks destroyed because they get floored when it's like 15 degrees outside. I even seen the mechanics doing it. I even told the shop manager & it went in one ear & out the other.
At the OEMs we would use ECT of 160F and EOT of 140F as the temperatures where the engine "should" be OK with a full load application. There were also other factors with TOT and differential lubricant temperature. Some engines needed 180F, otherwise cylinder heads would bend and cause combustion gas leaks into the cooling system. Other factors, such as windshield defrost requirements required engines to idle before driving. Is that why diesels have extra clap trap in their exhaust controls? Also, front cover AND cylinder cavitation damage happens, if bad cold driveaway advice is followed. Scuffing wear happens when the aluminum pistons expand faster than the iron block or liners. The piston bowl limits the advance that is possible for the injectors, so piston lip cracking happens when cold driveaway is too much. Unless someone works at the OEM in these specific development capacities, they just don't get the exposure to the data. On top of that, every driver or mechanic is an expert; just ask them. They are always smarter than a development engineer that spent his entire adult life on that topic, used as an expert to do that exact work for worldwide OEMs and the military.
I've seen enough UA-cam videos of mechanics saying that, idling your (non-diesel) engine is bad, that I absolutely believe them.........yet, at the same time, I used to work with a 'car guy' who'd routinely let his gasoline engines (Mercedes, Land Cruiser, Jeep XJ) engines 'warm up' for 10, 20, sometimes even 30 minutes.........year round. All his vehicles were high mileage and problem free. And, I thought that was the major selling point of remote starters 'back in the day'................start the vehicle, from your house while you're brewing your morning coffee or getting dressed or whatever.........surely those tasks take more than 5 minutes.
I am not patient enough to wait 20+ minutes, however, it just SEEMS like my gasoline engines run 'better' or smoother if 'warmed up' for 5 minutes or so........especially in colder weather. My trucks are also of the 2012~2015 vintage and have been problem free.
Similarly, as illogical (or "wasteful") as some would call it, I am a HUGE proponent of 3,000 to 5,000 mile oil changes. When you get old, you often become, "stuck in your ways" and I always lived by the adage, "Oil is cheap, engine repairs are super-expensive."
LEARNED something. Previously thought it best to put no extra load on your freezing cold engine… 🤔
The anger at the brown spots in the grass seeping through 😂
The brown spots in my yard are from dog piss.
Live in Utah and I have a 2004 F-250 6.0 powerstroke and the 15 years I’ve owned it I have always used a additive and when cold it’ll run at low idle for a few minutes then jump to a high idle and gradually come down as oil and coolant temps rise and always wait till oil temperature is at least 100 degrees. Have never had injector issues or anything it’s at 153,000 miles and I’ve done general maintenance ficm voltage regulator two alternators batteries oil transmission and cooliant fluid changes shocks and brakes it’s been a great truck
This is why we need to bring back shop classes to HS in the United States!
On my 1986 M1009 CUCV with 6.2 diesel I let it warm up a few minutes. On my 2000 7.3 powerstroke it has automatic high idle. I also have an FS2500 oil bypass filter on it. You can extend your oil changes with an oil bypass filter because it filter the oil down to 1- 3 microns depending on the filter.
Since I retired, I only drive between 4,000- 5,000 miles a year. I still change the oil and filter twice a year because of the condensation that builds up with the seasonal temperature swings.
Condensation is used up during a proper drive cycle. That trip to 7-11 ain't gonna do it! That trip down the interstate will. The systems and lubricants will come to operating temperature for a long enough duration to vapor off any moisture. Short trippers are so easy to spot... The inside of the oil filler cap looks like a nice hot cuppa with heavy cream!! Sufficient drive cycle use does not do that unless head gaskets have let go or worse!
@@Sunspot-19once oil temp gets to peak how long would you have to drive on the highway/interstate to evaporate the water out of the crankcase?
@@andymike6575 Assuming it is condensate, les than 20 miles should do it. A daily driver that sees 10 miles one way, daily will not have a condensate problem. One that hits the corner 7-11 for munchies, you're gonna get in trouble! Pull the oil filler cap and inspect it. If it looks like hot cocoa was served, gotta change the driving habit.
@@Sunspot-19 thanks. My drive to work is 18 miles one way at mostly 65-70 mph but the oil doesn’t reach 180° until about 15 miles so I was concerned about putting too much moisture in the oil. It’s a 6.7L Cummins diesel with twice the engine size and crankcase capacity of a regular daily driver
@@andymike6575 Being that you are daily driving along with some incidental driving, you should be fine. PCV will take any vapor out and replace it with filtered air from the tube between the air filter and turbo inlet. That process also removes fuel that may sneak by during warmup. Warmup is the time that blowby is at its greatest. That helps to keep oil contamination to a minimum. Maintenance is also very important.
14 months and 800k subs is pretty insane. Well done! Always great knowledge here. The only thing I'd add is that sadly, many of use in the north have to park outside, so you're waiting a little longer than 15 seconds if you need to scrape snow and ice, then defrost windows haha.
This channel has changed a whole lot! Hawking snake oil in just about every video
Block heater is a huge plus. But I also think it’s worth noting to look into what oil you are running. During cold weather months, it’s a good idea to get a good flowing oil. (Crazy to see how different oils flow that are all 15w-40).
So I agree with warming my engine up this way. My truck is 5.0 2016 f 150, have u experienced harsh shift 2-3 gear within half a km?
I was (now retired) an electrical / mechanical technician at a Navy power plant that supplied emergency power for a satellite communication site that had three big Catapillar diesel generators that each had dual jacket water coolant heaters that kept the coolant always heated to about 125 degrees for those generator could start up automatically and come on-line suppling power within a minute or so.
It seems that if you can't park in a heated garage, some sort of engine block heater would be good aftermarket product to have. I presently have a gas Ford 6.8 V10 in my class C RV and a Dodger Challenger 6.4 Hemi V8, both of my motors some times have to sit for weeks, or even months without running. What I'd like to see / install is some kind of built in 12 volt electric pump that would pump the engine oil up to the top of the valve trains and circulate and heat the oil before starting the motors after those extended periods.
I remember there were mecedes engines that were so starved of oil on idle, that they would break if you let them idle to warm up...
Brilliant. Listen to this man.
I would like to send a big shout-out to you and your TEAM at DAVE'S AUTO CENTER, I hale from Ontario, Canada and have done exactally what you tell your follower's, my 5.3 supercharged/tuned for speed 2014 Yukon get's a little warm up before take-off and with regular maintenence has never let me down!
I like to allow to idle enough to have the temperature gauge just start to move. Then drive light throttle until gauge gets halfway up
Same.
Same here! I never let my oil change intervals to go past 5k either.
This is exactly what Dave is saying… DONT do that. Let oil pressure get up to the head, then just drive the truck.
It’s a machine you start it then drive it - it doesn’t need to warm up it’s not grandma
@@themountainman2613 It's a high speed metal-on-metal machine with very tight clearances. The more gradually and uniformly you get the parts up to temperature, the better. So yes, it does need to warm up.
Just watched this, and I absolutely agree with these things you say. A good visual aid you can use for a great visualization is to get a dollar store spray bottle with the adjustable spray twist nozzle. This way you can demonstrate the difference in how a good injector spray pattern looks versus the needle point spray pattern of a dirty or clogged injector. Also, spraying this water mist on, say, a sheet of paper can illustrate how the fine mist of a good injector will only wet the paper, while the needle point pattern will eat a hole right thru it.
Just a suggestion, I'm a big fan of your channel living here in the midwest. I don't have any diesels, but everything you school us on is pretty much applicable to gas engines as well.
Hit 200k today. I'm really grateful for all the knowledge and nuggets you had thrown my way over the last months. Started with 14k in June 2024
Congratulations on hitting the 200k milestone! That's an incredible growth from 14k in just a few months - what strategies or investments did you implement to achieve this remarkable success?🎉🎉
I'm beyond thrilled to see your progress! From 14k to 200k in such a short time is amazing. Would love to hear about your journey and the key decisions that led to this success.
DREAMS DO COME TRUE! Huge thanks to Elizabeth Marie Hawley, my financial guardian angel! Your wisdom and encouragement helped me achieve financial freedom. I couldn't have done it without you!
That's amazing! I'm excited to start my journey with her. Do you have any advice for someone just starting out?
Just be open-minded, and trust the process. Elizabeth Marie Hawley will guide you every step of the way. And don't forget to share your testimony with others when you see the results!
Thank you Dave for all the input on enginse.😊
I agree... but would add wait until u see your rpm gauge drop to idle rpm around 600 rpm. It may take more than 10 sec's to get to idle rpm. Another thing... I would do oil changes at half of manufacturers suggested maintenance interval.
Dave you are truly blessed, thank you for sharing your knowledge 🙏🏽
High idle is important. If your windows are frozen don't start the rig a half hour early to get it "warm". Sit there with your foot on the pedal and keep it around 1500rpm until it's warm, or add a high idle system to the vehicle. Low idle is incredibly descructive and does very little to warm up the motor
Terrible idea if it’s -30 out, your windshield will crack. I’ve done it
Wow, Dave, that was an awesome video. Thank-you so much for everything that you're teaching us. You even have your own bottle of additives too. Wow.
Why does it say in most diesel pickup owners manuals to let the engine warm up for several minutes before driving when the outside temp is below zero. If the manufacturer didn’t want you to warm up the engine? Also, what about high idle? Which is a option on most pickups in the settings
While I’m not entirely against high idling a diesel, your argument of the manufacturer saying to do something doesn’t really hold water. They also say you can do a 10k mile oil change and that’s been debunked many, many times. OEMs are in the car selling business. Nobody (generally speaking) keeps a vehicle 10+ years or 100s of thousands of miles any more.
Love this because I went to automotive tech school in 70s it had no diesel training. I know nothing this channel Is awesome 👊🏻
I let my engine idle until it idles down. It always runs at higher rpm when first started cold. It usually takes 30 seconds to a minute to idle down when cold. Up to 2 minutes when it's very cold. In the summer months it idles down within just a few seconds, so I don't wait.
Same, I’ve had multiple mechanics tell me that’s what you should do.
Not all vehicles have that built in the cpu. Some, no matter how cold it is, drop straight to 650rpm after startup
@@SamSeth I have yet to ever see anything in the last 20 years that doesn’t..
@@Maynardd 2013 Ford 350 6.7l
2008 ram 5500 6.7l
Two work trucks I've had experience with that low idle on startup. Most others idle at 1k until they warm up. It's not universal
@ I had that exact ram, it didn’t do that… no car starts up and runs for example 600 RPMs. Every single car that starts runs a high idle.
7:00 those are words of wisdom “Do your maintenance “ don’t procrastinate and don’t wear shorts with flip flops 🩴 while you’re working on your truck show some respect and wear proper clothing and working boots 👀👋😊👋
Its not just engine oil that needs to build up some heat, its the transmission, and the the power steering pump too. I've blown three power steering hoses driving a vehicle too quickly in our -50* Canadian winters
What about using a high idle switch, would that be acceptable?
This is the first man that I ever heard that understood this issue 100% not 100% sure on the ratio but kerosene and motor oil will keep your diesel from gelling over over and out
I tell my family, if you're going to let car idle cold don't run the darn heat inside the car until you're ready to drive - that only makes warm up 20x longer cause you're actually cooling the water and making it harder to get to temp - run the electric defroster. It's exponentially faster to let the motor warm up then add all the accessories than to turn everything on and wait...Dave, I use your technique with vehicles that are garaged cause windows are clear...when I have an ice cube outside I use mine and it seems to work well...
I agree, I’ve always told friends it’s more important that the car warms up first before you start stealing heat from the cooling system.
Thank you, Dave!
I’ve been looking for that answer!
Great video and great job as always!
Listen to your vehicle on a cold start. You can hear the engine tone change (and I say smooth out) after 30 seconds. That's when you drive.
I agree and have been doing this for years with no issues, its a good compromise
Also run a 5w40 diesel oil in the winter. It’ll flow much quicker.
I usually have a quick smoke, hop in and go
That's Extremely hard on "your engine". ☆
@@fjb4932 Take it easy and its absolutely fine. Just don't go hauling or towing anything.
I get what you’re saying. I generally let the engine reach a smooth idle and an RPM drop before I take off. The problem is when it’s so cold that your engine computer gives you a sixty second countdown before you can drive away. Also, if it’s below fifteen degrees the truck won’t want to shift into overdrive for a few miles unless it warms up for a good 3-5 minutes. In general though I think this video is awesome. I’ve had people get mad because I drove away with an oil temperature of “only” 150 degrees. That’s just silly.
At least wait till the RPM's reach the normal idling speed. That has heated the engine enough to run 'nomal' without driving it like you stole it. It takes from 25 to a 90 seconds depending on the car. Turbo engines need a lot more time to get the turbo a little bit of heat
04 550 dump plow truck. Block heater, clacks it to life in like 6-7 revos. Then the high idle takes over. Then I go back inside. Then I have more coffee. Then I go. Then I forget to unplug block heater. Then I go (again).
I think what he means is drive it as soon as possible, for me i start it up, idle up to the gate, close it and then i drive like grandma untill i see the coolant temp come up, i never have jet black oil when i do my oil changes, it all makes sense
Well explained Dave..You are on the mark
So what does diesel pickups have an elevated idle feature from factory, Dave? Come to Canada in January when it's -50 and we'll show you why elevated idle is such a thing.
A. you should be using a block heater primarily, And yes people up in Canada need high idle for when you park somewhere where you don't have one. But it's not like you need to use that unless it's Sub-Zero which generally doesn't happen much in the lower 40 ish states, where 90% of people live.
umm, -50??😮
Here in Iowa we have winter fuel so its not suppose to gel but it willl lol, so we add a fuel additive but on really cold days we plug them in so their warm when we start them, my old 7.3 ford I just plug it in and never had a problem with it but I do keep up with maintance on the truck fresh oil change before cold weather and good batteries and make sure the filters are all changed , love my 7.3 it has 260k on it and keeps running
hard to drive it easy to warm it up when you live < 1 mile from the highway and merging requires a lot of throttle in a low power car
Just my road. I get chased down the road but dive off to a loop that takes me back to the road. An extra three minutes then it’s literally downhill for the next mile.
Same here. I take a longer route to an onramp to warm the engine before having to do any relatively hard acceleration. 1990 Ford 7.3 IDI Non Turbo.
Exactly, not everyone lives on a 4 mile gravel road, if everyone did then everyone could get up and drive.
I will keep doing what I have been. I let it idle. Will definitely not be taking off like you explain. To each there own..
Many disagree with your statement on cold starts. I have owned transports and equipment for many years and we always raise the idle and set until the coolent gage moves and then drive with minimal hp until up to operating temperature. The heads, block, transmission components are all made out of different alloys and react to temperature at different rates. By driving before engine is up to operating temperatures increases the probability of blown seals and gaskets.
Agreed comin from manitoba we had 3 days of -44C/ -47F this week and if we didn't have block heater/oil heaters there's no way we would've started up & made any money
You started the channel 14 months ago? Almost 1 million subscribers already. Holy crap!
Oil temp took 10 minutes to get over 100 last night here in MN... -5 deg F.
Yep I live in Wisconsin & had -14 where I'm at just the other night & that was with no wind-chill and I live in a rural area so I always let my vehicle run for a while because none of them have block heaters. Been doing this for 40 years and have yet to have any problems with the engines in a variety of cars and trucks I've had through those years but I also change my oil be it on a vehicle that uses synthetic or dino oil every 3,000 miles with a new oil filter and I think by doing these short oil change intervals helps with getting any moisture & unburned fuel out of the oil when doing these low mile oil changes. Got to remember oil is cheap blown engines aren't . I've had on some winter clear nights with no wind-chill where the outside thermometer has dipped into -27 below so it gets damn cold out here at times compared to the cities . Most of these new vehicles once started the idle comes down pretty quickly where as my old 82 K10 that I put a 400 SBC in it that's carbureted I can go out and push the gas pedal 2 times and it fires right up & will stay in its high idle until I kick the idle down so when I go out to start it in cold winter weather I just leave it in its high idle with the defrost on & go in the house and wait for 15 minutes and it's warmed up & ready to plow my driveway with it after I step on the throttle to get the choke to fully open up and the high idle comes down to regular idle speed . These new vehicles are designed so you start them & let them come down on high idle then start driving which where we live your going to freeze your ass off by the time it warms up lol unless you got long johns on & insulated coveralls on & a heavy winter jacket and good insulated boots on .
Luckily now we have a garage living in Wisconsin, but I always wait for the high idle when starting our cars up before driving them out of the garage
hey dave keep up the good work i love your vids!
Should of seen the steamy smoke off a 12 valve Cummins in a '89 Dodge 250 at -40C. Plugged in all winter. 1995 Northern Ontario winter; 54 consecutive days temperature average -35C. Still shiver remembering logging trees and working 7 days a week all winter! We idled and began carefully. Hydraulics were slowest to warm.
3:00 in and there goes the commercial. Gee whiz.
😂😂
He is giving you tons of free information. Why complain?
Go premium with no ads you'll thank me later