Ecoboost Engine Warmup
01-08-2014, 01:14 PM
#21
I drive an 03 with the 5.4l. I work a nightshift, when I get in my truck at 6am to drive home it is about as cold as it usually gets at night. I usually start the truck and let it idle back down to normal idle before taking off. I take it pretty easy on the truck until I see the needle move.
I have always read that letting it idle down to normal RPM makes sure that the oil has been circulated to every place it should be flowing by then. I only let it idle longer if I don't feel like breaking out the ice scraper or hosing the windshield with de-icing windshield fluid. I have no problem hosing the windshield with de-icer when I just want to f'ing get home after a 12 hour shift.
I'm tempted to cover half the radiator just so the truck warms up faster. Northern Missouri just has such rapid temperature changes during the winter that some days I'm afraid blocking the radiator would be a bad choice.
I have always read that letting it idle down to normal RPM makes sure that the oil has been circulated to every place it should be flowing by then. I only let it idle longer if I don't feel like breaking out the ice scraper or hosing the windshield with de-icing windshield fluid. I have no problem hosing the windshield with de-icer when I just want to f'ing get home after a 12 hour shift.
I'm tempted to cover half the radiator just so the truck warms up faster. Northern Missouri just has such rapid temperature changes during the winter that some days I'm afraid blocking the radiator would be a bad choice.
01-08-2014, 01:17 PM
#22
Senior Member
This is the point... I let mine run for 15 min (when it's really cold) so I can get into a toasty cab and hit the gas without having to drive like a grandma... I'm not always patient.
I don't think any of us here (maybe a select few) really care about wasting gas in the first place.
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Defcon1 (12-18-2015)
12-17-2015, 01:02 PM
#23
Senior Member
12-17-2015, 01:26 PM
#24
12-17-2015, 03:37 PM
#26
Just so everyone knows, the oil is designed for winter viscosity. Thats what the W in 5w-20 stands for. The engine oil is sae 5 in the winter until it reaches operating temp then it will be sae 20.
Heating the cab aside, all warming your engine up for 5+ minutes will do is increase carbon build up in your engine. That said, I still wouldn't dog the engine until it's at full temp. The engine parts slightly expand and contract during warmup and cool-down. Baby it when it's cold, even in the summer.
Heating the cab aside, all warming your engine up for 5+ minutes will do is increase carbon build up in your engine. That said, I still wouldn't dog the engine until it's at full temp. The engine parts slightly expand and contract during warmup and cool-down. Baby it when it's cold, even in the summer.
Last edited by me1234; 12-17-2015 at 04:20 PM.
12-18-2015, 01:55 AM
#28
Senior Member
I think the recommended warmup procedure now is let idle until high idle drops off (15-20 seconds max) and then stay under 2k-2200 rpms until truck is near operating temperature. At least from what I've read up on, and several physical phenomenon explained in courses I've taken, the best way to avoid engine wear is to warm up an engine under light load. That way the forces aren't too great but oil temps increase quickly enough to minimize wear.
12-18-2015, 12:35 PM
#29
Senior Member
I think the recommended warmup procedure now is let idle until high idle drops off (15-20 seconds max) and then stay under 2k-2200 rpms until truck is near operating temperature. At least from what I've read up on, and several physical phenomenon explained in courses I've taken, the best way to avoid engine wear is to warm up an engine under light load. That way the forces aren't too great but oil temps increase quickly enough to minimize wear.