[3.6L] What’s Your Cold Weather Startup Procedure?

[SaiintNick]

Two Part Question:

1. When the temperature outside is 32°F (0°C) or colder, what’s your procedure for starting the engine?

2. After the engine is running, what signs do you look for to know it’s ready to drive?

My procedure is I make sure I live in a warm, desert climate. Or just use my remote start, put on my shoes and it's good to go.

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[nanook12]

I’m in Alaska and as some of our Canadian Brethren in the North country can testify to, the last thing you want to do in cold temps is use a remote start! We have to preheat our vehicles before starting. Good way to wreck your engine!

 

[ShadowsPapa]

To add: as long as the oil pressure is at the operating pressure - the vehicle is safe to start driving normally (I don't recommend redlining it or anything though, of course).

LOL - no, sorry, the oil pressure is normal as quick as it's running. So you say start it and instantly start driving it normally?
Uh, no.

Interesting, never thought to keep an eye on oil pressure, but that makes sense in addition to RPM and coolant/oil temperature.

Yeah, I'd sort of ignore that because these start in high volume, high pressure mode so as quickly as the engine is firing or running, it has oil pressure. Not good advice when it's really cold.
Take it easy at first and work into it.
But again, define cold.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Previous vehicles I’ve always waited for the engine idle to slow, and coolant temperature to start increasing.

Gladiator is the first vehicle I’ve owned with two different warm idle speeds, and numeric readings for coolant and engine temperature instead of analog or digital gauges, same with oil pressure reading.

Basically, ignore those differences and do like any vehicle or as always

No need to wait for coolant temp to start to rise for any vehicle! Not needed.

These do have digital gauges - that one in the dash is just a go/no go gauge.
You have totally numeric/digital gauges for everything.
You can change what displays in the cluster in front of you - and scroll through them all, including transmission temp, oil temp, tire pressure, voltage and more.

These have more than two idle speeds, too - own in long enough and you'll find the speed can slowly drop when it's very cold - starting at about 1400 and then dropping from there. Mine has been as several different idle speeds.

Example of what you can display in the cluster -

 

[Maverickxeo]

LOL - no, sorry, the oil pressure is normal as quick as it's running. So you say start it and instantly start driving it normally?
Uh, no.

Yes - I've done it in every vehicle I've owned. Never had a problem with the several 300k+ KM vehicles I've owned. It only takes seconds for oil pressure to build to operating pressure - verified by manual oil pressure gauges.

Letting a vehicle idle to temp is actually harder on them. Much better to drive them to get them warmed up.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Yes - I've done it in every vehicle I've owned. Never had a problem with the several 300k+ KM vehicles I've owned. It only takes seconds for oil pressure to build to operating pressure - verified by manual oil pressure gauges.

Letting a vehicle idle to temp is actually harder on them. Much better to drive them to get them warmed up.

I agree with that - but you have oil pressure instantly - best to at least wait a few seconds

(and I not only have owned dozens of vehicles some well over 100,000 miles, but was a mechanic for decades)

I know idling isn't good - (except for all of those engines that go hundreds of thousands of miles in taxis, police cars, county vehicles and more - things have changed and these don't run as rich as the days of carburetors and so on - not a big deal, really! We've also discussed idling elsewhere - just not a thing these days)
but you don't take right off when it's cold -you want to let it run a few seconds.
Oil pressure does NOT mean it's everywhere - you have oil pressure as fast as it fires - so you are saying start it and GO!

 

[MeanGreen]

Previous vehicles I’ve always waited for the engine idle to slow, and coolant temperature to start increasing.

Gladiator is the first vehicle I’ve owned with two different warm idle speeds, and numeric readings for coolant and engine temperature instead of analog or digital gauges, same with oil pressure reading.

For me personally, I don’t put too much thought into it. Say anything above freezing I start it and in gear within 15 seconds or less and on my way. Extreme cold temps I might let it run 30 seconds or less and I’m on my way but just drive it easier than normal for the first few minutes. The gladiator seems to get up to operating temp pretty quick.

 

[Stan H]

32 isn't cold. I wait until it's cold to do remote starts. Maybe 20 or lower, otherwise it's a waste because these warm up so fast, and there's heated seats and steering wheel.

DEPENDING again n temperature - as 32 isn't cold at all, I wait until it's settled off higher idle - just a few seconds, and if it's actually cold - 10 to 20 or lower, I'll still only wait a few seconds and drive off. Because of where we live, driving slow isn't a problem - you need to anyway for the first mile or so

10 minute warmups just aren't really needed unless it's UNDER 10 degrees. Above that if i do a remote start, I'm in at about 5 minutes.

Now if you use heavier oil (here we go) you may want to wait longer as the oil won't be shooting at the piston skirts through those nozzles so you risk a bit of skirt and cylinder wear.
But at the stock oil, it's getting to the cylinders and piston skirts through those little squirt nozzles fine and will be spreading out.

PS - not a heated garage, not an attached garage, not an insulated garage. If it's 10 outside, it's 10 in the garage

Well My truck won't fit in the garage . Soooo its outside. Actually usually parked in the yard. If its 25degrees like it was yesterday morning its frosted heavy . So it gets started and it idles for 10-15min. The trans warms extremely slow. Yesterday morning it was in the 20's I went out and I usually just open the driver door touching the brakes with one hand and tap the start button with the other . It idles for about 12min. I got in and the water was 151 and the trans was 78.. it was still idling at 1000 I waited a little longer just sitting in it and the water was coming up it got to 158 and the idle came down I pulled into drive and eased up the road. Driving easy for a few miles. I always do that. I got to the 2-lane about 3.5miles away and transmission was at 120.

 

[Chasm]

till it comes up to operating temps.

These things heat up so fast, the needle is moving within a quarter mile and the heater is warm within a half mile. At that point I'm getting on the highway.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

These things heat up so fast, the needle is moving within a quarter mile and the heater is warm within a half mile. At that point I'm getting on the highway.

Yes, the coolant does............. the oil and transmission and other parts, not so much.

 

[Supazuk]

my gladiator is my first with remote start.. I get phone wallet keys double tap the start, then make my way out to the driveway, get in adjust the temp, radio and nav, then drive I don't do anything different hot or cold (except when it snows then I have to clean the whole truck, kinda built in time to warm up)

 

[WestwallNF104A]

These things heat up so fast, the needle is moving within a quarter mile and the heater is warm within a half mile. At that point I'm getting on the highway.

You need about 10 minutes for the oil and transmission fluid to get up to temp, after that you're good.

 

[bill61]

You guys act like these engines are going to last forever. With all the complaints about cams wearing out in 20,000 miles just get in and drive for Jimminy Crickets.

 

[Gvsukids]

You guys act like these engines are going to last forever. With all the complaints about cams wearing out in 20,000 miles just get in and drive for Jimminy Crickets.

Mine lasted until 100000.

 

[bill61]

No it did not! Lol

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