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

[WILDHOBO]

Having just done a transmission fluid & filter service, I can verify that the transmission does indeed warm up while idling. It doesn't warm up quickly, that's for sure, but the fluid temperature does increase at idle.

No question. I can confirm for the same reason.

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[ShadowsPapa]

Forgot the quadratic Christmas wreath.

I didn't.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

And then it also lets condensation build up, which is bad. The transmission is also not warming up while sitting there idling - and people tend to forget the trans needs to warm up just as much. Hell, in a lot of cars a new trans is more expensive than a new engine. Really all you’re doing is wasting fuel and putting hours on your engine, for no gain.

And that condensation disappears when you take off and get it fully up to operating temp for a while.
Yes, the transmission DOES warm - do a fluid change and you idle it to warm the transmission.
Granted, it won't hit any 200 degrees idling on a cool day - but frankly, idling on a MODERN engine like the 3.6 with the precise fuel control and so on isn't like idling a 1970 V8 with a choke and overly rich idle circuit because they are so inefficient.

Have you been a mechanic?

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Some of the old tractors I've been aquainted with had two fuel tanks, a small pony tank of gasoline to start the engine then switch over to diesel once it's warmed enough. One in particular I belive was an old iH Farmall. Sadly such utilitarian designs are long gone and now even Ag machines are shibarid with enough emissions equipment to make Ol' Macdonald cry.

Actually, kerosene, not diesel.
I owned and restored antique tractors - the last one I sold a while back was a 1936 F20 with factory prototype electric starter (not actually a thing in 1936.
It had the split tank - small gas side, larger kerosene side.
I have the owners manual as well.
A lot of engines and tractors of the day were kerosene -such as the McCormick and IH throttling governor engines - they had a split fuel bowl where you put gas in it to get it started and warmed, then moved a lever to let gas in. There were two mixture screws - one for the gas side, the other for the kerosene side.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I NEVER use it. It wastes fuel and does not warm the engine as quickly as gentle driving.

The point isn't really to warm the engine - it's to prepare the vehicle for occupants and to clear frost/fog off the glass.
Ever driven around people who scrape a tiny peep-hole in the frost on the windshield and take off? I'd like to chain their car to a tree until they do it right.

 

[WILDHOBO]

Actually, kerosene, not diesel.
I owned and restored antique tractors - the last one I sold a while back was a 1936 F20 with factory prototype electric starter (not actually a thing in 1936.
It had the split tank - small gas side, larger kerosene side.
I have the owners manual as well.
A lot of engines and tractors of the day were kerosene -such as the McCormick and IH throttling governor engines - they had a split fuel bowl where you put gas in it to get it started and warmed, then moved a lever to let gas in. There were two mixture screws - one for the gas side, the other for the kerosene side.

That’s very cool.

 

[bill61]

I live where it never truly gets cold so no need to get carried away with warm up. I grew up in serious cold and vehicle warm up was required (along with slow driving for a bit to massage the flat spots out of the tires). I moved away from that stuff as soon as I was on my own.

 

[Stan H]

I didn't.

I proud of you for getting in the Christmas Decor

 

[CapChimiChangas]

Start and wait it reach minimum temperature before engaging gears and moving

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Start and wait it reach minimum temperature before engaging gears and moving

What's minimum temperature?
if you mean the thermostat's minimum when it just starts to open, that's 195 - and what a waste to wait that long for that..................

 

[WILDHOBO]

What's minimum temperature?
if you mean the thermostat's minimum when it just starts to open, that's 195 - and what a waste to wait that long for that..................

That would take a VERY long time. In fact it would very likely never get there while parked.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

That would take a VERY long time. In fact it would very likely never get there while parked.

No kidding. Even back in the early 70s when I started driving - it was always - let it catch its breath, a few moments for oil to get around, then drive without taxing it for a couple of miles.
Of course, ALL of it depends on - how cold is cold?
When it's 20 below I let it warm a bit more as piston skirts and rods are more brittle then, and I drive more carefully for a bit longer. If it's 10 degrees, not as long either way.
So - how cold is cold, I guess.

 

[WILDHOBO]

No kidding. Even back in the early 70s when I started driving - it was always - let it catch its breath, a few moments for oil to get around, then drive without taxing it for a couple of miles.
Of course, ALL of it depends on - how cold is cold?
When it's 20 below I let it warm a bit more as piston skirts and rods are more brittle then, and I drive more carefully for a bit longer. If it's 10 degrees, not as long either way.
So - how cold is cold, I guess.

I drove it like 20 miles in the mountains today and noticed it was still under 180.

 

[Stan H]

I drove it like 20 miles in the mountains today and noticed it was still under 180.

Well the other morning I drive 65 miles and I was doing mostly 40-55mph up and down and curves . The transmission stayed at 165-168 this picis at the end of that 65miles.

 

[GeekJT]

We just hit remote start, walk out in our shorts and hoodie, kick the seat warmers on and gooooo

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