Most drivers park their cars in the yards of houses or in paid guarded parking lots.
Negative temperature makes its own adjustments to the operation of the car. The load on the engine, cooling and heating system increases. All malfunctions climb out like cockroaches from cracks, making the average driver nervous.
The article will help you learn how to warm up the car in winter and properly handle the car at this time of the year. Novice drivers will find a lot of new and hopefully valuable information in the material.
A modern driver in the flow of information falling upon him from various sources (the Internet, television, newspapers, magazines, neighbors in garages and others) sometimes does not know why you need to know and be able to warm up the car in winter. If you just sat down, started and went.
Sometimes the incoming information is so contradictory that it is difficult to understand the verbal flow and find a sound rational grain. The positive effect of warming up the machine is greater than the possible negative effects.
The following arguments speak of the benefits and necessity of warming up the machine:
1.Thick engine oil
Even high-quality synthetic oil, designed for use in winter at sub-zero temperatures, increases its viscosity. It thickens and the first few minutes after starting the engine does not work fully.
All this affects the efficiency of lubrication and reduces the friction of the working elements of the car engine. Smooth operation of the engine without sharp accelerations at idle allows the engine oil to heat up and thereby reduce viscosity. It becomes fluid and evenly distributed throughout the motor.
2.Safety
A car standing in the yard of the house in the morning may resemble a snowdrift swept up by snow. All glasses are completely frozen and covered with a crust of ice. Many drivers, having cleared a small space of the windshield, go out onto the road.
This is very dangerous, as visibility is significantly reduced and the driver cannot fully monitor the traffic situation. An incompletely cleaned windshield can cause an accident (traffic accident). It is important to completely clean the front side and windshield of the car and only then hit the road.
3. Motor wear
It is not recommended to use an unheated car engine. In the cold, the metal parts of the power plant are reduced in size. If you start the engine without warming up and give it a load, such actions will lead to accelerated wear of individual elements.
Warming up the motor will minimize the negative consequences associated with negative air temperatures. All elements of the motor will restore their previous dimensions after idling for 5-10 minutes.
4.Fuel consumption
Thrifty drivers who count every liter of fuel will be unpleasantly surprised by the fact that a cold engine consumes more fuel than under normal conditions.
To ignite the mixture, a greater amount of effort will be required from the diesel power plant. She will have to overcome the resistance of viscous fuel and cold air.
5.Car interior
Using a car with a cold interior is a dubious pleasure. Cold seats adversely affect both men's and women's health. It is better to leave the house or apartment in advance and warm up the engine than later in the future to pay for laziness with health.
6.Battery
Warming up the car reduces the load on the battery. Many drivers, instead of gradually heating the windshield and rear window, turn on forced electric heating.
A cold battery begins to actively give off electrical energy to consumption sources. His performance suffers. All this can lead to a decrease in electrolyte density and a decrease in battery life.
According to a survey conducted by the Avtogid.ru website among 130 drivers aged 18 to 65, the following data were obtained on the issue of warming up the car engine. Always warm up the car in winter 38.46% of drivers from the total number of respondents. 15.38% of drivers never warm up the engine. Very rarely, 19.23% of drivers do this, and sometimes 26.92% of motorists warm up the engine.
In any case, the vast majority of drivers prefer to warm up the car in winter.
The steps to warm up the car engine and start it properly in winter are simple and do not require special knowledge from the driver. The main thing is not to be lazy and leave the house 15-20 minutes earlier to prepare the car for the trip. This will make it possible to use the car with the maximum level of efficiency in the most severe frosts.
The procedure for warming up the car in winter is as follows:
1.Preparation of the car engine for launch.
Before starting the car engine, turn on the dipped beam for a short time. Enough 30 seconds of time to "revitalize" the battery. Squeeze out the clutch of the car and thereby disconnect the starter from the crankshaft and gearbox. Be sure to include neutral gear.
This will help simplify the start of the car's engine, even at high negative air temperatures. If the car is diesel, you need to wait until the coil of the fuel heating plugs goes out. It is recommended to use glow plugs several times.
2. Starting the motor
If the car engine does not start the first time, you do not need to "force" the starter and "plant" the battery. It is necessary to allow the battery to recover (30-40 seconds is enough) and try again.
When the car's engine starts, you can not immediately turn on the heating of the glass. You need to wait 1 or 2 minutes. It is not necessary to take heat from a cold engine from the start.
Directing warm air onto cold glass is not recommended. If there are small cracks, you can provoke their increase. First, air flows are directed to the passenger compartment and only then to the windows. You need to know and be able to properly warm up the interior of the car in winter.
While the engine is running and the interior is heated by warm air currents, you can start cleaning the car windows and headlights from the outside. This saves a lot of free time.
Attention should be paid to cleaning the windshield and side windows of the car. The level of visibility and traffic safety by car depend on their cleanliness. The optimal time for warming up the car in winter depends on the air temperature and the activity of using the vehicle. On average, 15-20 minutes is enough and you can hit the road.
3.Start of movement
A cold engine runs at high speeds, even when not idling. After starting it, the tachometer can show 1200-1300 rpm. The engine in a warm state produces a crankshaft speed in the region of 1000 rpm.
If the engine speed has dropped, then you can already start moving. Driving the car for the first 10-15 minutes is not recommended at high speed. It is desirable to overcome the first kilometer at a speed of 40-60 km / h. After that, you can smoothly gain the required speed.
Such a tactic will allow the car's engine to reach operating temperature and avoid increased engine load, increased wear of its working elements.
Conclusion
Properly warming up the car in winter is a must. Each driver will learn to determine the specific warm-up time of the engine independently and without outside help. This knowledge comes with driving experience. Hurry in the morning winter hours will adversely affect the operation of the engine and the entire car as a whole.
In the 21st century, the operation of an automobile engine has long been controlled by a computer that regulates the supply of fuel and ignition depending on external conditions. But most motorists did not have time to rebuild after the progress, making mistakes when warming up the engine in the cold season. The methods of starting and warming up in frost, which were relevant 20 years ago, are useless for modern engines, and sometimes even harmful.
Can't warm up
There is a widespread belief that modern car engines do not need to warm up before driving. It's a delusion. Warming up the engine is necessary, driving on a cold engine will not lead to good.
“There is a clear indication in service cards for all types of engines and at all times: warming up the engine is necessary to achieve operating clearances between parts and bring technical fluids to the specified viscosity values. The engine is made of different metals, which have different indicators of temperature deformation. The design of the engine is designed for operation in a given temperature range, which is achieved by warming up the engine at idle, ”says engineer Sergei Kolchin.
Running the engine without warming up can cause serious engine damage.
It takes 5-10 minutes to warm up a modern engine. Photo: Elena Ivanova
You can not warm the engine "by temperature"
Traditionally, Russian drivers control the warming up of a car engine according to the readings of a temperature sensor. Most modern internal combustion engines have an operating temperature of 90 degrees. But this approach is wrong. For a car enthusiast, it can turn into excessive fuel consumption for warming up and a significant loss of time.
“It is possible to warm up a car at idle to 90 degrees at a temperature of minus 20. But it will take 30-40 minutes. It is not advisable to waste fuel and time on such warming up, ”says auto mechanic Vitaly Loginov.
Engine oil thickens at low temperatures. Mineral loses viscosity at a temperature of 15-20 degrees below zero, "semi-synthetics" at 25-30 degrees below zero. Thick oil adversely affects the operation of an internal combustion engine.
“The oil in the engine performs three functions at once: lubrication of rubbing surfaces, removal of wear products and cooling of moving parts. In the case of negative temperatures, the last two points are not relevant. It is not necessary to cool a cold engine, and wear in this mode is negligible. But there is not enough lubrication for the engine, because of this, the friction force increases, ”says Vitaly Loginov.
High friction forces lead to high fuel consumption. Almost all modern cars have on-board computers that display consumption figures. Vitaly Loginov advises heating the car "according to consumption."
“A car with an engine power of up to 100 horsepower at idle consumes 0.8-0.9 liters of fuel per hour. When starting a cold engine, this figure is usually 2.7-3 liters per hour. To enter the engine into operating mode, it is enough to warm it up to normal values. Waiting for warming up to 90 degrees is a waste of time and gasoline,” says Vitaly Loginov.
Running "cold" disables the engine. Photo: pixabay.com
Do not "gas" during warm-up
Some motorists try to speed up the warming up of the car by increasing the engine speed. But it is impossible to “gas” with a cold engine.
“All gaps in the engine are designed for a certain oil viscosity, at low temperatures the viscosity of the lubricant increases, and it is not able to flow between the rubbing surfaces. Parts operate in oil starvation mode. Which leads to their increased wear,” says Vitaly Loginov.
Moreover, wear in this case is sharp, almost explosive. The rings on the pistons may fail, and scuffs and dents form on the cylinder mirror, which can only be corrected during the overhaul of the engine.
The engine must be warmed up at idle, without touching the gas pedal. In this case, the output to the operating mode will pass without consequences.
Oil heaters must not be used
Some motorists use so-called oil heaters to start the engine during the cold period. This device is a heating element that is installed in the oil dipstick hole and connected to the car battery. It is assumed that this device will warm up the oil, restore its fluidity and simplify warming up. But this is just a marketing ploy. These devices do more harm than good.“Oil heaters do not solve the problems of starting and warming up the engine in winter. The power of these devices rarely exceeds 20-30 watts, which is clearly not enough to warm up 3.5-4 liters of oil in a cold engine at a temperature of minus 20. In some cases, the temperature of the heater is so high that the oil on its surface begins to burn, while the entire volume remains cold,” says Vitaly Loginov.
Can't touch hard
There is oil not only in the engine, but also in the gearbox. It also thickens at low temperatures and processes occur in the box, similar to those in the engine. After warming up the engine, the oil in the box remains cold. Therefore, it is impossible to move sharply. Mechanics advise a smooth start and movement at a speed of no more than 10 km / h for the first 300-400 meters. This is quite enough for the oil in the box to begin to perform its functions.
Many drivers are sure that long waits for warming up the car in the modern world are absolutely unsuitable, this is required only for older car models. For the new generation, it is enough to sit down and go.
This article will consider the opposite opinion, because there is no fundamental difference in the motors of the last century and the current one. Professional auto mechanics with experience are confident that, as before, the same pistons and rings work in the internal combustion engine, while each part warms up at a different speed. And an unevenly warmed up engine is the work of some parts outside the operating temperature range, which negatively affects the general condition of the car.
Managers at car dealerships often talk about the fact that their engines do not need warming up in winter, but this is nothing more than a marketing ploy and empty chatter. More than that, it is even concern for environmental standards, which now impose serious restrictions. During the warming up of the car, the actual amount of toxic elements produced may exceed the permissible limits.
Therefore, let's move on to the question of how to properly warm the car in winter conditions. Most importantly, warm-up should take as little time as possible. When operating in winter conditions, the car in any case wears out more than in warm weather. The transmission and suspension suffer the most (first of all, all their rubber components). Shock absorbers also lose their qualities, because of this, more stress is placed on the car on bumps.
If you have a remote engine start system installed, then everything is simple, the first thing you need to do is start the engine. But if you do not have such a system, then there may be a problem with penetration from a frozen car.
The first step is to get rid of excess snow with a brush (it is advisable to store it at home). You need to start with the driver's door. After the snow is swept away, we proceed to open the door. If it froze along the contour, then first you need to try to press it harder against the opening several times, after that we try to open the door again. In some cases, applying a lock defroster along the entire contour of the door helps. If you can't open the driver's door, try the same steps with other doors. It is strictly forbidden to pour hot water from a kettle on the door. In this case, there is a high chance that the glass will crack, or, even worse, the water you poured out will eventually freeze, and the problem with opening the door will be even worse.
As soon as you managed to get into the driver's seat, you should immediately make sure that the glass cleaner switch is in the off position, because they can be frozen to the glass, which will negatively affect the drive. If the car has an automatic transmission, then the engine must be started with the clutch depressed and the brake pedal depressed. Now the process of warming up the car begins.
Immediately you need to turn on the heated mirrors and rear window. If the configuration has a heated windshield, it is worth using it. But often the car does not have this function, in this case it is possible to heat the glass only with the help of a heater. We turn it on at low speed, while the heating temperature is in the maximum position, and the air direction is only on the glass. If you have other heaters, such as those for the steering wheel or the wiper parking area, it's a good idea to turn them on as well. The usefulness is that the engine will not start completely idling, but the greater the load, the faster the warm-up will take place. The amount of time that will be taken to clean the entire surface of the machine from snow is enough. But if there hasn’t been a snowfall lately, then take yourself some time with no less useful things - check if the wipers are frozen, disperse the fluid in the power steering system by turning the steering wheel left and right. If you have an electric booster, then these actions will also become useful - an increased load on the engine will be created. If the gearbox is automatic, then it can also be stimulated to warm up: with the brake pedal depressed, move the gear selector from position D to position R. There is no such action for a manual transmission.
Once you've completed the steps above, you can begin your journey. In this case, it is not recommended to immediately tear from the spot, since such actions are harmful to the motor. But they happen, are inevitable if there is a huge amount of snow in front of the car. In this case, it is recommended to warm up the car a little longer.
When driving at first, you should not allow sudden movements and squeeze all the power out of the car, because if the engine and gearbox are already warmed up, then the shock absorbers, rubber elements and the body are still in the ice.
Video:
The cold has come. At this time, motorists have to spend their time warming up the car before the trip. VM learned from the experts how to do it quickly and correctly.
Many drivers are sure that warming up a modern car in winter is not at all necessary. However, it is not. Experts say that in cold weather, the rubber parts of the car wear out quickly if they are not allowed to thaw, in addition, engine oil thickens in the cold, which can adversely affect engine performance.
So how do you avoid it?
Properly warm up the car before the trip. The first step, not surprisingly, is to start the engine itself. If your car has a remote start system, then this makes things much easier - you can warm up the engine even before you leave the house.
If there is no such system, then you will have to heat the transport in the old fashioned way. To do this, you first need to get into the interior of the car. Yes, opening the driver's door in the cold can also be difficult. It is worth cleaning it from snow and ice with a brush, and press it against the opening before opening if the door is frozen to the rubber seal.
Important! It is not worth pouring hot water on the door - the glass can crack, and the water will freeze sooner or later.
After that, we start the engine.
Auto expert Alexander Bashkurov advises immediately after that to turn on the heating of the rear window and mirrors.
The windshield in the car often does not have heating, you can turn on the interior heater and direct hot air streams onto the glass. Among other things, you can turn on all the other heaters in the car - this will not only warm up, for example, the steering wheel and seats, but also allow the engine to warm up faster due to the greater load, says Bashkurov.
According to him, after that, you can start cleaning the car body from snow and ice. The time you spend on this should be enough for the car to warm up enough to start moving.
When you get behind the wheel, do not start too abruptly, this can harm the engine of your car. Also, do not move too briskly for the first few kilometers - let all the elements of the car adapt to the cold, the expert concludes.
How to protect your car from breakdowns in winter
Severe frosts are a real test for a car. To avoid breakdowns in winter, you should prepare your car for the cold.
So, you need to replace the washer fluid with one that is more suitable for the temperature regime. Otherwise, it will freeze, and because of this, the tank and even all the pipes of the washer system may burst. Remember, replacing a system is a complex and costly affair.
It is better to turn the wipers away from the glass at night so that they do not freeze.
Make sure there is enough gasoline in the fuel tank. When leaving the car at night, check if the tank is at least half full. If there is not enough fuel, condensation will accumulate in the gas tank, which can enter the engine while driving, which can also lead to breakdown.
I already wrote several articles about warming up the car, for example, how to warm up the engine or. But these are all separate parts of the car. It is clear that when the engine is running, sooner or later the car will warm up anyway. But not all parts of the car will warm up, only the engine, transmission will warm up, and of course the interior, but what about the rest of the car? How to properly warm up a car? Let's talk about it today…….
Winter morning. It's dark, because the sun rises late, on the street - 25 or - 30, just a "dubak" and you are trying to start your iron horse. And now happiness, the engine started, albeit not on the first try, and began to work with difficulty. It’s hard for him “poor thing”, because no matter how good the oil is, it still thickens at such low temperatures (winter is just death for a car). The engine is running and you think that's it, it will rumble for 15 minutes and I'll be torn on business / to work. But do not rush, and after 15 minutes the engine will completely warm up, the heat will pass from it to the gearbox, because they are rigidly connected, and it will become warm in the cabin. But what about the drives, racks and rubber bands, the car? After all, they also zadubeli, in the cold. How to warm up a car completely? Suspension and drives, and on rear-wheel drive vehicles and the rear axle, are also very subject to wear, which must be done to properly warm up the car in the cold.
Once you've warmed up the engine, transmission, and interior, you'll need to warm up your suspension to keep it running as long as possible. To do this, we do not tear from the parking lot, but slowly, at 20 - 40 km / h, we begin to move. A car with a suspension with oily shock absorbers is most prone to wear, the oil in the shock absorbers is just as thick, and only movement can warm it up. Rolling up and down, which the shock absorber dampens. After you left the night parking place, you need to drive 2-3 kilometers not quickly and as smoothly as possible. Remember to avoid deep holes in the road that the wheel can fall into. It’s also not worth it to tear from the spot, although there is no liquid lubricant in the wheel drives, they are also frozen wear in cold temperatures is not significant, but increases. If you have a rear-wheel drive car, it has 1 - 2 liters of gear oil in its rear axle, as well as in the gearbox. It is also frozen, if you suddenly “take off”, then there is a high probability that you will squeeze out the oil seals of the rear axle, so we don’t tear either, we drive 2-3 kilometers smoothly.
And remember to properly warm up the car, you need to completely, and not just the engine and transmission. That's all sincerely your autoblogger.
