The question of whether or not it is necessary to warm up a car engine in winter is truly Hamlet's in Russia. The majority of Russian motorists living in severe winters are sure that warming up the engine of the "iron horse" is a matter of paramount importance, and there is nothing to argue about. But most manufacturers of modern cars, advocating for a clean environment, argue that warming up a car engine before driving is harmful, since a significant amount of harmful substances gets into the air during the time spent on this operation. In the European Union, the transition to the new Euro-6 standards is now underway (some countries are blocking the adoption of these standards, claiming that they are not yet ready to control emissions so tightly), automakers are being put in a strict environmental framework. Therefore, the only way out for them is the development of high-tech, environmentally friendly engines, which would not need pre-heating in the most severe frosts. But the European Union is not Russia, especially when it comes to weather conditions, and therefore warming up the engine in winter is an extremely necessary measure.

Those who advocate refusing to warm up the engine have three arguments: it harms the environment, badly affects engine components and increases fuel consumption. Let's take a closer look at these arguments. As for the ecology, there is no controversy, the engine running at idle does indeed release exhaust gases into the environment. And if we consider that, for example, in the Far North, the engines of trucks and special vehicles are not turned off for days at all, then the damage to the environment is truly colossal. But these are exceptional cases, while most motorists spend up to 10-15 minutes at most to warm up the engine. And the degree of environmental pollution here is not so critical, although if tens of thousands of engines warm up at the same time in such a metropolis as Moscow in the mornings, then there really is no question of any benefit to the environment. And Russians are still lucky that the country does not have such stringent environmental standards as in the same EU.

Regarding fuel consumption, this argument is also largely valid: depending on the engine size and the time of its operation during warming up, fuel consumption increases by an average of 3-7 percent. The numbers seem to be uncritical, but if you consider that you have to warm up the engine at least twice a day - in the morning and in the evening, when you return from work, that is a reason to think. And, finally, the third argument “against” is increased engine wear. It is also true to some extent, because prolonged idling of the engine leads to the fact that the excessively oxygen-enriched fuel-air mixture does not have time to completely burn in the combustion chamber, which is why carbon deposits form on its walls. If such an action occurs often, then the carbon deposits accumulated on the walls of the combustion chamber can provoke engine breakdown, which will result in expensive repairs. Also, a gasoline engine can suffer from prolonged heating (carbon deposits also form on them) and diesel nozzles, which simply coke over time. This also threatens the failure of these parts of the engine fuel system.

It would seem that some of the arguments against warming up should convince those who believe that it is still necessary to warm up the engine in severe frosts. Indeed, the prospect of engine repair will upset the ordinary Russian motorist much more than environmental pollution. But warming up the engine before driving has its own arguments in favor. And they are quite weighty. The fact is that the operation of an unheated engine under workloads in the winter is fraught with several unpleasant things. Firstly, when a car enthusiast starts the engine in frost and immediately drives, and even gives in gas, the engine experiences oil starvation. It is no secret that even the most advanced synthetic oils change their viscosity under the influence of low temperatures, becoming thicker. What can we say about semi-synthetic and mineral oils, which are used by a considerable number of cars in Russia. The result of insufficient feed is increased friction of engine parts against each other, which over time leads to the failure of components such as cylinders, pistons, camshaft and crankshaft slide bearings, as well as turbine parts. Can you imagine how much the repair could result in? That is why many car owners neglect the environment, taking care of the safety of their car engines, and warm them up.

However, there is an optimal tool that should reconcile opponents and defenders of the idea of \u200b\u200bwarming up the power unit. You can get by with minimal losses for the environment, wallet and engine, if you warm it up for no more than 4-5 minutes, and then move, keeping the rpm no higher than 2000 until the engine temperature is set at around 90 degrees. In addition, so-called ones are now generally available, which work autonomously and allow you to warm up not only the engine, but also set a comfortable temperature in the car.

Most of our country is located in latitudes where the temperature in winter drops below zero, sometimes significantly. As a rule, the operation of cars is not stopped during this time. It is generally accepted that in cold weather, a car engine needs a certain warm-up, although there are opponents of this action. What is the actual situation, is it necessary to warm up the engine in winter, if so, why, and how to do it correctly?

Modern cars

Today, gasoline and diesel cars are equipped with engines with a complex fuel supply system equipped with injection injection. Compared to engines of carburetor machines, the power units have undergone many changes. Injection engines are more technological, they have an advanced fuel supply mechanism, the materials themselves have changed, from which engines are made, oils, coolants have also evolved.

Injector working principle:

Serviceable in subzero temperatures normally works normally immediately after starting, that is, theoretically, it is permissible to start movement immediately. But many car owners believe that warming up the engine is needed - from a short, for a couple of minutes, to full, with the engine reaching operating temperature.

Technical manuals for fuel-injected vehicles generally state that warming up the engine before driving off is unnecessary. Car manufacturers have several reasons for this:

• engines are made of high-quality materials that tolerate minus overboard well;
• technical fluids are made taking into account weather conditions (the main thing is to fill the engine with the correct oil!), and allow you to start driving in a gentle mode immediately;
• when driving at low speeds, fluids and the engine warm up evenly.

The resource of the engine, according to the representatives of the automotive industry, does not suffer much.

This is partly true - technology does not stand still, engines are constantly improving. But there is another factor due to which carmakers are against engine warming up.

Interestingly, one of the reasons for such statements is the influence of regulatory authorities, including environmental protection services, on the auto industry. It is known that warming up the engine at idle speed takes longer than in motion, more fuel is consumed, and the amount of harmful emissions also grows. And the catalytic converter, which is supposed to neutralize such, is switched on only when a certain temperature is reached. Therefore, it is proposed to warm the engine on the move, as it is less harmful to nature.

In some states, legislative regulation of this issue has been introduced. So, in a number of European countries there are bans on:

• long engine idle operation;
• engine warming up or long periods of inactivity in parking lots and within residential areas.

If the police find a violation of the ban, the car owner will face a large fine.

Considering these laws, it should be borne in mind that:

• the Russian Federation has not yet adopted similar, strict environmental standards for engines;
• natural conditions are often more severe;
• the main task for many motorists is to keep the engine in good condition, since the car in our country continues to be, to a certain extent, a means of luxury, and overhaul (or replacement of the car), unlike the current one, is not available to all car owners.

Interesting: in the regions of the Far North, where winter temperatures drop below 50 degrees, engine shutdown is tantamount to the death of the power unit: it is very difficult to “revive” a frozen engine with icy fluids, especially if there is no warm box. Therefore, in especially cold seasons, cars are not jammed there for days and weeks. The vehicle must be specially prepared to withstand such a long time work without interruption in extreme conditions.

Arguments for warming up

The ideas of the supporters of engine warm-up can be expressed in the following list:

1. Warming up extends engine life. In addition to viscous oil, there is such a phenomenon as thermal compression of the metal: in the cold, it contracts, and the gaps between the metal components of the engine increase. The oil, remaining thick, does not allow creating the required pressure in the line, and the engine parts are in a state of oil starvation for some time, which causes increased wear, which increases even more if you start driving immediately. It is believed that one cold engine start is equal to 100 km. normal run.
2. Difference between engine oil and engine coolant temperatures. So, when the coolant in a car engine is warmed up to optimal 90 degrees, the engine oil is still relatively cold (about 50 degrees), and it will take time for it to reach operating temperature. And the latter is critically important for the normal operation of the internal combustion engine, so it is better to wait and warm up the engine in winter to a temperature of at least 4-5 degrees.

Arguments against"

Supporters of the decision to stop the practice of warming up the engine argue their position with the following arguments:

• Manufacturers' recommendations - car manuals advise you to go straight away, and many people prefer to stick to it.

The basis of the opinion why it is impossible to warm up car engines in winter is the assumption that the manufacturer would never deliberately indicate in the instructions something harmful to the vehicle, especially when it comes to well-known and large auto brands. After all, an accelerated failure of the engine leads to its repair under warranty, which is unprofitable for the plant.

This is true, but in part. If you look closely at the terms of the car warranty, it is often only 100-150 thousand km. mileage. And even a car operating in harsh conditions can travel such a mileage without major breakdowns. Situations are possible when there is a separate warranty for the engines, but even here, in the event of a breakdown, it will be difficult to prove that it was the line in the manual with the recommendation not to warm the engine that was her fault.

There is an opinion from the field of "conspiracy theories" that carmakers deliberately advise not to warm up the engine in order to force motorists to make repairs, purchase spare parts, etc. Of course, modern cars are made not by engineers, but by marketers, and the principle of "programmed failure" has successfully migrated from the automotive industry to many areas. But nevertheless, this seems unlikely, since they will simply stop buying equipment that quickly breaks down, because a car is not a kettle, and is purchased for several years. If the engine starts to openly “crumble”, they will simply get rid of the car, and the model will receive negative feedback, which will affect the reputation of the brand as a whole.

• The quality of engine materials and oils.

This point was discussed above - it is believed that the metal of the engines, other components and fluids are adapted for a "cold start", the main thing is not to "turn" the engine immediately, moving smoothly, and there is no need to warm up the engine even in winter before the trip.

• Reduced fuel consumption.

The argument is obvious: the less the car is idling, the less fuel is burned by the engine. In addition, emissions of harmful substances will also decrease.

• The engine heats up faster on the move.

This is indeed the case; any car owner can be convinced of the correctness of the statement in practice. Under moderate load, the engine will reach operating temperature much faster. This is especially important if there is no pre-heater, which creates a comfortable one, and for the driver in the cabin in advance. But it is still not recommended to get under way in the cold.

• Incorrect operation of the engine ignition when cold at idle speed.

Modern engines equipped with electronic sensors are guided, among other things, by the outboard temperature, regulating the ratio of air and fuel supplied to the engine. In a cold engine, gasoline evaporates worse, and the fuel mixture is not optimal in composition. To compensate for this, the engine ECU gives a command to add gasoline to the combustion chamber until the engine warms up to at least 4-5 degrees.

It turns out that with a long “idle” warm-up, the engine picks up temperature more slowly, without being under load. At the same time, excess fuel does not burn, settling on the surfaces of the engine cylinders, which can subsequently cause various problems, including in the lubrication system. Particularly harmful is the regular "cold" warming up until the engine reaches the operating temperature.

Carburetor cars

The myth about the need for a long "full" engine warm-up came from the era when all cars were carbureted. The power supply system of such an engine is simpler: the composition of the fuel mixture is not changed by the electronics "on the fly" in accordance with the readings of the sensors, but is set by the carburetor setting. And until the engine reaches the operating temperature, the quality of the fuel mixture remains suboptimal, the power plant is unstable, with dips, and may even stall. This is where the common myth comes from that any car must be warmed up completely, and only after that start moving.

There are fewer and fewer vehicles equipped with carburetors, but they still run on Russian roads, especially for samples of the domestic auto industry.

Scheme of work:

Important: the engine, where the mixture is regulated by the carburetor, must be warmed up in the cold.

So is it worth warming up the engine

From all the above, we can conclude: if you have a car with a carburetor engine, you need to warm it up until the engine reaches normal temperature, and, preferably, outside the winter period. Is it worth warming up the car engine in winter if it is a gasoline injector or diesel?

Modern cars do not need a long warm-up: it is enough to let the engine run for 5-15 minutes (and in winter this is just enough to shake off the snow from the car, wipe the headlights). The engine will warm up a little and drop a little from the "warm-up" speed to close to normal, the oil will also become less viscous and will be able to provide the proper quality of lubrication. After that, you can gently start moving without overloading the engine in the first minutes.

Diesel Engines

The issue of warming up diesel engines is a separate issue due to the peculiarities of diesel fuel. Owners of a car with such power plants know that starting a diesel engine in cold weather can be more difficult than starting a gasoline engine. This difficulty arises due to the tendency of diesel fuel to thicken in the cold: it becomes viscous, poorly sprayed by engine nozzles, and reluctantly ignites.

There are several types of diesel fuel:

• summer diesel fuel designed for air temperatures from 0 degrees and above;
• winter, suitable for work in conditions up to -30 degrees;
• arctic, for extreme cold of the Far North.

Most of the problems with starting a diesel engine for car owners with it are associated with the wrong choice of diesel fuel: summer fuel is poured into the tank in winter.

To facilitate starting, there are pre-heating systems ("Webasto", etc.), which allow to exclude many "winter" problems with diesel engines. At the same time, it is important not to forget to pour the correct grade of diesel fuel into the tank.

Important: similar systems are offered for injection and carburetor engines; their use can also be useful.

Webasto system device:

Otherwise, the technique is standard: you need to let the engine run for a few minutes, and if everything is in order, you can hit the road. Some of the rules for warming up the engine are outlined below.

Warming up rules

Car owners have empirically deduced several rules regarding how much to heat the engine:

• at temperatures from 0 to +5 degrees, it is enough to warm up the engine for 1-2 minutes. The glasses do not have time to freeze under such conditions, so there is no need to wait for the stove to reach operating temperature in order to heat the interior;
• from 0 to -10 it is worth warming up the engine for about 3 minutes. Technical fluids and engine metal will warm up to the minimum temperatures allowed for movement, but it may take more time to heat the passenger compartment;
• from -10 to -20 - it should take 3-5 minutes to warm up the engine. Car windows can become icy and should be warmed up as well. Therefore, after warming up the engine, you need to turn on the stove and provide heat in the cabin to defrost the glass.

Important: do not turn on the stove at the same time as the engine starts! This will only increase the overall warm-up time.

• at temperatures below -20, it is necessary to warm up the engine from 5 minutes, the specific time is determined individually, depending on the age and condition of the car. The more powerful the stove and the newer the car, the faster it will warm up. On average, the engine heats up in about 5 minutes, the interior in 10.

After the start of the movement, you must not accelerate sharply, "turn" the engine and give it heavy loads during the first 2-3 kilometers of the way. Only after complete and, most importantly, uniform heating, obtained already in the direction of travel, the power unit will be able to adequately perceive such actions, but if they are taken before that, metal parts that have not expanded completely after freezing will experience increased wear, the engine resource will decrease.

An important note also applies to other components of the machine. So, even if the engine has received heating before starting to move, other elements (gearbox, parts of the steering mechanism, brake system) still remain cold and warm up during operation. Cold damages the drivetrain, suspension, shock absorbers deteriorate, rubber parts (including tires!) And seals “tan”, and all of them take some time to warm up. It is also necessary to start moving slowly and carefully for this reason - so as not to cause wear and tear and sudden breakdown of other machine components.

On vehicles with before starting, it makes sense to "warm up" the checkpoint a little, 1-2 times alternately switching the transmission modes with a delay in each of 2-3 seconds. This will help warm up the transmission oil and automatic transmission units, making their further work easier.

• if the car is equipped with a power steering, this will accelerate the power steering fluid in the system;
• in the case of an electric booster, the engine will receive an additional load through the generator and warm up a little faster.

conclusions

So, the answer to the question whether it is necessary to warm up the engine before driving is still positive: yes, warm it up! But not for long, especially if this is a modern vehicle with an injection engine. Long idle operation harms the engine no less than starting from a standstill "to a cold one", and a little warm-up with a leisurely and neat drive without "spinning up" to high revs will help the engine get out faster to the optimal mode, saving the resource. It is advisable to warm up old carburetor engines longer, until they fully reach the operating temperature zone.

It is not worth turning on the stove at the same time as starting the engine in the cold, this will significantly increase the total warm-up time. A good help to the car owner will be the engine preheating system, which is started according to a schedule or remotely, by pressing a button on the key fob. It will ensure that the car is ready for movement, for example, while the driver is preparing to leave the house, thus reducing the time spent on warming up the engine.

For diesel cars, it is imperative to use diesel fuel appropriate for the season.

At the end of this and the beginning of next week, forecasters promise the first night frosts, and daytime temperatures will approach zero. This means that it will become cool not only for us, but also for the engine. Most motorists of the XXI century may be surprised by the very formulation of the question. Why warm up? Sat down, started and drove off. After all, this is directly stated in the instructions of all modern machines. Whom to trust if not the manufacturer?

Just think: what is the car manufacturer interested in? The days when the answer to this question was "reliability and long-term operation" are long gone. Now, in the age of disposable things and the era of consumption, concerns encourage you to change your car as soon as possible and come to the salon for a new one. And what could be a better incentive than the feeling that your current transport is about to fall apart or expose you to expensive repairs? This would be a losing strategy, if not for one caveat: all industry giants have been following it for 15 years now.

So you shouldn't believe in the care of the manufacturer. Besides economic benefits, it follows environmental pressure. In the first minutes after a cold start, when the catalytic converter has not yet warmed up, the exhaust of even the most modern engine is extremely "dirty". On the move, the engine and exhaust gas treatment system reach operating temperature faster than standing still. Hence the recommendation to immediately get under way. In addition, to stand and present our exhaust to the entire courtyard of an apartment building (and many of us keep our car in the courtyard), to put it mildly, is impolite. But here you can advise to slowly crawl out at idle speed into the street and "warm up" there.

In about many fresh models there is no dial gauge for the level of engine warm-up, only control lamps "cold" and "hot". But the dial itself does not give a complete picture. It reflects the temperature of the coolant, which is gaining degrees quickly enough. Iron - the head, cylinders, and pistons - do it a little slower.

But the oil in the crankcase lags behind. But the lubrication of rubbing parts and, consequently, the degree of wear of the motor directly depends on it! The oil temperature gauge can be found on the models of the PSA alliance of past years, it is available to owners of non-standard on-board computers and is sewn into the menu of complex multimedia systems of expensive cars. But still, not everyone has it. To understand in what state the lubricant starts to work, do not skimp on a liter of the kind that is poured into your engine, and leave it in the trunk over a winter night. In the morning, the fluidity of the oil will be very different from what you are used to seeing. So think about whether such a consistency can provide full lubrication of parts immediately after launch.

Thus, even an antifreeze indicator arrow that has moved from the lowest point does not guarantee that the power unit is completely ready to work at any speed. On the other hand, heating while standing in one place is now ineffective. Former carburetor engines can not only be brought up to the required 90 degrees in the parking lot, but even necessary. "Zhiguli", "Muscovites" and "Volga" often stubbornly refused to go without full warming up. The injection motor is not so picky and is ready to drive the car entrusted to it immediately. And on the spot it can be "boiled" for a very long time. The diesel engine does not warm up at all, and the gasoline unit is reluctant to gain degrees even in a sluggish traffic jam. So you still have to go, even if you want to act in the old-fashioned way: standing still won't give you anything, in motion the engine will reach operating temperature faster. But you need to step on the gas gently, without undue enthusiasm. Abrupt starts are already open violence against a cold engine.

In general, the recipe for warming up the engine is as follows. After starting a cold engine, you need to stand still for a while. How much is "a little"? Depends on the outside air temperature. Now it is enough to wait a minute for the oil to dissipate throughout the entire unit. With an average "minus", it is worth standing still for 3-4 minutes, and in a strong frost - one and a half to two times longer. Don't think it's too long. Firstly, by doing this you will extend the life of the engine (since it cannot be completely protected from cold starts). Secondly, the driver will have something to do for this period. The same minute will be spent on locking the belt and viewing traffic jams on your smartphone. In winter, you will have to clean the car of snow, check if the wiper blades are frozen, and top up the anti-freeze. After all, the fight against smoking is far from over. So pass the time for your favorite process, standing still, and not being distracted from driving.

And further. Engine materials and oils have stepped forward for more than a century of car history. But the laws of physics remain the same. Parts rubbing against each other wear out at a colossal rate. Add to this the conscious commitment of automakers to reduce the life of their products. We think the answer to the question about the need for warming up after that will become obvious.

With the arrival of cold weather, motorists are interested in: how much should you warm up the car in winter? And when to warm up - in motion or in place. We will tell you how to properly warm up a car in winter and how long to warm up a cold engine - how many minutes and to what temperature.

Points for and against

Warm-up advocates argue that a cold motor is more susceptible to mechanical wear. No noticeable wear was observed when tested on a cold engine. This is due to the fact that in motion, i.e. under load, it warms up faster and reaches the optimal operating mode.

Why do motorists continue to warm up the engine in winter? This is a habit and experience of years gone by. In the past, a cold engine was warmed up to reduce wear. This is not required now. Modern motors warm up quickly, prolonged heating is an excess of the past.

Note that when the car warms up before driving, the spark plugs suffer. At this moment, the air-fuel mixture is re-enriched, i.e. a large amount of gasoline appears in it. This leads to a flood and, consequently, to an early replacement of candles.

The question remains: how does a car drive on a cold engine? Modern cars are equipped with an injection system that independently changes the parameters of the engine, depending on the situation. Those. the electronics will do the rough work for you. The only rule that must be observed is not to spin the motor to its maximum speed and try not to give it maximum loads. This is necessary for warming up and reaching the working characteristics of process fluids: motor oil, lubricating components, fuel.

How many minutes to warm up the car

Modern cars do not need to be warmed up for a long time, three to five minutes are enough to drive calmly and not worry about increased wear and tear. The engine warms up faster while driving than when idling. Let's figure out how long it takes to warm up the car at a certain air temperature.

From + 5 o to 0 o 1-2 minutes is enough. At this temperature, the glass of the car has not yet had time to be covered with ice, so that prolonged heating is not needed.

At temperatures from 0 o to minus 10 o - it takes about 2-3 minutes. During this time, the engine will reach operating temperature, all technical fluids will warm up for further movement. In turn, it will take at least 5 minutes to warm up the car interior.

At temperatures from -10 o to minus 20 o - the warm-up time is from 3 to 5 minutes. At such a temperature, the windows of the car can freeze and until they get warm, the further trip is dangerous. The best option is to wait 2-3 minutes, and then turn on the stove and wait another couple of minutes until the car windows defrost.

At a temperature of minus 20 o and below - warming up should be at least 5 minutes. The sufficient time depends on the technical condition of the vehicle. The more modern the car and the better the stove works, the less time. To warm up technical fluids, no more than 5 minutes is enough, for the salon - at least 10 minutes.

What if you don't want to wait long for the engine to warm up? In this case, the alarm with auto start (or the webasto system) helps. Without leaving the house, start the engine from the keychain, and while you get dressed and leave the house, the car will be warmed up.

How to tell if the engine is warm? The engine has an operating temperature range and the criterion is the minimum operating temperature, not the idle time. This is due to thermal clearances in the motor parts. They come to the permissible norm only at the minimum temperature from the operating range. After that, the motor can take the load harmlessly.

What happens if you don't warm up the car? If you drive carefully, without exceeding the engine speed above 2000-2500, nothing bad will happen. A modern car with the help of an injector will warm itself up in the direction of travel. If these rules are violated, seizures inside the engine are possible and, as a result, premature repairs, fuel consumption will increase sharply. It happened that on an unheated car in severe frosts, oil seals and other rubber seals tore off.

From experience I will say: 90 degrees is rather the optimal temperature for engine operation in all operating modes. And its operating temperature fluctuates from around 60 degrees, so 3-5 minutes of warming up will not be superfluous. Moreover, 5 minutes is the maximum time. This refers to the warming up of the car itself, not the interior.

The question is how to quickly warm up the car, worries many car owners with the onset of cold weather. After all, it is necessary to heat not only the engine itself, but also the interior. There are several effective methods for quickly warming up a car in winter. To do this, you can use special inserts in the cooling system, use auto-heating, warm up the engine and / or interior with portable hair dryers, use special heaters, thermal accumulators. Below is a list of methods to help warm up the car in the shortest possible time, even in the most severe frosts.

To begin with, we list general recommendations about which a must-know for any car ownerliving in the corresponding latitudes. First of all, you need to remember that you need to warm up the engine only at idle, so as not to apply a significant load to it. Be sure to keep an eye out. And do not turn on any electrical appliances when the car is not turned on. Let the engine start and warm up normally. For some modern foreign cars, they can be warmed up on the go, but subject to two prerequisites. First, at low engine speeds (about 1000 rpm). And secondly, if the frost outside is insignificant (not lower than -20 ° and subject to the use of engine oil with the appropriate viscosity). However, it is still better to warm up even foreign cars at idle, since this way you can save the resource of the engine, in particular, the crank mechanism.

• air intake to the stove must be turned on from the street;
• transfer the performance of the climate control to the minimum value (if available, otherwise proceed in the same way with the stove);
• enable window blowing mode;
• turn on the fan of the stove or climate control;
• if there is a heated seat, you can turn it on;
• when the temperature of the coolant is around + 70 ° C, you can turn on the warm mode on the stove, in parallel turning off the air intake from the street.

With the above algorithm of actions, the driver will have to endure the first few minutes at negative temperatures, but the described procedure is guaranteed to accelerate the warming up of both the engine and the interior itself.

As for the time during which it is worth warming up the engine, as a rule, 5 minutes is enough for this. However, there are several nuances here. If you have an old car, the engine of which does not warm up so quickly, then this time may not be enough. But according to the current Traffic Rules, the vehicle cannot be in a crowded place with an engine running at idle speed, more than 5 minutes... Otherwise, a fine is provided. But if the car is parked in a garage or in a parking lot, then this requirement can be neglected. And while the engine is warming up, you can also side mirrors.

For quick warm-up, it will be more effective to use additional devices and devices designed to accelerate the heating of the vehicle's power unit.

Why warm up the car at all

Before we move on to considering the question of how to quickly warm up the car, it is necessary to find out why this procedure is necessary at all. There are a number of reasons for the answer to this question. Among them:

• At negative temperatures, the process fluids poured into different systems of the car thicken and cannot fully perform the functions assigned to them. This applies to engine oil, bearing lubrication (including), coolant, and so on.
• The geometrical dimensions of individual engine units change in a frozen state. The changes, although minor, are quite enough to change the gaps between the parts. Accordingly, when operating in cold mode, their wear will increase and the total motor resource will decrease.
• Cold engine runs unstable, especially under loads. This applies to both old carburetor and more modern injection engines. There may be gaps in its work, a decrease in thrust and a decrease in dynamic characteristics.
• Cold engine consumes more fuel... This is due to the fact that in a short time it is necessary to significantly raise the temperature of the metal unit and its individual parts.

Thus, even a short-term heating of the engine at negative temperatures will significantly extend the life of the engine and other machine mechanisms.

How to accelerate engine warm-up

The list of devices that help speed up heating includes 4 main ones:

• electric heating pre-heaters;
• liquid pre-heaters;
• thermal accumulators;
• fuel line heaters.

They all have their own advantages and disadvantages. However, from this list, we will consider only the first two types, since the rest are not very popular due to various reasons, including low efficiency, complexity of installation, operation, and also the harm that they can bring to individual machine components.

Electric heaters

There are four types of these heaters:

Electric heater

• block;
• branch pipes;
• portable;
• external.

This type of heater is the most optimal, since it can be used even in the most severe frost, and these devices do not lose their effectiveness. Their only significant drawback is the need for an external household outlet with a voltage of 220 V, although there are also autonomous electric heating plates, they are very expensive, and their efficiency is extremely low, especially in severe frosts.

Liquid heaters

An example of an autonomous heater

Their second name is fuel, since they operate on fuel. The circuit uses a ceramic pin that draws less current to warm up than a metal pin. The system automation is configured in such a way that the heater can be turned on at any time, even when the driver is not around. This makes it convenient to warm up the car before leaving.

The advantages of autonomous heaters include high efficiency, ease of use, direct autonomy, wide customization and programming options. The disadvantages are dependence on the storage battery, high cost, installation complexity, some models depend on the quality of the fuel used.

On modern cars, there are even systems such as heating with exhaust gases, but this is too difficult and it is impossible to order installation on cars that are not provided for such systems.

Which heater is better for the engine: electric or autonomous

Let's consider different types of engine heaters - electric and autonomous. We will learn the strengths and weaknesses of Start M, Alliance, Webasto, Eberspasher and other heaters. Which is better to put

There are several low-cost and effective methods with which you can simplify the winter start of the engine, and quickly warm it up to operating temperature. Despite their simplicity, they are really effective (albeit to varying degrees), since they have been used for more than a decade by car owners in different parts of our country.

So, remember that to quickly warm up the engine, you can:

One of the methods is to insulate the radiator