Is it necessary to heat the engine in winter?

When winter arrives, and the temperatures are very low, the routine begins to heat the engine before going to the road. Due to how cold it is, it is tempting to leave it to the idle, until it heats up enough.

But, leaving the cold engine slowed down for a few minutes can damage it.

The engine is designed to function properly at operational temperature, that is, close to 100 ºC (it can vary depending on the type of motor). This implies that, when it is cold, not yet dilated enough, the joints cannot guarantee their complete tightness and internal tolerances are not adequate. If we accelerate sharply in this period, we create excessive pressure that can damage some internal component or create oil leaks.

Cold engines use more gasoline

When the engine is below its operational temperature, gasoline does not vaporize correctly and part of it reaches the combustion chamber in the form of drops, making explosion difficult. To compensate for this, we pull the carburetor "choke", so that the more gasoline than normal (in electronic injection engines this operation is automatically carried out prolonging the injection time). That is, the engine receives extra gasoline, which really needs more that we know will not be able to use because it will not vaporize due to the cold.

This surplus of gasoline that is not burned, stays on the walls of the cylinder, dissolving the oil layer that protects it from the chafing with the piston and its segments. If we perform this operation in a regular basis, the interior of the cylinder and also the piston can be damaged. At the same time, the oil is contaminated with gasoline, losing protection properties.

To heat the engine, drive ... softly

To minimize this event as much as possible, it is best to circulate gently, avoiding abrupt accelerations and high RPM. In this way, the engine will heat at a faster rate and avoid prolonged use of the choke. At the same time, the oil pressure will be higher than with the engine.

Conclusion

To heat the engine in cold time, it is best to leave it to the idle only the essential time and roll gently until it reaches its operational temperature. It is also essential to use a good Synthetic oil to improve protection during starting and heating phase.