Posted on 12/19/2025
On cold mornings, it is tempting to start the car, let it sit for ten or fifteen minutes, and hope that extra idling is “good” for the engine. You might have heard different advice from friends, family, and older owners who grew up with carbureted vehicles. Modern engines, however, are built very differently. Warming up the right way protects the engine and saves fuel without wasting time in the driveway. Why Cold Starts Are Tough on Modern Engines Most engine wear happens in the first moments after start-up. The oil has settled back into the pan, metal parts have cooled and shrunk slightly, and clearances are just a little larger than they are at full temperature. Until the oil pump gets lubricant to the top of the engine and across all the bearings, there is less protection between moving parts. Cold weather makes this worse by thickening the oil and making it slower to flow. That is why using the correct oil viscosity for your climate and letting the ... read more