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Answering the FAQ: Is it still necessary to warm up the car before driving?
Raise your hand if you have ever warmed up the car before driving.
You might have heard of the way to prepare the car before driving by starting the engine to warm it up. Since there are both people who agree and disagree with this practice, today, PTT Lubricants will answer this frequently asked question whether warming up the car before driving is necessary or not and how important it is to do so. Let's find out!
When it comes to taking care of the engine, every driver has different beliefs and their own ways to do so. For example, warm up the car’s engine before driving. Many people choose to start their engines to warm up their cars before driving every morning. Many people, on the other hand, choose to start the engine and immediately drive straight away without warming up.
What exactly is the right thing to do though?
The answer is: warming up the engine before setting off is highly essential for cars that still use the engine to drive when the car starts to move. As this type of cars still rely on the mechanisms of the engine to move the various internal parts, the way it works is that engine oil will flow down to the lowest point or to the oil pan when the car is parked for a long time, and it will be pumped to lubricate the engine parts again when the car is started.
Therefore, if you start the car and drive immediately after, there won’t be enough time for engine oil to lubricate the parts thoroughly, resulting in long-term engine wear. Moreover, if you step on the accelerator immediately after starting, the engine will have to work harder and can cause more severe wear.
This is also written in the car manual that comes with the car, it is advisable not to accelerate the engine while the engine is cold. For some car models, if the engine temperature is low, the engine will run at a higher cycle than idle speed for about 5 - 15 seconds when starting the engine, in order to accelerate the oil pump to pump the engine oil, so that the oil can lubricate the parts more quickly. After that, the cycle will be reduced to regular idle speed.
For hybrid electric vehicles (HEV and PHEV) with the engine and the electric motor working in synchronization or any models that starts moving with an electric motor, on the other hand, they can be driven immediately after starting as the engine is not used for driving, therefore, it is not yet working at the time. However, if the engine starts while the car is moving, these types of engines will require low viscosity engine oils, such as SAE 0W-16 and 0W-20, to provide a quicker flow of engine oil, so that the engine oil can help prevent wear and prolong engine’s service life.
Despite the advanced evolution of engine technologies, engine oil is still essential since it is the heart of lubrication that protects and prolongs the engine's service life. Therefore, it is recommended that every car with an engine that uses engine oil to lubricate the parts should have the engine oil changed at the suitable intervals to protect and extend the service life of the engine.
With this information, PTT Lubricants hopes everyone can understand more about warming up the engine before driving and know how to take care of the car properly for the safety of both yourself and your car's engine! With care from PTT Lubricants 💙