54
votes
Is revving the engine to redline on idle at morning bad?
If your engine even has a problem carboning up, you don't clear it at cold start. Nor do you clear it by spinning the engine to redline. "Revving" isn't meaningful to diesel engine performance the ...
47
votes
Accepted
Is revving the engine to redline on idle at morning bad?
Yes, this may be bad. The oil is not yet at the operating temperature, and the same is true for engine parts as well. I wouldn't redline a cold engine with cold oil.
Your intention to clear carbon ...
- 14.5k
17
votes
Accepted
Should I avoid full throttle when driving with a cold engine?
Yes this is bad for your engine for a multitude of reasons. In fact, it's not good to run your engine at full throttle for extended periods of time unless the engine is designed to take it, whether it'...
- 153k
13
votes
Accepted
Is it true that most of the engine wear during its life time occurs during a cold start up?
From advanced-auto-maintenance.com:
It’s widely acknowledged by automotive engineers that most engine wear occurs within this first ten minutes of driving before the engine has reached its highest, ...
- 5,245
11
votes
Accepted
How would a camshaft start moving during a cold start?
Crank shaft has a pulley or a sprocket at the front end, which turns a cam shaft/shafts through a cam chain or cam belt (timing belt). 1 turn of a cam shaft = 2 turns of a crank shaft. At the other ...
- 1,448
10
votes
Accepted
What exactly is meant by the phrase "plugging in your engine"?
In very cold climates there are electric heaters that replace the dip stick. They are plugged into an AC outlet and because they reach the oil pan they can apply heat directly to the oil. That way the ...
- 9,326
10
votes
Is it true that most of the engine wear during its life time occurs during a cold start up?
When your engine is cold, the gasoline is less likely to evaporate and create the correct ratio of air and vaporized fuel for combustion. Engines with electronic fuel injection have sensors that ...
- 6,037
7
votes
Accepted
KTM Duke 390 - Does it have to be hot to ride?
Pretty Common Problem with the Duke 390
This is a very common issue with the KTM 390.
There are dozens of posts regarding customers who are experiencing the same exact issue. Additionally, there are ...
- 33k
7
votes
Accepted
What happens when you start a car?
To supplement kyle's answer I'll include this excellent animation, since a picture's worth a thousand keystrokes.
The section on Electrics and how the animation showing how the timing belt connects ...
- 39.1k
6
votes
Startup problems: low idle RPM and stall on pressing the accelerator
Not familiar with your vehicle/engine specifically, but familiar with carbed engines in general.
I would think the #1 thing to look at would be the choke. Pumping before starting a carb vehicle is ...
- 8,443
6
votes
Clutch sticking, wait until engine's warm
It sounds like your clutch master cylinder is initially letting fluid past the piston seals. Pumping the clutch pedal sounds like it gets the piston sealing again so that the clutch starts to work.
I ...
- 24.8k
6
votes
What are common cold weather starting issues with cars?
The main problem would be the battery, as already pointed out. In low temperatures batteries tend to lose power, and for batteries near the end of their lifetime this means that you won't have enough ...
6
votes
Is it possible to have glow plugs on all the time for certain amount of time?
The way the VW (so assuming Audi is similar) glow plugs are controlled on the TDI Jettas of similar vintage, the plugs should come on (what VW calls "pre-glow") whenever the block is cold. You should ...
- 14.4k
5
votes
Accepted
What are common cold weather starting issues with cars?
Ice
Probably the most common problem that people have is when their car is parked in a moist environment below degrees, resulting in ice forming on some or all of the windows. To resolve this problem,...
- 7,927
5
votes
1989 s10 Blazer Cold Start issues
Take your car to a local parts store and have them check the battery. Old batteries lose cold cranking amps and it may just not be getting enough amperage to turn the engine and start the car. Often a ...
- 1,169
5
votes
Sufficient Oil Distribution after Cranking for a Long Time?
The ideal method requires a moderate level of mechanical skills. There is a tool available (small block Chevy oil pump primer) that turns the oil pump with out cranking the motor over. The distributor ...
- 19.9k
4
votes
Hard cold starts only
I believe the key clue here is the fact the engine runs rough for a few minutes.
This tells me that the cold-start enrichment, where the air-fuel mixture entering the cylinders is slightly rich, isn't ...
- 39.1k
4
votes
2003 Toyota Avalon hard to start in cold weather
I believe the key clue here is the fact the engine runs rough for a few minutes. This tells me that the cold-start enrichment, where the air-fuel mixture entering the cylinders is slightly rich, isn't ...
- 39.1k
4
votes
Accepted
Trouble starting car, cold weather. MB A140 W168
A car battery's power will drop with temperature. It would be my first port of call.
Since the car ran fine when you had it jumpstarted with the help of your friend, I would have the battery tested ...
- 39.1k
4
votes
Accepted
Is this diagnostic correct?
It may be the starter but you'd want to check for battery voltage at the B terminal on the starter and check that the circuit on the S terminal is OK first. When checking the S terminal have someone ...
- 10.7k
4
votes
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Starting my Honda Accord in Michigan winter?
The only requirement for the engine after start before power is applied is that enough oil is flowing to the camshaft, bearings and cylinder walls and piston rings. The cam and bearings are fairly ...
- 11.6k
4
votes
Accepted
What is causing my diesel car to struggle to start in cold (below 0°C) temperatures?
-10°C should be no big deal for any car to start in, including diesels. Many diesel cars have glow plugs that are activated during cold weather before start (yellow spiral symbol light on dashboard). ...
- 1,350
4
votes
Accepted
Car Battery Loses Connection During Cold Weather
Sounds like your battery terminal connectors are stretched to the point that they are loose even when the bolt is fully tightened. Best fix would be to replace them with new connectors. ...
- 24.8k
4
votes
Accepted
If I start a previously unfueled small engine, do I keep choke on for first pull only or until it starts?
I think you're overthinking it a bit. Just follow the directions.
As far as fuel in the float bowl, if the fuel tank is above the carb (which I believe is the case ... especially if it doesn't have a ...
- 153k
4
votes
Timing sounds off, how do I confirm this?
When changing the timing belt, it is the valve timing that can become displaced if the belt is not put back in the correct position. To accurately check this is a simple visual check. However, to do ...
- 24.8k
4
votes
4Runner jolting when the engine is cold
Rough idle when cold is usually a temperature or air flow sensor issue. The absence of codes doesn't mean your sensors are working properly, there may be electrical continuity but false readings. ...
- 16.2k
3
votes
Clutch sticking, wait until engine's warm
I agree with @HandyHowie in that it sounds like your clutch master cylinder is on the way out. Something to check before you go this route, though, is the hydraulic fluid level for the clutch. Looking ...
- 153k
3
votes
50cc Chinese Scooter GY6 QMB139 hard start when cold
It depends on the oil that you use on your scooter, If you are using heavy oil then the cold start is going to be a problem, I have a 150 cc Gy6, I use lighter oil like 5w-40 and I had no problem, but ...
- 1,100
3
votes
What are common cold weather starting issues with cars?
Batteries perform better when they aren't cold so often the first time a battery fails is when it is cold so if you could heat it up a bit it would probably start the car. This may be way cars ...
- 131
3
votes
Accepted
Issues cold starting diesel van
One possibility is low cylinder compression, either due to gases getting passed the piston rings or passed poorly seating valves.
If gasses are getting passed the rings, this could possibly be ...
- 24.8k
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible