If I need to scrape ice, then it'll warm up that long. Otherwise fire it up, and as soon as oil pressure stops climbing I'm driving, slowly and gently until the temp comes up.

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617 swapped Toyota Pickup, 22-24 MPG, 50k miles on swap

a gasser is different, as it's idle exhaust temps exceed 1500F... diesel's temps at exhaust can be as little as 350... and the thermal transfer can take HOURS to achieve even 80F...
a diesel makes power, and heat with a load... idling is actually bad for the vehicle...

start it, let the pressures equalize, and slowly get moving. it'll be up to temp in a few minutes.

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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

THIS is what I'm talking about. There are people from the "she's happier when she warms up camp." Likewise, I've read more than enough warning to suspect I may be prematurely aging my engine by letting her warm up.

Can anyone else comment on the fact that letting the engine warm up is specifically BAD for it?

read your owners manual... it's spelled out in there.

basically, it causes heavy soot buildup on the surfaces of the combustion chamber...

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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

I often leave home and go 18 miles downhill before I turn onto a semi-level road. It can takes that far for it to warm up inside. In winter I set a timer on the block heater to switch on about 1.5 hours before i intend to leave. Better for the engine, and more comfortable inside the car.

My driveway fronts directly on a highway, I let it warm up in the winter for about gem minutes because I don't want to die. I am assuming that being rear ended by a semi doing 110 is going to be more harmful than idling it

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1978 300D

For those of us who do not have current access to the manual, what does it recommend?

If its REALLY cold, like 10F and under, I'll let it run around 1000rpm for 2-3 mins before I drive away, most of the time I have to brush off some snow so it gets at least a couple mins to idle anyways. When its "warmer" like today (25F) I just start it up, let it run about 30 seconds, then drive away and keep rpms 2500 or less until the temp gauge starts to move. Haven't had any issues in 120,000 miles/11 years. The engine/trans are solid as a rock, its the rest of the car that's falling apart. 322k miles and it still uses less than 1qt oil per 5,000 miles, trans shifts solid at all temps, and it will start on its own with a 30 second glow at -10F

The older diesels do warm up idling, my 617 can get to operating temp in very cold conditions within about 15-20 mins....faster if the clima is left off during that time.

New diesels like my TDI don't warm up for ages. It will idle 25 mins and barely move the gauge. It can take 8-10 miles of driving just to reach operating temp in the winter. Whats bad is that the modern diesels waste a lot of fuel when running cold, our TDI has been only getting 28mpg in the city, which is barely 5 better than my ancient 300SD. Pretty bad considering its 1 cylinder and 1 liter smaller, and the car is more aerodynamic and weighs close to 550lbs less. And its a manual trans too.

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-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

mine take 8 miles to warm up at a cold start.4 miles if I let her run 15 minutes.I can't drive a cold car.I'm really cold intolerant.Need to be back in L.A.

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1999 w140, quit voting to old, and to old to fight, a god damned veteran

Ten minutes of idling and my car is at 80 degrees somehow. To add insult to injury as far as pulling out into highway traffic there is a slight rise to the left of my driveway, just enough to break line of sight so it is very much a hammer down act of faith.

For a normally aspirated diesel car from the 1970's this car has oddly good acceleration, the only time really feel a lack is in the 60km to 80km/hr band. The times I have "raced" my wife's Kia I am usually slightly ahead till the , then I lose ground.

Yes I realize a "race" between a Kia and a diesel Ben is ridiculous, that's why we do it!

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1978 300D

My 617 is CRANKY when cold. She'll run and move the load but until the temperature gauge starts moving she's not happy and my driving is not incredibly smooth. For this reason, if I'm going to be driving on ice, I'll go ahead and let it warm up a bit.

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617 swapped Toyota Pickup, 22-24 MPG, 50k miles on swap

You're right, but I should clarify: the gas engine is almost as cold blooded as a 617, it takes around 20 minutes to get up to around 170*ish degrees with a 185* thermostat in the winter.

I used to let my 617 idle for a few minutes to get stuff smoothed out, maybe I'm paranoid but I feel like taking off dead cold is hard on the engine. I was never afraid to rev it once up to temp, so carbon buildup wasn't an issue.

I'm stuck in my ways-you'll never change me!!

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$60 OM617 Blank Exhaust Flanges
$110 OM606 Blank Exhaust Flanges
No merc at the moment

I let mine run for a while to warm up, turn up the heat, and flip on the blower motor. I like a warm cabin before I take off, and on defrost it clears the windshield. I turn up the throttle to let her run at a fast idle.

I don`t like being cold, and the cold we have here in Calif where I live, is a different cold the east coast is getting with the ice storms and unending snow storms/blizzards.

I don`t seem to have this problem with the engines not warming up. but if it is bad to have them idle in the morning before hitting the highway, why is it ok to have them idling in the commute traffic? what damage is happening to these engines I see on the news of miles of traffic that can`t move because of the ice and snow? Iam sure these people are not turning off their engines to save fuel and worried about soot, glazing the cylinder walls or carbon build up.

years ago it was recommended to warm up the engine before taking off. then when we had the first so called gas shortage, it was just start and go to keep from wasting fuel. and don`t let your engine idle, it causes air pollution.

There is no correct answer, because the one for today, will be changed tomorrow, depending who is in charge.


Charlie

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there were three HP ratings on the OM616...

1) Not much power
2) Even less power
3) Not nearly enough power!! 240D w/auto

Anyone that thinks a 240D is slow drives too fast.

80 240D Naturally Exasperated, 4-Spd 388k DD 150mph spedo 3:58 Diff

We are advised to NOT judge ALL Muslims by the actions of a few lunatics, but we are encouraged to judge ALL gun owners by the actions of a few lunatics. Funny how that works

FWIW, I've never given my cars warm up time. I just wait until oil pressure builds and I go. I'm easy on the car until it's up to full operating temp, but it makes no sense to wait. Here's an article from Argonne Labs on this subject:

http://www.transportation.anl.gov/pdfs/EE/642.PDF

I don't know about you guys, but I HATE pulling out onto the road with zero acceleration. My SD operating at 40 degrees C can barely get out of her own way (let alone shift into 3rd or 4th gear).

Then there's that feeling of coasting down the road at a mere 35 km/h and having everyone zoom past

Here's another question for everyone..

I've read that it's important to let your car rest for a few minutes (i.e. let her cool down) before shutting her off. Something to do with the way the turbo is spinning. Not clear on this. Anyone offer some advice?

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1982 300SD