how do you warm up your MB? - Page 3 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

daw_two · #31 02-26-2008, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by babymog

I do what the manual says: drive it. Idling is not good for a diesel (or any engine), so driving it easy as it warms up is going to be the best thing. If you have a block heater and electricity available, that of course will be better, many of us plug into a timer to heat it an hour or so before our morning commute.

Ditto what he said. I start mine and drive it.....slowly at first until the temp gauge moves up above 40c.

pawoSD · #32 02-26-2008, 04:17 PM

I think I may stop by NAPA tonight and see if they have a good magnetic oil pan heater....my lower hose one helps on startups but doesn't really warm the engine (or oil) much.

biobenz240d · #33 02-26-2008, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pawoSD

I think I may stop by NAPA tonight and see if they have a good magnetic oil pan heater....my lower hose one helps on startups but doesn't really warm the engine (or oil) much.

I use a 200 watt magnetic heater on the oil pan when its really cold (0F or below). Last time I used it , I unplugged it but got distracted and forgot to pull it off the pan before leaving for work. Needless to say the cord was trashed, but the heater was there after my 10 mile commute .

pawoSD · #34 02-26-2008, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by biobenz240d

I use a 200 watt magnetic heater on the oil pan when its really cold (0F or below). Last time I used it , I unplugged it but got distracted and forgot to pull it off the pan before leaving for work. Needless to say the cord was trashed, but the heater was there after my 10 mile commute .

Gotta wrap that cord around the mirror so you remember you're plugged in!

I park right next to the outlet on the side of our garage....so I always see if something's plugged in thankfully.

Where did you get your pan heater? Does it work well?

asnowsquall · #35 02-26-2008, 04:26 PM

I figure the starting fluid should get it good and warm.

bustedbenz · #36 02-26-2008, 05:34 PM

For those really cold days, when the engine has been sitting all night at -40 degrees, and there's an emergency, WD40 can be used to aid in cold starting.

1. Hold WD-40 at two or three arms' length from the engine. Start a spray of the stuff out over the engine.

2. Use an aim-n-flame lighter in the other hand. Find the ideal distance between the can and the engine to produce a blowtorch effect over the engine without allowing the fire to travel backwards into the can. (The lack of oxygen SHOULD prevent an explosion anyway, but better safe than sorry.)

3. Blowtorch the engine surface for a while. Stop before plastic starts to melt.

4. Quickly dash around the car and turn the key. It should start with all that warmth.

KarTek · #37 02-26-2008, 05:39 PM

I let mine idle about one minute or long enough to be firing on all cylinders since I have a bad GP. Like others have said it's best to drive off gently immediately after startup. The engine will surely warm up much quicker that way. I maintain a limit of 2000 RPM while traversing the neighborhood then limit it to 2500 RPM after entering the main road.

The thing with idling is this: Combustion temps are so low at idle that hardly any heat is imparted to the block. EGT's are 200deg or less and combustion effeciency is at it's lowest. Unburned fuel vapor mixes with carbon and exhaust gasses and cruds up the exhaust valves and emission control circuits. Over time, this can lead to poor performance and even sticking valves which may come in contact with the pistons. This condition is known as "wet stacking".

Oh, and I hope you guys are joking about the starting fluid... You like your pre-chambers right?

Shawn D. · #38 02-26-2008, 05:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ajcbgray

If its really cold out (for Atlanta, say below 40f)...

I'm in Alpharetta and I crank it up and go. It's not good to "warm up" engines at idle, and diesels don't generate much heat at all that way. By the time I reach GA-400 just over a mile away, the car is warmed up.

I also don't like to annoy the neighbors with all the clacking.

zeet · #39 02-26-2008, 06:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zeke

I have seen this in other threads and wondered the same thing...is a 6xx engine that much different from the engines in most semis?

Semis usually idle because they want cabin heat and power. A lot of newer semis have an Aux Power Unit which has a smaller diesel engine that can run just to provide heat, A/C and power.

Skippy · #40 02-26-2008, 09:28 PM

Lately, I've been doing this:

1. Start engine.
2. Clear snow/ice/frost off of vehicle.
3. Drive away slowly. Use 1/3 pedal or less and shift 1-2 at 15-18 mph, 2-3 at 25-30, 3-4 around 40 until engine temperature comes up near 175, then resume "rental" treatment.

In warmer weather I skip #2. I've mostly been driving the 240 to work, partly because I keep the scraper in it, partly because the 300 always seems to have frozen locks early in the morning, and partly because I prefer the 240 unless I'm going to be on the highway for long periods.

TylerH860 · #41 02-26-2008, 09:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bustedbenz

For those really cold days, when the engine has been sitting all night at -40 degrees, and there's an emergency, WD40 can be used to aid in cold starting.

1. Hold WD-40 at two or three arms' length from the engine. Start a spray of the stuff out over the engine.

2. Use an aim-n-flame lighter in the other hand. Find the ideal distance between the can and the engine to produce a blowtorch effect over the engine without allowing the fire to travel backwards into the can. (The lack of oxygen SHOULD prevent an explosion anyway, but better safe than sorry.)

3. Blowtorch the engine surface for a while. Stop before plastic starts to melt.

4. Quickly dash around the car and turn the key. It should start with all that warmth.

Perhaps if you're being chased by a man with a hook! Or if you have a date with two girls wanting to broaden their horizons, TOGETHER!

AdvisorGuy · #42 02-26-2008, 09:39 PM

Waiting til the coolant up to temp is a misnomer anyway. Oil temperature is more critical. Drive any of the early 2000's Audis or, the 48 hours I drove a Phaeton W12 with an OIL temperature gauge and you'll understand. Water heats up a lot faster than oil. I drove the Phaeton in February 2004 as part of the 24 hour test drive intro. The coolant was up to 190 degrees within 5 minutes. The 12 quarts of oil took more like 20 minutes to reach operating temp. Just start it up and go....

BodhiBenz1987 · #43 02-26-2008, 09:51 PM

I usually wait until OP is up, then go when ready (takes me a while to lock and load anyway ...). If it's real cold (which it sometimes is when I leave work at 2 a.m.), I let it idle for a minute or so then go. If I feel it needs to warm up, I drive around the parking lot (big lot) a couple times slowly. Idling to warm it up seems pointless ... it takes forever, and the tranny fluid still needs to warm up anyway.

The exception is if I'm iced in, I let it idle while I clean off the snow/ice ... might as well get rear window defrost up and going.

babymog · #44 02-26-2008, 10:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zeke

I have seen this in other threads and wondered the same thing...is a 6xx engine that much different from the engines in most semis?

See post #37.

Diesel semis used to idle, it's all they had for heat. Many semis will shut-off on their own now, and are equipped with Webasto etc. diesel-fired heaters to keep the cab (and often the engine) warm so that the engine doesn't need to idle. Idling is bad for semi engines also and owner's manuals recommend not idling. My Caterpillar manuals (dating back to 1977) have all said the same thing, do not idle to warm up, drive easily until the temp gauge comes up, and do not idle for extended periods at any time (I believe that 15minutes was the maximum back then). My Mercedes diesel manuals (602 and 603) say the same.

See post #37 again.

pawoSD · #45 02-26-2008, 10:42 PM

I went to NAPA tonight seeking a magnetic pan heater and they didn't have any, only "clamp on" ones. For those of you with a magnetic pan heater....where did you get it, and how much was it?