Does Engine Warm-up Hurt or Help?

Warming up Your Car Is Something That Even Non-Car People Know to Do. But Why?

Maybe your dad allowed you to crank over the engine as a kid. Maybe a mechanic told you, or you just read it in a car magazine. Regardless, warming up your engine on a cold morning is an urban myth that most people live by.

Your Corvette is your baby, and the big LS residing under the hood needs special care. That means anytime the temperature is below 60 degrees, you must crank it over, let it idle, and allow the engine to warm up. Because only idiots get in their cars and drive it right away, right? Well, there are some folks that believe warming up your car longer than a few minutes can actually damage it.

CHECK OUT: What Forum Members Are Saying About Warming up the Engine

Who are these people? They’re Engineering Explained on YouTube, and they go to great lengths to break down engineering’s darkest and most complex secrets. This time they’re proving that idling your engine for longer than a few minutes can cause excess fuel to enter your cylinder and erode lubrication. Clearly, that’s bad. Very bad.

The video above shows that if you live in extremely cold climates, idling your engine while clearing your Corvette of snow and ice is acceptable. Overall it shouldn’t be more than three to five minutes. Drivers most likely carried on with the idea of warming up an engine from the carburetor days, as they truly needed it. Fuel injection is a different ball game.

Don’t take my words for it, watch the video and arrive at your own conclusions. More importantly, do what’s best for your Corvette!

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