firstmk1 wrote:michael769 wrote:...99% of all engine wear occurs when the engine oil is below its normal operating temperature, therefore it is desirable to have the engine heat up as fast as possible. The best way to warm an engine up is by driving it normally....
I thought that the best way to warm an engine is to fire it up and rev it in neutral?
That would achieve the same affect as driving it normally, except that it wastes fuel and generates additional unnecessary pollution when compared to just driving off.
The greatest wear occurring when the engine is put under high load, prior to reaching operating temperature.
The greatest wear occurs when the oil is significantly below running temperature with the amount of extra wear being related primarily the total number of revs. As each rev generates more heat the faster the engine is running generally higher revs will reduce the total number of 'cold' revs.
Additional wear is caused if the engine is take to very high revs (>90% of maximum in a modern engine) when cold, mainly due to the cold oil's lubricating abilities declining as the revs rise. Modern synthetic oils have reduced this effect of significantly so the need to be gentle with a cold engine is much less than it once was.
Normal moderate driving is by far the best and most efficient way to warm an engine.