warming up the car in the winter

probely had bad fuel lines and sprayed the underhood padding with fuel ,thats how my parents car burned to the ground at a stop light with me driving it to high school

 

You got it. Ethanol in the fuel starting in the early 80's. Sent a great many cars to the big crusher in the sky.

 

I live up the road a bit from the poster and had the Fcar out on Wednesday. Last drive of the year. Let it warm up for 5 minutes and then drove it at reasonable speed until I got heat in the oil. Water temp would only go up to maybe 140* and would not go to it's usual 1st mark on the gage. Drove it for 40 miles on major roads (dry) and put some gas in it. I usually drive in the winter after it has been dry for a few days and then wipe it down in the garage on the lift. If you are down in Westerchester it should be no problem taking it out in the winter. Just drive on dry roads. Good luck and Happy New Year.

 

I let her warm up for a couple of minutes then putt around town (shifting about 3-3.5k) until there's some temp in the water/oil gauges. Every time I do I always have someone driving up my a$$ because I'm going too slow (mind you, in a thickly populated area)

 

The only way that could happen is if your thermostat is not working properly.
The thermostat is not supposed to open until the coolant temp is like 190.

The oil, on the other hand, could stay cold unless you have a heat exchanger or a thermostat in the oil cooler system

 

EXACTLY!

 

I dont know about that. I had mine out at 48F one day and it took over 10 miles to reach above 140. And as you know the 308 does have an oil cooler. That motor has a great deal of aluminum to transfer heat, plus the 10 quarts of oil and the oil cooler. Its more than likely not able to warm itself to operating temps under real cold conditions. I know some have stated they stuffed a rag or something in the oil cooler duct.

Really though, its a warm weather car, probably best to leave it wait for a nicer day to go play with it.

 

I use a piece of foam that I cut to fit in the oil cooler duct. It works pretty good in 20* weather. I also sometimes put a little cardboard in front of the rad. I just didn't do it the other day. By the way my car usually runs on the 1st hash mark on the water temp gage. My fans usually never turn on unless it's 95* out and stopped in traffic with the AC on. Then it gets to 195* and the fans cool it back down.

 

For the last 20 years I have always started and run my cars once a month over winter. They warm up good in a half hour to 45 minutes and I prefer to have the oil splashed around monthly rather than just let them sit.
As for the belts taking a "set"in a month or two, I think thats a load of crap personally. I've seen cars at dealers and in repair shops sit for much longer without anybody getting worried about the belts.

 

To say nothing of the 'bend' in belts while they're stored (often times by hanging on a peg) and compressed by cardboard sleeves -- for what is definitely longer than months.

 

What was the oil temp when the coolant was 140?

My mechanic told me you should baby the engine until the oil reaches 60*C (140*F)

 

my understanding from multiple sources is that it is VERY bad for an engine to run it at much less than 180*F.

Decreasing airflow to the oil cooler and radiator to minimize cold running duration would be a very good idea.

 

years ago Lockheed did some research proving the old tale of warming up the engine in the driveway before driving it is misplaced and has been since, a sacred cow to some. They found that it is better to drive the car immediately , gently, under light-medium load. This helps the engine warm faster, engine wear less, adding life to it.

Wanna really help your engine? install a lower rad hose heating element which plugs in at night into a 110v cord. In the morning, I dont care if it is 35 below F, the car will start with the first turn, period. AND, you will have heat within a minute or 2. I have done this although, not on a Ferrari.

This keeps the engine warm (relatively ) and even gets to the oil some, and for sure, the cooling fluid in rad. This also adds years to engine life. Only goofy thing about it is you will have a short ext cord plug hanging out your grill......

 

And that means driving it hard enough to bring the oil temp up to 100c/212f...otherwise the water condensation in the engine will not boil and evaporate away...

 

Very well explained. I drive rental a lot and I do abuse them. It is no wonder they sell those things after 1 year of rental.

 

While you are correct about a tank heater aiding in the starting of a car in very cold temperatures it is pretty irrelovent in regards to a Ferrari. If you own a Ferrari and don't own a garage there is something very wrong with your priorities. As for starting a Ferrari in sub zero weather, I would strongly suggest against it. I have done total destruction to car engines in the past just turning them over with 10W oil and 30 degrees below zero temperatures.

 

Yes, garage first, money saved in bank second, Ferrari third. My point still stands which was any car should turn over at below zero F temps with one of these heaters, weather it is cared for in a garage or not. There are many Ferraris, BMW's, Alfas etc etc that are both given the utmost in care as well as neglected. That is not my fault.

If you have destroyed car engines in the past as you said, then perhaps that qualifies as neglect.

 

Maybe, but I am well versed in starting and running cars in 30 degrees below zero or colder, and seeing some of them croak. I sure don't suggest it for a Ferrari. I don't know judging from your location that you have that experience. I would not suggest starting a Ferrari in that kind of temperature with both a tank heater as well as a pan heater. Bad advise.

 

I am with you, Glass. I hate to start ANY car under, well, even 30 deg ABOVE zero F. I had to start my Voyager van this AM in well, here it was a frigid 29 F.

Its just for those poor folks up north that have to (no choice) start their car. And if it is a Ferrari, even more unfortunate.

Stay warm.
Pip

 

Had mine out Sunday, ran great no salt on the roads and nothing was melting as it was well below freezing. Did 90 miles had fun in the Hamptons and on eastern LI with a buddy. Put car away - I was happy and I believe it was happy.

 

Metals, aluminum included, weaken at extremely cold temperatures. About the only way I'd try to start mine at that temperature would be if someone were shooting at me and I had to get away. Design allowable stress values plummet at very low temperatures as they do at very high temperatures.

 

How are you defining "warming up the engine"?
When it gets into the 40's here in California I start the car then squeegie off my windshield, as I do each morning. This probably takes 1-2 minutes. (The car sits outside because the garage is occupied by more interesting vehicles.)

If I squeegie first, start my engine, then immediately back out the driveway I'm under load within probably 10 seconds, which I can't imagine is good. When I do so I hear a slight lifter clatter that I don't hear if I do my start-then-squeegie routine.

This is with a 1995 BMW M3 with 150K miles.

When I drive the Dino I back it into the drive and let it sit at fast idle while I close up the garage and such-- again probably 2 minutes.

I agree that letting the car idle for 10 minutes is silly, but no warmup at all? The woman down the street floors it and zooms down the street in her Honda Civic two seconds after the engine turns over and I cringe every time she does it.

 

I honestly cant recall now, but I know the oil temp lagged behind the coolant temp.

As for an engine not reaching temperature, some engines are so efficient at losing heat that in cold conditions they will never open the thermostat. It is also not wise to run an engine very long, and certainly not very hard, when below 140 degrees coolant temp. Which is why you see many coolant gauges go into the green above 140.

But I really cant see the point of operating these cars (Ferrari's) in extreme cold temperatures. It is very hard on machinery, any kind of machinery to operate in extreme conditions. To make a Ferrari do it just seems to be rather abusive. They arent Ford Crown Victorias or Chevy Imapals or Honda Civics, they are exotic sports cars. Why not just wait for a nice day, thats what they were built for.