Time is a resource that fewer and fewer people have. So, many people get behind the wheel and go on the road immediately, without letting the car engine warm up. Here’s how to properly start your car in the winter, whether it’s a modern car or an older one.
Starting the car when it’s cold outside can cause problems for drivers in certain situations.
Because many are in a hurry to hit the road and don’t wait for the engine to warm up.
2025: How to properly start the car in winter?
When you are going to start a diesel engine, after a frosty night or day, it is advisable to wait at least 3-5 seconds with the ignition on.
This means that you have to wait until most of the warning lights on the dashboard go out before turning the key all the way. You can even wait an additional 3-5 seconds.
The diesel engine uses a mixture of diesel fuel and air, which, through compression, ignites. When the piston in the combustion chamber pushes the mixture up, the pressure causes the temperature to rise to the point where ignition occurs. The explosion then pushes the piston down.
So diesel engines need compression to ignite the fuel. Therefore, it is recommended that in diesel cars, when the engine is cold and it is cold outside, the ignition should be kept long enough for the system to heat the glow plugs. Their temperature must reach over 800 degrees Celsius.
How to start a gasoline engine in winter
The starting principle of gasoline engines is similar to that of diesel cars. So you have to wait a few seconds after turning on the ignition before triggering the engine start.
Generally, these thrusters can be started after 2-3 seconds. But it is also important to wait for the warning lights to go out. As long as the ignition is on, the fuel pump sends fuel to the engine and the spark plugs heat up.
Unlike diesel, the gasoline engine works on the basis of a spark, which ignites the gasoline-air mixture. That’s why low temperatures affect engine start-up less than in the case of diesel engines.
If the car has a push button start, it can be started just like any other time of the year. Because the automatic start system will manage the whole process and fire the thruster at the optimal moment.
But, with both diesel and gasoline, what we do after we start the engine is very important.
Does the modern engine need heating?
Many drivers rush to hit the road as soon as the engine starts. But even in modern cars, it is recommended to let the engine idle for a while before leaving.
„In the morning it is good to start the engine and wait a little for it to warm up and enter an optimal operating temperature. If we start with a cold engine and press the pedal hard, the wear and tear is much higher, the consumption is much higher, the pollution is much higher. It is good to wait 2-3 minutes for the engine to warm up”, explained the engineer Flavius Câmpeanu in a clip posted on the page of Facebook a Cavaleria.ro.
So, after the engine has started, it is advisable to let it idle for a few minutes. This is primarily necessary to allow the oil to warm up and regain its viscosity.
Thus, the metal components inside the engine will be properly lubricated. If you accelerate the engine immediately after it has been started, there is a fairly high probability of areas of metal-on-metal friction. Which, over time, leads to premature wear of the propellant.
Source: www.promotor.ro
