Car Tips and Articles

Warming up your car is not necessary, so don’t be fooled

For years on cold engine starts on winter mornings have consisted of us starting the car and letting it warm up before we get on the road. It is something our parents did and their parents did so now we do it, but it is not necessary and actually can be more harmful on your engine and you then you think.

Cold Engine starts – today’s cars use fuel injectors to deliver fuel to the engine. In the past engines used carburetors with chokes.  Carburetors needed a choke when an engine was started cold to warm up and eventually when the engine and carburetor warmed slightly the automatic choke turned itself off.

In the days of carburetors if you tried to drive the vehicle before it had warmed slightly the engine would sputter or hesitate or stall. This became a thing of the past when fuel injectors were introduced.

Fuel injectors provide an even and accurate supply of fuel to the engine. Temperature has no effect on them and because they are electronic they remain efficient in all weather conditions (remember damp days and carburetors?).  In fact fuel injectors are so accurate they improve gas mileage which means they are very efficient in delivering an exact amount of fuel through very precise and small valves.  What this means is that dirt particles and residue can affect fuel injector efficiencies and their ability to do their job.  Fuel injectors need to be maintained ie. kept clean and flushed periodically.

At Precise your fuel injection service includes:

• Clean fuel injectors.

• Clean throttle body air intake.

• Inspect fuel lines and fuel rail.

• Pressure test fuel pump and system.

• Inspect pressure regulator, vacuum line, and all connections.

• Decarbonize intake manifold, intake, and exhaust valves.

• Decarbonize combustion chamber and pistons.

• Run an exhaust emissions test.

If you are noticing some of these symptoms then it is best to bring your car into Precise Car Service because these are signs that your fuel injection is in need of service:

• Engine pinging

• Poor acceleration

• Hesitation or lurching

• Lack of or poor performance

• Repeated stalling

• Rough idle

• Poor fuel mileage

With a well maintained fuel injector idling is now a thing a thing of the past, so make sure to keep it maintained and beware of the signs.

Now let’s get back to why we should dispel this myth:

• It takes only 30 seconds for your oil to start to circulate so after you start the car, put on your seat belt and put the car in gear and you’re ready to go.

• Your car heats up faster if you drive it then simply letting it idle.

• Idling can be harmful to your vehicle because idling is an inefficient and gasoline rich environment that damages the engines performance, and also reducing your mileage.

• Idling costs money. Here`s a little math that will help put it into perspective for you.

If you take the average amount of idling done on a day to day basis for five years in a V8 engine vehicle you will use approximately 76 liters of fuel.  At the average price of gas these days you will spend $76.00 just on idling.

Unnecessary idling is bad for the environment. Car exhaust contains carbon monoxide which is hazardous to the environment and us. If you take the stats we had above over the five year span you would create 440 pounds of carbon monoxide and pollution to our air.

So in summary:

• You don’t need to let your car warm up because today’s cars use fuel injectors

• You can save money by having your fuel injectors services regularly though better performance and better gas mileage.

Come into Precise Car Service for your fuel injector service, engine tune ups and all your car service needs.  We are celebrating our 35th year in business this year. Precise has the experience and know how to  keep your vehicle running well and efficiently. Our objective is to provide great service and take care of our customers like they were family.

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