Remote Starter

[syoung]

best thing for the truck is to start it up and hit the road- drive gently until everything is at regular operating temp.

 

[rovercanus]

I already tried that, and she wasn't having it, but maybe if I tell her that it was Walters idea...

Of course you can say it's my idea. But then I get to blame something on you!
I'm a single man right now so nothin' can hurt me.

 

[gardrover]

Is carbon buildup the only reason you shouldn't let the car idle for a while?

I always start mine 3-5min beforehand to let the transmission warmup (the thing is
hard to shift when it goes below 30 degrees) and I thought it put less stress on the engine components if they are warm..

Am i really hurting my engine?

 

[antichrist]

So its better to start up the car and drive right away? even if its freezing out? I don't care too much about me being cold, but I just want to know the very best thing for my truck.

Once the oil pressure light goes out, yes. If you have a turbo, the oil light, or pressure guage should be teed off right at the turbo, as it's usually the last to get oil pressure.

Oil pressure is better when the engine is under load, as opposed to idling. Like Steve said, drive gently. You don't want to be racing it.
I have no idea where this idea of idling till warm came from.

Air cooled engines are different, they should be warmed up a bit. As John Muir (How to Keep your Volkswagon Alive) said, those you let idle for the time it takes to roll a cigarette.

 

[gummikuh]

Hi

I press a button on the dash and the heated windscreen does the rest!!!!

So civilised

Pete

 

[wei]

I'm using a Compustar alarm/remote starter. It has a two-way remote with an incredible range. My wife works on the tenth floor of an office tower and she can start the truck parked across the street from her desk. The two-way remote then alerts her when the engine is running.