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  • 1974 - 1978 Mustang II Talk & Tech

Do you have to warm up your II?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Folly77
  • Start date Start date Sep 16, 2005
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Folly77

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Jun 10, 2005
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Virginia
Sep 16, 2005
#1
  • Sep 16, 2005
  • #1
I was wondering if you all warm up your cars before driving them and for how long? Can you guys just take off from a cold start without stalling or anything?

My car turns over easily, but I find it runs better if I let it idle for about 5 minutes. I don't expect a car this age with a stock motor to run like new... I guess I'm just trying to find out if it's normal (and even necessary) for me to have to warm it up or if this is a symptom of some problem with the motor I'm overlooking.

Just so you know the car's had a complete tune up. It has a new carb. The air/fuel mixture has been adjusted. The idle has been adjusted. I think the only thing that has not been adjusted is the timing. The motor has 69,800 miles on it.

Thanks!
 
1

1badII

Member
Aug 5, 2003
796
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Durham, North Cacalaky
Sep 16, 2005
#2
  • Sep 16, 2005
  • #2
I usually let mine idle for a minute.
 

Blue Thunder

15 Year Member
Mar 20, 2004
1,003
55
68
Upstate New York.
Sep 16, 2005
#3
  • Sep 16, 2005
  • #3
There's no choke on the race demon carb of course, so I have to feather the throttle slightly for about 30 seconds to keep it running, after that, it'll idle on its own. If it's ice cold, and I jump on it hard, the coolant's up to 160degrees within a few minutes. Not sure of the BTU output required to heat 2.5 gallons of coolant to 160 degrees in 3 or 4 minutes, but it's probably a lot.
 

innocentfool

Founding Member
Apr 28, 2002
132
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19
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Sep 16, 2005
#4
  • Sep 16, 2005
  • #4
i let my tires warm up by doing a 15 second burnout, oh the engine you mean, yeah a couple minutes
 
7

77sleeper

GO BUCS!
Founding Member
Oct 11, 1999
7,266
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Napalm, AZ
Sep 16, 2005
#5
  • Sep 16, 2005
  • #5
Blue Thunder said:
If it's ice cold, and I jump on it hard, the coolant's up to 160degrees within a few minutes. Not sure of the BTU output required to heat 2.5 gallons of coolant to 160 degrees in 3 or 4 minutes, but it's probably a lot.
Click to expand...

~1070 BTU

Code:
well, a calorie is the energy needed to increase the temperature of 1 g of water by 1 °C 

a gallon of water weighs 3785g
ice = 0°C (32°F), 160°F = 71°C  

So 3785*71= 268,735 Calories

1 calorie= 4.2 joules
1 BTU =  1055 joules
268,735*4.2= 1,128,687 Joules
1,128,687/1055= 1070
 
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COBRAIIW

New Member
Apr 26, 2003
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CT
Sep 17, 2005
#6
  • Sep 17, 2005
  • #6
I usually warm mine up by dimming the lights, putting on some soft music, opening a bottle of


OH, you mean the car?
 

Blue Thunder

15 Year Member
Mar 20, 2004
1,003
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Upstate New York.
Sep 17, 2005
#7
  • Sep 17, 2005
  • #7
77sleeper said:
~1070 BTU

Code:
well, a calorie is the energy needed to increase the temperature of 1 g of water by 1 °C 

a gallon of water weighs 3785g
ice = 0°C (32°F), 160°F = 71°C  

So 3785*71= 268,735 Calories

1 calorie= 4.2 joules
1 BTU =  1055 joules
268,735*4.2= 1,128,687 Joules
1,128,687/1055= 1070
Click to expand...


268,000 calories?? No wonder the 'Stang needs to feed on Vipers and Vettes so often. (avoid the imports, they're all carbs, no protein)
 

Dano78

Founding Member
Nov 1, 1999
2,633
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47
Vancouver, WA
Sep 17, 2005
#8
  • Sep 17, 2005
  • #8
Should change the heading to "Do you have to warm up your carbed ford?" Cause the answer is 'yes' pretty much across the board!

However, usually because I've procrastinated my way to being too close to late to work just about every morning, I jump into my '76 F100 (carbed 460/C6) and toss in the key and go. Usually starts on the 1st crank and into reverse and down the street I go. I take it pretty easy as I'm driving it to work. Never had any problems with it and never really acts up.

But for the most part, just about every carbed Ford I own seems to be cold blooded on cold mornings. Nature of the beasts I guess...
 

Wart

I'm Mad as HELL and I'M not Gonna Take it ANYMORE!
Founding Member
Sep 1, 1998
408
3
58
NE Ohio
Sep 18, 2005
#9
  • Sep 18, 2005
  • #9
77sleeper said:
~1070 BTU

Code:
well, a calorie is the energy needed to increase the temperature of 1 g of water by 1 °C 

a gallon of water weighs 3785g
ice = 0°C (32°F), 160°F = 71°C  

So 3785*71= 268,735 Calories

1 calorie= 4.2 joules
1 BTU =  1055 joules
268,735*4.2= 1,128,687 Joules
1,128,687/1055= 1070
Click to expand...


You forgot to account for the latent heat of state change.
 

Wart

I'm Mad as HELL and I'M not Gonna Take it ANYMORE!
Founding Member
Sep 1, 1998
408
3
58
NE Ohio
Sep 18, 2005
#10
  • Sep 18, 2005
  • #10
Blue Thunder said:
Not sure of the BTU output required to heat 2.5 gallons of coolant to 160 degrees in 3 or 4 minutes, but it's probably a lot.
Click to expand...

Not to mention 400 or 500 pounds of iron / aluminum.
 
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fastmonkeywheel

Member
Jun 16, 2004
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Spokane, WA
Sep 18, 2005
#11
  • Sep 18, 2005
  • #11
I used to, or be really good at feathering the gas. But now I'm fuel injected, so no need to wait, or worry about cold weather stumblings.
 

COBRA 7

Founding Member
May 19, 2000
466
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Bangor, Maine
Sep 18, 2005
#12
  • Sep 18, 2005
  • #12
MadMark said:
You forgot to account for the latent heat of state change.
Click to expand...


Wouldn't latent heat only come in accout if your coolant was frozen?

Latent heat = change from a solid state to a liquid state.

I thunk i learned sumpintg in skoul?
 
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Folly77

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Jun 10, 2005
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Virginia
Sep 18, 2005
#13
  • Sep 18, 2005
  • #13
Good to know the 5 minute warm up is normal. Thanks guys!
 

Eos

Oh Heather Oh yeah... I want your pink taco
Jun 13, 2003
734
3
0
oklahoma
Sep 18, 2005
#14
  • Sep 18, 2005
  • #14
I usually try to run it for about 30 seconds before taking off. My car is pretty start and go though. In the winter it might take a little longer, but when its warm I usually just jump in and go. My car has never stalled or shut down on me. Generally I get in and start it up and sometimes the choke kicks in and jumps to be 2k rpm's and I kick the throttle down and go. In the winter the chock will refuse to kick off until the car is warm, so it takes care of itself. My 89 mustang was different. It was fuel injected ofcourse but if you didn't let it warm up for atleast a minute it would die as soon as you took off. Weird eh?
 
C

COBRAIIW

New Member
Apr 26, 2003
562
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CT
Sep 18, 2005
#15
  • Sep 18, 2005
  • #15
Eos, is there such a thing as winter in Oklahoma?
I've lived in Mississippi and didn't see winter there.

Now here in Connecticut.......
 

Eos

Oh Heather Oh yeah... I want your pink taco
Jun 13, 2003
734
3
0
oklahoma
Sep 18, 2005
#16
  • Sep 18, 2005
  • #16
COBRAIIW said:
Eos, is there such a thing as winter in Oklahoma?
I've lived in Mississippi and didn't see winter there.

Now here in Connecticut.......
Click to expand...
Yeah.... it gets pretty cold here. It's usually around or below freezing in the winter. We have some weeks where it doesnt get out of the teens or twenties. And we get some snow.
 
7

78Mach1

Founding Member
Mar 1, 2001
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Stroudsburg, pa
Sep 18, 2005
#17
  • Sep 18, 2005
  • #17
Eos said:
Yeah.... it gets pretty cold here. It's usually around or below freezing in the winter. We have some weeks where it doesnt get out of the teens or twenties. And we get some snow.
Click to expand...

yeah we get some snow up here too .


 

Eos

Oh Heather Oh yeah... I want your pink taco
Jun 13, 2003
734
3
0
oklahoma
Sep 18, 2005
#18
  • Sep 18, 2005
  • #18
whatta cute puppy!
 

Wart

I'm Mad as HELL and I'M not Gonna Take it ANYMORE!
Founding Member
Sep 1, 1998
408
3
58
NE Ohio
Sep 19, 2005
#19
  • Sep 19, 2005
  • #19
COBRA 7 said:
Wouldn't latent heat only come in accout if your coolant was frozen?
Click to expand...

BUSTED!!
 

1970impala

Please God, somebody find me some WHITE CARGO PANE
Founding Member
Jan 22, 2002
1,450
2
38
Pennsylvania
Sep 19, 2005
#20
  • Sep 19, 2005
  • #20
I usually leave mine warm up for 1 minute in the garage and 2-3 outside the garage when i am closing the garage door. usually works.
 
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