Morris Minor Owners Club

Now the colder weather is here and i'm using the car everyday, I have seen different opinion's about this. Some people say to start the engine and drive off, others say let the engine warm up for a few minutes before driving off.
Who is right?

I usually treat all my cars the same way.
I usually allow them a short period of time to get the oil flowing before setting off and then I usually dont use many revs until it's fully warm.
That along with regular oil changes seems to keep them running fine.
Too much choke can actually wash the bores which is a bad thing.

If you let engine warm up before you go and drive it don't leave it unattended as it might not be there when you come back as I know someone who left his car running and went back inside for a few seconds and car was stolen and was later found burnt out.

Fit a winter thermostat.

Fit a temperature gauge otherwise how do you know the engine is up to working temp.

Drive away after starting but do not labour or over rev the engine until up to normal working temperature.

Some years ago a friend of mine told me that he left his car ticking over on the driveway to warm up and went back into the house. When he returned after a few minutes the car was gone. He rang the police.
They turned up a while later, not very happy and handed him the keys to the car.
He had not secured the handbrake properly and the car rolled driverless down his driveway, across two lanes of a dual carriageway before coming to rest on the wide central area still ticking over, which was where the police found it.
He did not say but most probably he was fined with penalty points on his licence.

As soon as the oil pressure is up I generally drive it.

I've read that driving immediately gets heat into the engine faster and thus generates less wear than leaving it to warm on the driveway.

As such this is what I do, although I've looked at engine pre-heaters but it seems to be overkill for the trusty old A-Series.

It is considered deliterious and bad practice to leave the car idling in order to warm up. I think this is mentioned in the 'Driver's Handbook' where the advice is to use the choke and drive off immediately, pushing the choke back in as soon as the engine will run without it. That way will get the engine up to optimal running temperature quickest. As mentioned above, leaving the choke out too long will lead to excess condensed petrol washing the oil from the cylinder walls, leading to wear and corrossion - not to mention excessive fuel consumption.

I have pre heaters fitted to my 3 vehicles, they do a splendid job.
When I have to start from cold moving off with consideration is the way to go.

Alan

I just turn mine on and drive away. Choke off after the first corner. They seem happy enough with that!

My Minor's running is REALLY LUMPY in very cold weather - probably down to the wrong needle in the carb, or poor adjustment, or something like that that I haven't been bothered to check into - so I practically have to warm it up before leaving. There's just no power whatsoever if I don't.

But probably don't be like me.

Fingolfin wrote: ↑Mon Nov 05, 2018 6:37 pm My Minor's running is REALLY LUMPY in very cold weather - probably down to the wrong needle in the carb, or poor adjustment, or something like that that I haven't been bothered to check into - so I practically have to warm it up before leaving. There's just no power whatsoever if I don't.

But probably don't be like me.

Maybe just needs a good service, especially points and plugs? Might be wrong needle, if you think that a possibility, or mixture a bit weak. Or ignition timing a bit out.

Mine runs lumpy when cold due to fitting an alloy inlet, one of the reasons that the exhaust and inlet manifolds were cast as one was to allow smooth running when warming up. I have a hif 38 fitted and have been considering removing the alloy manifold and chopped standard exhaust manifold and then fitting a mini 12g787 manifold.

Mind you, it goes great when warm.