1979-1993 & 94 Conv [Subscribe to Daily Digest] |
Check the A/C idler pulley (the one that isn't the A/C compressor pulley or crank pulley). I had this one go bad on me one veeeery cold, snowy day, 300 miles from home. I was able to pull off the belt and drive home. The A/C comp itself is another potential culprit.
IMO idling your car to warm it up is a bad idea. It's bad for the car since it takes longer for it to warm up than when you're driving it, it burns rich when it's cold and when the catalytic converter isn't warmed up it doesn't work so you get lots of HC, NOx and CO in the exhaust. This, of course, happens with every cold engine but when a cold engine is just idling with no load it stays colder longer, exacerbating the problem. I've also heard it argued that when the engine is cold it burn richer, not all the fuel is burned, raw fuel remain in the cylinders, mixes with the oil thereby diluting it which increasing the wear of the cylinders/pistons/rings. Just a theory.
Anyway, there is no danger driving with a cold engine. There is, however, a bit of a danger stomping on a cold turbo engine so the best thing to do is start it, drive it easily until the engine warms some (until the temp gauge moves some) before using the turbo. I used to live near the base of a good sized hill and it was tough to get into traffic during the morning commute and not give it a good stomp of the gas pedal so on partcularly cold mornings I'd drive the long way out of my neighborhood. It added maybe 3/4 of a mile but it was just enough to just move the temp gauge. (For the record this car now has 297,000 miles on it, original everything.) (Oops -- I just notice that you have 309,000 on your car so I guess I'm singing to the choir here...)
Something to consider is a block heater. This will keep the oil warm during the cold weather so it circulates easier during cold starts (which is what you're worried about).
posted by 4.64.200...
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