# Warm up?



## Kestral (Dec 22, 2013)

Some years ago I witnessed a guy jump on his snowmobile start it up and mash the throttle it was far below zero at the time and the motor was dead cold he got about 500 feet before the motor locked up tight! So I was wondering how much you should let your snowblower warm up before diving into that big snowfall if say it is well below freezing?


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## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

I usually give it about a minute..
I dont time it or anything..
I usually start up first, then go to my truck to put on hat and gloves,
unplug the starter cord, if I had used it, put the cord back on the garage wall, etc..
about a minute passes before I throttle it up and begin using..
I consider that enough time..

Scot


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## CarlB (Jan 2, 2011)

I usually go out to the garage start up the snow blower take the choke off and lower the rpms down to just above an idle. Then i go inside put on my coat, hat, boots and gloves and then go out to blow snow. I guess 2 to 3 minutes. I don't like cold engines running at full throttle and certainly not under a load.


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## Nforesir (Dec 7, 2013)

I usually start up the blower, let it run till it no longer needs a choke, shut down the choke, make sure the area is safe to clear snow and then proceed.....at least a minute perhaps longer, always better to work an engine when it is warm and the oil is doing it's job. Cheers


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## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

Up till this year my snowblower was in a heated garage so I never even gave it a thought. I will now though.


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## nt40lanman (Dec 31, 2012)

I always warm it up a few minutes just above an idle.


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## JRHAWK9 (Jan 6, 2013)

I start it just above idle and then warm it up for a couple minutes.


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## ken53 (Nov 7, 2013)

1 minute minimum. It depends how cold it is. 5 minutes would be better if you have the time. 

I think its important for oil get to all the right places before a load gets put on the engine. In my mind only, I believe synthetic would need less time to flow then regular oil.

IMO its more important to get the engine 100% hot every time its started before shutting off and parking it. The articles I have read many years ago explained it this way. The oil needs to burn off water after every cold start. If it doesn't, it contributes to sludge. Speaking about autos, they said the oil takes twice the time to warm up then the coolant does. Another guideline was it takes no less the 20 miles of driving for an auto to burn off the water in the crankcase.

I have been using these guidelines for years, but any one is welcome to chime in and correct me.

Ken


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## detdrbuzzard (Jan 20, 2012)

on avarage one to three minutes


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## Mr Fixit (Nov 19, 2013)

*Cold starts*

Your worried about your crankshaft bearing turning a shell there.
Any below -35 F engine should be pre-warmed if possible. I used a trouble light for years hooked under the carburetor for 2 hours. Synthetic oil is the best suggestion to save your engine. Avoid full RPM for 5 minutes after a cold engine start. I've seen a lot of car engines blown by impatience. Very good point you brought to the forum.


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## SlowRider22 (Oct 17, 2013)

This is quite an overlooked concept by many, and sometimes people have to learn the hard way because they're in a hurry and seize up the motor.

I have 3 blowers that I have at my disposal, and every storm I start them all up so they don't just sit there neglected in the corner of the garage (also, so I know that they all function properly). 
I prime them, set to choke, and fire them up. After getting the truck fired up for its warmup, I go back to the blowers to turn the choke off and let them run on low idle for another couple minutes.


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## GustoGuy (Nov 19, 2012)

I let my snow blowers engine run for a minute or 2 before throttling it up and blowing snow. Yes it is possible to burn out an engine by running it hard when stone cold but unlikely on a snowblower since it is not a high performance high rpm engine. 

Dead cold watercraft especially a high performance one you should let idle for a few minutes before beating on them as well as a high performance snowmobile since they are oil injected and this gives plenty of time for oil to coat all the internal parts in the engine. On my car I usually let it warm up for a few minutes too before I start to drive and I use Amsoil Synthetic. *It certainly will not hurt to let if run a few minutes to warm it up but it could hurt the engine if you mash the throttle right away after starting it especially if it is really cold out because the oil will be thick from the cold and not splashing around. Almost all small engines are splash lubricated.*


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## sr71 (Mar 25, 2013)

a minute or so for the engine (while partially chocked) and during same time the hydrostatic tranny


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## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

ken53 said:


> 1 minute minimum. It depends how cold it is. 5 minutes would be better if you have the time.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Wow. I never thought about this but when I worked I only worked a little over a mile away. Hardly ever warmed up the engine. Did it for years. Never thought to pull the dipstick out and look for sludge from condensation. As I'm here thinking about it we make lots of short trips. Maybe I should monitor this a little better.


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## Paddledog52 (Dec 31, 2013)

If you let it idle to long in cold may not even warm up. Diesel engines should be started idled but not left long at idle because they stay cold. After a minute or two I would start working it but not maxed out. Diesel engines in trucks start, idle then ramp up the rpm to make heat not long after the starting.


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## JRHAWK9 (Jan 6, 2013)

One thing to keep in mind, lots of newer blowers don't even have a throttle control. It's WOT all the time.


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## ken53 (Nov 7, 2013)

micah68kj said:


> Wow. I never thought about this but when I worked I only worked a little over a mile away. Hardly ever warmed up the engine. Did it for years. Never thought to pull the dipstick out and look for sludge from condensation. As I'm here thinking about it we make lots of short trips. Maybe I should monitor this a little better.


I here you. My wife and I both only drove only 3 miles to work. Its not always possible to drive 20 miles every time. We try to run them hot when ever practical. I think summer is a little more forgiving then this darn winter. 

The way I understand it, is the crankcase turns into steam bath during warm up. Also it acts a little like a steam cleaner washing some of the lubricating quality from surfaces that are trying to be oiled. Once its hot and burned off all is fine again. Its scary when I think of repeated short trips in sub freezing weather. At one time Mobil was advertising 80% of all engine wear comes from startups.

I don't like to idle a long time but maybe short trips might warrant longer warm ups.

Any how thanks for the reply, and Happy New year.

Ken


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## Paddledog52 (Dec 31, 2013)

JRHAWK9 said:


> One thing to keep in mind, lots of newer blowers don't even have a throttle control. It's WOT all the time.


WOT all the time an advancement in technology.

like no choke on my lawnmower


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## Mr Fixit (Nov 19, 2013)

*3 mile trips*

If your car only does three mile trips you just need oil changes sooner. You change your oil even at 1000 to 2000 miles. Your valve covers tell the story when you open up an engine. Even the inside of the fill cap shows moisture build up.
I have lots of stories on winter short trip driving.
I live in a very cold location. eg. A car owner checks his oil before a long trip. Level is just above the add in fact. Takes off on a 500 mile trip, after one hour seizes the engine. No oil! Dip stick doesn't show the water/oil ration. Water evaporates when the engine finally had it's first long run. Then you have the true level of oil. We always drop the oil before a long trip here. Try getting an appointment though!


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## tuffnell (Dec 1, 2011)

My snowblower is stored in a warm garage so when I take it out, I start it up and then idle it down. My main concern is to get the all the other metal parts down to the ambient temperature so the snow doesn't stick.


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## ken53 (Nov 7, 2013)

Mr Fixit said:


> If your car only does three mile trips you just need oil changes sooner. You change your oil even at 1000 to 2000 miles. Your valve covers tell the story when you open up an engine. Even the inside of the fill cap shows moisture build up.
> I have lots of stories on winter short trip driving.
> I live in a very cold location. eg. A car owner checks his oil before a long trip. Level is just above the add in fact. Takes off on a 500 mile trip, after one hour seizes the engine. No oil! Dip stick doesn't show the water/oil ration. Water evaporates when the engine finally had it's first long run. Then you have the true level of oil. We always drop the oil before a long trip here. Try getting an appointment though!


Thanks for the tips. Many many years ago I remember my filler cap being white on the inside, and that was my wakeup call. 2000 mile oil changes for me ever since.

Again, thanks for the info, much appreciated. 

Ken


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## nt40lanman (Dec 31, 2012)

Like any engine it's good to warm I up a touch before getting on it but I think it's far more important in this case because 4 strokes are fuel/oil lubed fairly instantly. Cars and motorcycles are pressure lubed but snowblowers are only splash lubed.


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## GustoGuy (Nov 19, 2012)

Which new snowblowers do not have throttles? Must be the lower cost ones as well as some single stage models. My replacement engine has a throttle on it just like the old engine did. I like it because it starts with 1 to 2 pulls of the recoil and really throws snow great


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## JRHAWK9 (Jan 6, 2013)

GustoGuy said:


> Which new snowblowers do not have throttles? Must be the lower cost ones as well as some single stage models. My replacement engine has a throttle on it just like the old engine did. I like it because it starts with 1 to 2 pulls of the recoil and really throws snow great


yeah, all the cheaper ones. I just bought a Path-Pro to compliment my Pro 32 and it has no throttle 

I've been a stickler for decades about making sure oil temp reaches proper temp. I live ~20 minutes from work and I drive a little Civic for a daily driver, so it has no issues getting the oil up to proper temp. A couple guys drive big ole' trucks and live just a few blocks from work....those poor engines.

In my "fun" cars, I get oil analysis done periodically just for the heck of it to see how things are wearing. I also don't "get on them" until the oil temp gauge is above 170° or so.


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## Runner50 (Jan 21, 2013)

ken53 said:


> 1 minute minimum. It depends how cold it is. 5 minutes would be better if you have the time.
> 
> I think its important for oil get to all the right places before a load gets put on the engine. In my mind only, I believe synthetic would need less time to flow then regular oil.
> 
> ...


Good post...thanks.


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## Blue Hill (Mar 31, 2013)

My machine stays on our covered patio. When it's cold, I use the electric start. I'll turn it over slowly a few times with the pull rope to try to get everything coated with oil and then hit the starter. As soon as it starts, I idle it down and let it run for 5 minutes or more while I putter around. I have a clamp to keep the auger drive engaged so while it's idling I run the auger to get the gearbox warmed up a little as well.
When I'm done blowing snow, I have a cool down routine too. I'll idle it for 5 minutes or so while I brush it off. Then I run the auger for a few minutes to make sure everything is cleared out. I don't like just shutting down an engine that's been working at full throttle for several hours.


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## JRHAWK9 (Jan 6, 2013)

Blue Hill said:


> My machine stays on our covered patio. When it's cold, I use the electric start. I'll turn it over slowly a few times with the pull rope to try to get everything coated with oil and then hit the starter. As soon as it starts, I idle it down and let it run for 5 minutes or more while I putter around. I have a clamp to keep the auger drive engaged so while it's idling I run the auger to get the gearbox warmed up a little as well.
> When I'm done blowing snow, I have a cool down routine too. I'll idle it for 5 minutes or so while I brush it off. Then I run the auger for a few minutes to make sure everything is cleared out. I don't like just shutting down an engine that's been working at full throttle for several hours.


Sounds similar to what I do, but I never use the electric start. It always starts on the first pull even when I start it with the throttle barely off of idle. I don't clamp the auger drive but I do let it run a bit before diving into the snow. When I go to shut it off I idle it down and then turn the gas off and let it run the gas out of the fuel line and carb while it's idling. I use this time to brush all the snow off of it. All of my small engines that have fuel shut-off's get the same treatment. I don't ever let fuel sit in the carb if I can help it. I do use non-ethanol fuel but like to take that extra care to prevent any possible carb issues down the road. I take it one step further before storing it for summer. I use the choke to keep it running as long as I can to try to get all remnants of fuel out of the carb. Towards the end the engine will literally be running on full choke. I know a guy who works in R&D at Briggs and he's the one who told me to do that before storing it. Doing so will help prevent any carburetor issues stemming from stale gas sitting too long in the carb.


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