When I start my car in the cold, the car idles a little faster than normal, typically 1000-1500 rpm. If left alone, it will eventually slow down to a normal idle speed on its own. This is fine and normal on most cars.

More often than not I get going well before it's slowed down to a normal idle speed. When I do this and tap the throttle a tad as to back out of my driveway, the RPMs shoot up quicker than normal and also "hang" a little longer, generally a little past 2000-2500 rpm. Is this normal?

What do other winter G drivers experience? Let me know

 

I think this is normal behavior ... think of it as your "choke" doing it's thing.

 

08 6MT. Normal. Idle should only stay high for about a minute, maybe a little longer on cold days. Stop driving away and accelerating hard before the idle has settled. Your engine isn't warm yet. This is where the vast majority of engine wear occurs. After it's completely warmed up, knock yourself out

Do your car a favor and get out of bed 2 minutes earlier and let it warm up properly.

 

Black Betty minute (sp?) point but from what i read recently they are saying that a gentle drive to "warm up" the car is better than sitting there and idling. thoughts?


OP - my car does the same idles about 1500-2k for a bout 30 seconds and drops to normal after it starts. i then drive easily away. but from the way my car starts sounds like my battery may need to be replaced soon

 

I've never actually timed it exactly. It may be less than a minute, 30 seconds or so until the idle settles. My point to OP is that it's not very long to wait for the oil to circulate completely through the engine. And yes, after the idle settles if you drive gently, or even normally, until it reaches full operating temperature it's fine.

 

I think the manual states to warm up the car for 30 seconds but I try to go more like a minute and then keep it under 3K RPMs until it's nice and warm.

 

For idle to settle would take much more than 30s, I'd put it in the 5-6 minute mark of just idling when its -15C (~0F) outside.

I drive gingerly til everything has had a chance to "stretch and warm up" (warmed engine, suspension/steering has moved about, brakes). However the thottle when moving from a stop the first couple of times is very sensitive.

I've heard and read many opinions on about warming up a car. The opinion I have formed is this:
-fast idle warms up cats quickly to reduce emissions
-fast idle gets heat in the block and oil/coolant quicker than normal idle, but 30s is enough to heat fluids and get them moving
-driving gently is the more efficient way to warm everything in the engine
-other things in the car need to warm (or stretch) up too as well, driving gently accomplishes this.

 

I've never driven the car in temperatures anywhere near as cold as the ones you have so I cant say if it is normal for it to take that long to warm up before you should drive off. I was talking about low 40s to mid 30's at most. You meant cold FOR REALS!

Do you have a block heater?

 

I do have a block heater, however I have never used it. I had planned to when I first picked up my car, but there is no good way to have the cord hang out for access. Keeping the hood open seems like a recipe for disaster (snow, ice, vandalism). I wish there was a place to have it hang out of the front lower grille. Side note: The new VW Jettas come with a nice port on the bumper for this!

I think the block heater heats the coolant, so upon startup the block gets to temp a little quicker and warm coolant circulates faster ehating everything in passes by. The oil is likely still cold and viscous for the first few seconds of running and thus