'I'm an expert and here's why you shouldn't turn your engine on to warm up car in cold weather'

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'I'm an expert and here's why you shouldn't turn your engine on to warm up car in cold weather'

Many people don't know that this could have a detrimental effect on your engine

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Experts are warning motorists not to turn their car engine on to let it tick over and warm up before driving in cold weather as winter bites in Ireland this week.

Many of us are guilty of going to the car in the morning, turning on the engine and then leaving it running for a few minutes in order to warm up before we head off.

But now two experts are warning that by doing so you could be causing damage to your car's engine, RSVP reports.

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RAC Breakdown spokesman Rod Dennis told Ladbible: "We'd always advise drivers to get on their way as soon after clearing the windscreen inside and out.

"Sitting waiting for it to warm up is a bad idea for several reasons - a car warms up much faster when it's actually being driven, and idling contributes to air pollution and global warming, as you are needlessly emitting exhaust fumes.

"In very cold conditions, idling can also accelerate wear on the engine."

"Leaving your motor running while waiting for it to heat up can strip engine oil away from the cylinders and pistons, which can mean your car's engine doesn't last as long as it should."

Speaking to Business Insider, mechanical engineer Stephen Ciatti, from the Argonne National Laboratory, said: "That's a problem because you're actually putting extra fuel into the combustion chamber to make it burn and some of it can get onto the cylinder walls.

"Gasoline is an outstanding solvent and it can actually wash oil off the walls if you run it in those cold idle conditions for an extended period of time."

Experts recommend driving as normal in cold weather but taking it easy for the first 15 minutes while the engine warms up, and to avoid idling and leaving your car engine on to warm up parked.

In particularly cold weather, there can be frost and snow on your windscreen, so make sure it is thoroughly cleaned off before starting your journey. However, experts have warned against using hot water to melt any ice as it can crack your windscreen.

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'I'm an expert and here's why you shouldn't turn your engine on to warm up car in cold weather'