Warm up?
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Senior User
Joined: Dec 2007
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Warm up?
How long do you guys generally let your trucks warm up? Its been in the - and single digits around here a lot lately, I usually it 10 or 15 minutes if I'm going to do any sort of driving, if I'm just running up town, or pulling somebody out of the ditch nearby, maybe 5 minutes. Seems to run a lot better and have more power if you give 'em time in the sub temps.
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Senior User
Joined: Dec 2007
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Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 142
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What kind of gauge setup do you have your basing this on? Mine doesn't seem to be that accurate to begin with, and I just have the stock in dash C and H with a line.
Posting Guru
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From: Kiefer, Northeastern Okla
Pete
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Posting Legend
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 36,506
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From: Grapevine, TX
I can usually get away with five minutes when the truck is parked out of the weather in the garage. If I'm parked outside all day or night, I'll let it warm up longer till the defrost starts to get warm. I don't like the windows to fog up when I'm trying to see where I'm going, lol. 
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Postmaster
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 3,940
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From: Southern Oregon Coast
I can't judge by my high idle though, got the choke completely opened up and screwed down, couldn't ever get the dang thing right where it would kick off with the pedal, so I was FORCED to wait 10 or 15 minutes to roll out or be stuck at doing 25 down the highway with the damn choke stuck on. Actually like it a lot better with the choke off, just have to get your starting technique down right.
Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,735
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From: Wingo, Ky
My choke and high idle functions properly and I let it run about 10 minutes before I take off in it. You could take off sooner actually, but I like for the oil to get movin and thinned down first.
Sometimes I also just set in the truck and when the temp guage gets about a little over halfway to H then drops off(thermo opening) to about the middle between C and H she is ready to go.
Sometimes I also just set in the truck and when the temp guage gets about a little over halfway to H then drops off(thermo opening) to about the middle between C and H she is ready to go.
Junior User
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 96
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From: Chesapeake, VA
I have to let mine sit for about 15 minutes, maybe more depending on how cold it is outside. Sucks not having a choke, but once I got the carb adjusted right it fires up, just takes a while for it to smooth out.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 8,786
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From: Northern California
According to the 1973 owners manual from my memory,
Let the engine warm up untill at least above the C mark on the gauge to let engine heat reach the transmission before moving truck. Then drive slowly until operating temp.
However it recommends not moving the truck until in the normal range between the two marks between the C and H.
Let the engine warm up untill at least above the C mark on the gauge to let engine heat reach the transmission before moving truck. Then drive slowly until operating temp.
However it recommends not moving the truck until in the normal range between the two marks between the C and H.
Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2005
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From: Gadsden Purchase
Chokes are for those that don't know how to start a vehicle without one. ;)
The main problem with chokes is they are really hard on the engine with all
that extra gasoline washing the oil off the cylinders.
I ran mine for about 10 years with the sorry choke wired open and then one
day up and decided to get rid of it all together...
http://www.panix.com/~alvinj/file12/choke1.jpg
Yeah I know, I "have it easy in AZ" but there are guys on here (and other
website forums) that live where it's cold, that claim the same thing. :)
Once you learn how, you'll just want to stop messing with a dangged choke.
Looking at chokes from this side of things... makes me think of chokes as
being like power windows and automatic transmissions. Either you like stuff
like those things or you don't. LOL :) Not trying to convince you of anything
other than chokes are not something you absolutely have to have.
If you want 'em, you can have 'em!
...and that includes my share too. ;)
Alvin in AZ
ps- Brrr... it's just after 2 in the afternoon and only 53F out there! ;)
