In another thread I have read the comment that engines should not be left to idle and warm up before driving but that does not make sense to me. In my mind driving a cold engine with the associated higher revs and low oil temperature, oil pressure will cause more wear not less, a greater chance of friction. How much damage (additional wear) can be done to an engine by starting up and reversing out of the garage and leaving it idling why you go shut the garage door and gates when compared with driving up the road without the idling (warming up) period? If a Ford Mondeo with the same engine type were to do the same I suspect we might not think twice about it so why is it different in a Morgan? With a modern engine using modern materials and modern oils is there any difference, back in the olden days it might have been a consideration but in today’s world?
Thinking about it, back in the day, we would routinely warm up a Merlin on idle before letting the beast out to make sure everything was working as advertised and in particular that oil pressure and temperature were correct, I’m sure it was a real taboo to open the throttle on a cold engine.
