does revving engine warm up car

[DaniellaRose]

No, revving your engine does not effectively warm up your car's cabin and is actually harmful to the engine. The fastest and safest way to warm up your vehicle's interior is to simply start driving gently after about 30 seconds of idling. While revving increases engine RPM (Revolutions Per Minute) and generates more heat in the engine block, it does little to heat the cabin. Cabin warmth comes from the heater core, which functions like a small radiator using hot coolant from the engine. The engine warms up to its optimal operating temperature much faster under a light load while driving than it does at a high, no-load RPM while parked.

Revving a cold engine is particularly damaging because engine oil, which is thick and sluggish when cold, cannot properly lubricate all the components at high speeds. This causes increased metal-on-metal wear on critical parts like piston rings and cylinder walls. Modern engines with electronic fuel injection are designed to handle cold starts efficiently without assistance. The best practice is to start the car, allow it to idle for just long enough to settle into a smooth rhythm (typically 20-30 seconds), and then drive off conservatively. This method minimizes wear, reduces emissions, and brings heat to the cabin more quickly.

The following table compares the effects of idling, gentle driving, and revving on a cold engine:

Factor	Idling (Parked)	Gentle Driving	Revving (Parked)
Engine Warm-up Speed	Slow	Fastest	Moderate (but harmful)
Cabin Warm-up Speed	Very Slow	Fastest	Slow
Engine Wear	Low	Lowest	Very High
Oil Pressure Buildup	Slow	Rapid	Rapid but inefficient
Fuel Efficiency	Poor (0 MPG)	Good	Very Poor (0 MPG)
Emissions	High	Lower	Highest

[LaBeckett]

It's a bad habit. You're just stressing the engine when it's most vulnerable. The oil is thick and can't get everywhere it needs to fast enough. I used to do it too, thinking I was helping. Now I just start it, buckle up, maybe clear the windows, and drive off easy for the first few blocks. The heater starts blowing warm air way sooner that way. Saves gas and is better for the car.

[MaverickAnn]

From a mechanical standpoint, revving a cold engine accelerates wear. The key issue is oil flow. Optimal lubrication requires the oil to be at operating temperature. High RPMs on cold, viscous oil create friction and heat in the bearings and cylinder walls before a protective film is fully established. This is a primary cause of long-term engine degradation. The manufacturer's recommended procedure is always to avoid high engine speeds until the coolant temperature gauge begins to move.

[DiOmar]

That's an old-school myth from the carburetor days. Modern cars are smarter. The computer handles the fuel mixture from the second you start it. Revving doesn't help the computer do its job any better; it just forces parts to move faster than they should before they're properly lubricated. Your car's manual will tell you the same thing: don't race the engine. Just drive normally after a brief initial idle. The technology is designed for this.