What are the consequences of excessively low engine temperature?

[WillowRose]

Excessively low engine temperature can lead to the following consequences: 1. Reduced cylinder air intake and abnormal combustion, resulting in decreased engine power; 2. Accelerated wear of engine components due to poor lubrication, potentially causing seizure or damage; 3. Unvaporized fuel washing over cylinder surfaces, destroying the lubricating oil film and increasing component wear; 4. Difficulty in engine starting. The causes of excessively low engine temperature include: 1. Extremely low ambient temperature causing engine fluid to congeal; 2. Malfunctioning thermostat or fan leading to excessive cooling; 3. Stuck thermostat not fully opening. An engine is a machine that converts other forms of energy into mechanical energy, including internal combustion engines, external combustion engines, jet engines, and electric motors.

[VanFaith]

Having driven for over 30 years, I've seen too many engines suffer in cold temperatures. When the engine is cold, the oil becomes as sticky as maltose and can't flow properly to critical components like the crankshaft and camshaft, leaving metal parts to grind dry against each other. The piston rings contract in the cold, causing gas leakage that reduces cylinder pressure by 30%, with white smoke puffing from the exhaust pipe. During winter traffic jams, the coolant temperature gauge stays stuck at the lowest mark, blowing cold air from the heater until you've driven over ten kilometers. The worst is when gasoline condenses and drips down the cylinder walls, seeping past the piston rings into the oil pan—turning the oil a milky tea color and ruining lubrication, leading to premature major repairs. My advice: switch to 0W low-viscosity oil in winter, warm up the engine for a minute and a half before short trips, and ignore those theories about driving off immediately after a cold start.

[DeAdriel]

Last time I took my old car for a trip up north, it was a disaster. At minus ten degrees Celsius, the engine just wouldn't warm up properly - even on the highway, the coolant temperature barely reached the middle mark. The fuel consumption gauge went crazy, burning three extra liters per 100 km. The throttle felt sluggish even when floored. The dealership said the cold made the ECU go nuts with over-rich fuel injection, and the spark plugs kept getting fouled with gasoline, causing frequent misfires and shaking. The exhaust pipe kept dripping water, and the muffler froze and cracked within two days. The worst part was the heater barely worked - driving wrapped in a down jacket felt like sitting in a freezer. The mechanic taught me to put a cardboard panel in front of the radiator and switch to high-boiling-point antifreeze. Now at minus five degrees, the engine warms up much faster when heading out.

[LePeyton]

Attention all car modification enthusiasts! Low temperatures are a hidden killer for forged pistons. Excessive cold engine clearance can lead to piston slap, and aggressive driving can directly damage the piston skirts. When tuning the ECU, I found that below 40°C coolant temperature, the air-fuel ratio can become chaotic at 9:1, causing exhaust temperatures to skyrocket to 900°C and turning the catalytic converter red. During the last track day, I launched before the coolant reached 90°C, and the knock sensor went crazy when turbo pressure hit 1.5Bar. After cooling down, I saw melted aluminum beads on the piston crowns. Now I always wait until the coolant temperature passes the midline before turning off the warm-up mode with AC. For those doing engine swaps, I strongly recommend upgrading to a performance thermostat that opens at 82°C.