but when i'm gonna take the vette i let it run maybe 5 minutes if it's really cold ( below 20)
Cold Engine Temps
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,597
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From: Columbus, OH
Cold Engine Temps
Just wandering...
When its cold outside (below 30F) and you get in your vette, how long do you let the engine warm up before driving? Do you go by the oil temp or coolant temp? How warm is warm enough?
When its cold outside (below 30F) and you get in your vette, how long do you let the engine warm up before driving? Do you go by the oil temp or coolant temp? How warm is warm enough?
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 24,592
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From: The Rock Arkansas
Elite Member
Cruise-In III Veteran
I usually let her warm up about two minutes. It's rarely seriously cold here. I take it easy on the revs until it gets up to normal operating temperature.
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 4,661
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From: Ocean Springs MS
Originally Posted by RocketDawg
I just drop it in gear and take off, driving gently until it warms up to operating temperature.
I think letting it sit in idle for longer than it takes for oil pressure to come up (a few seconds) is just wasting time and gas. I do wait till the oil temp gets to above 170 before I really get on it.
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Drifting
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 1,250
Likes: 1
From: Greensboro NC
The engine is hardly ever colder than 40-50F here when I come out of my garage. At work when it gets below 30F, I just let it idle for a few seconds and then drive off carefully. Like others here I never lay into it until the oil has reached at least 170F.
Letting the engine idle for five minutes or so is not good at all because it just warms up slower and increases the amount of moisture in the oil.
Letting the engine idle for five minutes or so is not good at all because it just warms up slower and increases the amount of moisture in the oil.
Pro
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 537
Likes: 0
From: NorCAL Live your passion--why wait, you ain't getting any younger
Water: 130+ d
Oil: 70+ d
Typically about 4-5 min.
JMHO but I never blip a cold engine, and I get more than 150K miles out of the rings/valves. My 15 y/o Nissan is over 375K miles with original rings & heads.
Oil: 70+ d
Typically about 4-5 min.
JMHO but I never blip a cold engine, and I get more than 150K miles out of the rings/valves. My 15 y/o Nissan is over 375K miles with original rings & heads.
Race Director
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 15,324
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From: Guelph, Ontario
My C5 is my daily driver, and most nights it is parked outside too. There have been many mornings where it's below 0F outside and I still do not warm it up before driving it. I just start it and go within a few seconds. I just drive it very gently until the oil temperature warms up. I typically keep the rpms below 1500 until the oil temp hits 100F, and then from 100F to 150F I still keep it below 2000 rpm.
Idling it to warm it up is just a waste of fuel, you are not protecting your engine any better by doing this. I have the oil analysis results to prove that my method is not causing me a lot of engine wear at all.
Idling it to warm it up is just a waste of fuel, you are not protecting your engine any better by doing this. I have the oil analysis results to prove that my method is not causing me a lot of engine wear at all.
Pro
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 538
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From: Geneva, IL Bring back the Chief!
St. Jude Donor '06-'07-'08-'09-'10,'13-'14,'19-'20-'21-'22
Originally Posted by fdxpilot
I think letting it sit in idle for longer than it takes for oil pressure to come up (a few seconds) is just wasting time and gas. I do wait till the oil temp gets to above 170 before I really get on it.
