Two questions:

Is there a rule of thumb that should guide me as to what the oil temp should be before I back out of the garage and go for a casual drive?

What should the minimum temp be before getting into the throttle for some spirited driving?

I have always tried to let it "get up to temperature", but I'm not sure what "up to temp" really should be.

How 'bout those Texas Longhorns!

Thanks.

 

I like the oil temp to be around 120* before I take it out, 135* before I start to have fun. Nothing scientific here, just picked this up from reading about oil being hot enough to burn off condensation. With aftermarket springs, its more important than with a stock set up. Just M.H.O.

 

I was always kinda told 150 deg before hitting it real hard!

 

Really??
I back out of the garage 20 or sec after starting, oil temps around 80-90 degrees. Now I keep the RPM under 2500 until it gets to 135 or so and still don t get on it until about 160; but idling until 120-135 really? You guys serious? its a car not a damn baby.

 

That is much like my warm-up method. I wait to closer to 180 to get on it though as I have aftermarket springs.

 

just dont get on it until after 130 or so. This engine is not special. Could you imagine if all people didnt drive their car until it came up to temp? LOL

 

Found this on the internet



Although you might think it’s easier on your car to let it sit and gently warm up, doing so is a bad idea for a number of reasons. Most importantly, it does indeed waste gas.

The vast majority of cars on the road today use electronic fuel injection. When your car’s engine is cold, the computer tells the fuel injectors to stay open longer, allowing more fuel into the engine to help it run cold. As the engine warms up, the injectors let in less fuel and everything returns to normal, so to speak.

The problem is, letting your car sit and idle is the slowest way to bring it up to operating temperature because it’s generally sitting in your drive at just above idle speed. And this method to warm up also invites other problems. Remember that modern cars are equipped with a multitude of devices to help them run clean, including a catalytic converter (sometimes three of them), a device in the exhaust system that works to burn off unburned hydrocarbons in the exhaust stream. A cold engine emits a far higher percentage of unburned hydrocarbons than a warm engine. Unfortunately, the average catalytic converter can’t process 100 percent of unburned hydrocarbons even in the best of times. Importantly, the catalytic converter needs high exhaust temperatures to work properly. Throw in a cold engine emitting a high percentage of unburned hydrocarbons, repeat several hundred times, and you can end up with what’s called a “plugged” converter. In a nutshell, the converter becomes overwhelmed and literally ceases to function. This won’t happen all at once but over time, the end effect is the same: poor mileage and significantly dirtier exhaust.

The best bet? Even when it’s 10 degrees F outside, start your car, let it run for 30 to 60 seconds to get all the fluids moving, then drive off gently. Your engine will warm up faster, your exhaust system will get up to temperature faster so the catalytic converter can do its thing, and you’ll use less fuel. Which is what you wanted all along anyhow, right?

If it's below zero outside, it would be a good idea to give the engine five minutes or a little less before you drive off into the frozen wilderness!

— Richard Backus, editor in chief, Gas Engine and Motorcycle Classics magazines

 

Haha. Imagine the road rage in a busy parking lot while everyone idles.

 

LOL I know, my GF would be killing people.

 

I normally wait till its up to 130 or 140 to do anything too spirited, but I always just let it idle for a min or so to get oil to everything before I go driving off.

 

Oil pressure should be up to 40 LBS before driving off. Usually takes 5-10 seconds. Don't get on it hard and keep RPM below 3000 or so until oil temp is in the 140-150 Deg range especially on modded cars and your engine will live a long happy life.

 

no need to idle until it's warm. don't exceed 3k RPM until it's well over 100. 130-140 is a good reference point. remember, most engine failures occur within 5 minutes of starting the car

 

Mechanic says 150-160 oil before spirited engine use.

 

Plus getting tire temps up to temp for best grip is also takes a bit of time.

Start your engine, let it idle for 60 sec and drive off easy. Temps will come up soon enough for fun time

 

Good question. Make sure that your engine oil is up to a good operating temp before sprited driving to keep from having engine damage. I can't remember the temp but it has to do with engine tolarances.
Sounds about right.

 

100 deg before easing out of the neighborhood for me, 180 before WOT.

 

Thanks, everyone, for the responses.

I really don't have to let it idle too long to bring the temperature up. We have had 69 days this summer when the ambient temperature exceeded 100* and something like 98 consecutive days when the high temperature exceeded 90*.

I just came back from a 45 minute drive with my 85-year-old mother-in-law in the co-pilot seat. I took it pretty easy for the first several miles and then opened it up when the oil temp got to about 180*. When we completed our run, the oil temperature was 223*.

 

FYI: fast foward to 2:20 of the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIHuE...video_response

 

It really doesn't take that long to get the temps up.

 

Pro tips, I knew there was a scientific reason