Safe Warm Up?
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 557
Likes: 0
From: Gaithersburg MD
Safe Warm Up?
What coolant temperture is safe to put it in gear after sitting in the unheated garage all night when the thermometer drops to 15 degrees or outside on 20 degree days? Normal range for my C5 is between 192 & 195. I let it get to 100 before moving and was wondering if this is OK. Thanks in advance for the feedback.
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Race Director
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 19,459
Likes: 48
From: Schaumburg IL
CI 7-8-9-11 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '06-'10, '13
Originally Posted by istsme98
i sually wait till the oil temp is over 100 before moving 
I would pay more attention to the Oil temp before moving than the coolant. If it's below 40 or so I will usually let the Oil temp get up to 120+ before moving...give or take a few degrees...and even then I wait to "get on it hard" until I see the oil temp hit 175-180.
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 3,830
Likes: 3
From: Granada Hills CA
These would be my recommendations.
Less than 100 degree Oil temp- Okay to drive car at low speeds after warm up of at least 30-60 seconds. Less than 2500 RPM recommended.
Avoid standing start full throttle launches at all costs.
Less than 150 degrees Oil temp- All RPM ranges available for use avoid redline shifts.
150+ Oil temp- Cocked, locked, ready to rock. Let your courage and wallet be your guide.
The oil temp is more an indicator that the different metals in the various components are warm enough not to break because of brittleness, valve springs for instance.
Less than 100 degree Oil temp- Okay to drive car at low speeds after warm up of at least 30-60 seconds. Less than 2500 RPM recommended.
Avoid standing start full throttle launches at all costs.
Less than 150 degrees Oil temp- All RPM ranges available for use avoid redline shifts.
150+ Oil temp- Cocked, locked, ready to rock. Let your courage and wallet be your guide.
The oil temp is more an indicator that the different metals in the various components are warm enough not to break because of brittleness, valve springs for instance.
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 13,733
Likes: 66
From: Hurst, TX USA
Guess I'm in the minority here. I never look at the temps and, although it doesn't get that cold here in TX often, we've been in the teens a couple times. I have about 10 minutes of residential road driving before I get to a spot I can even go 50+, so I figure that's enough warm up. I do have an A4, BTW so it needs warm up as well and you wouldn't get that sitting in the garage idling.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 5,118
Likes: 122
From: Madison (Huntsville) Alabama
CI 6-7-8 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '09
I'd always been taught that you start it up and get it moving as soon as possible ... don't let it sit there idling. Just drive it slowly until it's up to operating temperature.
Not sure that's the proper thing to do, but it's what I've always done.
Not sure that's the proper thing to do, but it's what I've always done.
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Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 38,655
Likes: 25
From: Bunnell FL
I am the same way - Start and GO, but gently!
I back out of my garage, drive up the drive, stop and pick up the morning papers and then drive 2 minutes at 25 mph until I get to the exit from my development. a mile at 35 mph until I get to the 45 mph zone. By then all of the temperatures are up where they should be.
I back out of my garage, drive up the drive, stop and pick up the morning papers and then drive 2 minutes at 25 mph until I get to the exit from my development. a mile at 35 mph until I get to the 45 mph zone. By then all of the temperatures are up where they should be.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 16,270
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From: "It's 106 miles to Chicago, we've got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark, and
St. Jude Donor '03-'04-'05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17-‘18-'19
NCM Sinkhole Donor
It doesn't get too cold here in Phoenix either, but I lived in Chicago all of my life before moving here 13 years ago - so I know COLD! Letting a car just idle for some indetermined length of time is a was te of fuel and not really necessary. I also started it up, put on my seat belt, adjusted the mirrors and took off. I didn't hammer it or anything like that but waited until I started feeling a little heat.
Here in Phoenix, in the mornings or at night when it does get down in the thirties, I do the same thing, and watch until the oil temp hits about 150, before I'll get on it. Up until that time, I drive easy, but sitting and idling is a waste of time and gas......jmho, of course!
Here in Phoenix, in the mornings or at night when it does get down in the thirties, I do the same thing, and watch until the oil temp hits about 150, before I'll get on it. Up until that time, I drive easy, but sitting and idling is a waste of time and gas......jmho, of course!
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,240
Likes: 2
From: Cedar Rapids Iowa
One of the big advantages of synthetic oil is that its viscosity hardly changes over an extremely wide temperature range. I see no reason to not just start the car and go. I would however drive it moderately until the oil temperature came up. When I got in my Z this morning, the oil temperature indicated something like 10 degrees. It was -10 outside. I just started it and left.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 3,427
Likes: 2
From: Fountain Inn, South Carolina
I try to let mine idle for a few minutes before I drive it.... I like to see the water temp gauge moving before I do any hard driving or high revs. I like to know the valve springs are warmed and ready.
As far as the opinions from members from Texas, South Carolina, Alabama, Arizona go....
As if you know what we're talking about
Michigan... Current temp 2 degrees F
BRRRRRRRRRR
As far as the opinions from members from Texas, South Carolina, Alabama, Arizona go....
As if you know what we're talking about
Michigan... Current temp 2 degrees F
BRRRRRRRRRR
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 25,889
Likes: 7
From: Virginia Beach
CI 3-5-6-7-8 Veteran
No need to let the oil really warm up before moving. I let the oil pressure stabilize and let her idle for a minute or two. Then I keep it under 2500 rpms and no WOT until I hit 150... or 140 if I'm impatient. This is good for valve spring life. Cold springs are brittle and can break w/ our fairly aggressive stock cams (esp. Z06)
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 2,898
Likes: 5
From: Plainfield, IL
For you guys that start your car and let it warm up before you go are wasting your gas and possibly doing more harm to your motor. I do not know the details but I was told that the best possible thing you can do for your engine is start it and go (ofcourse being easy on it until at normal operating temp). Its kinda like the idea of proper engine break in at new. Its best to move the rpms around a bit without maintaining the same rpms for too long.
Hope this helps.
Hope this helps.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,104
Likes: 0
From: "In a van down by the river" CO
Call it a waste of gas if you want. A whole $2.00! That's a lot cheaper than a busted valve spring and a dropped valve on the piston. No thanks, mine will idle until the oil temp comes up.
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 58,524
Likes: 70
St. Jude Donor '06-'07-'08-'09
Originally Posted by RocketDawg
I'd always been taught that you start it up and get it moving as soon as possible ... don't let it sit there idling. Just drive it slowly until it's up to operating temperature.
Not sure that's the proper thing to do, but it's what I've always done.
Not sure that's the proper thing to do, but it's what I've always done.
Supporting Tuner
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 51,896
Likes: 39
From: ================== Houston, Texas www.englandgreen.com ================== Necessary Evil™ __________
CI 6-7-8-9-10 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14
I'm "Old School".
I let it warm up to operating temps (over 160) and then slowly move off. Wait till A4 and tires warm up before getting on it hard.
Cheaper than breaking something (like a dropped valve or ring land)
My 2 cents
EG
I let it warm up to operating temps (over 160) and then slowly move off. Wait till A4 and tires warm up before getting on it hard.
Cheaper than breaking something (like a dropped valve or ring land)
My 2 cents
EG
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 2,898
Likes: 5
From: Plainfield, IL
Lowdowndirty,
Maybe your misunderstanding me. I didnt say start the car up and go riding down the road at 5,000rpm. Start the car, let the cold idle come down for a few seconds then drive off. As far as being a waste of gas I was just using that to support my theory.
And as mentioned above, waiting till 160 degress is just plain rediculous. Here in Chicago it would literally take 15 minutes to reach that temp. Infact my engine just reaches that temp when I get home from work which is approximately 8 miles from home.
Whatever floats your boat
Maybe your misunderstanding me. I didnt say start the car up and go riding down the road at 5,000rpm. Start the car, let the cold idle come down for a few seconds then drive off. As far as being a waste of gas I was just using that to support my theory.
And as mentioned above, waiting till 160 degress is just plain rediculous. Here in Chicago it would literally take 15 minutes to reach that temp. Infact my engine just reaches that temp when I get home from work which is approximately 8 miles from home.
Whatever floats your boat