Let car warm up before driving?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 117
Likes: 0
From: Abilene TX
Let car warm up before driving?
I have a very small commute to work (literally a couple of blocks), should I be waiting for my corvette to warm up before driving over there, or does it not matter that much?
Without waiting for it to warm up the oil in the morning is generally 80-90f degrees by the time I get to work, and in the afternoons 90-100f by the time I get home.
Seems like this might be bad, although the idea of warming my car up for twice as long as the actual trip will take just is striking me as funny also lol.
Without waiting for it to warm up the oil in the morning is generally 80-90f degrees by the time I get to work, and in the afternoons 90-100f by the time I get home.
Seems like this might be bad, although the idea of warming my car up for twice as long as the actual trip will take just is striking me as funny also lol.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,028
Likes: 0
From: Fort Worth Texas
Originally Posted by Zumin
I have a very small commute to work (literally a couple of blocks), should I be waiting for my corvette to warm up before driving over there, or does it not matter that much?
Without waiting for it to warm up the oil in the morning is generally 80-90f degrees by the time I get to work, and in the afternoons 90-100f by the time I get home.
Seems like this might be bad, although the idea of warming my car up for twice as long as the actual trip will take just is striking me as funny also lol.
Without waiting for it to warm up the oil in the morning is generally 80-90f degrees by the time I get to work, and in the afternoons 90-100f by the time I get home.
Seems like this might be bad, although the idea of warming my car up for twice as long as the actual trip will take just is striking me as funny also lol.
Race Director
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 16,667
Likes: 1,209
From: Raleigh, NC
St. Jude Donor '15
Doubt it will make any difference. I might say let it warm up if you weren't running synthetic oil, but the viscocity of synthetic oils doesn't change nearly as much as normal oils, thus less reason to let the car warm up. I wouldn't drag race to work with a cold engine..but I wouldn't wait 10 mins for it to warm up either for an easy drive to work...
I pretty regularly just start mine and go with below freezing oil and coolant temps in the winter, but mine only has 166K miles on it, what would I know about longevity
I pretty regularly just start mine and go with below freezing oil and coolant temps in the winter, but mine only has 166K miles on it, what would I know about longevity
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 117
Likes: 0
From: Abilene TX
I've actually walked to work a few times, but there's a pretty busy road on the way.
Guess I'll try letting it warm up to 160 or so and see how long that takes, the other side of this though is that I've heard that letting your car sit and run is bad also, although I'm not really sure why that would be.
Guess I'll try letting it warm up to 160 or so and see how long that takes, the other side of this though is that I've heard that letting your car sit and run is bad also, although I'm not really sure why that would be.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 117
Likes: 0
From: Abilene TX
Originally Posted by schpenxel
Doubt it will make any difference. I might say let it warm up if you weren't running synthetic oil, but the viscocity of synthetic oils doesn't change nearly as much as normal oils, thus less reason to let the car warm up. I wouldn't drag race to work with a cold engine..but I wouldn't wait 10 mins for it to warm up either for an easy drive to work...
I pretty regularly just start mine and go with below freezing oil and coolant temps in the winter, but mine only has 166K miles on it, what would I know about longevity
I pretty regularly just start mine and go with below freezing oil and coolant temps in the winter, but mine only has 166K miles on it, what would I know about longevity
Race Director
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 16,667
Likes: 1,209
From: Raleigh, NC
St. Jude Donor '15
Tolerances also change from cold to hot, as I'm sure you know metals expand/contract when heated and cooled. Either way, I might let it warm up until the oil temp got to 100 or so, if it makes you feel better
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 922
Likes: 0
From: Dallas TX
I hardly ever let mine warm up. i usually just start it up and drive to work. I used to only live 3 miles from work (i actually checked, and it only 3 streets to work) but now i live just a tad farther away. I dont race it on the way to work either i just cruise. Its pretty warm here in Dallas so im not to worried about it.
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Verdad Gallardo
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 3,865
Likes: 0
From: Chicago il
Originally Posted by WKMCD
Just make sure you get it hot enough a couple of times a week to "cook" off the condensaton that naturally occurs as the exhaust cools.
i woudl wait for about 15 seconds for the computer to do its things, and just take it easy on the car. And like it says about, make sure you do get it going a few times a week and open it up
Former Vendor
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 9,615
Likes: 13
From: Burlington NC
Coming from MN winter experiences. Don't worry about it, drive it. Don't run the car hard cold. You will need to run the car hard and hot every once and a while, to burn off the water in the system.
Randy
Randy
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 1,117
Likes: 1
From: Cedar Falls Iowa
Would valve springs be a issue? I know that aftermarket ones should not be reved very high when cold. Would think after time a stock spring would suffer as well.
Just my .02
I always let it warm up a little before driving mine.
Just my .02
I always let it warm up a little before driving mine.
Drifting
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 1,525
Likes: 70
From: Noblesville IN
Originally Posted by Zumin
I have a very small commute to work (literally a couple of blocks), should I be waiting for my corvette to warm up before driving over there, or does it not matter that much?
Without waiting for it to warm up the oil in the morning is generally 80-90f degrees by the time I get to work, and in the afternoons 90-100f by the time I get home.
Seems like this might be bad, although the idea of warming my car up for twice as long as the actual trip will take just is striking me as funny also lol.
Without waiting for it to warm up the oil in the morning is generally 80-90f degrees by the time I get to work, and in the afternoons 90-100f by the time I get home.
Seems like this might be bad, although the idea of warming my car up for twice as long as the actual trip will take just is striking me as funny also lol.
David
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 24,129
Likes: 1,038
From: The Beautiful Pacific Northwest
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'08-'09, '14-'15-'16-'17-'18
Originally Posted by davidwp97
Good Grief - what a question! It's a Corvette, take the long way to work!
David
David
Best answer yet!
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 792
Likes: 19
From: ME
I'm with that guy that said "take the long way to work". I have a nice little route that I take in the morning that goes around town instead of the five miles to work. I just leave ten minutes early; you should try it. It really makes for a great start of every day. I mean really, who get's to drive a corvette every day to work? WE DO! So live it up man!
Technically, (I am a mechanic...) you really don't want to just sit there and let it idle to warm it up. You really don't want to start it up cold and go shooting around shifting at 3000 rpm either. Treat your motor the way you want to be treated when you wake up in the morning, take it easy and don't push it. My rules are: Shift 1500-2000 rpm when oil temp is below 150ish. That keeps my oil pressure right around 50 psi. My theory is simply - if you heat the motor up too fast you can cause problems. Head gaskets, consequent oil leaks, who knows.
But, rule number one.... Don't forget to have fun. These cars are built very well and can take a lot of abuse.
Technically, (I am a mechanic...) you really don't want to just sit there and let it idle to warm it up. You really don't want to start it up cold and go shooting around shifting at 3000 rpm either. Treat your motor the way you want to be treated when you wake up in the morning, take it easy and don't push it. My rules are: Shift 1500-2000 rpm when oil temp is below 150ish. That keeps my oil pressure right around 50 psi. My theory is simply - if you heat the motor up too fast you can cause problems. Head gaskets, consequent oil leaks, who knows.
But, rule number one.... Don't forget to have fun. These cars are built very well and can take a lot of abuse.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 41,058
Likes: 9,821
From: Charlotte, NC (formerly Endicott, NY)
Even in cold weather the warm up period shouldn't be any longer than it takes to fasten your seat belt after starting the car. Driving the car helps it warm up faster and speeds up vaporation of moisture and acids in the engine.
Bill
Bill
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 3,742
Likes: 217
From: Arizona AZ
Choices here:
1. Move further away
2. Find a job further away
3. Find a longer way to work
4. Buy a hybrid
5. Start your own business at home
6. Have your boss bring your work to your house
7. Buy an electric car
8. Buy a motorcycle
9. Find someone that needs a ride and go pick them up
10. Put a block heater on
11. Pour hot water on the engine before you get ready to go
12. Move to a house on the top of a hill so you can coast to work
13. Move to Arizona where it 90 degrees when you leave for work
14. Put a solar panel hood on your car to heat the water before you leave in the morning.
15. Cover your car with a thermal blanket at night
Ahhhh come on.............some of these were good...............
Just lightening up the evening chat.
1. Move further away
2. Find a job further away
3. Find a longer way to work
4. Buy a hybrid
5. Start your own business at home
6. Have your boss bring your work to your house
7. Buy an electric car
8. Buy a motorcycle
9. Find someone that needs a ride and go pick them up
10. Put a block heater on
11. Pour hot water on the engine before you get ready to go
12. Move to a house on the top of a hill so you can coast to work
13. Move to Arizona where it 90 degrees when you leave for work
14. Put a solar panel hood on your car to heat the water before you leave in the morning.
15. Cover your car with a thermal blanket at night
Ahhhh come on.............some of these were good...............
Just lightening up the evening chat.
