When is the engine warmed up?
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 2,030
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From: My tolerance for stupidity is at an all time low.
When is the engine warmed up?
I think most of us probably know that you shouldn't run the engine too hard until it is fully warmed up. Some BMWs and Lexus's (Lexi?) have tachs with redlines that adjust depending on how warm the engine is. My question is what determines when the engine is fully warmed up? What do I need to be looking for? Is it oil temperature? Water temperature? And at what temperature?
I usually try to keep it under 2500 rpm and not get on it too quickly until I am sure that everything is flowing smoothly, but I have been wondering about just what it means for the engine to be fully warmed up.
Thanks guys! :)
I usually try to keep it under 2500 rpm and not get on it too quickly until I am sure that everything is flowing smoothly, but I have been wondering about just what it means for the engine to be fully warmed up.
Thanks guys! :)
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 7,758
Likes: 0
From: Fort Worth Texas
Cruise-In II Veteran
Cruise-In III Veteran
Re: When is the engine warmed up? (WildKarrde)
The most critcal metric of the engine being ready to rev high, is the oil temp.
It (the oil temp) needs to be around 150 F + before doing any high RPM driving.
It (the oil temp) needs to be around 150 F + before doing any high RPM driving.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 933
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From: Santa Clara Ca
Re: When is the engine warmed up? (WildKarrde)
To meet the EPA rules, a valid warm up is the engine has to get to at least 160 + degrees on water.
This means if you turned the engine off, or did not use a proper thermostat, before getting to 160 what is considered a vaild "Trip" would not have been met and any pending error code that would have been purged on that startup would not be counted and error would remain until a valid trip was made.
This means if you turned the engine off, or did not use a proper thermostat, before getting to 160 what is considered a vaild "Trip" would not have been met and any pending error code that would have been purged on that startup would not be counted and error would remain until a valid trip was made.
I think most of us probably know that you shouldn't run the engine too hard until it is fully warmed up. Some BMWs and Lexus's (Lexi?) have tachs with redlines that adjust depending on how warm the engine is. My question is what determines when the engine is fully warmed up? What do I need to be looking for? Is it oil temperature? Water temperature? And at what temperature?
I usually try to keep it under 2500 rpm and not get on it too quickly until I am sure that everything is flowing smoothly, but I have been wondering about just what it means for the engine to be fully warmed up.
Thanks guys! :)
I usually try to keep it under 2500 rpm and not get on it too quickly until I am sure that everything is flowing smoothly, but I have been wondering about just what it means for the engine to be fully warmed up.
Thanks guys! :)
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 6,744
Likes: 1
From: delmont pa
Cruise-In I Veteran
Cruise-In II Veteran
Re: When is the engine warmed up? (WildKarrde)
oil temp of at least 150 degrees because the bearing clearance increases with temp in a aluminum engine. the C-5R engine has the oil preheated before starting. this is also the reason they put 5-30 mobil 1 in instead of 10-30. back in the ZR-1 days they had cam bearings in the head go out because the oil did not get ther quick enought in cold weather.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 5,529
Likes: 1,943
From: Austin Texas
Re: When is the engine warmed up? (clem zahrobsky)
Its definately the oil temp that modulates when you can step on it. But you should have 5 miles or so in the car to get the tranny and diff fluids uncoagulated (warm) so that these fluids can protect those parts also.
Racer
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 453
Likes: 1
From: Poughkeepsie NY
Re: When is the engine warmed up? (WildKarrde)
I usually wait until the oil temp exceeds 180. Keep in mind you have an all aluminum engine, so it is extremely important to make sure the water temp is close to the oil temp. The water temp will heat up twice as fast as the oil temp. I feel a 15 degree varience (I am not a mechanic) is acceptable before attempting WOT.
:chevy
:chevy
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