Mike Mercury

do you look at to determine when it's OK to smile and say "Lets Rock".

At first I thought oil temp... but then I was thinking tranny temp (A4).

Wondering what youz C5 peeps have your DIC set to; and what value to you like to see before getting on it.

Bounty

It's funny, but to me I think the order in the DIC is almost perfect. When first starting it up I look at the gauge in the cluster and the DIC readout to verify there is oil pressure.

Before backing out of the driveway I check the oil temp and make sure it's at LEAST 100 degrees fahrenheit. Sounds a little high to guys up north but here in Miami that's a minute or two of idling. Next DIC option is coolant temp which I verify is warming up correctly and move on to tranny temp.

I like to have the tranny fluid warmed up to at least 100 - 125 before really getting on it. I do not have a deep sump pan or tranny cooler at the moment as I'm still rolling with the stock converter and gears. As such the fluid temp in the transmission gets to that range fairly quickly.

When just driving around I leave the DIC readout on coolant temp to keep an eye on it in case something goes wrong...

lucky131969

I would think everything you need to know is right in front of you in analog form. Coolant temp, and oil pressure. I never get on it until the engine has reached operating temperature.

Mike Mercury

but that's what I'm asking; how do you define "operating temp".

YO-EL

176 coolant..
oil will catch up...

ZeeOSix

Nope ... don't go by coolant temp as oil temp can lag significantly during warm-up ... just watch the two and you'll see this. Most guys here say don't romp on it until the OIL TEMP is above 150 deg F.

Pseudomind

This might sound strange, but I would think that the settings used which indicate CAG shifting should be optimum. I might have to double check this to see what the oil temp is though for the CAG's prompt.

Then again I guess it would also depend what you are getting ready to do, the quarter mile? Auto-cross?

Oldvetter

I keep oil temperature on my DIC, as I have analog gages for everything else (MN6). I like to see 160 F on oil temperature before getting on it.

ZeeOSix

I doubt the CAG light functionality is linked to oil temp.

BlackZ06

It is linked to engine coolant temperature (ECT) ... it "turns on" when the ECT reaches 169 degrees and then only engages between 15 and 19 MPH and at 20 percent throttle or less.

87SAM

I wonder if it depends on year? From the 2000 manual:

Gear Select (Skip Shift)
To ensure good fuel economy and compliance with federal fuel economy standards, SECOND and THIRD gears are inhibited when shifting out of FIRST gear under the following conditions:

Coolant temperature is above 50°C (122°F).
Vehicle speed is between 20 and 29 km/h (12 and 19 mph).
Throttle is opened 35 percent or less.

BlackZ06

That's what I do too. Since I can't monitor the tranny temps (manual) I use the DIC to watch oil temp and I will not do anything other than "granny" starts and acceleration until the oil hits 160. Once it's at 160 I feel OK going "heavy" into the throttle (say 3/4 pedal travel for a quick merge onto the highway) but for WOT I usually wait until oil is at least 180.

If I'm gonna get "serious" and really want to beat the car (say at a road course race track) then I want to see the oil temp stable for a lap (warm-up lap) at about 200 degrees. Then it's ***** to the walls baby ... beat that LSx engine like Chevy designed it to be beaten, and listen to the awesome sound it makes ....

thetorch

Same here

lucky131969

I suppose the simplest answer to that is lack of change or steady state. When you first start the car, the temp is ambient. It will continue to increase, through the thermostat opening, until it reaches a temperature where there is little variation. Once you reach the point where there is little to no variation, you have reached operating temperature.

Robls6

I always wait until the OIL temp is 160F before getting on it. You could have a 180F water temp and still have oil that is under 100F.

Mike Mercury

interesting.

WKMCD

I usually have mine set to instant average when I'm drivgin so that's what is usually up when I start the car. I immediately flip to oil temp before I drive off. I take it very easy 2000-2500 rpm until oil temp reaches 150 but wait until about 175 before I really slam it hard. Comp 921's a brittle buggers when cold.

ZeeOSix

Exactly ... OIL TEMP is what should be watched to determine when the engine is ready to rip.

lucky131969

And to think for all these years most cars never had an oil temp gauge...........

Where can I read more about optimum oil temperature?

Pro Street

A4 also.I wait for tranny temp to get to 120°.