How long do YOU let your engine warm up for?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2021
Posts: 200
Likes: 34
From: Niceville FL
How long do YOU let your engine warm up for?
Just curious about people's opinions. Especially now that these cars are getting old and worn out. All the other threads I can find on this subject are 10+ years old.
I personally let the oil get up to about 90deg, or 80 on a cold day, before driving.
That's typically 3-5 minutes. My engines piston slap causes a bit of concern when I don't let it warm up.
Does your engine have slap?
I personally let the oil get up to about 90deg, or 80 on a cold day, before driving.
That's typically 3-5 minutes. My engines piston slap causes a bit of concern when I don't let it warm up.
Does your engine have slap?
Pro
Joined: Apr 2023
Posts: 670
Likes: 358
From: Windsor, CT
I do not purposefully warm up the engine. However I live on a hill, so when I leave my driveway, it's literally all down hill and I can keep my RPMs under 1k for nearly a mile. Now when I'm leaving from somewhere other than my home, I just get in and go, no warm up. I don't get on the throttle in any serious way until engine oil temp is above 140.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2021
Posts: 200
Likes: 34
From: Niceville FL
I do not purposefully warm up the engine. However I live on a hill, so when I leave my driveway, it's literally all down hill and I can keep my RPMs under 1k for nearly a mile. Now when I'm leaving from somewhere other than my home, I just get in and go, no warm up. I don't get on the throttle in any serious way until engine oil temp is above 140.
No Hostility Be Happy
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 10,080
Likes: 7,398
From: South Hill Wa
2022 C5 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2021 C5 of the Year Finalist - Modified
120 degrees coolant temp and then I roll out.
Forged piston motor. Anything colder than that and it's kinda rattley sounding.
Forged piston motor. Anything colder than that and it's kinda rattley sounding.
No Hostility Be Happy
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 10,080
Likes: 7,398
From: South Hill Wa
2022 C5 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2021 C5 of the Year Finalist - Modified
General consensus on any modern engine say 25 years or so and newer is just start it up and drive it away easy going until warm.
I've never understood the concept of start it up and let it run for 10 minutes in the driveway just so you can run the heater and be warm.
I've never understood the concept of start it up and let it run for 10 minutes in the driveway just so you can run the heater and be warm.
Last edited by Mr. Black; Jun 2, 2024 at 10:19 AM. Reason: Clarity
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2021
Posts: 200
Likes: 34
From: Niceville FL
That is the case I imagine. My piston slap, and the dact that I've only ever owned carbureted cars, is why I do it.
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 771
Likes: 288
From: Middleton, Id
I start it and warm it 5 min or so. I like to bring the fluids and metals up a bit before driving. Probably goes back to my 2 stroke bike days. If not warmed up properly you could cold seize it due to dissimilar metals warming up at different rates. Probably has nothing to do with modern 4 strokes but I don't like to start anything and just take off cold.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 2,804
Likes: 358
From: Northville, MI
When I start the car in nice weather, I let it idle a minute or two and then turn on the oil temp gauge. I keep it under 2000 rpm (6 speed) until the oil reaches 120 degrees and then under 3000 rpm until it hits 180 degrees. Then everything is warmed up. When auto crossing or HPDE I never go on the track until until the oil reached 180 deg. Coolant temps are for heat, oil temps are for the engine.IMHO
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 756
Likes: 172
From: SC
Back in the day when mechanical chokes didn't work too well causing the engine to stall if not warmed. Sometimes I would let it warm to avoid stalling. When electronic ignition and computer control took over, i see no reason to "warm up" the engine. GM Chevrolet does not give guidance for a warm up period. If it was needed they would guidance on how. They don't, I don't.
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 1,678
Likes: 229
From: Michigan
There will be no ill-effects giving your oil time to come up to temp before hammering on it. I like to see 150 degrees before taking mine over 2000 Rpms.
Pro
Joined: Sep 2018
Posts: 667
Likes: 302
From: Nova Scotia Canada
The only thing I do is if the car has been sitting for quite awhile is use the the trick of holding the throttle to the floor while cranking. This prevents the injectors from firing and allows time to build oil pressure before starting.
Other than that I wait until I see 150ish oil temps before high revs. I was once told that aside from other potential issues high revs of a cool motor can break valve springs. I don't know if it's true but that's a rule that I follow.
Other than that I wait until I see 150ish oil temps before high revs. I was once told that aside from other potential issues high revs of a cool motor can break valve springs. I don't know if it's true but that's a rule that I follow.
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2022
Posts: 123
Likes: 66
From: Sylvania, OH
I am reading "All Corvettes Are Red" which is about the development of the C5. Currently reading about pre-production testing that was done on the cars. One of the things they do is start the car in 0 degree weather and drive it away. They don't say if it's good or bad to do it but they make sure it can be done.