Cold start
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Heel & Toe
Joined: Mar 2026
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Cold start
Started my car this morning to leave work since I work graveyard shift. Most of the time I let sit idle for a few minutes till the yellow drops down to 5000rpm. But it was raining and nasty out so wanted to get home. When I put I drive I heard like a thump in the rear, hoping not transmission issue. I know the temp has dropped a little bit chilly in Louisiana than normally this time of year. Does anyone else let their car warm up before putting in drive or does it matter if the oil is heated up. Just wondering what people do up north when temps are extremely cold. I know most are going to say this is not a DD for them. But if I am paying a note and insurance I am driving this B*tch.
Race Director
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Started my car this morning to leave work since I work graveyard shift. Most of the time I let sit idle for a few minutes till the yellow drops down to 5000rpm. But it was raining and nasty out so wanted to get home. When I put I drive I heard like a thump in the rear, hoping not transmission issue. I know the temp has dropped a little bit chilly in Louisiana than normally this time of year. Does anyone else let their car warm up before putting in drive or does it matter if the oil is heated up. Just wondering what people do up north when temps are extremely cold. I know most are going to say this is not a DD for them. But if I am paying a note and insurance I am driving this B*tch.
Regarding RPM, I think you mean you normally wait to 500 rpm, not 5000 rpm, but this time you did it when the idle was a little faster. So yeah, that might have something to do with the clunk too.
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I do not let my car idle and warm up before driving it. I do keep the RPMs below the warning lines until it gets up to temp.
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see post 29 at this thread for video evidence:
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...post1607148160
Last edited by Andybump; May 3, 2026 at 07:59 AM.
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2026
Posts: 112
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From: GA
On my 2021, NPP closes instantly after the engine starts - even a stone cold start - if the engine sound setting is Tour (or Weather). Stays open if the engine sound setting is track. And that is how it is described in the Service Manual.
see post 29 at this thread for video evidence:
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...post1607148160
see post 29 at this thread for video evidence:
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...post1607148160
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2020
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From: Kelso, Wa
Ah, .. I often turn off the car in My Mode, where I have the NPP wide open. When I realize it, I go to Tour to quiet the neighborhood. Then I drive away. I guess I didn't notice that starting in Tour it quiets right away.
THANX.
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Racer
Joined: Jan 2026
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From: Torrance, CA
Started my car this morning to leave work since I work graveyard shift. Most of the time I let sit idle for a few minutes till the yellow drops down to 5000rpm. But it was raining and nasty out so wanted to get home. When I put I drive I heard like a thump in the rear, hoping not transmission issue. I know the temp has dropped a little bit chilly in Louisiana than normally this time of year. Does anyone else let their car warm up before putting in drive or does it matter if the oil is heated up. Just wondering what people do up north when temps are extremely cold. I know most are going to say this is not a DD for them. But if I am paying a note and insurance I am driving this B*tch.
Race Director
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Modern engines (the past several decades) should be driven to warm up. In the distant old days, tolerances were loose and warming up slowly (which is what you're doing when you idle at startup) was a good idea so that the engine wasn't bang things hard before everything has finished expanding. But since then, tolerances are tight and you should get your engine warmed up quicker, which is done by driving. Basically, the more gasoline you're using the faster you are bringing your engine up to operating temperature.
Racer
Joined: Jan 2026
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From: Torrance, CA
Yes you can drive off gently. But the redline on the tach is around 4k rpm during a cold start and will increase to the nominal redline as the car warms up. So there is still a warm up period doing which things are still expanding, and that is why it shows the lower redline and why it should be driven gently during that period. But I agree - it is ok to drive off.
These modern conveniences are still blowing my mind, having bought my last car in 2002 until this January. I'll forget how to manage the headlights if I ever have to drive an old car. I still feel like a vampire when I look in the review mirror and don't see me. I don't think I'll forget how to drive a stick, this being my first automatic, because I still reach for it once in a while when I take a hard corner. Front lift, blind-spot warning, backup cam...
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Yes, I did mean "drive" as in out the garage and down the street (not revving and racing), but living in California I had no idea that the engine enforces the cold start with a lower redline. Very interesting, thanks.
These modern conveniences are still blowing my mind, having bought my last car in 2002 until this January. I'll forget how to manage the headlights if I ever have to drive an old car. I still feel like a vampire when I look in the review mirror and don't see me. I don't think I'll forget how to drive a stick, this being my first automatic, because I still reach for it once in a while when I take a hard corner. Front lift, blind-spot warning, backup cam...
These modern conveniences are still blowing my mind, having bought my last car in 2002 until this January. I'll forget how to manage the headlights if I ever have to drive an old car. I still feel like a vampire when I look in the review mirror and don't see me. I don't think I'll forget how to drive a stick, this being my first automatic, because I still reach for it once in a while when I take a hard corner. Front lift, blind-spot warning, backup cam...
Racer
Joined: Jan 2026
Posts: 312
Likes: 234
From: Torrance, CA
Race Director
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