Cold start question

[bdanisi]

I turn the car on and I drive immediately. I just shift under 3k until I hear that my engine is warn via my exhaust. Sitting in the car waiting for fluid to warm up is a waste because most of the fluid doesn't fully warm up unless it is under load anyhow.

[Trigonx]

I do what some here do, let the rpm drop. Drive gingerly until the engine is warm enough, then go nuts if i so please.

[504]

The coolant warms up within a couple of minutes and remains fairly consistent afterwards while oil generally takes 5 or so miles of soft driving to get oil to reach operating temperature. What I do is let the car idle for 30 seconds to let oil pressure drop a little and take it easy for the first 10 minutes of the drive. An oil pressure gauge would really be helpful in deciding which method is best here

[strat61caster]

Heads up, all cars idle high at the beginning to get hot exhaust flowing to the catalytic converters until they are up to operating temperature. Otherwise they don't "clean" the exhaust, has very little to do with oil temps and warming up the engine otherwise they would all be programmed to just sit at idle to be the most fuel efficient possible.

Edit: Although by idling high fluid (and block) temperatures do rise a little quicker as well (compared to base idle).

[zoomzoomers]

Don't quote me on this, but I was told by an engineer that the only reason for the high rpm's on start up is for emissions reasons only. It's to heat up the cats as quickly as possible as emissions are the worst during start ups. So the reason for the higher rpms is to get the cats warmed up and working ASAP. Not to get the oil heated, although that might be a beneficial side effect. So all that stuff about letting the revs settle to idle is just a psycological bench mark we use to make us "feel" better about driving off.

Now what I've been told about oils is totally different and sometimes a bit difficult to believe. With the tech in oils these days, it's supposed to protect throughout a vast temp range and that includes when the motor is cold. A film of oil on the cylinder walls and all that mumbo jumbo. So unless you start her up and redline your motor, the film of oil that was left on the surface of cylinder/piston rings/etc. is supposed to protect things even during a cold start.

In the end, do whatever prevents YOU from punching babies...

[zoomzoomers]

Originally Posted by strat61caster

Heads up, all cars idle high at the beginning to get hot exhaust flowing to the catalytic converters until they are up to operating temperature. Otherwise they don't "clean" the exhaust, has very little to do with oil temps and warming up the engine otherwise they would all be programmed to just sit at idle to be the most fuel efficient possible.

Edit: Although by idling high fluid (and block) temperatures do rise a little quicker as well (compared to base idle).

Got to it before I did.

[ravenblackfrs]

If its really cold you want to give the oil pump in the engine time to pick up the cold oil and sling it around over the heads before driving it. When you turn the car off the oil in the heads drains back down into the oil pan. There is still some oil on the top end, but its not cycling properly till it gets to proper temps. At least thats what I was always told.

[Rayme]

In either way, waiting or not, then engine will get to operating temperature faster if you drive it carefully than waiting for it to warm up on idle. As long as you don't beat on it in until it's warm there's no harm. A very small issue with some great debates indeed.

[stugray]

When oil is cold the pressures in certain areas of the system can get REALLY high if you rev the engine while still cold.
While it typically does no damage, not all of the seals in the system were designed to take over 100PSI.....
I have personally seen an oil cooler blow out when cold.

So... I dont submit my engine to high revs until the temp gauge is near the middle of the "normal" range.

[Anthony]

I usually lick my finger and hold it up in the air to determine wind direction. Then immediately pizza.

Originally Posted by DSlayerZX

I just go in, start the car connect my phone to bluetooth, put my wallets, etc. away...

There are few things ballin'er than multiple wallets.

[bcj]

Originally Posted by Yellow13

Pizza

The Deliverator belongs to an elite order, a hallowed subcategory. He's got esprit up to here. Right now, he is preparing to carry out his third mission of the night. His uniform is black as activated charcoal, filtering the very light out of the air. A bullet will bounce off its arachno-fiber weave like a wren hitting a patio door ...
- Niel Stephenson _Snow_Crash_

Originally Posted by zoomzoomers

In the end, do whatever prevents YOU from punching babies...

and this ^

[Porsche]

Originally Posted by mitosis

… gently drive off, wait for oil temp to hit about 185 F (monitoring with Torque app)

Mitosis -- my dear friend with instruments I don't have -- please elaborate.

Because I lack access to my oil pressure and oil temperature information, I carry in my console an inexpensive, tiny, kitchen timer, which I set to 10 minutes following startup. When it beeps, I will begin to drive my cars harder, using more revs and more throttle as desired. I subject my cold engine to only light loads until warmed up. This typically takes 5-6 miles of gentle driving at 2000-3000 rpm, avoiding engine lugging, and using small throttle openings.

Oil temperature is the critical issue as you have correctly noted.

Will you tell us, please, how many MINUTES of gentle driving do you find it generally takes for the oil temperature to rise to 185° F.

Thanks.

[bcj]

That depends entirely on ambient temperatures, altitude and humidity.
If it's 30 below kelvin, it will take a bit longer.

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by bcj

That depends entirely on ambient temperatures, altitude and humidity.
If it's 30 below kelvin, it will take a bit longer.

-30 Kelvin? Isn't that some black hole type shit?