Warming the car up
12-07-2005, 10:13 AM
#21
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nice to see you already got your LS1Tech setup Clayton. You gotta bring that sweet thing by sometime, when I am home, and let me gawk at it. I usually let mine warm up till a reasonable idle, 5-10 min, or until the heater gets it a lil warm in the car. haha.
12-07-2005, 10:31 AM
#22
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well with the below zero air temps here the last few days i will start my car and let it run for about the time it takes me to scrape the window off then i go and take it very very easy til the engine is warm and the tranny goes through the gears smoothly so then i know its at normal operating temp...
a little off topic but when i went out to start my car the chime that goes off when you have the key in and the doors open is like really slow and weird sounding when it was in these temps...and when i started the car my gauges kinda went wacko right away (speedo shot up to like 110 etc..) and my tripometer reset it self...kindda wierd if you ask me, any one else seen something like this happen?
a little off topic but when i went out to start my car the chime that goes off when you have the key in and the doors open is like really slow and weird sounding when it was in these temps...and when i started the car my gauges kinda went wacko right away (speedo shot up to like 110 etc..) and my tripometer reset it self...kindda wierd if you ask me, any one else seen something like this happen?
12-07-2005, 10:49 AM
#23
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probably have an electrical problem.
waiting more than 15 seconds, period, is excessive. the proper oil will lube at low temps. plus, the tranny needs to warm up too, so driving soft until the temp guage gets up is not only fine on the car, but saves all the gas from that 10-15 minutes at idle. these V-8s will eat gas on idle too, not just WOT. put on a coat if it's cold and go for it
waiting more than 15 seconds, period, is excessive. the proper oil will lube at low temps. plus, the tranny needs to warm up too, so driving soft until the temp guage gets up is not only fine on the car, but saves all the gas from that 10-15 minutes at idle. these V-8s will eat gas on idle too, not just WOT. put on a coat if it's cold and go for it
12-07-2005, 01:08 PM
#26
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Originally Posted by BlueSix
About 15 seconds. Seriously guys, you don't need to let a motor warm up before driving. Prolonged periods of idling is not god for the engine.
i give it time to circulate some oil, then drive.
those of you who let the engine warm up, are not thinking of the tranny, or rearend. those only warm up by driving the car. So start the car up, wait a little bit, then drive, wait till near operating temp before getting up in the rpms.
I wont get over 3k till she's warm.
just my habit.
12-07-2005, 02:04 PM
#27
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Originally Posted by Camaroz
Start it and go just keep it under 2K RPM I say To each there own..
Remember guys, we are driving cars that are meant to start up and go. I can not see damage being done with this method. Unless your a sis pants and need a toasty warm car right when you get in it, just go and drive.
12-07-2005, 02:30 PM
#29
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I let mine sit in the garage until the end of April and then I start it in warm weather 
But I have heard it's bad to let your car idle in cold winter type weather. Just start it, drive easy and freeze your kahunas off until the temp gets up. That's what I used to do when I did daily drive my car in Chicago.
But I have heard it's bad to let your car idle in cold winter type weather. Just start it, drive easy and freeze your kahunas off until the temp gets up. That's what I used to do when I did daily drive my car in Chicago.
12-07-2005, 04:20 PM
#31
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Originally Posted by YoungGunLs1
a little off topic but when i went out to start my car the chime that goes off when you have the key in and the doors open is like really slow and weird sounding when it was in these temps...and when i started the car my gauges kinda went wacko right away (speedo shot up to like 110 etc..) and my tripometer reset it self...kindda wierd if you ask me, any one else seen something like this happen?
My post on it last year:
https://ls1tech.com/forums/new-ls1-owners-newbie-tech/262000-temperature-guages.html
Some others:
https://ls1tech.com/forums/new-ls1-owners-newbie-tech/136833-why-does-happen.html
https://ls1tech.com/forums/pcm-diagnostics-tuning/359115-my-pcm-has-short-term-memory.html
Last edited by Zymosis; 12-07-2005 at 04:28 PM.
12-07-2005, 04:24 PM
#32
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Originally Posted by Zymosis
I see you have a 1999, thats the only year the problem surfaced. I had that problem, first time I saw it I was stunned.
https://ls1tech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=262000
https://ls1tech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=262000
12-07-2005, 06:41 PM
#33
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Originally Posted by monicaz28
I'd like to know what it is that's bad about letting the engine idle.
12-07-2005, 07:10 PM
#34
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For me its not so much an issue of worrying about damaging the car, just that its a lot easier for me to drive the car after its been running for a minute or two after a night of sitting in the driveway. Engine sounds like hell when its cold, tranny feels bulky, and the clutch is wacky too. I'll usually let it run for at least a minute. Then drive really easy til I'm out of my development...about two miles or so.
Something I haven't seen come up is the effect, if any, of the cold on the other fluids. Mainly the tranny fluid and the rear diff fluid.
Something I haven't seen come up is the effect, if any, of the cold on the other fluids. Mainly the tranny fluid and the rear diff fluid.
12-07-2005, 09:23 PM
#35
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warm it up Hey guys, just thought I would put my 2 cents in.....1 minute should be long enough to thin out the oil enough to make its way through the bearings and then idle it around 1000 or 1500 RPM's so the oil gets on the cam and you should be good to go....you just want to make sure that the oil is thin enough to make its way through your bearing surfaces......the type of oil depends upon how long you warm up your vehicle also....I use Castrol Synthetic 5W-30 in the winter....I drive an 01 SS.....There ya go....
12-07-2005, 09:32 PM
#36
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Originally Posted by Patman
It takes longer for an engine to warm up when idling and during this time you get more blowby and you wash the cylinders down with fuel. You are getting a lot more engine wear by sitting there idling than you would driving it gently to warm it up.
What about a H/C car? just keep it under a certain RPM? or is idleing better?
12-07-2005, 10:10 PM
#37
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I let mine idle for about 2 minutes until the engine settles a bit (checking all gauges). Then drive It But not letting It go over 2,500 RPM's until my Oil Temp Gauge hits a minimum of 120 degrees. It takes at least 15 min. after Water Temp is Hot ! That's only on a 30 degree morning and doing 70 mph on the NJTPK ! That's when I consider my car "warmed up" . I figure also the rear is Hot by then (Although Trans Temp barely gets over 100.) I have heard from several Gear Heads and Cartek that Titanium Retainers are Brittle when Cold and can easily cause a dropped valve and do not care to verify their claims by doing any different. Thank God I put it away for the winter ! 
12-08-2005, 12:23 AM
#38
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hey guys whats up its been awile.
i thought i would throw in my $.02.
1 min. should be plenty of time,letting the engine idle for a long time is really hard on the valve train.
like said above just take it easy on the rpms till the engine is warm.
just starting and going is a little hard on the engine too, you should let it run for about 15sec. before putting it in gear, now if your engine is still warm and has only set for a little wile then it is ok to just start and go.
hope that helps.
i thought i would throw in my $.02.
1 min. should be plenty of time,letting the engine idle for a long time is really hard on the valve train.
like said above just take it easy on the rpms till the engine is warm.
just starting and going is a little hard on the engine too, you should let it run for about 15sec. before putting it in gear, now if your engine is still warm and has only set for a little wile then it is ok to just start and go.
hope that helps.
12-08-2005, 12:56 AM
#39
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I just drive gentle until the car is at full operating temp whether it's winter or summer. Just on a side note, it's around 5* outside here in Albuquerque and the DA is -121ft. I had my car out earlier tonight and it sure was nice to feel how an LS1 runs at sea level. What a difference compared to the 7500+ft. DAs we have most of the year.
I had my car out earlier tonight and it sure was nice to feel how an LS1 runs at sea level. What a difference compared to the 7500+ft. DAs we have most of the year.
12-08-2005, 03:42 AM
#40
Originally Posted by Jay_Dogg
Haha, its going to be below freezing here all week, with a chance of snow wedneday night. This is cold for the people here, you should see how bundled up people are getting.
I was born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska and its kind of amusing to see people wearing jackets and sweaters when its 60* outside.
I was born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska and its kind of amusing to see people wearing jackets and sweaters when its 60* outside.