Is it a bad idea to let your LSx warm up before driving?
#22
I give my car a minute or two to get some warmth into the valve springs. Even then I don't take it past 3k rpm till it's at least registering on the dash. gotta love those working temp gauges.
I'm most worried about the valve springs as they take the most abuse when cold. Everything else should have some sort of layer of oil on it, but lubrication does squat for a valve spring. Once it's been compressed a 1000-2000 times in that 2 min then it's got some heat to it.
Just don't push WOT or high rpm when cold and drive it easy till it's up to temp.
I'm most worried about the valve springs as they take the most abuse when cold. Everything else should have some sort of layer of oil on it, but lubrication does squat for a valve spring. Once it's been compressed a 1000-2000 times in that 2 min then it's got some heat to it.
Just don't push WOT or high rpm when cold and drive it easy till it's up to temp.
#26
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Thanks for the replies. Yea I know -- the question seems ridiculous, but this guy I work with claimed it's no good and then I found some info online about it being no good so I was just making sure.
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Agreed. Since, depending on what gear you're in, you could be 'lugging' the engine at that rpm.
In some instances, excessive lugging has been blamed for rod bearing failure, and the resultant 'rod knock' and eventually the engine going .
I would just keep it <3000 and >2000 until fully warm.
In some instances, excessive lugging has been blamed for rod bearing failure, and the resultant 'rod knock' and eventually the engine going .
I would just keep it <3000 and >2000 until fully warm.
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Agreed. Since, depending on what gear you're in, you could be 'lugging' the engine at that rpm.
In some instances, excessive lugging has been blamed for rod bearing failure, and the resultant 'rod knock' and eventually the engine going .
I would just keep it <3000 and >2000 until fully warm.
In some instances, excessive lugging has been blamed for rod bearing failure, and the resultant 'rod knock' and eventually the engine going .
I would just keep it <3000 and >2000 until fully warm.
#32
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letting the car sit in place to warm up has a problem though.. you still have a transmission and rearend that will not heat up at all sitting in place. I'd rather drive the car and heat the entire driveline up at the same time rather than heat the engine and drive an ice cold trans and rearend.
In my 06 silverado, i've found that if I don't warm it up and just get in and drive it wont shift, i'm talking WILL NOT SHIFT. So now I warm it up and after 5-8 minutes of idleing it seems to shift, I also get in and press the clutch a good ten times and shift through the gears real slowly to try and get it wamred up.
If you ask me it's bad on you're car to just start it up and drive off, one of my buddys dad who work's for GM, told me that if you get in it and don't wamr it up and drive it at all it's really bad for the rear seal and the rear end. Remember on a cold, cold, day you're engines oil will be all the way in the oil pan and needs to cerculate around, plain and simple.
When you wake up do you jump out of bed and do a mad dash to get to work and not strech or yawn acouple of times? Exactly, In a way the human body is similar to a car, you have to stretch you're body out before you go work out right! Why not warm you car up and drive it very gently at first to get everything warmed up!
If I don't warm up the camaro, it will die while driving and baerly idle, my old honda accord that I had, did the same thing, it would fall on it's face and just die. Hell my moms V-6 dodge ram wont shift at first if you don't let it warm up. Cars have lubricants for a reason, if you don't let them do there job, they aren't going to work right!
#33
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In my 06 silverado, i've found that if I don't warm it up and just get in and drive it wont shift, i'm talking WILL NOT SHIFT. So now I warm it up and after 5-8 minutes of idleing it seems to shift, I also get in and press the clutch a good ten times and shift through the gears real slowly to try and get it wamred up.
If you ask me it's bad on you're car to just start it up and drive off, one of my buddys dad who work's for GM, told me that if you get in it and don't wamr it up and drive it at all it's really bad for the rear seal and the rear end. Remember on a cold, cold, day you're engines oil will be all the way in the oil pan and needs to cerculate around, plain and simple.
When you wake up do you jump out of bed and do a mad dash to get to work and not strech or yawn acouple of times? Exactly, In a way the human body is similar to a car, you have to stretch you're body out before you go work out right! Why not warm you car up and drive it very gently at first to get everything warmed up!
If I don't warm up the camaro, it will die while driving and baerly idle, my old honda accord that I had, did the same thing, it would fall on it's face and just die. Hell my moms V-6 dodge ram wont shift at first if you don't let it warm up. Cars have lubricants for a reason, if you don't let them do there job, they aren't going to work right!
I also fail to see how idling has any effect on the rear end. Your camaro is carbed I assume, which would effect the cold running a lot.
It's not a bad idea to warm up your car some especially in colder climates. The main thing is to just take it easy until it is at operating temp. Motorcycles are the same way. Recommendation is to crank it, let it idle for ~20-30seconds, then ride easy till it is warm. Lots of daily driver car engine problems are related to people riding the ***** off of them before they warm up. To each his own.
I think the general consensus is 15-30 seconds when cold then take it easy. So basically, crank up your car, put your drink in the cup holder, buckle your seat belt and leave. Or buy a remote start for the northern crowd.
#35
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I start 'er up and watch oil pressure while I let it hunt for idle (tuner is getting a call soon) for about 10 seconds and then roll out immediately. Keeping RPMs beneath 3000 until I start to hit the normal operating temp.
I've been told time and time again that this is the best way to do it and my car seems to purr a bit better when I do it that way.
I've been told time and time again that this is the best way to do it and my car seems to purr a bit better when I do it that way.
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I start 'er up and watch oil pressure while I let it hunt for idle (tuner is getting a call soon) for about 10 seconds and then roll out immediately. Keeping RPMs beneath 3000 until I start to hit the normal operating temp.
I've been told time and time again that this is the best way to do it and my car seems to purr a bit better when I do it that way.
I've been told time and time again that this is the best way to do it and my car seems to purr a bit better when I do it that way.
#38
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there are tolerances between the crank journals and the bearings which are loose until the motor warms up and expands closing the tolerances. Its always a good idea to let the car run for a minute when its really cold out.
#39
The whole 10 min warm up is more for your body than anything. As long as you aren't giving it significant load while driving, it will warm up fairly quickly under light load. My car will usually be at temp within 5 mins of driving it. This is shifting at 2500 and driving around 2000rpm to keep the revs up. Having a good oil for when its cold is also a must. I'm running GC 0w30 all year round so I know that when cold it's flowing well. As for the transmission and rear, those won't warm up significantly until you drive it so even IF you let it warm up for 10 mins, it's still a good idea to take it easy for a little while for the transmission and rear end's sake.
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I always prefer to let it sit for at least 30seconds before i move from the driveway. Even after its been driven for awhile and I stop to go in the store or what not, I give it at least 5-10sec before I go