Quick Question - Oil temps

Gaygle · 19 May 2010 at 16:14

Hi Guys,

Just wondering how long it normally takes the oil to warm up to a temperature when you can start opening up the throttle a bit, without doing damage? I know the water heats up much quicker - does the oil normally take around 15 minutes?

Bear · 19 May 2010 at 16:36

Hard to say as it is dependant on the car and how is driven, town driving or dual carriageways. In my car (200Sx) the water is up to temp in a couple of miles but the oil is up to temp (70degs C) in around 5 to 6 miles but then I live pretty close to a dual carriageway.

Gaygle · 19 May 2010 at 16:39

Ok cheers. I was just wondering if it's doing the car any damage because when i leave work, i drive about 100m to a fast NSL and then drive at 70 ish for about 4 miles. Just wondering if this is doing any damage? Obviously the engine/oil is stone cold and doing a constant 2500-3000 RPM on it can't be good?

Sin_Chase · 19 May 2010 at 16:42

Speed has no relevance really.

As long as you are not ragging the nuts off it and are shifting appropriately for the temperature of the engine everything will be fine.

Gaygle · 19 May 2010 at 16:48

Sin_Chase said:
Speed has no relevance really.

As long as you are not ragging the nuts off it and are shifting appropriately for the temperature of the engine everything will be fine.

Gaygle said:
Obviously the engine/oil is stone cold and doing a constant 2500-3000 RPM on it can't be good?

Sin_Chase · 19 May 2010 at 16:52

It's a car, it's designed to work without leaving it running on the driveway for 10 minutes.

There is a difference between mechanical sympathy and operating within threshold. 2500-3000 RPM is nothing.

How else do you expect to warm the oil without running the engine?

PiKe · 19 May 2010 at 16:53

Wouldn't a lower viscosity oil help reduce engine wear as it'll be thinner to start with.

Sin_Chase · 19 May 2010 at 16:55

No need to make it complicated.

Don't bounce it off the limiter when it's cold.

It's really that simple.

ChrisJSY · 19 May 2010 at 16:55

Engine oil changes viscosity with temperature, I think.

ScoobyDoo69 · 19 May 2010 at 16:58

I keep mine below 3krpm and no boost, and minimal load until I hit 80 deg C.

agw_01 · 19 May 2010 at 17:21

ScoobyDoo69 said:
I keep mine below 3krpm and no boost, and minimal load until I hit 80 deg C.

+1

Good advice.

Takes around 15 minutes for the oil to reach those sort of temperatures on my car.

Howard · 19 May 2010 at 17:31

Gaygle said:
Obviously the engine/oil is stone cold and doing a constant 2500-3000 RPM on it can't be good?

It's far better for it than letting it sit there idling, for example. This way you're putting some load onto the engine and it warms up quicker (frictional losses). Engine operating under optimal operating temperature for longer = bad.

Gaygle · 19 May 2010 at 18:18

Sin_Chase said:
It's a car, it's designed to work without leaving it running on the driveway for 10 minutes.

I never said anything about leaving it on the driveway for 10 minutes? :confused:

Sin_Chase said:
How else do you expect to warm the oil without running the engine?

...i...i never asked about how to warm the engine? I was just asking whether going from the oil being stone cold, to the engine running at 3krpm+ constantly would be causing wear?

ScoobyDoo69 said:
I keep mine below 3krpm and no boost, and minimal load until I hit 80 deg C.

How long does it take?

Sin_Chase said:
No need to make it complicated.

Don't bounce it off the limiter when it's cold.

It's really that simple.

But that's what i'm asking - how do i know when the engine is cold?! I'm not being funny, but....you've literally gone on about random stuff that has nothing to do with my question.

ChrisJSY said:
Engine oil changes viscosity with temperature, I think.

... great? Don't mean to be harsh, but what's that got to do with anything??

agw_01 said:
Takes around 15 minutes for the oil to reach those sort of temperatures on my car.

Ahhh, finally, an answer. TY

Is it normally around 2-3 times as long as the water temp? Always wanted an oil temp guage

Sin_Chase · 19 May 2010 at 18:23

This is pretty damn comedy.

Have not stated car, it's oil or anything and expect some kind of a magic time for oil temp to be optimal in. The answers already given should satisfy your query with regards to "doing damage" but I think you are just intentionally failing at comprehension.

Buy a bloody Oil Temp Gauge, install it and drive at 40 mph in 5th on the idle everywhere till you are happy with the temp if it bothers you that much. Just drive the bloody thing, it's not a F1 car and it's not going to blow up because you drive it on an NSL after starting it.

It's not rocket science. Your question is asking if running the engine at a constant 2.5-3k RPM is going to cause damage. Not "How long before I can bounce off the rev limiter" I am telling you that as long as you are NOT bouncing off the rev limiter then you should not be doing any damage if you are driving sensibly, regardless of whether the engine is cold or not.

You seem to be satisfied with an arbitrary number though. The oil will be up to temp in 60 minutes, enjoy.

ChrisJSY · 19 May 2010 at 18:28

Gaygle said:
... great? Don't mean to be harsh, but what's that got to do with anything??

I don't mean to sound harsh either but maybe read the post two up from mine, it could help if you actually tried.
Are you assuming being able to open up the throttle is oil temp only?

Gaygle · 19 May 2010 at 18:34

Sin_Chase said:
This is pretty damn comedy.

No, comedy is you claiming other people have a impractical car.

Sin_Chase said:
Have not stated car, it's oil or anything and expect some kind of a magic time for oil temp to be optimal in.

Wow, i wasn't expecting an answer in minutes and seconds....just a ballpark figure or people giving me a rule of thumb. I also highly doubt it makes a massive difference whether i drive a Fiesta or BMW 330i in relation to how long the oil takes to heat up.

Sin_Chase said:
Buy a bloody Oil Temp Gauge, install it and drive at 40 mph in 5th on the idle everywhere till you are happy with the temp if it bothers you that much. Just drive the bloody thing, it's not a F1 car and it's not going to blow up because you drive it on an NSL after starting it.

Perhaps i'm just interested in how long it takes oil to warm up? What's it to you?

I think someone has had a bad day. All i asked for is roughly how long it normally takes oil to heat up and i only got two decent answers. You come into this thread and start saying "Just don't redline it!!!1" and get offended when i tell you that that is not what i asked? Great - If i had asked "Guys, shall i red line it when the engine is cold?" you're contribution would have been valued, but since i didn't, you're simply not answering my question at all?

Gaygle · 19 May 2010 at 18:37

Sin_Chase said:
You seem to be satisfied with an arbitrary number though.

So why bothered going on about all that crap before? Jesus, all i wanted is for a few people to say how long it normally takes to get the oil up to temp with normal driving - are you just looking for an argument?

Sin_Chase said:
The oil will be up to temp in 60 minutes, enjoy.

LOLOLOL GUD ONE!!1!1

Comeone mods, this is bordering on trolling?!

Sin_Chase · 19 May 2010 at 18:39

You wanted to know how long it took because you were:

Gaygle said:
wondering if it's doing the car any damage because when i leave work, i drive about 100m to a fast NSL and then drive at 70 ish for about 4 miles. Just wondering if this is doing any damage? Obviously the engine/oil is stone cold and doing a constant 2500-3000 RPM on it can't be good?

You are concerned about doing damage as a result of not having oil temperature.

Your query was satisfied when you were told as long as you were not driving like a loon then it would not matter.

What does it matter how long it takes, your journey is over in 4 miles.

You have clarified you are not considering leaving it idling to warm up on the driveway so unless you plan to reduce your speed (and your RPM) on your way there what else did you plan to achieve?

All you need to know is you are not doing damage as long as you are driving within reason.

And yes, what you drive matters. Why post a thread looking for affirmation and make a convoluted deal out of something that just does not matter assuming you're not being an idiot.

ChrisJSY · 19 May 2010 at 18:41

He was being blunt and to the point which is all you need to know, what you seem to be doing sounds perfectly normal, yes it can take 15 mins.

But it's situational, dependant on car but generally for your average runabout/family car/low end sports etc etc it's the same.

Gaygle · 19 May 2010 at 18:47

Sin_Chase said:
You are concerned about doing damage as a result of not having oil temperature.

Correct. This was my second question after Bear said that his oil gets up to temp in around 5 miles at 70mph. My FIRST question was how long it generally takes to warm up the engine oil.

Sin_Chase said:
What does it matter how long it takes, your journey is over in 4 miles.

No it's not? And what do you mean "what does it matter how long it takes"?! Let's just assume that i love learning about oil.

Sin_Chase said:
You have clarified you are not considering leaving it idling to warm up on the driveway so unless you plan to reduce your speed (and your RPM) on your way there what else did you plan to achieve?

That was the other option. I can either go via the fast NSL road or through 40mph limits. Not that this should even bother you because my route home isn't what i was asking about?

Sin_Chase said:
All you need to know is you are not doing damage as long as you are driving within reason.

All i need to know? I'm really not sure how i can be more clear on this, so i'm going to try a combination of bold, italic and capital letters - let's see if it works this time:

I AM INTERESTED IN ROUGHLY HOW LONG THE OIL TAKES TO WARM UP.

Did it work??

EDIT: Sorry i can't keep up with your edits - you must be bored.

Sin_Chase said:
And yes, what you drive matters.

*sigh* i'm well aware that it matters. But i said that i'm willing to bet that it wouldn't make a massive difference.

Sin_Chase said:
Why post a thread looking for affirmation and make a convoluted deal out of something that just does not matter assuming you're not being an idiot.

Affirmation? How can i look for affirmation....when i'm asking a question which i don't know the answer to?

FOR THE BENEFIT OF SIN CHASE:

PLEASE STATE HOW LONG (ROUGHLY) YOU CAR TAKES TO WARM IT'S OIL UP. IT HAS BEEN POINTED OUT THAT THE FOLLOWING IS ALSO REQUIRED:

-CAR MAKE
-CAR MODEL
-OIL GRADE
-NORMAL DRIVING OR FAST DRIVING
-HOW MUCH YOU WEIGH
-WHAT YOU HAD FOR BREAKFAST
-IF YOU HAD MILK ON YOUR CEREAL
-LONG HAIR?

APPARENTLY, ONLY AFTER YOU PROVIDE ALL THESE DETAILS CAN YOU ACCURATELY CALCULATE HOW LONG YOUR OIL TAKES TO WARM.