How long do you idle for?

[vas85]

Hi All,
I'm just curious how long everyone idles on their first startup for the day or if the engine is back to cold after a few hour lapse.

I have a 88/8 GT Limited w/ Digital Dash and I always wait atleast 2/3minutes until the temp gauge has gone up one bar, so that it's not on dead cold.

So the question is :sarcasm: how long do you warmup for on a cold engine (list time and engine type)?

 

[IJ.]

I drive the second the car will do it without stalling Vas.

 

[dugums]

I don't let it idle for any amount of time - maybe on occasion enough to change the CD track.

I don't drive aggressively though until it reaches full operating temperature. I usually keep it <~2000 rpms until it is warm.

 

[vas85]

Interesting sofar, IJ. isn't that when the most damage occurs, starting her up and firing away....??

 

[GrimJack]

Usually about 15 minutes.

I have a remote starter, and I fire it up when I get up in the morning from the bedroom. Then I run through shaving, washing, etc, etc, and I'm usually in the car in about 15 minutes.

 

[IJ.]

Vas: The sooner you can get it off the Cold start circuit the better, all it's doing is washing the oil off the bores with a rich mixture.

Quickest way to get it to operating temp is to drive it gently.

 

[kntmikado]

I thought the most damage occurred on startup. Once the oil has made its way into the whole engine, isn't it basically the same whether you idle for 15 seconds or 15 minutes?

 

[vas85]

Usually about 15 minutes.

I have a remote starter, and I fire it up when I get up in the morning from the bedroom. Then I run through shaving, washing, etc, etc, and I'm usually in the car in about 15 minutes.

What kind of car do you drive? I thought you had some pimp oldschool muscle car @ one stage or a Merc or something.....??

Oh and guys as far as not stepping on it until properly warmed as the TSRM states not to start the car and immediately go under full boost... LOL obviously for good reason, how about the drivetrain / diff..??? Do they have "optimal" working temperatures?

 

[Ma70.Ent]

I let it warm up for around a minute in warm weather, and 2-3 minutes in cold weather, then I drive slowly until the temp bar rises.

 

[Poodles]

as long as oil pressure is up (takes a couple seconds), you're good to go...

I don't boost until it's somewhat warm though (at least up until I can feel heat out of the vents now).

Long periods of idling can cause lots of wear (cop cars usually had heavily worn cams from this), and I only let the car idle on the coldest days and even then it's less than 10 minutes...

 

[starscream5000]

I take off after 10 seconds of idling. I drive it easy until it's warmed up, but don't grandma it either.

 

[Piratetip]

I mat it to the floor as soon as the starter stops spinning.
lol no,
1 min or so, its parked in the winter so it dosn't need it.

 

[vas85]

Interesting... I always just hold out 2minutes atleast. Poodles how can long period of idling cause more wear than driving @ 6000rpm...??? (Most i've idled is probably 3-4minutes on the coldest day... but just curious)

 

[vas85]

Vas: The sooner you can get it off the Cold start circuit the better, all it's doing is washing the oil off the bores with a rich mixture.

Quickest way to get it to operating temp is to drive it gently.

I don't think my Cold Start Circuit is working properly as I've had a cousin of mine and me fiddle with the solenoid to increase idling RPM to about 800-900 but normally on startup it drops to like 700 then 600 then 500rpm... so it sounds very clunkly like its about to stall. I dont think I have cams or anything in it to do this, and after it's been driven it normally idles welll 750-800rpm. Any idea IJ.? Others?

 

[IJ.]

Degunk the ICS and Cold start injector.

 

[Poodles]

Interesting... I always just hold out 2minutes atleast. Poodles how can long period of idling cause more wear than driving @ 6000rpm...??? (Most i've idled is probably 3-4minutes on the coldest day... but just curious)

at 6000RPM you have lots of oil pressure...

idling has no load or oil pressure, kinda hard to explain, but the rings aren't really sealing, ect...

it's just overall not good...

*paging experts to thread to explain better than me*

 

[radiod]

I idle for about 7 - 10 seconds, watch oil pressure go up, and as soon as it levels, I'm off. I keep it below 2500rpm until water temp gets above 110 F

 

[vas85]

Degunk the ICS and Cold start injector.

Thanks for the advice!

 

[Piratetip]

Poodle:
Idling does not get the engine up to temperature as fast as driving does.

 

[LilMissMkIII]

I do the same as most people... drive like a grandma till temp is up