Stop warming up your car. Now.

"Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo" (rustyvandura) 01/21/2016 at 14:24 • Filed to: None

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80

Or use a block heater.

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

Aaron M - MasoFiST > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 01/21/2016 at 14:27

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This debate happened on the FP one year ago...and in Oppo two years ago. Yes, don’t warm up your car unless it’s below 0, and even then you should only need 30-60 seconds.

GeorgeyBoy > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 01/21/2016 at 14:28

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I warm the car up for myself.

Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 01/21/2016 at 14:30

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They only reason I start my car in the morning is so it warm when I get in it. So fuck that article. I’m not waiting till I’m basically at work to be able to feel my face

spanfucker retire bitch > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 01/21/2016 at 14:33

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I don’t turn on my car in the morning and let it sit because I’m worried it’ll damage my engine. It’s because I want the cabin to be warm.

I’m already well aware that thanks to the marvels of modern engineering that cars no longer need to sit in the driveway for several minutes before it’s safe to drive them.

davedave1111 > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 01/21/2016 at 14:34

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Does anyone still do that? That’s a bit like ‘PSA: tuck in your thumb when cranking the starting handle’, or a piece on ‘How to get the best light from your acetylene headlamps’.

Leon711 > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 01/21/2016 at 14:34

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I’m not one to wait for it to warm up. I do disagree somewhat, oil will come back up and lube up the wall of the cylinder, you won’t magically run out of the oil that is constantly pumped around the engine. I mean don’t wait for it to warm up, You are wasting fuel.

Urambo Tauro > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 01/21/2016 at 14:34

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I’ve been thinking about getting a block heater, but a magnetic one that I can easily transfer from car to car. The ones I’ve seen seem to be overkill, generating 350º-400º F. Yikes. Isn’t there something a little closer to operating temp?

ttyymmnn > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 01/21/2016 at 14:34

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I remember seeing a photo from WWII where the Russians would burn wood fires underneath the engines of their trucks to keep them from icing up overnight.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 01/21/2016 at 14:35

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Yeah I’m going to keep warming up my CAR not my ENGINE

It’s a distinction that should be pointed out.

I get the car warm so when I load my 3 year old into the backseat, which has no vents back there for him I want him to not be freezing his ass off.

Did you know parents aren’t even supposed to put their kids in car seats with a winter coat on anymore? The coats compress and then the kids move more in an accident. So when it’s 20 degrees out with a 4 wind chill rating I’m warming up my god damn car.

It’s time for the myth that people are only warming up their car to help out their engine to go away.

Wacko > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 01/21/2016 at 14:36

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I will have you know I will warm up my car when ever the fuck I want. ;)

Here in northern canada, we have real cold. I actually have to start my car about 10min in advance in the winter, not for comfort, but to be able to see out of the window. when it’s about -20c or -4 for you yanks, I have to start it first, if it’s warmer, not as long for sure.

When we get -40 c/f (at that temp they are the same) it’s 10 to 20 minutes.

at those temps the block heater only helps the car to start.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 01/21/2016 at 14:36

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I hate these sensationalist bullshit titles. Stop warming up your engine. Proceeds to say why the engine needs to be warmed. Next time say “Stop idling your car for several minutes—-etcrestofthetitle”.

No, the engine doesn’t need to be warmed up for several minutes.

Yes, the oil is cold and needs to warm up.

30 seconds-1 minute is all you need.

Some people are after a warm interior, not engine.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 01/21/2016 at 14:37

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Related to this, factory block heaters are wonderful and I have been sorely underutilizing mine.

BigBlock440 > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 01/21/2016 at 14:41

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I didn’t click on it, but can anyone explain how it hurts your engine to let it warm up before you drive?

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > ttyymmnn 01/21/2016 at 14:44

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I remember that picture. I think it was in Smithsonian Magazine.

WiscoProud > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner 01/21/2016 at 14:44

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Yeah, my wife works in early childhood and pushes that one. I feel terrible bringing my 18 month old out into the cold with only a fleece coat on. I'll wrap her in a blanket, but that doesn't do much for wind.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > BigBlock440 01/21/2016 at 14:47

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In extreme cold, the engine management enriches the fuel mixture considerably and this causes some loss of lubrication in the cylinders when the fuel acts as a solvent and attacks the engine oil.

450X_FTW > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 01/21/2016 at 14:49

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Yes, please start your car when the temp is below 0 F and put the throttle to the floor, no need to warm it up and get the oil moving through the engine.

BKosher84 > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner 01/21/2016 at 14:50

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THIS! We went out and bought our son plain white T-shirt onsies for underneath is long sleeve shirts/tops because we don’t want him to get sick.... er than he already is. We also wrap him in a blanket for transport between building/vehicle to block the wind. And yes, we start our cars 20 or so minutes before we get in them for OUR comfort.. Not for the sake of the car’s engine..

Klaus Schmoll > BigBlock440 01/21/2016 at 14:56

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Engine produces less heat at idle, makes warm up much longer than if you just drive off = more wear and tear.

Svend > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 01/21/2016 at 14:56

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Someone has spelt ‘Fox News’ wrong.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 01/21/2016 at 14:58

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A. I like my warm interior.

B. My transmission doesn’t go into overdrive until it’s warm.

I’m going to keep warming it up in the morning.

itschrome > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 01/21/2016 at 15:00

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Seriously, who warms their car up for any reason other than to make it warm to be in or defog/ice the windows. Yes I start my car about 10 min before I leave. Why? Because I get about 5 min worth of driving before i hit stop n go traffic. I’ll be damned if im gonna spend ten min of my drive freezing my ass of. Idling in my drive way or idling on the road, shits gonna happen either way. Might as well be warm damn it.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Svend 01/21/2016 at 15:00

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Fock Snooze

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero 01/21/2016 at 15:01

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This.

deekster_caddy > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner 01/21/2016 at 15:03

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That’s fine if you want to be wasteful. But remember that an engine working will warm up a lot faster than an engine idling. So warm it up for 5 minutes or so and then load up and hit the road. The interior will be warm pretty much as soon as you get up to speed as long as the heater core and blower work normally. 20 minutes is too long. Kids are tougher than you give them credit for.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > deekster_caddy 01/21/2016 at 15:06

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1 I never said I warmed it up for 20 minutes.

2 his ride to daycare from my house is 3 miles, if it idles for 5 minutes it will not be warm by the time we get there.

3 I tend to warm up for about 15

And you can kiss my ass on wasteful my savings on MPG on the highway makes up for idling for 15 minutes vs most of the vehicles on the road with me. Sure they’re tougher, but my son doesn’t NEED to be tougher or NEED to sit in a cold car. I have that luxury in my life.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > BKosher84 01/21/2016 at 15:07

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It’s tough man. and it was the hardest when they make the transition from carrier seat to full size seat because in the carrier you can do that over the top attachment thing and practically close them in.

they-will-know-my-velocity > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 01/21/2016 at 15:07

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Oooook...

To get straight to the point, Ciatti said that idling your car in the cold not only wastes fuel, but it’s also stripping oil from critical components that help your engine run, namely the cylinders and pistons.

What? Do you just pour oil over an open valvetrain in lieu of an oil pump?

“Gasoline is an outstanding solvent and it can actually wash oil off the walls if you run it in those cold idle conditions for an extended period of time.”

Over time, that washing action can “have a detrimental effect on the lubrication and life of things like piston rings and cylinder liners,” which are critical to running the cylinders and pistons that breathe life into your engine, Ciatti said.

Oh. Umm.

Thankfully, your car doesn’t run rich the entire winter. It only happens when the gasoline is cold.

No...I don’t think fuel temp has anything to do with it...Diesel is effected but in VERY cold temps you just need a tank heater. What he’s saying isn’t totally baseless but if you have a a vehicle with electronic fuel injection and have plenty of oil in it I see no reason why any modern engine (last 20 years) that has been properly maintained would not be able to idle through entire tanks of fuel.

Just...wtf

Klaus Schmoll > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 01/21/2016 at 15:07

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And every winter I find it highly amusing that in a second world country like the US, nobody has every heard of a Webasto, or Eberspächer, or similar auxiliary heater.

They can be ordered as a factory option on almost all makes and models or retro-fitted. You start them with a clock or a long range remote and a small heater which burns fuel from the tank heats up the coolant. You a get a warm engine and a warm interiour while burning only very little fuel, making no noise and causing almost no harm to the environment, AAAAAND doing your engine the biggest favour of them all! No more cold starts at all! Warm and toasty oil and coolant before the first crank.

Both my parents have them in their cars, and with my current parking situation, I will only buy my next (used) car with one as well. They are about as common as manuals are in the US.

supra-squirrel > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 01/21/2016 at 15:08

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I think I’ll stick to what Toyota says in the 30 year old manual to my 30 year old car.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > WiscoProud 01/21/2016 at 15:08

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That 18 months old is a tough time because you’re out of the carrier seat and in the big one. The transition is tough. You unclip and put on coat and then into the building. People without kids don’t understand the challenge that presents. I’m not saying it’s safer to let them wear the coat, but by god is it easier lol

and a warm car helps in these scenarios!

BigBlock440 > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 01/21/2016 at 15:09

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Yes, but it does that driving too. Is the argument that it damages your engine less driving it than idling?

JGrabowMSt > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 01/21/2016 at 15:14

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Yeah, I idle for about 2-5 minutes in the morning because 1) Power steering fluid gets thick when cold and I hate power steering issues 2) Oil needs to warm up and make its way through all the passages and lube it all up before I pull away and 3) trans fluid also needs to warm up and flow around. When I start, I immediately put the car in neutral for the trans and just sit there until it begins to feel like it’s running smoother, I don’t necessarily wait for the temp gauge to make progress.

So, maybe it could harm the cylinder walls a little, but at the expense of the trans and power steering components? I think not. Proper fluid levels and allowing all fluids to circulate prior to getting into traffic is essential. I live off a 45mph road and there’s plenty of traffic in the morning, I’m not going in dry. Ever.

Tripper > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 01/21/2016 at 15:18

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Business Insider...lol

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Tripper 01/21/2016 at 15:23

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Kind of like Gawker Media, except useful once in a while.

Tripper > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 01/21/2016 at 15:29

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Yea, but I don’t buy the “warming up your car without driving it hurts the engine” maybe if it’s really cold.

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 01/21/2016 at 15:29

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I have a diesel. Linked article is not applicable to me as diesel fuel is an oil, not a solvent.

However, diesels won’t really warm up idling. So because I don’t want to wait 10 minutes for the heat to start working, I use the block heater to keep the coolant slightly above ass clenching cold.

BKosher84 > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner 01/21/2016 at 15:32

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Yup! My wife got into a car accident about a month ago with our son in the his infant seat. Everyone came out okay, but we had to buy a new carseat (For anyone that doesn’t know, carseats are considered unsafe after an accident because of the un-natural G-Forces applied to the plastics). We took the opportunity (and insurance money) to replace it with a convertible car seat and it is much harder to keep him warm transitioning between building and vehicle, but we make do..

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 01/21/2016 at 15:34

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That’s because you have an IDI Mercedes, and are a masochist.

Cixelsyd > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner 01/21/2016 at 15:37

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How thick are these coats? My son wears a synthetic down jacket from REI that we bought because it was super thin but warm and still allowed it to be worn with the straps tight against him.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Tripper 01/21/2016 at 15:48

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YEs, I think we’re talking about really cold.-

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs 01/21/2016 at 15:50

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The article specifically states combustion . The Diesel process uses detonation , if I am not mistaken.

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 01/21/2016 at 15:58

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Block heaters really should be in all ICE cars. My car’s engine never warms up because my commute isn’t long enough.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Cixelsyd 01/21/2016 at 16:02

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Thick winter coats, down coats I would think fall into that category but I don’t know you say it’s thin. If it’s compressible it’s not great for them to wear it. Imagine that as much as it can compress, they can travel that far before the straps catch them.

deekster_caddy > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner 01/21/2016 at 16:02

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Sorry, I must have seen 20 degrees and thought 20 minutes. I completely get what you are saying. I have two kids, and pretty much the only time I warm up the car more than 5-10 minutes is when I’m removing snow at the same time. Then it tends to run a little longer, just because. But for most of the winter I (used to) only let it warm up for a few minutes.

Now I don’t have an engine to warm up anymore, my DD is a Volt so at home I will use a full 10 minute warm-up cycle and let it charge back up from the wall a bit before I unplug and head out. That’s because heating on electricity sucks away the driving range of my battery quickly, so I will get a lot more EV driving range if I preheat before I unplug. When I leave my office where I can’t plug in I don’t preheat so I don’t waste the range. I still use the heat, but it’s most definitely chilly in the car when I start driving. I like to see if I can make the whole day in the cold without the engine running. It’s like a fun game to play while I’m shivering. ;)

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > BKosher84 01/21/2016 at 16:03

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Truth, accident = new car seat.

And yeah it’s a pain but yeah, we make do as we must

GasolineLollipop191 > Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero 01/21/2016 at 16:03

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One of the reasons I love my heated seats. No need to wait for the warm air.

Tripper > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 01/21/2016 at 16:04

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I’m considering really cold to be 0 degrees F or colder. Even then... remote starters would not be a thing if it was really that bad for the engine to warm up at a stand still.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 01/21/2016 at 16:05

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I certainly always let my car warm up in the morning. Even in the summer too. But definitely much longer in the winter. And this is not just some hunch that I came up with. I follow the owner's manual. Sure, the article makes sense about solvents in the gasoline but I would like my oil to work properly and my clutch to not hate me when it is really cold.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > deekster_caddy 01/21/2016 at 16:05

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That’s actually a fascinating aspect of EV ownership that I’d never ever considered before.

Good thing gas is cheap again so I can run the engine and not have a kid complaining of the cold

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > BigBlock440 01/21/2016 at 16:09

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This is where I am confused. The article does seem to suggest that the car does indeed receive more damage while idling than while driving, so long as you drive "easily".

deekster_caddy > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 01/21/2016 at 16:09

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The BI article is based on an inherently wrong theory. Fuel injected engines are well aware of the coolant temp, but also have a ‘startup enrichment’ that’s beyond just compensating for a cold engine. A properly made fuel injection system is NOT running rich with excess fuel washing the sides of the combustion chamber. It will only run ‘rich’ for the first few seconds at most. Let it idle cold as long as you want, the computer IS doing exactly what it’s supposed to do, even if the coolant is only 80 or 100 degrees and not the full 195. It knows how long the engine has been running and compensates accordingly.

Manufacturers have been enhancing the cold starts of engines thanks to EPA demands, and they know people will cold-start and let an engine idle for much longer than it should, so other measures are in place to make sure it’s not running too rich.

Nobi > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 01/21/2016 at 16:09

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Compression ignition, technically.

deekster_caddy > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 01/21/2016 at 16:11

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The article is incorrect. Modern fuel injection systems DO enrich for cold coolant temps, but also cancel out some of that enrichment based on run time. There is a start-enrichment parameter that helps during a cold start, but then the system quickly begins to lean the mixture out as the programmers know that the combustion chambers heat up much faster than the coolant.

Cixelsyd > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner 01/21/2016 at 16:11

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This is basically what he wears:

http://www.rei.com/product/817127…

With the straps on the seat tightened, it really doesn’t add any more thickness than a thick sweater or fleece would.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > Klaus Schmoll 01/21/2016 at 16:12

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Neato, I wonder if there are aftermarket options out there for these?

deekster_caddy > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner 01/21/2016 at 16:14

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Yeah, heating the cabin is the most inefficient part of EV driving. Coming from cars with more waste heat than they knew what to do with, it’s a new challenge for designers to figure out. The Volt uses a heater in a heat exchanger to warm up a coolant loop that flows through the heater core. This is a very inefficient way to warm the cabin. ‘pure’ EVs don’t have a heater core, they can use a direct heater coil to air heating element. When the Volt’s engine IS in use, it’s got tons of heat... and when it gets really, REALLY cold out it will cycle the engine on and off to produce heat on demand.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > Eric @ opposite-lock.com 01/21/2016 at 16:19

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Yeah, this is actually my main motivation for letting my car warm up in the morning before leaving. My commute is only 10-15 minutes which would just barely get the engine fully up to temperature on it’s own. But with a 5 minute (max) warm up before leaving, I feel much more comfortable about it. Plus it doesn’t hurt to get the windows defogged and the car a little warmer.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > deekster_caddy 01/21/2016 at 16:24

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Good, I am glad that I analyzed that the same way. I was thinking, why would fuel injection not be programmed specifically to avoid that??

WiscoProud > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner 01/21/2016 at 16:25

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Exactly. It was below zero this last week, and while we didn't leave the house much, we did need to get her out on occasion. I felt like a bad parent from not putting her in a big coat, but it wasn't really an option.

nermal > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner 01/21/2016 at 16:36

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When I was 3 years old, I had to walk everywhere instead of getting driven around. It was up hill, both ways, in the snow.

Kids these days are weenies and need to harden up!

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Cixelsyd 01/21/2016 at 16:38

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After some googling it appears if you tighten down the straps, unclip them without loosening, take the kid out and remove their jacket then put them back in and reclip - if it’s lose at this point, the jacket is too bulky.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > deekster_caddy 01/21/2016 at 16:39

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Fascinating.

Also for you kids at home reading - this is how you turn a potential idiotic internet argument into a legit beneficial conversation.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > nermal 01/21/2016 at 16:41

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man, I legit had to walk both ways up hill to the bus stop in high school (and was in need of boots, finally got them about 1.5 months into snowy winter). Bus picked me up at the top of the hill, dropped me off at the bottom, my house was in the middle of the hill.

The bastards who made that bus route can rot in hell (or better yet antarctica)

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 01/21/2016 at 16:42

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It doesn’t hurt them to not warm up, it just means you get crap gas mileage...

Berang > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 01/21/2016 at 17:00

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My car has a carburetor, so I let it idle on the high speed cam for a minute before driving anywhere. Otherwise you’re just wasting gas driving around while the choke is still closed.

deekster_caddy > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner 01/21/2016 at 17:10

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Hah! I was worried for a minute that we were headed down an adversarial road. Thanks for helping turn it around!

Shane MacGowan's Teeth > Klaus Schmoll 01/21/2016 at 17:19

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Second world country? Not getting along with the U.S. is the actual definition of second world countries. Third. You’re thinking third.

Klaus Schmoll > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 01/21/2016 at 17:21

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They are widely available over here. A lot of companies make their living from fitting them to various vehicles. But I think that the factory installed ones are to be preferred.

ShelbyRacer78-Fusion Modifier > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 01/21/2016 at 17:41

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I’ll do what I want with my almost cat-less Sable...

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > deekster_caddy 01/21/2016 at 18:52

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Well, the adversarial isn’t gone. We clearly disagree in this situation.

The difference is we can actually be ADULTS about it and agree to disagree.

Also, props on owning a Volt I’ve always said it’s the GENIUS solution to EV’s.

deekster_caddy > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner 01/21/2016 at 18:56

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Thanks! I’m just over 3 years and 40K miles into the Volt, and I still smile every time I drive it. I can't see owning a pure EV for another few decades, but this is the way to do it!

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > deekster_caddy 01/21/2016 at 18:59

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When’s your break even point vs just buying a really fuel efficient car like a Fiesta or Sonic with 40 mpg?

(p.s. would TOTALLY rock the Caddy version of the Volt if a 2 door fit in my life)

deekster_caddy > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner 01/21/2016 at 19:07

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Technically it’s at about year 10. But I bought it because it’s really fun to drive, really gadgety, and I want the Volt to succeed that much.

Basically the battery is about the same range as a gallon of gas, so my first gallon of gas costs $.80 and I have to fill up with gas every 1100-1200 miles. My last tank in the Volt was 1900 miles! (But that includes a few longer trips I took in my ‘73 LeSabre that completely kill my ‘total fuel used’ average...)

So it’s not all about the economics of the thing. It’s really fun!

Mr.E.G. > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 01/21/2016 at 20:32

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The author of that article, try as he may, does a piss poor job explaining how an engine works. It’s clear that he thinks the cylinders move.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 01/21/2016 at 21:08

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The heater in my pickup is surprisingly incredible.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Mr.E.G. 01/21/2016 at 23:50

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He could write for Jalopnik. No, on second thought, he’s too good.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > Eric @ opposite-lock.com 01/22/2016 at 04:35

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Well it would hurt the engine to go WOT without warming it up first. But once the car is warmed up, it's great to know I'm not damaging it in those scenarios where I need 100% power. And since it's a Miata, this happens frequently lol.

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 01/22/2016 at 09:20

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I was thinking, “people go WOT on public roads?!”... Yeah, doing that without warm oil is bad, but that’s also why you have multi-grade oil: It is lower viscosity when cold and higher when warm. This allows it to lubricate acceptably before it has fully warmed.

Engine oil heats up a lot faster than engine coolant, though. You probably see a coolant temp on your dash, not an oil temp.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > Eric @ opposite-lock.com 01/23/2016 at 06:38

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Well my coolant gauge doesn't even really tell coolant temp either. Way too overdamped to be useful lol.