If it's a cold morning (like 20 degrees or less) usually i let my car run for a minute or 2. but Oil is like honey when it's real cold. it gets thick and hard to move. (this is why you put thinner oil in the winter) but you still should warm your car up for at least a minute if it's cold out.
on fire runs I admit I get in and go because I don't have time to mess around. I know this sounds odd but I can tell by the way it shifts and revs if the oil is warm enough. cause it will shift hard and rev weird if the oil cold.(but thats only for a mile or 2 at the most) but then it's fine.

 

I re-read the manual. Page 193 (2003 Manual) has information regarding cold starting. It talks about depressing the accelerator pedal 1/2 way if you are in frigid temperatures (to get the engine to turn over when turning the key to III/Start), yet I could not find any commentary about how long to warm your car up after the engine turns over.

What are you guys referring to when you say 'read the manual'? Give me the quote about warm up because I cannot find it.

 

Slimey,
Warm the car up for 2 minutes and then drive. Then the day after warm it up for 5 mins and then drive. Finally drive it after 10mins of warming. You tell me how the car feels............

Nashua,
All of a sudden your going to take Acura's word?

 

I've essentially done the first two and agree that the fully warmed car drives better. I'm just trying to figure out if there is any harm in driving the car as it warms up, as opposed to just warm up in the garage. I am, after all, somewhat impatient.

Ten minutes seems to be overkill - but I agree with you in that I cannot see how it can harm things (except fuel consumption).

 

Maybe he meant the manual of common automotive sense.

You warm the car up for around 1-2mins, then drive slowly until it is fully warmed up and the trans fluid and coolant levels are above frigid. That's all. The only people who should idle 5+ minutes are people in the Arctic and people who need to accelerate quickly right off the bat, like if you live next to a highway that you use to commute.

In all reality, modern cars are built to be cranked, sit for 20-30 seconds, and then driven. I don't abide by that - I let my car warm up for 1-2 minutes.

 

always 2-3 mins... or until the needle is about 1/4 way up

 

Sure it feels loose when it's warmed up, that's just because the oil is warm, and less viscous. Doesn't really mean that it's any better for the car (as long as the oil is pumping through the bearing surfaces, then you'll have lubrication). The exception is when the oil is 0F! Fluids like the power steering get really thick when cold as well. That puts some nasty drag on the engine, which makes it feel pretty nasty when cold.

But on the same token, a friend of mine had a mechanic which showed him the inside of a V8 after many years in the cold Canada winter. The engine had a block heater (the type that mounts in a frost plug). The heater was on one side only. The side that had the heater had very little cylinder scoring. The side without had tons. When I rebuilt my old V8, I spent the extra $10 and popped another heater in it!

A good point is synthetic oil will give you better lubrication when cold or hot, and you'll really notice a difference when the mercury hits 20F and below.

Personally, I usually start it and wait for it to come off the high idle. (in below freezing weather). In above freezing, I just get in and go. Mind you, it's very rare that I'll stand on the throttle until the engine temp starts rising.

 

The only time I'd agree with more frequent changes in winter is when parking in heated garages and underground parkades. You'll end up with more condensation in the crankcase which is bad for the oil (you'll get it in the gas tank as well, which gives you that cool frozen gas line in the shitty cold weather)!

 

True but that stress has to add wear and tear.....albeit for short period of time will add up past or towards 100k.

I believe the 6MT has the engine block heater option. I think i'll go ahead and buy it.

Next oil change will be amsoil

I might be a bit cautious but with the amount of money and time i spend on the car I want it to last and to perfom well.

 

I wait 2 minutes before taking off and I stay under 2500 rpm until the oil temp is at least 160. I stay out of boost until the coolant is at 180.

This is mainly for purposes of oiling the supercharger though, without that I would not be as meticulous about it.

 

I would feel much better about getting up and going if we had the same gauges as you I miss the oil temp, pressure and coolant temp gauges...... That's why i'll be installing a permant OBDii monitor soon

 

Yup, most factory gauges are crap.