Two questions for ya'll.

1. Since the gauge cluster, steering wheel, and yourself is on the left side of the car, does that make the left side heavier than the right? Because all you have on the right is the dash and glove compartment with the owners manual.. or is there something heavier inside on the right that i'm unaware of?

2. How long do you wait for your car to warm up when the weather hits like 20 degrees? I ALWAYS wait until the RPM drops under 1000 rpm and then when the engine temp goes slightly above Cold, since I don't have forever to wait.

 

1. Well I know the engine is mounted more towards the right side if your sittin in the car, besides that I dont really know

2. I Do the same

 

Touche good questions, I was just wondering both those questions the other day.

 

as the caveman would say:

"uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh whATTTTT?"

 

Like was said, the engine is more to the right. Cars are usually fairly balanced with just the driver. My other car which happens to be RWD with the engine centered has the battery, coolant reservior, spare tire, jack, and turbo on the passenger side. I've always figured this was to help balance the weight a little.

As for the oil, it's best to wait until the idle goes down. The amount of time you let it warm up really depends on what the drive is like. For the mornings I let the idle settle down a bit and drive. Maybe a minute. My morning drive consists of 5 minutes of residential streets where I cruise with almost no gas, rpms at 1,500 and a speed of 20mph steady. My drive home from work has the freeway uphill on- ramp literally 100' from the parking lot so I let it warm up for a good 10 minutes before going 1/2 throttle up the ramp.

For full throttle, I would let the oil hit full temp, around 20minutes before flooring it. While the TL is less sensitive, I've seen first hand the damage going WOT on a cold motor will do when I got pissed at my GN.

 

84 Buick GN 4.2L, T-66, 602hp 620lbs tq daily driver turned weekend warrior. Stock block, rods, and crank.

 

i always go and start the car up put the temp to 90 and run back inside and wait 15min and go out and drive. i always wondered if turning the heater to full blast when the car is cold is a bad thing but i really dont have more than 15 of patience.

sometimes when i am running late, i just run out there start her up and drive away.

 

I call it a time bomb. Sooner or later it's going to blow with the stock parts. Then I have an excuse to really build it.

 

1. It's truly amazing to know that each vehicle must be engineered and designed perfectly to balance out weight.. a car is the sum of its parts and each part must be placed SPECIFICALLY in a certain position. I know this is obv, but just thinking about it is amazing.

2. The cold weather kind of makes me want to get remote start so I can warm up the car without even going outside! but regardless, I always wait for the engine temp for go slightly above C or way above C.

As for the heater, I NEVER put it on full blast.. nor do I even set it to 80+.. it's just like a heart; if an artery is clogged due to plaque, it hinders blood flow and makes the heart do much more work --> heart disease.
We don't want our engine to be diagnoed with engine disease!
My heating is always on 77 and 78 and that's plenty heat.

However, the butt warmer, ....is a MUST

 

1. It's truly amazing to know that each vehicle must be engineered and designed perfectly to balance out weight.. a car is the sum of its parts and each part must be placed SPECIFICALLY in a certain position. I know this is obv, but just thinking about it is amazing.

2. The cold weather kind of makes me want to get remote start so I can warm up the car without even going outside! but regardless, I always wait for the engine temp for go slightly above C or way above C.

As for the heater, I NEVER put it on full blast.. nor do I even set it to 80+.. it's just like a heart; if an artery is clogged due to plaque, it hinders blood flow and makes the heart do much more work --> heart disease.
We don't want our engine to be diagnosed with engine disease!
My heating is always on 77 and 78 and that's plenty heat.

However, the butt warmer, ....is a MUST

 

I just turn the car on and throw it into tiptonic mode and cruise about 35mph in 2nd gear till the car gets warm....only takes about 3 minutes that way.

 

it is hitting 30 degrees some nights in nyc... usually takes 5mins for the temperature to reach way above the cold... usually wait 5 to 10 mins, take time to clean windshield, mirrors etc...

 

Pre-Med Nerds FTW hahah I agree though, I dont even use the heat really, just the seat heaters, but then again, Im in Va in like 60F for right now atleast

 

......blasting the heater to max is also like ordering a new plate of gourmet food and before you even get to pick up your fork (chopsticks in my case) your friend asks if he can have some; shit, i just turned on and i'm trying to warm up and you're asking me if i can keep YOU warm?

 

Haha....wow..I don't even know what to say to that, haha

You really need to stop posting your sig, I always go down the thread and pass the GN part and I'm like

 

That's sort of what I do. I start the car before I do anything else then find the CD I want to listen to, etc.

Keep in mind that even though the oil typically runs a little hotter than the water, oil takes longer to warm up. Just because the temp guage shows the water is fully hot, the oil is probably lagging behind. Take this with a grain of salt, I also run straight 30wt in my car so I might be crazy.

 

1. Don't know. Agree the left side is normal heavier.

2. If it's under 20 degrees I'm taking a sick day. No F#&KING WAY I am going outside to start a car.




:wink:

 

The warm it up v.s. the get in and drive is a good debate. I get in, start it up and put on my seatbelt. Then I drive away slowly, never letting the revs go over 2800. I know my Audi A4 manual said to do the procedure I just stated. Also said to not let the car idle to warm up. You need to drive it to really warm things up anyway, esp. when it's cold (it was 12 degrees yesterday morning here in WI).

 

From: Your Dad Was Wrong
A lot of traditional automotive wisdom just doesn't hold up
http://www.popularmechanics.com/auto...o/4205233.html

DAD SAID: "Let the engine idle to warm up on cold days."
BUT: Idling just wears the engine without budging the odo. Les Ryder, chief powertrain engineer at Ford, says, "Engines run best at their design temperature." To get there sooner, start by driving at moderate speeds. Your engine will be okay: Modern oils flow fine in cold weather.

Not sure how valid this is but makes sense to me. Get the oils warmed up and moving sooner is probably smart.

 

hmmmm

Viper 5900SST remote starter... that should do the trick

press that little button twice... about 10 minutes before i leave for work in the morning.. and.. well, its already warm !!

 

1. I don't care...

2. I start it in the mornings... smoke a cig, then get in and go. It ususally reads almost half way up the temp g. when I do this.

 

even if u heat up the engine ... doesnt it take longer for the tranny to heat up? ... isnt shifting the only way to get the tranny warmed up?

 

So driving moderately when the engine is whirrng at idle above 1000rpm is okay?
if what that article says is true..

 

I just throw it in reverse & go...then again it might help to keep her in a heated garage?

 

30 seconds for me to warm up. maximum 1 min. i wouldnt turn any heat on until i drive at least 1 block. doesnt matter how cold outside.

 

1. Honda/Acura are very thorough, Im sure its balanced.

2. As soon as it hits the first thick line where the "C" is i pull out of my drive way slowly and then cruise about half a block and by that time its almost fully warm. Approx 3-4 min when its cold and 1-2 when its not.

 

Yes. Absolutely fine. Extended idling periods just lengthen the time it takes to get the engine to temperature.

It probably takes upwards of 30 seconds to get full top end lubrication on a cold day. Beyond that, wasting gas and time- putting hours on the engine, but no miles.

My car is in my garage, so I start, back out immediately (don't want the fumes in my house, since it's attached), sit in the driveway for about as long as it takes the Navi to boot up completely, then I'm off.

I've taken a few vehicles to the far side of 100k this way with no issues. I've got an '80 Z28 with the original stock bottom end on it.

If you want good cold weather protection for your engine, use synthetic oil (5W-20 or 0W-20 if it gets REALLY cold). You can also get a plug-in block heater for <$100. Sure beats wasting gas and idling time.

 

The owners manual states to "idle" the car no more than a minute no matter what the outside temp is.

Most of us here use really good synthetic motor oils 5w20, 5w30, 0w20, and these oils flow anywhere from -35 to -65 degrees. Start the car let it sit for a minute to make sure the top end is properly lubricated and drive moderately (under 3k) until it warms up.

I have used this method on 2 Integra's, an RSX, and now my TL. Never once had an issue with oil consumption. You have to drive easy when it's cold, but you have to drive it to warm it up as fast as possible. Also, the tranny, wheel bearings warm up equally when you drive. When you sit and idle it's just the engine. My seat heater keeps me warm enough until the car reaches operating temp.

Also, there is no harm in setting the heat above 80degrees, if the car is cold it's not going to come out warm anyway. Not until the coolant reaches operating temp. It's a waste to turn the heat on until the car is mostly warmed up. If you keep it on during the warm up process it's taking heat away from the engine extending the warm up period driving or sitting still.

So in conclusion:

-Start
-Sit for 1 minute
-Drive under 3k until warm.

 

Yeah, I should mention that I always take it easy for the first several miles. That's true summer or winter, though, for me.

 

I wait until I have to press "OK"on Navi screen (like clockwork)...then I'm out, keeping it under 3K until it warms up (needle starts climbing towards middle in Temp gauge). Just wasting fuel otherwise, as others have stated!

 

im sorry... but are we saying that its actually BAD to let the car warm up/idle ??

every car ive ever owned in my life has remote start... and when its cold. i push that button like 10 minutes before i plan on leaving... great comfort feature as the car (engine & interior) are always warm and toasty.

 

Having your car idling can lead to exhaust fumes entering the car and inhaling them can cause you to think a wall on the side of the road is really a tunnel and you will head for it and crash leading you to believe that your car is cursed and really it's just exhaust fumes...

 

i hope thats not sarcasm i detect in your comment!!

 

i always let mine run for a few minutes before i drive off. there is a different engine tone when you start and drive. and also just because the engine is warm doesnt mean the tranny is too. so dont idel for 3 min then gun it out of the drive way.

 

Normally, yes. With our factory trans cooler/warmer, the trans fluid starts to get heat in it as soon as engine coolant gets warm. Ours feeds off of the inner loop meaning it starts heating the transmission long before the thermostat opens to feed the radiator. The transmission will get to nearly it's full operating temp just sitting in park.

 

LOL...you know we cool Allon!

 

Yes.

I am really surprised by the number of responses from people that let their car sit and idle. Engines warm up quicker by driving. The correct procedure is to drive the car almost immediately. Accelarate slowly and keep the revs relatively low until the car is fully warmed up.

 

I was also curious about the balancing of the car. Are the shocks right and left specific? Its been a while since I lowered a car, and I cannot remember. I had a very good friend who carried a little extra weight (over 300lbs). He had a 94 civic hatchback. It was level with him in it until he cut his springs with a hacksaw. Then it was level parked until he got in it. Watching the car drive down the road was hilarious, his side was almost touching the ground. I don't know what they do to balance cars but it works.

 

Yep. Even my old man taught me that. When I was a teenager he used to say " no jack rabbit start in the morning or else I'll let you drive the minivan". Out of fear of not being cool going to school with a minivan LOL I never did it, not even once.

I've always followed that rule on all of my cars. Start the car, think if I locked the front door, then back up and leave the house. Drive slow until I get the temp to rise up and zoooom. Never had a problem in any of my cars. I've had old, used and new cars, foreign and domestic .... always seems to do the trick.

 

Shiekh Abdul-al-gonnakillyou and Hugo Chavez thanks you for your frequent use of remote start.

Yeah, it's a nice comfort feature, but a big fuel waster.