Giving the Oil a proper warm-up

[zoomie]

Since buying my car new a few months ago, I've been babying the thing putting 7500 miles in 4 1/2 months, mostly highway. This probably is a result of it being my first new car and that the thing sat at a dealership for at least half a year in the cold months (-30 temps or worse) moving the thing around for tiny trips, I just cringe thinking about it.

Ive read 20 minutes normal driving is needed for a minimum warm-up. Ive been doing this and the usual trip also has 5 min of 60mph 10 minutes into the drive. When I do this trip and dont exceed 45mph I see some moisture at the tailpipe.

A gallon of moisture in the muffler and frothy, coffee coloured oil in the pollution control airways is what I found in my last car, which was subject to short trips and in cold weather.

I want to avoid moisture condensing in my oil and could use some reassurance advice on proper warm-ups.

 

[KW]

I think if you take a nice Sunday drive and get the car warmed up good you will be ok.


A few years ago we lives 1/2 mile from my wife's work. She would go to work in the morning and then home at lunch to let the dogs out, and of course home after work. Every Saturday I would use the car to haul my motorcycle to the drag strip about an hour away. That went on for about 6 years, and now 5 years later the car is still clean inside and runs like a top.

 

[Eddie]

One minute might be considered max after starting and before driving. I have found on my cars that had oil & water temp guages that the oil does not achieve a running temp of <180 F. until driving for about 10 miles. Water temp is up and stablized in about 2 miles of driving. I to drive many 2.5 mile trips during the day and take my car for a 10-15 mile run once a week at 60+mph to burn off contaminents.