How long to warm up oil?

[edyvw]

Originally Posted By: 69GTX
If it's -30 deg F outside, you just might not ever got the oil fully warmed up.


Yes it will. Compare to 32f, at -37 I needed maybe extra 4 miles. Fully warmed up.

 

[Silk]

My Volvo has the oil cooler in the top tank, once the thermostat is open, the oil is the same temp pretty soon.

 

[FCD]

The reason you can't get an exact answer is because most of us on here drive different cars and live in different climates.
My daily driver has a tiny 1124cc all alloy fuel injected engine so it takes very little time for it to get to operating temperature.
My other car has a 400 lb cast iron lump that is carbureted and has a 10L cooling systm for only 3.0L of displacement, so in the winter it can take a really long time to get up to operating temperature.

 

[steve20]

I have said this before, but IMO it is worth saying again. I've had several Corvettes equipped with digital oil pressure & digital oil temperature readings. While driving slowly--for an aluminum block & head motor the oil temp is roughly half of the coolant temp, up until the coolant temp reaches 150 degrees. After 150 degrees, the oil temp starts to catch up to the coolant temp to the degree that oil temp is at approximately 75% of coolant temp when coolant temp = 195-200 degrees.
In summary, when the thermostat opens (190-200 degrees) the oil temp is just coming up to 150 degrees.
These observations hold true from 10 degrees to 100 degrees outside temp: the variable, is how long it takes
Steve

 

[mjoekingz28]

Thanks steve20

 

[zuluplus30]

I rented a Chrysler 200 while my Wrangler was in the shop. It had and oil temperature gauge in the multifunction view. Oil temperature reached its normal range after 15-20 minutes. Significantly longer than the company temp which was up to normal within 5 minutes

 

[CELICA_XX]

Originally Posted By: edyvw
My Tiguan reaches coolant temp. very fast, especially if you put HVAC temperature gauge at cold first mile, so due to heat exxchanger, oil will reach operating temperature probably 2-3 miles later.


You have a heat exchanger to heat your motor oil ?

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: zuluplus30
I rented a Chrysler 200 while my Wrangler was in the shop. It had and oil temperature gauge in the multifunction view. Oil temperature reached its normal range after 15-20 minutes. Significantly longer than the company temp which was up to normal within 5 minutes


Did it have a transmission temp reading as well? I'm curious how much faster the oil comes to temp before the ATF comes to normal temp?

 

[zuluplus30]

Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Originally Posted By: zuluplus30
I rented a Chrysler 200 while my Wrangler was in the shop. It had and oil temperature gauge in the multifunction view. Oil temperature reached its normal range after 15-20 minutes. Significantly longer than the company temp which was up to normal within 5 minutes


Did it have a transmission temp reading as well? I'm curious how much faster the oil comes to temp before the ATF comes to normal temp?


It did but I didn't pay attention to how that played out. I was alway back and forth between the coolant and oil temp pages

 

[Injured_Again]

Originally Posted By: steve20
I have said this before, but IMO it is worth saying again. I've had several Corvettes equipped with digital oil pressure & digital oil temperature readings. While driving slowly--for an aluminum block & head motor the oil temp is roughly half of the coolant temp, up until the coolant temp reaches 150 degrees. After 150 degrees, the oil temp starts to catch up to the coolant temp to the degree that oil temp is at approximately 75% of coolant temp when coolant temp = 195-200 degrees.
In summary, when the thermostat opens (190-200 degrees) the oil temp is just coming up to 150 degrees.
These observations hold true from 10 degrees to 100 degrees outside temp: the variable, is how long it takes
Steve


That's interesting, as I have a 2011 and my experience is significantly different, and the experience of other local owners mirrors mines.

The coolant temperature has never taken more than a couple of miles to go from ambient up to about 180-190 degrees F. We've recently had sub-freezing temperatures and from a garage-indicated coolant temperature of about 48-50 degrees, it rises to within triple digits during the quarter mile drive out of our neighborhood at 25 MPH speeds. By the time I get to the freeway onramp, about a mile and a half away, the coolant is at least 170-180 degrees F.

The oil temperature, however, is probably only about 10 degrees F. warmer at that point. Prior to installing an external oil cooler, it would take between 10-15 miles of freeway driving or 10-15 minutes of stop and go driving to reach 150 degrees F., which is the minimum temperature I use before going full throttle or running it to redline. The coolant temperature has pretty much stabilized between 190-210 degrees F. within about three minutes.

Again, this is a 2011 with LS3, and my experience mirrors those of many other local C6 owners since it's often a subject of discussion especially as many of us have equipped our cars with external coolers for extended track running, and that exacerbates the oil temperature problem. Without a temperature bypass valve, on very cold days my oil temperature will seemingly never get to 150 degrees F. by just driving on the freeway.

 

[Injured_Again]

Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Did it have a transmission temp reading as well? I'm curious how much faster the oil comes to temp before the ATF comes to normal temp?


Another data point for you. 2011 Corvette with LS3 and 6-speed auto. The transmission fluid is run through the side tank of the radiator, both to preheat it when cold and to cool it when hot. Transmission fluid temps roughly increase at the same rate as the oil temps in stop and go driving, but top out around 180-190 degrees on warmer days. However, driving in situations where the torque converter locks up and the transmission fluid seems to be warmed only by heat from the radiator. On a cold day if I hit the freeway and just drive steadily, it can take as much as half an hour for the transmission temp to reach 150-160 degrees.

I've subsequently added an external cooler that is in line and prior to the radiator. This hasn't slowed the warmup by much but definitely has decreased track temperatures by a few tens of degrees.

 

[splinter]

Originally Posted By: Injured_Again
...it can take as much as half an hour for the transmission temp to reach 150-160 degrees...

That's been my experience with a 6L80E (w/ temperature gauge), as well.
It's plumbed through an OE fluid-to-air heat exchanger then back to integral radiator tank 'cooler.'
Absorbs heat much more slowly than similar circuitry in motor oil pathways.

Ambient temperatures are often the primary 'how long to warm up' an oil's stabilization thermodynamics besides load in any specific setup.
$.02

 

[Jetronic]

here's my 2 cents:

A lot of cars have an oil temp reading in the engine ecu data list, even though they don't have an oil temp sensor fitted. We're talking calculated oil temps. Most cars here in Europe don't have an oil temp sensor.

I NEVER burn myself on the draining oil in winter either, but I have to be carefull in summer. The oil in the sump stays a LOT cooler during winter

 

[CT8]

I wouldn't worry about it.