Vehicle getting to running temp faster - good?

[TheOak]

This is probably one of the "duh"

questions but I thought I would ask ... so be nice ... please

Since changing my oil and filter (see signature if you really want to know - trying to stay oil and filter anonymous at this point), one of the things that I have noticed is that the vehicle gets to normal running temperatures much faster. Prior, using a different oil and filter it would take "forever" for the vehicle to warm up. Okay ... I might be exaggerating here, but you get the idea.

Common sense tells me this is good thing. With the oil warming up faster, the oil would be able to move where it is supposed to be at a quicker rate, reducing wear, increasing fuel economy, bla bla bla.

The car does not over heat, it just gets to running temperatures a lot faster.

This is good ... right?

 

[Jakegday]

vehicles run more efficiently when they're warmed up, so i would say this is a good thing

 

[saberz]

Very good to get to running temp faster(without you causing it, IE racing the engine from a cold start).

You probably changed oil weights with the switch too?

 

[KrisZ]

The faster the car comes to it's operating temp. the better, but I never noticed any change with just an oil being fresh

 

[cjhepburn]

Maybe your new oil is causing additional friction, thereby causing the engine to heat faster. I would think that you wouldn't want the oil to contribute to faster warmups.

 

[TheOak]

Originally Posted By: Anies
Very good to get to running temp faster(without you causing it, IE racing the engine from a cold start).

You probably changed oil weights with the switch too?


Old oil was Mobile 1 fully synthetic 5W30. Old filter I am guessing was Fram. Prior I just went to Walmart and told them give me the fully synthetic service with Mobile 1 fully synthetic.

Weight of oil stayed the same.

Originally Posted By: cjhepburn
Maybe your new oil is causing additional friction, thereby causing the engine to heat faster. I would think that you wouldn't want the oil to contribute to faster warmups.


This is one concern that I had and what really prompted the question.

Again though, the vehicle does not get any hotter than it did prior. It just gets there faster. I could just have a really good cooling system too however.

Perhaps the filter I have now flows better than the prior, allowing the oil to move around the engine faster and hence getting to temp quicker? This is my current theory.

Originally Posted By: KrisZ
The faster the car comes to it's operating temp. the better, but I never noticed any change with just an oil being fresh

I can't say that I have either. And hence the fact that I noticed it I find significant.

I will add that I typically get 31-33 miles per gallon. The first two tanks after the change gave me over 35 mpg (same gas station). The car seems to have settled down to 32/33 mpg for the past two tanks (again, same gas station).

For now, I am going to interpret this as a good thing ... I was just wondering if this was commonly noticed or not.

Thanks for the replies.

 

[ryland]

Did you change the antifreeze lately?? I know that my honda came up to temp much faster with prestone than with honda type 2

 

[TheOak]

Originally Posted By: ryland
Did you change the antifreeze lately?? I know that my honda came up to temp much faster with prestone than with honda type 2


Nope, same stuff - original actually.

 

[Nickdfresh]

It's a good thing as as best anyone can tell; most wear comes from contamination in the oil sump during low temperature idling and driving that operating temps will burn out...

 

[TheOak]

Another thing I thought of is perhaps the new oil cleaned some "things" out in the engine, allowing the oil to flow better and hence come to operating temperatures faster.

Again, for me, I am going to interpret this is a good thing.

I just thought I would bounce this out there for feedback.

Thanks all for your replies.