Hi
My idle these days is at first engine swich at morning takes about 15 to 20 min (so RPM reduced from 1400 to about 750).......So inorder not to be late for work I quit the idea of waiting til the temp gauge reached about 47% of its range ...(radiator fluid and func. is fine)
How much time does it take to warm up the engine in your Max at morning ? (these days as temp at morning is about 54F at morning in Kentucky) ? (or the time RPM goes from 1400 to around 650-700) ?

Thanks

 

Mine takes about 5 min, I think there's definitely something wrong if it takes your car 15-20 min for it to warm up, I usually start driving once my needle lifts off the bottom of the gauge. Sounds like a problem with the thermostat, my friends car used to take about half an hour of driving for his engine to warm up because the thermostat was stuck open, so the coolant keeps running through the rad and never gets warm.

 

during the winter time here in PA, I would give it about 8 minutes to warm up. once i drove a mile away from my house, it would be fully warmed up (half way between C and H).
now that its spring, i usually wait 2-3 minutes.
it amazes me how some stupid kids at my school just start there cars and than peel out. thankfully, i paid for my max (not my parents)--so i take care of it.

 

When's the last time you did any cooling system maintenance? Ever replaced the thermostat?

Probably just needs a thermostat replacement.

 

I replaced the whole radiator 1 month before....Nothing about the thermostat......didin't touch it

 

you dont need to wait when its warm out, a minute or so and i take off unless im taking my time. most cars these days are ready as soon as you turn it over and wait a few seconds, they say your engine and trans warm up quicker if you get going and keep it at a slow pace ( 40 or under ) for the first few miles. that gives the motor and trans time for the oil to get from the bottom to up top and all over gears, etc..

 

^^ i agree^^ my understanding is it's actually better for your car, your time, and the environment (no i'm not a tree-hugger) to just drive instead of letting the car sit there wasting gas. just keep your driving reasonable for the first few miles/minutes while it warms.

 

I'm with the two above, I will sometimes start driving within seconds of starting my car up. But I usually wait till my temp gauge reads at least 1/4 above C before I give it more than 20-30% throttle, or even go above 3k RPM.

When I was a stupid teenager I used to think the Camaro I had then was faster when I first started it up, so I'd romp on it all the time before it was warmed up(anything to make me think my 2.8L V6 was fast lol). Probably lucky that engine never let go on me before I sold it. Now I know better.

 

to be honest, your engine is in high idle until she warms up, so you are a little faster out of the parking lot until it does.

 

Best response to a thread ever!

I do agree with the last few posters, just start it and go. Warm up will be much faster. Warming it up at idle, even the slightly higher cold idle takes a while.

 

I crank and wait till my needle is at the line at the c. Just off the resting peg for it with both cars. I've been that way since my teens. Father taught me well.