Where to obtain oil/engine temperature; how hot before driving?

[Coldsmoke]

Hi,

This has to be a very basic question, but I can’t find this answer in the forum, Google, or the Owners manual. Where can you get the engine oil temperature and how hot should it be before you start driving?

There’s a bunch of threads where people are commenting how hot their Broncos are running, but where are they getting this information from? All I see below my speedometer is a gauge, but it just has bars (no measurement °F). I have a 2023 Sasquatch Outer Banks with Lux if that helps.

Is there a set number of bars I should let my bronco obtain before I start driving it? It was 29°F here in Raleigh this morning and I let it get to two bars first. After driving it at low speeds for a minute or two, finally three and four bars finally showed. Is this a good enough approach? This is a brand new bronco and I want to be nice to it.

What is the common rule for heating up your vehicle before driving? Back when I took driver’s ed like 1 million years ago they said keep it under 35 until it warms up. Is this still true? I’m heading up to Buffalo and I may face much colder temperatures.

Also, if there are any general guidelines for breaking in a brand new vehicle that I should follow please let me know.

thanks!

Well, by now you are probably thoroughly confused and may have learned not to ask a technical question on a forum like this because you'll get more opinions than you can shake a stick at and no substantiative information.
From my view here in the cheap seats, I would answer most questions in the same manner; RTFM, (Read The F-ing Manual). Then, if that fails, contact a certified professional and ask their advice as well as request any sources they might be referencing for validation. That way you at least have some degree of confidence in the information. Interestingly, The Poacher on the first page of this thread kind of suggested the same thing, but he was a bit more polite in his response than my RTFM. But, in my defense, I enjoy the acronyms. Best Wishes and Merry Christmas.

Sponsored

 

[timhood]

With a HUGE amount of internal wear
The lie is all about lowering the tailpipe emissions

Somebody tell this to our 2004 F150. It doesn't get long warm-ups and never has. A gentle drive off does no more wear to the engine. This has been tested and proven countless times. Here is one trusted example. Here's the takeaway: the longer your engine spends at cold temperature, the more wear will occur. Your engine will take longer to warm up at idle than while driving.

 

[Donkey]

I can’t believe the number of absolute clowns telling you to just take off no matter the temp. Oil viscosity is lower at cold temps, and parts tolerances change. While you don’t need the long warm ups of carbureted days unless it’s low enough for the block heater, you should at least wait until the pc drops the idle revs, then just drive like grandma until your thermometer stabilizes. The new epa advice is written by weak wristed, smooth palmed urbanites that don’t even own cars and want you eating bugs in your pod.

 

[Donkey]

With a HUGE amount of internal wear
The lie is all about lowering the tailpipe emissions

These people can’t make the distinction between the motor being warm and the motor being lubricated. I bet if you told them how fast it heats up while on fire, they’d be stuffing lit rags in their gas tanks at the first frost.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

My personal preference is to not get into any serious boost, and stay away from redline until I've got oil temps around 180F.

^^^^ Solid advice above.
Do not "gun it" immediately after start up, give it a few seconds to get it lubed up ...as stated.
Kind of like .... nevermind, this is a family rated forum.

 

[Boreal]

@Donkey @Phil Brown

When you live in a Northclimate that spends 3-4 Weeks at -40C/F, what do you think we should do? Sit and wait 15 minutes for the high idle to come down, while it a wreaks havoc on the engine oil and consumes fuel at an ungodly rate? Causing MORE wear…

The high idle isn’t an indicator of wether or not you should drive.

If you ever happen to be these outrageously low temps, I’m sure you’ve read the manual and swapped to a full-syn 0W-30, right?

No one is saying get up and punch it. You use some discretion and drive accordingly to warm up the rest of the drive train. How hard of a concept is this to understand? If we all waited till optimum temperatures before it would be better to leave the damn rigs idling 24/7. But I’m sure the 30 Million people who live up in the Dakota’s, Minnesota, Alaska and Canada are the ones that are wrong hey?

 

[Arrowbear Rider]

No one is saying get up and punch it. You use some discretion and drive accordingly to warm up the rest of the drive train. How hard of a concept is this to understand?

I've lived in the Colorado and California mountains and never have dealt with temps that low, I always try to go as soon as possible, slowly warming up the whole drive line. BUT, it's the visibility through the fogged up windshield that caused me to have to wait to drive more than anything else.

Note: if in a garage it's not as much of an issue.

A time or two I tried to drive before the windshield defroster could keep up with the cold air frosting up the windshield and that's no fun on a winding mountain road. It quickly fogged up so much that I had to pull over and scrape the windshield again.

 

[Karl_in_Chicago]

@Donkey @Phil Brown

When you live in a Northclimate that spends 3-4 Weeks at -40C/F, what do you think we should do? Sit and wait 15 minutes for the high idle to come down, while it a wreaks havoc on the engine oil and consumes fuel at an ungodly rate? Causing MORE wear…

The high idle isn’t an indicator of wether or not you should drive.

If you ever happen to be these outrageously low temps, I’m sure you’ve read the manual and swapped to a full-syn 0W-30, right?

No one is saying get up and punch it. You use some discretion and drive accordingly to warm up the rest of the drive train. How hard of a concept is this to understand? If we all waited till optimum temperatures before it would be better to leave the damn rigs idling 24/7. But I’m sure the 30 Million people who live up in the Dakota’s, Minnesota, Alaska and Canada are the ones that are wrong hey?

There's isn't an addendum pasted to your manual that says in winter months to start engine and then wait for June for vehicle to reach optimal operating temperature?

 

[Donkey]

@Donkey @Phil Brown

When you live in a Northclimate that spends 3-4 Weeks at -40C/F, what do you think we should do? Sit and wait 15 minutes for the high idle to come down, while it a wreaks havoc on the engine oil and consumes fuel at an ungodly rate? Causing MORE wear…

The high idle isn’t an indicator of wether or not you should drive.

If you ever happen to be these outrageously low temps, I’m sure you’ve read the manual and swapped to a full-syn 0W-30, right?

No one is saying get up and punch it. You use some discretion and drive accordingly to warm up the rest of the drive train. How hard of a concept is this to understand? If we all waited till optimum temperatures before it would be better to leave the damn rigs idling 24/7. But I’m sure the 30 Million people who live up in the Dakota’s, Minnesota, Alaska and Canada are the ones that are wrong hey?

How hard of a concept is it to understand that OP stated he’s in charlotte, therefore his high idle will likely settle down if he remote starts while putting on his pants and shoes. And yes , a couple clowns did say to get in and go with no warm up.

 

[timhood]

How hard of a concept is it to understand that OP stated he’s in charlotte, therefore his high idle will likely settle down if he remote starts while putting on his pants and shoes. And yes , a couple clowns did say to get in and go with no warm up.

Did you watch the video I linked? Good chance to learn something.

 

[rdg04578]

there is plenty of documentation confirming that the modern engine is safe to drive without damage after about 30 to 45 seconds-- even at 30 below. The main purpose for warming up the vehicle is for personal comfort and safety--like defrosting the windshield. Just because the temperature gauge is pegged low it does not mean the block isn't warm enough to prevent damage. The coolant still needs to warm up enough to cause the thermostat to open and start circulating coolant-- which could take a few minutes. the fastest way to heat the engine is to drive the vehicle--sure you do not want to hammer down at 30 below but normal driving is not a concern.

 

[Sparkherd]

Hi,

This has to be a very basic question, but I can’t find this answer in the forum, Google, or the Owners manual. Where can you get the engine oil temperature and how hot should it be before you start driving?

There’s a bunch of threads where people are commenting how hot their Broncos are running, but where are they getting this information from? All I see below my speedometer is a gauge, but it just has bars (no measurement °F). I have a 2023 Sasquatch Outer Banks with Lux if that helps.

Is there a set number of bars I should let my bronco obtain before I start driving it? It was 29°F here in Raleigh this morning and I let it get to two bars first. After driving it at low speeds for a minute or two, finally three and four bars finally showed. Is this a good enough approach? This is a brand new bronco and I want to be nice to it.

What is the common rule for heating up your vehicle before driving? Back when I took driver’s ed like 1 million years ago they said keep it under 35 until it warms up. Is this still true? I’m heading up to Buffalo and I may face much colder temperatures.

Also, if there are any general guidelines for breaking in a brand new vehicle that I should follow please let me know.

thanks!

 

[Sparkherd]

I just plug this thingie in a hour or so before I drive it...works great!!!

 

[cbrenthus]

Very cold here lately and I have been letting mine warm up for 10 to 15 minutes when I'm going somewhere with the kids because they can't wear thick coats in car seats.

Sponsored