Using 0w20 it still took a little longer to warm up when cold, but now that I'm running 5w30 in the winter it seems like it might be taking a little longer. I was poking through town on the way to work today in the bitter cold (heat blasting of course, so I know that's not helping the engine warm up) and my car wasn't even all the way warm by the time I made it to Mcdonald's.
And oh yeah, I've gone 11K now on the trans fluid. Hope it makes it to 15K without being off colored.
How many miles from your house to your work ? My car is up to temp. within a couple miles of driving, regardless of what weight oil is used. Maybe your rad. needs a chemical flush. Your trans. fluid should be looking pretty good @ 15K - next, hope you will shoot for 20K so you can join the Drew03Accord club.
This is only an issue when I have the heat on full blast on bitter cold days.
In an extreme case, it took around 5 miles to finally hit the normal spot on the gauge, and then when I got in town close to work, it went back down as I was going through the city roads.
And that was BEFORE I replaced my thermostat. The new thermostat acts the same way. I think the car is just too good at getting rid of heat. Which is good in the hot months.
To answer your original question, the oil you use, (Or how much you pour in your car) will have virtually NOTHING to do with how the car warms up.
It has EVERYTHING to do with a properly functioning thermostat, and the air temperature outside, which in reading your posts, is why you think you have an issue.
Yes, its colder out now, it will take longer for the car to warm up. But then again, I have no idea where you live since its not in your signature, so who really knows......
Sounds like an air pocket is still in the cooling system that gets exasperated by the heater core operation. Do 7th gens have a heater core valve operation?
If the temp gauge moves up and down visibly, there is a wild swing in temp. Modern gauges are by default pegged to midway if the cooling system is operating perfectly and reaches it's normal operating temperature.
What I mean by that is when the engine gets to operating temperature, the gauge slowly moves up to midway or so. It then is electronically held there. This was done by the manufacturers to alleviate the complaints that they had to "fix" caused by automotive system illiterate customers. The gauge will normally fluctuate especially when driving stop/go versus steady highway. Most folks now-a-days have only seen steady temp gauges as opposed to us old guys that watched the gauge slowly creep up to "overheat" at a stop light only to go down when moving at a steady pace.
So, now if your gauge is moving up in temp and lower in temp there is something REALLY wrong with the cooling.
It could be the lazy thermostat, air in the system, faulty temp sensor, bad temp gauge. That'll give you something to do this weekend.
When you replaced the thermostat did you do a refill or add make up coolant following removal of the thermostat? Did you burp it?
I personally doubt it has anything to do with oil weight whatsoever. IMHO that is. Especially with multi-weight oils. Now if you were to say single weight like 20 (if there is a single weight 20) vs 40! the 40 would not flow as easy through the oil galleries and cause the friction from lack of lube to get the metal parts hotter quicker. Physics! Thicker oil, hotter engine, coolant heats up quicker through transfer of heat. Huh, huh. Logically it sounds feasible.
Good luck!
EDIT: when things change out of the norm, check the last system you fooled around with to eliminate that first. Then start looking elsewhere.
I have a concept question. First, it is my understanding the thermostat will remain 100% closed while the engine warms and prevent coolant in the block from circulating through the radiator. Once the “block” radiator fluid reaches normal temperature, around 190°F or so, the thermostat valve opens and allows as much coolant as needed to circulate through the radiator to regulate the fluid’s temperature.
Assuming that is correct, here’s my question. Does the heater core work along the same circuit as the radiator? Does it only get hot fluid after the thermostat opens? If by chance the heater core is directly connected to the “trapped” coolant in the block when the thermostat is closed, having the heat on high may slow the rate in which the car reaches normal temperature.
Of course this has nothing to do with oil viscosity. This is more of a general question.
I have a concept question. First, it is my understanding the thermostat will remain 100% closed while the engine warms and prevent coolant in the block from circulating through the radiator. Once the “block” radiator fluid reaches normal temperature, around 190°F or so, the thermostat valve opens and allows as much coolant as needed to circulate through the radiator to regulate the fluid’s temperature.
Assuming that is correct, here’s my question. Does the heater core work along the same circuit as the radiator? Does it only get hot fluid after the thermostat opens? If by chance the heater core is directly connected to the “trapped” coolant in the block when the thermostat is closed, having the heat on high may slow the rate in which the car reaches normal temperature.
Of course this has nothing to do with oil viscosity. This is more of a general question.
Uses same circuit
Yes only after thermostat opens will it get hot coolant
That is why you should slide the heat on AFTER the thermostat opens since the heater core is a radiator and blowing air across it slows down the time the coolant gets to temp (auto system works like that). Old trick with an overheating engine is to open the heat valve to full and you WILL see the overall temp drop. 80 Skylark, overheating in traffic, 90-100°F, turn on heat full blast, fan on high, temp dropped every time. Tweren't fun guys!
Actually, it gave the car character.
So ultimately if @chris918 turns the heater on full blast, valve on highest heat setting, before the engine reaches temp his heater core is extending the time to get the whole engine up to operating temp. Although the core is MUCH smaller than the block radiator it is an increase in surface area that provides excess heat transfer area to the circulating coolant.
Okay, so coolant in the engine block and heater core are on the same circuit. However that circuit is separated from the main radiator my means of the thermostat. It is only after the engine gets fully hot and the thermostat opens that all three (heater core, engine block and radiator) are connected. That would explain why running the heat while the engine is cold extends the time required to reach operating temperature. It also explains why we get heat rather quickly, even before the temp gauge moves. Of course it also explains why running the heat after the engine is warm helps keep the engine cooler, as in overheating on a very hot day. Thanks.
I'm not sure how air can be trapped in the system, that usually gets pushed through the system, into the radiator after only a few minutes of running at normal operating temperature. It would be discovered by a low or empty reservoir, and/or low radiator fluid.
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