Using a built motor in a daily driver
#62
I've been doing what Sav posted for a long time now. Didn't want to mention it as some people get their panties in a bunch when you tell them you don't sit there and idle the car for 10 minutes before driving it.
I hop in and go, making sure that it gets MINIMUM throttle possible until its warmed up. My morning commute is really early before the roads are congested, so I take my sweet time and accelerate ridiculously slow making sure the engine gets next to no load.
I did retain my stock pistons however, so my method might not apply to a forged piston engine. Since the piston to wall tolerances on those are more loose, you might want to give it a minute or two so you're not driving with piston slap.
I hop in and go, making sure that it gets MINIMUM throttle possible until its warmed up. My morning commute is really early before the roads are congested, so I take my sweet time and accelerate ridiculously slow making sure the engine gets next to no load.
I did retain my stock pistons however, so my method might not apply to a forged piston engine. Since the piston to wall tolerances on those are more loose, you might want to give it a minute or two so you're not driving with piston slap.
#63
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I live on a hill, with twisty and narrow streets. So, warming the car up becomes a non issue as I roll down the hill at idle. Takes a while, and the engine warms up by the time I reach the flats.
I do not boost until oil gets up to 50C.
There are days when I have to drive the other way - up the hill, too. I warm up the car for about 5 minutes before I tackle the steep hill on a stone cold engine. I use my remote starter for that.
Had I lived on a flat street, I would just drive away with minimum throttle input.
BTW, I checked the stock temp gauge out of curiosity.
The gauge does not register (the needle does not move) below about 50C coolant temp. It barely starts moving at about 48 - 50 C, and gets dead in the middle (12 o'clock position) at about 90C.
Oil temp chases behind, maybe 10 degrees colder (in C) till the coolant temp gauge settles in the middle, then catches up in a couple minutes, and may exceed coolant temp by a few degrees, depending on conditions.
These were all observed under normal driving conditions.
I do not boost until oil gets up to 50C.
There are days when I have to drive the other way - up the hill, too. I warm up the car for about 5 minutes before I tackle the steep hill on a stone cold engine. I use my remote starter for that.
Had I lived on a flat street, I would just drive away with minimum throttle input.
BTW, I checked the stock temp gauge out of curiosity.
The gauge does not register (the needle does not move) below about 50C coolant temp. It barely starts moving at about 48 - 50 C, and gets dead in the middle (12 o'clock position) at about 90C.
Oil temp chases behind, maybe 10 degrees colder (in C) till the coolant temp gauge settles in the middle, then catches up in a couple minutes, and may exceed coolant temp by a few degrees, depending on conditions.
These were all observed under normal driving conditions.
#64
warm up
if temps are that cold by you, why not get a block heater they work pretty good in cold climates . I did a supra from canada that we put one in. Customer raved about it said car warmed up in 10 min to full operating temp after starting . Dont remember the brand but i think it was for a land cruiser.
#65
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Overall it seems this will cause some extra wear, but hardly any more (perhaps less) than any other machine started from cold a couple of times a day, and I'll live with the extra wear.
What extra preventive maintenance should I do?
How and when do I check for the time when I've eventually caused too much extra wear? Maybe regular compression checks?
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#68
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Lol yup that's a good solution. I've got a '99 Maxima beater I paid $800 for. I'll drive my built MSM to work fairly regularly in the summertime but when it's cold or ugly out, the beater gets some exercise.
#69
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BUMP, i see it mentioned in this thread but never really elaborated on. I'm building a "mild" bottom end (forged rods, oem pistons, chrome rings, ARP main/head) and now I'm trying to decide on bearings.
1) is there ANY downside to running "race" bearings (such as ACL race) in a DD motor? Such as quicker bearing wear in daily conditions, etc?
2) is there any reason I should be considering "race" bearings in my DD motor? It may see a few track days a year, lots of street/canyon flogging, but it's far from a "track" or "race" motor.
Just trying to decide on bearings, and if it's worth the extra $100 to upgrade from OEM/king/clevite/etc. oem style bearings to a "race" tri metal bearing or not. It's not the $$ i'm worried about (no problem at all, really), it's just if there is absolutely no point in running them (or if there are downsides to them), i'll stick with OEM.
Thanks guys!
1) is there ANY downside to running "race" bearings (such as ACL race) in a DD motor? Such as quicker bearing wear in daily conditions, etc?
2) is there any reason I should be considering "race" bearings in my DD motor? It may see a few track days a year, lots of street/canyon flogging, but it's far from a "track" or "race" motor.
Just trying to decide on bearings, and if it's worth the extra $100 to upgrade from OEM/king/clevite/etc. oem style bearings to a "race" tri metal bearing or not. It's not the $$ i'm worried about (no problem at all, really), it's just if there is absolutely no point in running them (or if there are downsides to them), i'll stick with OEM.
Thanks guys!
#70
It could be argued that OEM are perfectly fine.
Honda engine builders typically do this they just strictly follow clearances.
Then there's Mazda that built the 500hp Miata dragster, I wonder what they used.
ACL racing seems to norm with us though
I don't see how race bearings would wear faster they are suppose to be harder, no?
Honda engine builders typically do this they just strictly follow clearances.
Then there's Mazda that built the 500hp Miata dragster, I wonder what they used.
ACL racing seems to norm with us though
I don't see how race bearings would wear faster they are suppose to be harder, no?
#71
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It could be argued that OEM are perfectly fine.
Honda engine builders typically do this they just strictly follow clearances.
Then there's Mazda that built the 500hp Miata dragster, I wonder what they used.
ACL racing seems to norm with us though
I don't see how race bearings would wear faster they are suppose to be harder, no?
Honda engine builders typically do this they just strictly follow clearances.
Then there's Mazda that built the 500hp Miata dragster, I wonder what they used.
ACL racing seems to norm with us though
I don't see how race bearings would wear faster they are suppose to be harder, no?
Oh and i estimate a ~300whp max on this setup, probably will spend most of its life at 250-280whp.
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