2 driving questions
 

1) ok, so it's definitely winter here now, 30F, and I took the car for a spin on the freeway. Drove pretty hard for at least 30 min (80+mph in fourth), and at the end of the run the oil temperature was still only half way up to the 8 o'clock mark. Is that normal?
2)you guys talk a lot about getting the rpms up to redline. How do you do that, if it's not on a track? Are you really taking second and third gear up to the redline? Fourth at redline would land you in jail, right? Is it better to drive at high rpms in third than at 4000 in fourth? What really amazes me is that there doesn't seem to be an end to power--it just pulls and pulls.

Well, I guess I could have worse problems than that...

1. Yes, that's normal

2. Don't put your license in jeopardy just because people on this board believe that these cars should be driven hard. Use your own best judgement. An occasional blast to redline is fun and rewarding.

Doing it all the time because you think you ought to is just silly. Do it as often as you feel like, and do it when it is safe and fun.

Exactly. Like every freeway on-ramp.:D

But only when it has had time to warm up.

Tom

Re: 2 driving questions
 

I'm not sure what you use the car for.. but I think if you run on the Hy between 3.3k-3.6k you'll be doing real fine.. If it's an occasional winter ride I'd do a miimum of 50 hy mi every time you start it. That'll keep all the internals clean and lubed IMO........Ron

To be more specific, Ron--I'm sure you know this--what it's really doing is bringing the oil up to a hot enough temperature to drive out whatever water is in the oil and keep it from forming that gray sludge and doing other bad things. Any time you start an engine during cold, damp weather, run it briefly enough to just begin to get it warm and then shut it down, you get a large amount of condensation on the inside of the engine as soon as the cold air works its way in there, and all that water then drips down into the oil. And can also cause rust on stuff like cam lobes if the car sits for awhile.

when I fly recip airplanes during winter weather here in the East, I go for a minimum of an hour just for that reason.

Stephan

This doesnt make sense to me. Ok--so you go out and drive out all the condensation by bringing the engine up to operating temps. Doesnt this condensation just reform when you shut it off and the cold air works its way back in? Or is it just to make sure the condensation doesnt sit for too long? What's too long? Is there rule of thumb? Does the car have to be driven or can you just sit in your garage (with door open) and let it warm up for 15 mins?

Yes, there is inevitable re-formation of condensation. What you want to do is get rid of it rather than letting it accumulate. And no, you'll never get an engine very warm--particularly the three gallons of oil--by letting it sit idling. Maybe if you put the rear up on jackstands, put it in fifth and put a brick on the foot feed...

Stephan

Interesting. Operating temperature--that's the oil temp after five minutes driving on a given day? If the oil temp reaches its maximum on a given day, does it matter whether one drives 10 or 50 min at that temp?
And what difference does a heated garage make in this respect?

oil temp is step 1.. stabilizing the engine expansion takes about 10-15mi IMO.. then to exercise the car and suspension is a prejudiced another 25mi.

The warm garage makes it easier on engine initial start-up wear.

Very interesting info, thanks.
I use the car as a daily driver, throughout the winter. In many ways, I have the perfect commute: I drop on the freeway, drive moderately for about 5 mins and then take the car to 3500-4000 rpm for about 20 min, then 10 mins city driving. Overnight the car is in a heated garage.
The biggest change since the weather has turned colder is that the car creaks a lot--I can't quite figure out where it comes from, and I can't reproduce from the outside by pushing on the shocks. It seems to be inside the car, and I hear when I go over bumps etc.

maybe the stock spring bushings are over 40k miles

Re: 2 driving questions
 

Well, first you buy a fast car, then you think to yourself "gee, it's no fun driving this thing in San Francisco. Maybe I should move somewhere there are empty farm roads and two major racetracks within 2 hours."

And then a couple years later you wake up and you're living in a house next to the middle of nowhere! And you've got garage space, and grease under your fingernails, and everything is good!

...oh, sorry, I got a little introspective there. Just rev it up when it makes sense and when you feel like it. The car will enjoy it, but it's not critical to do it every time.

By the way, "operating temperature" is not achieved by driving for five minutes.

Stephan

I was thinking the same thing - my 87 barely moves the needle in the first five minutes.

I'm with Steve on this one..
5 min is enough to get your CHT up to street driving.......Ron