How Long before the engine cools?
How Long before the engine cools?
i have a 98 gs400 and just drove 20 minutes to work. its been 2 hours and i took a break sitting on the hood of my car. i felt hot air coming from the grille. i popped the hood and felt the engine cover, intake and almost everything i dared to touch. everything was still hot. i checked my fluids but everything is still fine. is this normal? maybe i need to flush some old fluids? thanks
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 1,043
Likes: 31
From: CA
Why would you want it to cool faster?
Engines are supposed to operate at a specific temperature range, so their idea of "cool" will still burn a human.
when you go out to lunch at noon, your engine will still have retained heat and is already warmed up with no 2nd "damaging" cold start for the engine (damaging according to folks that suffer from oil OCD).
If you look into the technical speccs of the Prius, it even insulates the coolant to keep it hot throughout the night to warm up the engine.
Engines are supposed to operate at a specific temperature range, so their idea of "cool" will still burn a human.
when you go out to lunch at noon, your engine will still have retained heat and is already warmed up with no 2nd "damaging" cold start for the engine (damaging according to folks that suffer from oil OCD).
If you look into the technical speccs of the Prius, it even insulates the coolant to keep it hot throughout the night to warm up the engine.
i have a 98 gs400 and just drove 20 minutes to work. its been 2 hours and i took a break sitting on the hood of my car. i felt hot air coming from the grille. i popped the hood and felt the engine cover, intake and almost everything i dared to touch. everything was still hot. i checked my fluids but everything is still fine. is this normal? maybe i need to flush some old fluids? thanks
You have to keep in mind that the car is fairly well insulated inside the engine compartment, too, and the only way it's getting air is through the grill and possibly up from behind the plate under the car. That's not a lot of air to cool it down, and 2 hours isn't a long period of time to drop from 400°+. Also keep in mind that the coolant isn't flowing through the engine at full pressure, nor is the fan sucking air in or blowing it across, so it's going to take time. Obviously you're concerned about it, but it seems completely reasonable. I park in my garage, and it heats it up quite nicely in winter when returning home. Even worse in summer time when the garage is already hotter than a blast furnace!
Big Mack
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Brett Foote
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 1,043
Likes: 31
From: CA
This thread still puzzles me.
The car's "normal" operating temperature is like 220degrees F, so I don't understand why there's an obsession with wanting your engine to cool down to room temperature. I'd want my car to stay at it's operating temperature, and not just plummet.
What if i have to drive to canada or alaska?
If the reason is you need to do mechanical work on your car, pop the hood, set up a box fan in front, and that'll help it cool down faster.
The car's "normal" operating temperature is like 220degrees F, so I don't understand why there's an obsession with wanting your engine to cool down to room temperature. I'd want my car to stay at it's operating temperature, and not just plummet.
What if i have to drive to canada or alaska?
If the reason is you need to do mechanical work on your car, pop the hood, set up a box fan in front, and that'll help it cool down faster.
Why would you want it to cool faster?
Engines are supposed to operate at a specific temperature range, so their idea of "cool" will still burn a human.
when you go out to lunch at noon, your engine will still have retained heat and is already warmed up with no 2nd "damaging" cold start for the engine (damaging according to folks that suffer from oil OCD).
If you look into the technical speccs of the Prius, it even insulates the coolant to keep it hot throughout the night to warm up the engine.
Engines are supposed to operate at a specific temperature range, so their idea of "cool" will still burn a human.
when you go out to lunch at noon, your engine will still have retained heat and is already warmed up with no 2nd "damaging" cold start for the engine (damaging according to folks that suffer from oil OCD).
If you look into the technical speccs of the Prius, it even insulates the coolant to keep it hot throughout the night to warm up the engine.
He expressed a concern. Perhaps he doesn't have as much experience as the rest of us? And, even more important, he came back to see what was said. It's how we learn, mang.
I agree, but to each his own.
I think some people need to take it easy on the guy. Sheesh, we're all here to learn/help/take pride in our rides.
Big Mack
I agree, but to each his own.
I think some people need to take it easy on the guy. Sheesh, we're all here to learn/help/take pride in our rides.
Big Mack