How long you let it warm up?

Temps around here in N.W Indiana are now between 15 and 30 degrees when I start my V6, 2001, 1500. I'm using 10W30. I start it up and let it idle for a couple minutes and take off. Since its got NV3500 manual trans. I keep the R's below 1500 for the first mile or so. This truck drops idle to 700 pretty quick after start. I am old enough to remember when cold start engine ran 1000 to 1100 R's on start till warm. Under afore mentioned weather conditions am I letting this guy warm up long enough before driving away. What do you think of 5W30?

It's a good idea to run something thinner, like 5W30. You could even run straight 30 in it if you wanted to.

I have diesel oil in my truck and it's tough starting when cold. Never sees snow though.

I live in central mn and I tend to let it warm up for about 10 minutes, but I always make sure to let it run for about a minute just to get everythin circulating.

It's a good idea to run something thinner, like 5W30. You could even run straight 30 in it if you wanted to.

I have diesel oil in my truck and it's tough starting when cold. Never sees snow though.

Straight 30 sounds a little thick for winter no? Maybe straight 10?

I remember my dad ran 20 in the summer and 10 in the winter. He'd go to 5 if the weather stayed below 20 degrees but he never drove on expressways. He thought 10W30 was some kind of dufus oil invented to screw the public. I hate goin to 5w30 cause I'm on the expressway a lot doin 70+.

indyram: That's kinda the game plan I use

I'd definitely use what the owner's manual says to use. Engineers designed your engine for a certain grade of oil.

30W is definitely too heavy, as it will be like sludge in cold weather, and you may oil starve your engine.

The "10W30" means that when cold, your oil will be like a 10W (thin) and will be 30W (thicker) as it warms up.

On my 04 V6, 5W30 is recommended unless the temperature is going to be above 60* all the time, then 10W30 is ok. There's a chart in the specifications section of your owner's manual.

-edit-
Damn, forgot...warming up...as long as you've got normal oil pressure, you should be ok, as it's all about lubrication. A longer warm up won't hurt anything, and will get the heat working. :) With the manual transmission, you may have a stiff feel to the shifter until it warms up a bit. Just shift more slowly until it warms up and begins to shift easier.


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The owner manual says 5W30 good to 32 degrees. New V6 OHC engines probably have better oiling system to top end. Mine's the old 318 with 2 cyls chopped off.

It will work with anything you put in it.

Yes, but for how long?

That's the question.

If I were you I'd let it warm up about ten minute or longer if it gets colder. When it get to about -40 F. I'll let it warm up for about 20 minutes. In winter I run 5W30 synthetic, & 10W30 Synthetic in summer.
A full syn oil is the best in winter because it doesn't thickin up like regular oil.

Probabley ben axed a million times.....so I appologize ahead o time. Whats best way to swap to synthetic from petrolium. Do you really think it's the way to go?

I believe you do a engine Flush before you change your oil. You add a quart of Gum out engine flush or what ever flush you want and let in run in idle for about 10-15 minutes. Then you change the oil as normal. A friend at work told me he uses a Quart of Tranny fluid. I don't know about that. The 1st time I changed my oil in my 96 Ram I switched to full synthetic. The engine still runs stronge, but it's only a 96 and it better be running stronge.

I ask questions about oil everytime I talk to a mechanic and most of the time they stay stick to what the owners manual says.

Anyone use Lucas oil additives? I read about it and is sounds like good stuff.

I was told Synthetic was the was to go buy my friend how is a mech. at the local benz. dealer. Aparently syn. oil paticals a smaller and penitrate better that regular oil. Thus protecting your engine better. This might be true might be bull!. Another thing I was told about syn. oil is that if you switch back a forth you lose the benifits of the syn. So once out start using it keep on using it. I use syn oil in every thing on the truck, exept the tranny (was told not to). When I switch the diffs over I got about 2MPG increase in the winter too.

Not Sure On What A Dealer Will Tell You But In My Experience They Will Tell You Enough To Get Past The Warranty Period. I Agree With Bleeddodge On This One Use What U Want. Loook At Your Oil Gauge If Equipt. If Oil Is To Heavy Pressure Will Be Extremely High And Sometimes Will Push Oil Out Of Oil Filter To Block Seal. I Use 5w40 Syn In Summer And 0w40 Syn In Winter. Letting Your Engine Doesn't Matter Which Kind Idle For Longer Than 5 Min Is Asking For Trouble. Reason Being Without Fluctuation 3-500 Rpm Worth Condensation Develops At Idle And Water In Oil Has Always Been Bad. If It Is -0- Or Colder I Always Let It Warm Up In Gear With The Transfercase In Neutral. Might Not Be A Good Idea But Never Heard That It Is So I Still Do It.

this is my feeling on warming up http://www.moviesoundscentral.com/sounds/goodfellas/outtahere.wav