Should my car feel slower with a cold engine

Should my car feel slower with a cold engine

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willmagrath

Original Poster:

1,207 posts

145 months

Saturday 4th February 2017
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I noticed yesterday that my car feels noticeably slower at low revs when cold.

Its a 2014 Fiesta ST and I always wait for at least 5-10mins before giving it some, especially with the turbo.

But yesterday, I had to floor it in 2nd from low revs (silly i know but i was caught out) and it just felt sluggish. I thought this was weird so tried the same a few minutes later, engine now warm, and the pick up was noticeably better.

Anybody else noticed this?? is this normal??

MJK 24

5,648 posts

235 months

Saturday 4th February 2017
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Yes quite normal. Especially on a diesel.

TooMany2cvs

29,008 posts

125 months

Saturday 4th February 2017
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willmagrath said:
I noticed yesterday that my car feels noticeably slower at low revs when cold.

Its a 2014 Fiesta ST and I always wait for at least 5-10mins before giving it some, especially with the turbo.

But yesterday, I had to floor it in 2nd from low revs (silly i know but i was caught out) and it just felt sluggish. I thought this was weird so tried the same a few minutes later, engine now warm, and the pick up was noticeably better.

Anybody else noticed this?? is this normal??
It's entirely possible that boost is being restricted while the coolant's below a certain threshold.

anonymous-user

53 months

Saturday 4th February 2017
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You wait 5-10 minutes before giving it stick? I would wait a touch longer till its actually warm...

willmagrath

Original Poster:

1,207 posts

145 months

Saturday 4th February 2017
quotequote all
Learn2MergeInTurn said:
You wait 5-10 minutes before giving it stick? I would wait a touch longer till its actually warm...
True but it warms up pretty quick! Its never 5 mins though tongue out

anonymous-user

53 months

Saturday 4th February 2017
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willmagrath said:
Learn2MergeInTurn said:
You wait 5-10 minutes before giving it stick? I would wait a touch longer till its actually warm...
True but it warms up pretty quick! Its never 5 mins though tongue out
Fair enough, if you wait till it warms up it will have all the power unlocked wink

MJK 24

5,648 posts

235 months

Saturday 4th February 2017
quotequote all
willmagrath said:
True but it warms up pretty quick! Its never 5 mins though tongue out
When the temp gauge is showing the coolant is warm, the oil will still be lagging way behind. I would wait a good 15 mins with that engine before giving it some beans. Unless you only intend to keep it a few years.

danllama

5,728 posts

141 months

Saturday 4th February 2017
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Warm on the gauge doesn't mean it's properly warm, oil takes much longer, just something to think about if you plan on keeping the car for a while...

caelite

4,273 posts

111 months

Saturday 4th February 2017
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MJK 24 said:
willmagrath said:
True but it warms up pretty quick! Its never 5 mins though tongue out
When the temp gauge is showing the coolant is warm, the oil will still be lagging way behind. I would wait a good 15 mins with that engine before giving it some beans. Unless you only intend to keep it a few years.
I love that my car has both a coolant temp and an oil temp gauge. It seems really rare on 'modern' cars. I'm pretty anal about not thrashing my car when the oil cool. Accidentally done it the other week when I saw a work colleague pass me on my commute almost immediately outside my house. The ensuing 100mph chase through empty 6:30AM streets on a stone cold engine probably didn't do my motor the world of good. Nor did it do my ego any good when I saw my colleague's chavved up, rough running VAG hatch outdrag me past 80-90mph or so... biggrin. I'm now blaming that on the 'cold engine' though! He had been driving for a good 5 miles or so before he passed my house!


Edited by caelite on Saturday 4th February 20:04

f1nn

2,692 posts

191 months

Saturday 4th February 2017
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As others have said, don't confuse water temp with oil temp.

On my car, albeit a 3.0 six, water temp can at 95 degrees and oil temp has yet to move off the bottom of the gauge.

anonymous-user

53 months

Saturday 4th February 2017
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My car also has a oil temp gauge cool


PorkFan

291 posts

179 months

Saturday 4th February 2017
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It's trying to protect itself from you

M1C

1,832 posts

110 months

Saturday 4th February 2017
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We have a 2007 107 1.0 and a 2002 Megane 1.4 and both cars are noticeably slower and noisier when cold.

anonymous-user

53 months

Saturday 4th February 2017
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M1C said:
We have a 2007 107 1.0 and a 2002 Megane 1.4 and both cars are noticeably slower and noisier when cold.
I bet they are absolutely savage when hot

AdamIndy

1,661 posts

103 months

Saturday 4th February 2017
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bmw535i said:
M1C said:
We have a 2007 107 1.0 and a 2002 Megane 1.4 and both cars are noticeably slower and noisier when cold.
I bet they are absolutely savage when hot
laugh

timberman

1,280 posts

214 months

Sunday 5th February 2017
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willmagrath said:
I noticed yesterday that my car feels noticeably slower at low revs when cold.

Its a 2014 Fiesta ST and I always wait for at least 5-10mins before giving it some, especially with the turbo.

But yesterday, I had to floor it in 2nd from low revs (silly i know but i was caught out) and it just felt sluggish. I thought this was weird so tried the same a few minutes later, engine now warm, and the pick up was noticeably better.

Anybody else noticed this?? is this normal??
I also have a Fiesta ST and mines the same so I'm guessing typical for this model.
it feels a bit strangled in 1st and 2nd gear,I've heard the torques limited for some reason, maybe the mountune upgrade would sort this out

It does seem to take longer to loosen up than other cars I've had in the past at ths time of year which is a bit frustrating for me as most of my journeys are quite short,
this often leaves me wondering whether I should trade it for something else, but now and then I'll go for a decent run and remember why I got it.



Mike335i

4,985 posts

101 months

Sunday 5th February 2017
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Most if not all modern cars will have a warming up mode that will protect the engine from drivers who don't understand the extra wear and tear caused by the engine oil being cold. This would be most drivers who see their cars as a tool.

So perfectly normal.

anonymous-user

53 months

Sunday 5th February 2017
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Mike335i said:
Most if not all modern cars will have a warming up mode that will protect the engine from drivers who don't understand the extra wear and tear caused by the engine oil being cold. This would be most drivers who see their cars as a tool.

So perfectly normal.
Please tell me more about the warming up mode on most/all modern cars. I have never heard of this before. scratchchin

Willy Nilly

12,511 posts

166 months

Sunday 5th February 2017
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bmw535i said:
Mike335i said:
Most if not all modern cars will have a warming up mode that will protect the engine from drivers who don't understand the extra wear and tear caused by the engine oil being cold. This would be most drivers who see their cars as a tool.

So perfectly normal.
Please tell me more about the warming up mode on most/all modern cars. I have never heard of this before. scratchchin
It wouldn't be hard to put something in the ECU software to limit power until up to operating temperature. It might be that under normal driving conditions you never notice it, but if you try a WOT rally start you'll only get a percentage of the max power, or even not going to high idle.

legless

1,686 posts

139 months

Sunday 5th February 2017
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It's quite surprising how much longer it takes for the oil to heat up compared to the coolant.

My car has an oil temp gauge and a coolant temp gauge. My commute is 50 miles on a motorway, and my home is 1 mile from the motorway junction, so it's a couple of minutes of pottering around, followed by accelerating down a slip road and settle to a 70mph cruise.

The coolant temperature usually rises to normal within 5 minutes. It takes 20 miles of motorway speed though for the oil to get up to temperature.