Cold engine

[GOLFYT]

Hi, Im i right in thinking that VTEC wont work while the engine is cold, is this a safety feature, not that i would use VTEC until the temp gauge was fully up to its warmest, i just always wondered as I heard this it was a safety feature to stop the engine from being damaged.

 

[Loxy]

Pretty much correct yes. VTEC won't activate until the water temp has reached a certain level.

If anything the point at which it will activate it a little low.

 

[Hazz]

Aye, correct.

Water temp doesn't really have any bearing on the 'safety factor' though. Oil temperature is what matters (not measured on OEM gauges). The Skyline is the first car I've had with both oil and water temps and I was shocked at just how long it takes for oil to hit temperature. It's at least 5 minutes, maybe 10 after water has hit it's normal operating temperature.

 

[Loxy]

My FD2 had oil temp gauges (aftermarket) and I found the same thing. Takes a good while for oil to get up to temp.

 

[GOLFYT]

Thanks guys, just one question, Yesterday afternoon i got in my car it had been stood for a good 5 hours so the engine was cold, i went to pull out of my road and some idiot came fLying round the bend so i put my foot down to get some space away from the car, this is the first time i had ever done this on a cold engine and i definatly would avoid doing it again, this is when i noticed that it didnt hit VTEC, once the car had warmed up it was perfect i just worried that it wont do it any harm if it was a one off will it. like i say this was the first and only time that i would do that.

 

[Loxy]

You shouldn't rev them high cold generally, but no you won't have done any damage, well very unlikely that you have.

 

[GOLFYT]

Thanks Loxy, like i say this was a one off, I give it a good 10 min drive before i would even consider reving high, I just didn't like having to do it, i wasn't best pleased at the guy flying round the bend.