NSX engine takes 4ever to warm up?

W

wyuen

Registered Member
Joined
16 June 2010
Messages
26
Location
Newmarket, ON, CA
Hi, wondering is it just me or does everybody experience the same problem that the engine takes FOREVER to warm up? Mine starts off at below the low line when first start up, and running on highway for 30 minutes, it barely increases the heat. My engine never passes the middle [even on a hot day], the hottest it ever got was ~5mm below the middle. Once off and parked for lunch. When restarted, it starts off cool again!

Is optimum middle? I want to exercise VTEC, but don't want to do it before the engine is warmed up...but the engine hardly warms up after long drive
-_-

Thanks
 
Mine takes 5-10 min or so to get up to full temp (normal operating temp is just below half on your coolant temp gauge). I usually let the car idle for a minute or two before driving. 30 minutes seems a little long... You might want to make sure your coolant temp gauge isn't acting up.

Also, I'm not 100% certain, but I'm pretty sure that VTEC will not engage if your engine is not up to an acceptable temp.
 
The 3/8 mark on the gauge or thereabouts is normal warmed-up temperature. Be happy if it never goes higher even on hot days.

Mine reaches 3/8 in about 3-4 miles of driving. If it took a lot longer I'd replace my thermostat.

By the way... if you really want to be nice to the car before it is warmed up, consider that the oil temperature is still rising when the water temperature first hits 3/8. It takes a few more miles for the oil to reach a stable normal temperature.
 
Last edited:
Have notice this on mine too, always a bit surprised to see the needle barely move, even after 10 or so minutes.

Anyway, I don't really let mine warm up too much, but instead drive very carefully after a minute or two, even skipping 2nd gear for the first few miles. Hope the 'non warm up' is not creating an issue.
 
I think 30 min is too long. You might have a bad thermostat. Mine takes about 5 min.
 
I think it may be that the thermostat is stuck in "open" position, it takes time to heat all the water cooling system, I think the rubber seal must be in poor condition, in a car, it's rubber gaskets and which have the lowest life:cool:
 
wyuen said:
Is optimum middle?
Click to expand...

Yeah, it should never move past middle. Middle is full temp.
It should get to middle within 5-10 min of driving, if not, your thermostat is likely bad. They only last 100,000 miles or so. Easy fix.
 
My car warms up in about 5 minutes even if it's idling I only have to drive it a short distance to get it fully warmed up after idling. One thing I notice though is that when I first start the car the oil pressure goes very high (75%) and then as the car warms up goes back to a normal level. Is that normal?
 
Contrary to what appears to be popular belief, the thermostat does not help cooling. It helps the engine reach optimal operating temperature in a limited amount of time. It is closed in a cold engine, directing cooling water to recycle in the block. It is supposed to open fully when the coolant/engine temperature reaches the appropriate level. An open thermostat in a cold engine leads to extending operation below the normal range which is, in various ways, not good for the engine or emissions.
Depending when the coolant was last changed, a full flush and new 'stat are likely in order.
 
jond said:
It should get to middle within 5-10 min of driving, if not, your thermostat is likely bad. They only last 100,000 miles or so. Easy fix.
Click to expand...

Thanks everybody for your valuable input. My girl only has 60,000 kms on her. But will definitely look at changing thermostat, flushing out and refilling with Honda Coolant. Honda and Acura coolant is the same right?
 
8400RPM said:
One thing I notice though is that when I first start the car the oil pressure goes very high (75%) and then as the car warms up goes back to a normal level. Is that normal?
Click to expand...

I'm no expert in this field, but this does not happen to me. Oil pressure always below 50% [there's no leak though, above the leaking threshold], only time gets close to or pass 50% is when I rev pass 5k RPM, but quickly goes down as I switch gears. Either there's something wrong with urs or mine...haha.
 
Yes it's normal for your oil pressure to be high when cold because the oil is thicker when it's cold. Mine starts off around 6 (4 is 50% on my gauge) at idle and when it's up to temp it is around 2 at idle and about 5 when cruising at highway speed in 5th.
 
McNice said:
Yes it's normal for your oil pressure to be high when cold because the oil is thicker when it's cold. Mine starts off around 6 (4 is 50% on my gauge) at idle and when it's up to temp it is around 2 at idle and about 5 when cruising at highway speed in 5th.
Click to expand...

Oil is thinner when it is cold (10wt) in a 10w30.

When the oil reaches operating temp it should increase in viscosity to 30wt thus dropping oil pressure due to its increased thickness.
 
wyuen said:
Thanks everybody for your valuable input. My girl only has 60,000 kms on her. But will definitely look at changing thermostat, flushing out and refilling with Honda Coolant. Honda and Acura coolant is the same right?
Click to expand...


Mine had 62,000 kms on it when I had it changed, but it was likely the original and just needed to be replaced. When it was cooler out, it would start to warm up driving in the city at higher rpm's but as soon as I took out on the highway the temperature would drop down to just about 0. Temperature holds steady now with the new thermostat which was installed about 5,000 kms ago.

91 NSX Red/Black
09 VW Jetta TDI White
 
When my thermostat went out (about 75k), it had a few notable effects: the temperature gauge always read low, the idle stayed very high, and the gas mileage plummeted (to about 10 MPG). I'm sure it was hard on the cats as well.

Since I knew what the obvious culprit was, I told my tech to replace it. As I recall, it was less than $20 (plus labor).
 
When you say the car takes forever to warm up, are you only referring to the reading on the temperature gauge? For example, after driving five minutes or so, does the heater work?
 
{Oil is thinner when it is cold (10wt) in a 10w30.

When the oil reaches operating temp it should increase in viscosity to 30wt thus dropping oil pressure due to its increased thickness.}

The above is not the case.

A 10W-30 oil is as thick or thin(depending on how you think about it) as 30 weight when warm. As the oil cools(engine off) to ambient temperature it gets thicker.

The 10W means that the oil only thickens to the what a 10 weight oil would thicken to, not all the way to what a 30 weight would thicken to.

Sulley

Also, you need a new thermostat.
 
Thunder said:
I think it may be that the thermostat is stuck in "open" position, it takes time to heat all the water cooling system, I think the rubber seal must be in poor condition, in a car, it's rubber gaskets and which have the lowest life:cool:
Click to expand...

+1
this is most likely your problem
 
wyuen said:
Hi, wondering is it just me or does everybody experience the same problem that the engine takes FOREVER to warm up? Mine starts off at below the low line when first start up, and running on highway for 30 minutes, it barely increases the heat. My engine never passes the middle [even on a hot day], the hottest it ever got was ~5mm below the middle. Once off and parked for lunch. When restarted, it starts off cool again!

Is optimum middle? I want to exercise VTEC, but don't want to do it before the engine is warmed up...but the engine hardly warms up after long drive
-_-

Thanks
Click to expand...


This is possibly the same problem i have had, it started off like this and got worse.

Have a read here.

http://www.nsxprime.com/forum/showthread.php?t=158651
 

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