Warming up an engine.

[Harry Muff]

Just a question that's been bouncing around in my mind for a while.

I've got an injected Blade and I leave it until it gets to 60° as that's when it drops to its normal idle speed, before riding off.

Interestingly, though, the book says that I should get going as soon as, and not leave the bike idling, as it damages the Catalyser. Like I give a fuck about that...

Also, just how good an idea is the Fast Idle thingy? I mean, it starts off by revving the tits off a cold engine! In January it was going at 3000 revs from cold!

With carbs it builds up slowly. Always seemed the right way to me.

So, peeps, your thoughts please.

Harry.

[spacemonkey]

Just a question that's been bouncing around in my mind for a while.

I've got an injected Blade and I leave it until it gets to 60° as that's when it drops to its normal idle speed, before riding off.

Interestingly, though, the book says that I should get going as soon as, and not leave the bike idling, as it damages the Catalyser. Like I give a fuck about that...

Also, just how good an idea is the Fast Idle thingy? I mean, it starts off by revving the tits off a cold engine! In January it was going at 3000 revs from cold!

With carbs it builds up slowly. Always seemed the right way to me.

So, peeps, your thoughts please.

Harry.

As far as I know the fast idle is just supposed to make sure it doesn't stall and it'll warm up faster. I don't think it'll run fast enough to do any damage just 'cos it is a little bit cold.

[Kayla]

Start it up (no choke cos it's got FCRs), get it to idle of its own free will, ride it. It warms as I ride it to the fun bits.

[gurninman]

Aye, get it started, then ride the fooker - just don't cane the tits off it til it's properly warm.

[David W]

I leave it running long enough to get my helmet, gloves and jacket done up, then knock the fast idle off when I get to the main road near the house. Usually does the trick (although I have had the odd embarrassing stall at the end of the street).

Kawasakis were always the worst offenders for going straight to 5000rpm from cold!

[trackdaybob]

I pretty much just start it and go. A few miles in it's ready to play.

[Tomfoolery]

Start and go.

[Gregorious77]

Start, put on jacket and lid, open garage, wheel bike out, close garage and go. normally 1 bar showing on the zx6r.

[Jaybewan]

Kawasakis were always the worst offenders for going straight to 5000rpm from cold!

Tell me about it.

Though mine has been running badly recently (it wouldn't even idle with full choke) I tend to just let it run as I get my gloves/helmet on which generally gives it enough time to warm up a tad.

Living in the city centre means it generally gets fully warmed at a few red lights before being fully opened up anyway.

[fran9r]

I leave mine warming up while I lock the garage, push the car back into place, then alarm/lock the front door. Usually at full temp before I ride off, then it's full on the power 30 seconds down the road...

[madmike]

I start the cbr400 with a little bit of choke and then hold the revs with the throttle at about 2-2500rpm for about 20-30seconds. Then leave it to idle with abit of choke, go in and get my gear, lock the house etc... knock the choke of, get the gear on and then just ride with low revs for a few mins!

No problems yet...

[Harry Muff]

I should have mentioned that the fast idle on mine is automatic, so pulling away shortly after starting it and riding it away is akin to setting the idle to about 2500rpm.

Just feels weird to ride off like that to be honest.

On my old Blades, with chokes, if I didn't let them warm up a good bit, they felt (and sounded) very rattly.

[jezz]

On my last bike (kwaka Z1000 '03) The book said fast idle for 30 seconds or so then just ride.

This was fine on the standard exhaust/air filter , but when I put Campbells BMC and a PCIII on I found it needed about a minute on fast idle. Never caned her till she was proper up to temp tho' (engineer's mechanical sympathy showing though!

[Cibbersicks]

I normally let it idle until it shows a temp reading on the clocks, I think it normally goes from showing "---" to "XXºC" at about 35ºC then I'll go. Later CBR600rr's run inherently hot anyway, very normal to see 85ºC - 90ºC on the clocks and they get there very quick indeed.

Modern engines (especially that of the Blade) and modern oils mean that as far a I'm aware they aren't going to be damaged by riding them from cold (riding them in anger from cold is a different story though of course). They can take a hell of a lot of abuse, especially Hondas.

[gsxr renegade]

I normally let it idle for a couple of minutes on the drive before leaving for work. I think it get's to about 40-50 degrees before i set off.

I don't mind riding from cold, but i won't ride until there is a temperature showing on the dash (20^oC)

Even then it feels horrible to ride until it's between 60-70 degrees. Once the idle is down to normal levels, about 66-70 i just ride it normally using full revs if i want to.

[Harry Muff]

Last couple of trips I've pulled away while it's been about 42-45°c. Sounds a bit weird arriving at the first traffic lights with the bike still on fast idle. Feels ok though.

Wouldn't want to go earlier though; it's a proper brown trouser moment when you close the throttle and it keeps going!

[y2blade]

I normally let it idle until it shows a temp reading on the clocks, I think it normally goes from showing "---" to "XXºC" at about 35ºC then I'll go. Later CBR600rr's run inherently hot anyway, very normal to see 85ºC - 90ºC on the clocks and they get there very quick indeed.

Modern engines (especially that of the Blade) and modern oils mean that as far a I'm aware they aren't going to be damaged by riding them from cold (riding them in anger from cold is a different story though of course). They can take a hell of a lot of abuse, especially Hondas.

mine is the same temp display. . I start it up while sitting on it. Temp display says --c . . . Then after a short while it says 35c, By the time i've got helmet and gloves on it says 50c and away we go. But no loading untill fully warmed up 80+c

[rusty]

Start it up, put my lid on then off we go.

I think the neighbours prefer this as early starts and loud cans don't impress the neighbours too much!

[slidersguesthouse]

Just a question that's been bouncing around in my mind for a while.

I've got an injected Blade and I leave it until it gets to 60° as that's when it drops to its normal idle speed, before riding off.

Interestingly, though, the book says that I should get going as soon as, and not leave the bike idling, as it damages the Catalyser. Like I give a fuck about that...

Also, just how good an idea is the Fast Idle thingy? I mean, it starts off by revving the tits off a cold engine! In January it was going at 3000 revs from cold!

With carbs it builds up slowly. Always seemed the right way to me.

So, peeps, your thoughts please.

Harry.

trick question?

start it... ride it

never had any probs and most of my bikes do 50k in 2 summers

[fran9r]

Start (full choke, no throttle) and let it run until it's idling at a steady 4,000 revs or so, knock it off, put my gear on while blipping the throttle until it feels responsive (well, as responsive as it gets...) and then I'm away. Try to tell myself to stay below 8,000 revs or so for a bit, but sometimes I seem to forget.

Four thousand!

[tootall]

Tend to pay more attention to the cooling down routine tbh. Certainly on track or race bikes anyway. Makes me wince when I see folks just park their bike after a session/race and just turn it off and leave it. Yep, ok so the fan may be going (if you've got one fitted), but what is that cooling? The engine? Don't reckon. It'll cool the water in the rad for a bit but thats it.

[fran9r]

Honda parts must have come down then!

Tootall...I'd think your a bit restricted at a race to keep it moving after the slow down lap though, what else can you do?

[tootall]

Tootall...I'd think your a bit restricted at a race to keep it moving after the slow down lap though, what else can you do?

Nah,talking about back in the paddock really. Personally I'll spend a few minutes cooling the engine down by allowing the fans to cut in, run for a bit, I'll then fire up the engine let the (cooler, from the rad) water circulate for a minute or so, then turn off. And repeat etc.

Tend to find that even if your fans have cut out then as soon as you circulate the water, even for a couple of seconds, then it'll kick in again as the (very) hot water from inside the motor has trundled back into the rad.

Another issue arises from having two distinct temperatures in your cooling system (cool in the rad, v.hot in the engine). If the temperature difference is large, as is possible after say coming in from a 20m track session and just turning off the motor, then there is a risk of thermal shock when you do restart the engine 20mins later.

Anyway, not saying what I do is right or anything, its just what I do.

Oh, and Josh, 4Krpm as a warming up tickover?

edit:

One other thing I tend to do to try and keep temps down is always use the "in" lap to get the temp down as much as poss. Lots of coasting with the clutch in or in neutral etc.

Most of this comes from running an R6 that thought that 115-120° was a healthy temp to return to the padock with.........................................

[CMSMJ1]

Four thousand!

It is an NC30 though.. I let my moto kick back about 3-4k and warm up. Once the temp gauge registers some life I'll ride it but only when I am out of the blue zone will I go anywhere near 10k revs.

V4s FTW!

[fran9r]

Nah,talking about back in the paddock really. Personally I'll spend a few minutes cooling the engine down by allowing the fans to cut in, run for a bit, I'll then fire up the engine let the (cooler, from the rad) water circulate for a minute or so, then turn off. And repeat etc.

Tend to find that even if your fans have cut out then as soon as you circulate the water, even for a couple of seconds, then it'll kick in again as the (very) hot water from inside the motor has trundled back into the rad.

Another issue arises from having two distinct temperatures in your cooling system (cool in the rad, v.hot in the engine). If the temperature difference is large, as is possible after say coming in from a 20m track session and just turning off the motor, then there is a risk of thermal shock when you do restart the engine 20mins later.

Anyway, not saying what I do is right or anything, its just what I do.

Oh, and Josh, 4Krpm as a warming up tickover?

edit:

One other thing I tend to do to try and keep temps down is always use the "in" lap to get the temp down as much as poss. Lots of coasting with the clutch in or in neutral etc.

Most of this comes from running an R6 that thought that 115-120° was a healthy temp to return to the padock with.........................................

I agree cooling down is important, but I'm not convinced at the re-starting to circulate. To be fair I think the small loads but reasonable speed is about the best method, and that is what I'd use for a proper track bike without a fan, then switch off.

[spacemonkey]

Tend to pay more attention to the cooling down routine tbh. Certainly on track or race bikes anyway. Makes me wince when I see folks just park their bike after a session/race and just turn it off and leave it. Yep, ok so the fan may be going (if you've got one fitted), but what is that cooling? The engine? Don't reckon. It'll cool the water in the rad for a bit but thats it.

When you think about it, I can't see that you are any better off... The metal can't get any hotter than it was when it was running.... Therefore only the coolant is getting hotter. It can't boil and form a vapour pocket because it is pressurised isn't it? ....So the heat should all slowly conduct out via the metal in the head and the coolant by convection that will happen despite the fact that the water pump isn't turning. - Many early watercooled bikes worked on this principle and did not have a water pump pumping water round even while the engine was running.

If you want to be really sure then I suppose you could get an electric pump and controller, let it run after you switch off the engine...

[cagimaha]

I run an RD350LC engine in one of my bikes that has no thermostat in it or fans for the radiator, it usually runs at round 65 degrees, this obviously gets a bit higher if stuck in traffic or giving it some stick. When I get back from a ride the rad is usually cold after maybe 5 minutes with the engine off but the temperature gauge (its a scitsu one with the sensor fitted directly to the head) it usually still well above 50 degrees. I usually kick it over for 20 seconds or so with the killswitch held down and can watch the temperature drop as the colder coolant enters the head. I usually repeat this until the temperature gets back down to 25 degrees or so. Whether this is right or not I don't know but I can't see it doing any harm.

As for warming it up I'm so careful it's bordering on OCD, my fear of cold seizure is probably unfounded but I'd rather take a couple of minuteds extra to make sure the bike's warm before giving it any stick. I usually start it before I've got my leathers on cos it can be a bit of a bitch to get going, as soon as it's going I adjust the choke so it's ticking over at around 1500RPM and slowly back the choke off to keep the revs between 1000RPM and 1500RPM until the temperature gauge registers 30 degrees. Then I'll blip the throttle a bit, maybe up to 3000RPM until it get's to 40 degrees, go in and get my kit on then set off. I wait until it's at 50 degrees before it gets into the powerband.

Edited for amateur grammatics...

[banoffee]

Both the NC30 and GSXR are useless on throttle response until at least a tad warm. So, am often seen (or not, hopefully) opening the garage door in my boxers and t-shirt and starting with choke and waiting until can go down to half choke then grab gear, get suited+booted then push bike out of garage by which time the throttle is responsive on both and can ease the choke right in and blip and ride away gently until properly warmed up.

[banoffee]

Shouldn't be that bad, are the carbs ba;anced ok?

flatslides on the GSXR, mucho useless until warmed up. NC30 crap (but not as bad as the GSXR) also until a bit of warmth in it. both balanced and jetted about right. as for cooldown on cars, the waterpump runs for quite a while after a drive in the car, think it's to do with the turbo.

[fran9r]

I'd also guess the cooldown in the car manual is in relation to a turbocharged motor, more to do with the extreme temperature of the oil than engine temp.