How long does it take an engine to get to full operating temp ?

If I leave it in tickover on the drive how long would it normally take ?

Cheers

Jonny

Don't forget that it is now an offense to leave a vehicle unattended ticking over,

long enough for some low life to steal it

I reckon it takes mine about 5 mins to get up to normal temperature.

It's not a great way to warm the engine up though, especially if you've got an automatic choke. The choke opens up on a stepped gear.

As the choke coil heats up, it unwinds and moves the stepped gear. If you just leave the engine idling, the throttle return spring holds the gear against a notch on the carb and the gear can't move, so the enine stays on full choke as it warms up.

Better to drive it, or at least rev it every few seconds, so the gear frees up and can click round to open the choke up.

Also, if you've got thermostatic flaps, the thermostat opening temperature is designed to match the rate that the automatic choke opens on normal driving.

Got twin Dells, so no choke.

Struggling to get a reading on my oil temp guage. Even leaving for 10 mins it's not moving. Fitted a new VDO gauge and VDO sender, tried the earthing gauge test which shows gauge is good. Signal obviously getting through, but gauge not moving.

Sender is the correct VDO 150 one for a 150 deg gauge so all in theory should be hunky dory. That's why I'm thinking I'm just not getting warm enough on idle.

Can't take it on the road at the mo as need to get cab door gaps sorted and that's a 2 man job. Hopefully that'll get it hot enough.

Got a Save My Bug as a fails safe, but don't like things that don't work when they should !

I think you'll struggle - I can leave mine ticking over for an hour on the drive and it will not move the oil temp gauge - the cooling of the fan is just too efficient - take it for a drive for 20 mins and you'll see it move - but even just tootling around town I'll struggle to raise it up by much - its only once you get on a fast open road you'll see it climb to what I would consider a 'normal' operating temp...

I think your worrying about your worry gauge - hahahaha
I tested mine by holding it in a rolling boil kettle -took the kettle out to the van - make sure the side of the sender is earthed (lash up a cable from the body of the sender to an good engine earth) and keep the centre 'gauge' wire in place, ign on - hold it in the boiling water - it will shoot up then - also good for checking that 100c in your kettle IS 100c (or close) on your gauge.

Brill - thanks Ted. Will try the kettle trick.

Ted - you is legend !

Did the cup of hot water trick and it worked perfectly. The worry gauge did as it should and even recorded the correct temperature.

I am now not worried about my worry gauge, which is one less thing to worry about...

Not that I was worried or owt

I've got the same. Mine doesn't move much. When driving it moves a little. I've put it down to my oil cooler doing its job...

Having done a 2hr trip through mid Wales, up hill and down dale, with Mrs CJ and Little Sam the oil temp gauge didn't go much above 60ish.

That was fully laden and on one of the hottest days of the year.

Gives me some comfort !

What type of sender units are you using and where are they placed?

VDO sender and gauge - no type 3 blanking to tap into I'm afraid so the sender is going into the side of the engine case on an adapter with the oil pressure sender.

It's the correct 150deg sender for the matching VDO gauge.

Not ideal positioning I know, but it's a relative thing, rather than an absolute reading.

I also have a save my bug in the dipstick hole which I would rely on more and that's never flickered. I have tested that it works.

Was thinking of a sump mounted sender for a more accurate reading but they have their own inherent problems.

Morning. You won't get anything like an accurate temp reading if you've come off of where the pressure warning sender goes...
You'd be much better off with one of the VDO dipstick senders. Not cheap I appreciate but one of the most accurate senders I've used when used with a VDO gauge.

Hadn't heard about those ? Will have a google....

Googled and ordered !

Thanks FB

Cool. Now just make sure you wire it up the right way round.....it's got 2 spade terminals...one is a brass colour and the other is a bronze colour. Brass goes to earth and bronze to gauge
I had about 6" of wire from the spade connectors and then a little plug connector thingy, scavenged from an old remote control car battery pack so I could disconnect easily for using the dipstick to check the oil.
You may find you have to give it a little bend/curve to clear the Dynamo/alternator. Measure against the old dipstick to set the level...its adjustable....and give it a little bend above the 'stop'.

Nige