:facepalm: Something must be wrong with your Si if it idles @ 2,500rpm on a cold start.
at:
OP, there is absolutely NO need to idle for more then a minute, even during the winter (unless you're trying to defrost the windshield and you can't see = no go)
Idling excessively to warm up the engine is not practical and not the best way to go about it... Like mentioned above, when you're idling, only the engine is warming up. The tranny is still cold = notchy shifts, brakes, tires, etc.
Idling excessively might also be harmful. During a cold start, the engine runs extremely rich (to help warm up the catalytic converter, as well as engine warm up) although you might think its a good idea, all that extra fuel gets past the piston rings and dilutes your oil (meaning the oil gets contaminated with fuel and thins down which = less and less protection over the course of an oil change)
^You
dont want to do this.
Idling for roughly 20-30 seconds is MORE then enough time. Enough heat has built up inside the combustion chamber to where the piston rings expand to their normal size and start working as designed.
If you start giving large amounts of load on the engine as soon as you start it, this is where the most engine wear happens as far as cylinder wall damage is concerned.
It takes the Si aprox 10-15 mins of DRIVING in warm weather to really warm up all of the engine internals to operating temp (engine is HOT and not baby milk bottle warm)
^The tranny is still pretty cold at this point from my personal experience with my Si over the course of 3 years and 65,000 miles.
My start procedure:
Ignition to ON to prime the fuel pump (2 seconds, results in easier cranking, esp during cold weather) Then i push my "engine start" button :laughing:
I then instantly put it in reverse and ease the clutch a little to roll outta the garage (no gas applied, the high idle has more then enough power)
by the time i roll down the driveway, crawl my way over the standard driveway drain gutter and unto the street, put on my seat belt, turn up the tunes, the revs are starting to drop to 1,500. I give it a few seconds and take off gently, shifting @ 2,500 from 1st-2nd and then 2.8k going into 3rd.
Then i purr my way down the block running past a few stop signs to avoid stopping (keeping the revs @ about 2.5ish until a few bars appear on the gauge, then i proceed to shift @ 3k until the coolant is at OP, then 3.5-4k shift points are used for another 3-5 mins to allow the rest of the engine (and OIL) to catch up to temp. by then i shift @ my regular 4.5k. A few more mins of cruising and i'll engage Vtec if needed (4.7K) slowly rising the revs as time goes by.
The its nothing but :vtec: and 8.6k shift points.
I have 65k on my Si which sees the track (time attack) at least twice a year and gets driven VERY HARD on a daily basis and my engine is in tip top shape, with UOA (used oil analysis) to back it up.
^sorry for the long post but i like to educate people. I used to work in a shop and saw what engines look like inside from not being taken care of properly or from improper abuse. Years of research online as well as talking with hundreds of mechanics, race car mechanics, etc etc, I've come up with this ANAL start up procedure.
:wigglesmiley:
