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My engine currently has 151,000 miles on my 2000 Firebird and my commute to work just became really short about 1.2 miles one way. Is there anything I should be concerned about driving such a short distance and the engine not being warmed up completely? I've had the car for 11 years now don't want to cause any damage to it. I just ordered my upper and lower intake gaskets that I need to replace so I'll be doing the oil change as well.
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<a href=\"http://www.fbodyelpaso.org\" target=\"_blank\">www.fbodyelpaso.org</a> A4 stock 3.42 and LSD not Y87,SLP cold air induction, whisper lid, k&n filter, flowmaster 80 series, hypertech, 160 powerstat thermostat, t/a front bumper, functional nostrils, pacesetter headers best et: 15.9 at about 4800ft -
Re: Short commute
Watch for condensation in the oil. -
Re: Short commute
At that mileage....it is not going to hurt your car. Good idea on the intake gaskets...this may avoid you blowing a rod as my car did at a similar mileage ...flush and clean the radiator too.PhilComment
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Re: Short commute
I don't think you have to worry about anything. It's not like you're going to race to get to work, just drive it in a normal way.
Depending on the weather I usually let the car warm up before going.Comment
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Re: Short commute
Short trips or, more properly, starts without warm-up, are very hard on an engine...regardless of how many miles are already on it. Briefly, a start without warm-up is defined as not running the engine long enough for the oil to get hot enough such that moisture and acidic contaminants, which are byproducts of combustion and get into the oil, are not vaporized and sucked out of the engine by the PCV system.
If it were me, my first choice would be to take the long way to work.
Second choice is to drive the short trips, but decrease your oil drain interval to 3000 miles, start using a detergent-based injector cleaner and, if the engine has been modified with a low-temp. thermostat, put the stock 'stat back in. You may have other problems such as carbon build up on piston tops, combustion chambers and the backside of intake valves.Last edited by Hib Halverson; 12-08-2013, 12:01 PM.Comment
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Re: Short commute
On top of everything else mentioned here, those short trips are also hell on the exhaust system, as the muffler doesn't get the chance to vaporize all the condensation. +1 to taking the long way to work - or just get a bicycle and leave the car parked :)Comment
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Re: Short commute
Well I've always used synthetic oil. I usually change my oil at 5k but I'll start doing them at 3k from now on.<a href=\"http://www.fbodyelpaso.org\" target=\"_blank\">www.fbodyelpaso.org</a> A4 stock 3.42 and LSD not Y87,SLP cold air induction, whisper lid, k&n filter, flowmaster 80 series, hypertech, 160 powerstat thermostat, t/a front bumper, functional nostrils, pacesetter headers best et: 15.9 at about 4800ftComment
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