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Does an air-cooled engine warm up quickly?
I have an air-cooled motorcycle, that I sometimes use moderately aggressive acceleration after a couple minutes of idling and low-speed driving to merge into free-flowing traffic on a main street (40-55MPH). At the same point, I know my car will still be completely cold (both vehicles have same engine displacement of 1.7L).
I know from computers that air-coolers are instantaneous, while liquid coolers take several minutes to warm up (and cool down) due to water's thermal capacity. Does the same hold true for an air-cooled motorcycle engine (i.e. does it get to operating temperature rapidly) or does engine oil an equalizer when compared to liquid cooled engines and thus still takes several minutes to properly warm up? Ultimately, am I causing unnecessary/excessive wear and tear on an air-cooled engine when I merge into free-flowing traffic as indicated above?
6 Answers
- jerm1027Lv 62 years ago
So I figured out engine oil acts like an equalizer, especially on Harley's (which does have a small oil-cooling radiator). "Air-cooled" are technically oil cooled engines, and the oil still takes a few minutes to properly warm up, although it does warm up slightly quicker than liquid (probably because oil doesn't retain as much heat as water/glycol mixtures; water is slower to saturate)
- JoeLv 74 years ago
Moderate acceleration will be better than just idling. Take it easy for the first 5 minutes.
- Anonymous4 years ago
Hi yes air cooled does heat up a lot quicker. Add to this the aggressive acceleration this does not help engine wear when it has just been started as oil has had hardly any time too circulate within the engine.
- Tim DLv 74 years ago
The rate they warm up depends on the weather too, a frosty morning will mean it takes longer for the engine to get to optimum operating temperature, I normally let mine warm up while I put on my helmet and gloves, so around two minutes maximum.
But for all bikes the tyres do not warm up instantly, if you are practising aggressive acceleration on cold tyres you are asking for one or both to let go, they take at least ten minutes use at average road speeds to reach optimum warmth/grip.