Work commute cut to just 1.5 miles... Should I be concerned with constant cold tranny?

[Mister Lamb]

So my commute was recently cut down to 1.5 miles. I'm now a hop and a skip from work.

The drive is long enough for my engine to get warmed up to proper temps but not long enough for the tranny.

Should I be concerned that I'm not bringing the tranny up to proper temps 10x a week (to and from) and constantly running her cold?

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[chorky]

My ’commute’ is literally 4 minutes. Less than a mile each way. I make sure to let it warm up each time about 6-10 minutes and drive it mostly to keep batteries charged. I try to commit to a 2 hour drive every other week to town or something (not doing long camping trips in winter).

Im sure its not great for it In the long run.…It has developed a ‘tick’ when cold and accelerating from a stop. Unsure if its due to the cold or something worse. But its colder outside than my desire to let the jeep sit most winter.

Could you consider a bicycle or something? Its not super great for the engine or trans…….

 

[STLDAVE]

At that distance you may be getting the water and cooling system temperatures up, but you are not getting the oil temp or the rest of the engine hot enough to boil off any internal condensation or fuel blow by contaminants. That will lead to gummy build ups and rust inside the engine block. A good rule of thumb that manufacturers use to put in their owner's manuals is to drive at least five miles to get up to full operation temps.

 

[Mav4x4Chris]

My commute is 4.7 miles each way. On the gauges everything gets to temp, but still as a rule, I take a longer way home a couple times a week just to let it get more heat through everything.

 

[JTBurns]

I work from home, but pick up my son from school or daycare almost everyday, neither trip is far, so I usually drive around for a few extra minutes if I can just so all gauges get up to operating temp

 

[ShadowsPapa]

So my commute was recently cut down to 1.5 miles. I'm now a hop and a skip from work.

The drive is long enough for my engine to get warmed up to proper temps but not long enough for the tranny.

Should I be concerned that I'm not bringing the tranny up to proper temps 10x a week (to and from) and constantly running her cold?

No, sorry, that's not long enough for the engine, either.
You may think it is because the coolant reads 195 but the rest of the engine won't be warmed up.
Check your oil temperature after 1.5 miles. It won't be at the coolant temp unless you really hammer on it hard!
You will build up moisture and acids in the crankcase, and other fun stuff (sludge, varnish, etc.)
If that oil doesn't get hot enough to "boil out" the moisture, it causes oxidation of the oil and other parts, cutting oil life dramatically.

I can drive mine 15 miles and still not have oil and transmission temps up to normal.
Very bad on vehicles. In fact, if I only had to drive 2 miles or less each way, I'd buy an old beater I didn't give a rip about and not abuse the good truck for those short runs.
You should see what I have seen inside engines that only got short commutes. I also have an oil pan here with neat little pin holes all over the bottom from being eaten by the acids formed.

Short drives - bad for engines and automatic transmissions. Anything that doesn't get all temperatures up to around 200 is not burning out moisture.

 

[jeepers29]

At that distance you may be getting the water and cooling system temperatures up, but you are not getting the oil temp or the rest of the engine hot enough to boil off any internal condensation or fuel blow by contaminants. That will lead to gummy build ups and rust inside the engine block. A good rule of thumb that manufacturers use to put in their owner's manuals is to drive at least five miles to get up to full operation temps.

He may want to start going to the donut shop before work each morning to add a few miles.

 

[dcmdon]

Sounds like the first two posters should just buy a bike. Or walk. It will do you good. Get a nice full tumbler coffee and hit the road.

I'm not really kidding. I don't know how old or fit you are, but just about anyone will benefit from a 15 minute walk twice a day. In the summer when it's hot, ride a bike so you don't sweat. In the winter, when riding a bike might be miserable, walk.

 

[dcmdon]

To the OP. I see your location is NYC. I'm guessing not Manhattan or Brooklyn.

 

[Mister Lamb]

Seems my concerns are legitimate. Buying another car seems extreme, especially with the cost of NYC insurance. Leaving my house 20-30 minutes early just to drive around also seems excessive. Might just have to bike it, except I'm expected to pick up the baby at in-laws after work who are literally the same fcking distance away... Will have to come up with something

 

[Mister Lamb]

To the OP. I see your location is NYC. I'm guessing not Manhattan or Brooklyn.

Queens.. I avoid the hipsters at all costs

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Sounds like the first two posters should just buy a bike. Or walk. It will do you good. Get a nice full tumbler and hit the road.

I'm not really kidding. I don't know how old or fit you are, but just about anyone will benefit from a 15 minute walk twice a day. In the summer when it's hot, ride a bike so you don't sweat. In the winter, when riding a bike might be miserable, walk.

I know you aren't kidding and I agree. I can't any more - age and health, but I used to walk 4 miles in an hour.
And before I retired, the number of people that rode really nice bikes several miles to work was amazing. It's healthy, cheap, and more.
LOL - I used to work for a guy who did RAGBRAI every year. That's a ride across Iowa, river to river in the heat of summer, hills and all.
He'd load up his bike on his car, drive to the END of the route, park his car, then ride his bike east to west across Iowa and get there in time to start the official RAGBRAI ride - then he'd make the trip with the hundreds of other bikers and his car was waiting for him at the end.
(looking at him you'd swear he never got any exercise and 10 miles on a bike would kill him - but he did fine)

 

[Lunentucker]

Find a longer route.
Make it about 15 minutes.

 

[Mister Lamb]

No, sorry, that's not long enough for the engine, either.
You may think it is because the coolant reads 195 but the rest of the engine won't be warmed up.
Check your oil temperature after 1.5 miles. It won't be at the coolant temp unless you really hammer on it hard!
You will build up moisture and acids in the crankcase, and other fun stuff (sludge, varnish, etc.)
If that oil doesn't get hot enough to "boil out" the moisture, it causes oxidation of the oil and other parts, cutting oil life dramatically.

I can drive mine 15 miles and still not have oil and transmission temps up to normal.
Very bad on vehicles. In fact, if I only had to drive 2 miles or less each way, I'd buy an old beater I didn't give a rip about and not abuse the good truck for those short runs.
You should see what I have seen inside engines that only got short commutes. I also have an oil pan here with neat little pin holes all over the bottom from being eaten by the acids formed.

Short drives - bad for engines and automatic transmissions. Anything that doesn't get all temperatures up to around 200 is not burning out moisture.

In your opinion, what oil interval would you follow? 2500k? Having to pick up my baby after work kind of takes any biking out of the picture, at least during winter months

 

[ShrimpHappens]

In the summer when it's hot, ride a bike so you don't sweat.

Do what now?

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