How long does your car take before your Mini reaches operating temperature?

I actually haven't timed it but I've noticed I seem to get a helluva lot further than in any other car before the little needle reaches operating temp in the Mini.

So I'm a bit curious.

If your other car is a modern car it will likely warm up a lot quicker, especially if the engine is all alloy.

Well compared to modern cars - electronic fans and clutch fans - it can take a while. Modern cars are design to start and drive with a quick warm up.

However - a lot depends on the temperature rating of the thermostat fitted. A thermostat should be fitted, this old fallacy of tossing away the thermostat is not good sense. The engine needs to run at a proper operating temperature.

Your thermostat may also be stuck open - or half way open - they do that - and it may need replacing. A lot of us use two thermostats - one for summer and one for winter. The summer one opens a lot earlier as you reach temperature faster. The winter one opens at a higher temperature so the engine is warmer before the coolant goes through the radiator.

When you buy a thermostat - buy a good quality one - many are asian made and not good - they jam easily and they opening temperature can be many degrees away from the stated opening temperature.

Mike

My heater starts working at about 1.6km after I leave home. The trouble is that work is 2km from home.
So when it is -6° I only enjoy 400m of warmth.

When you fit a new thermostat go for the higher temperature one.

The Moke about 10mins to warm up. Especially annoying when most trips are 11mins in duration. But I am not so fussed about the heater

I suppose it's very depending!!!

What is operating temperature? My car vary alot depending on conditions. Anywhere between 70-95C depending on outside temperature and the kind of road i used!

Run cooler in city then on highway, BUT run hotter in traffic

I suppose that every mini is different, depending on a lot of variable.

Mine take from here to MITRE 10, if that help

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Well I've been wondering about the thermostat. It's one thing I haven't replaced. But then the temp stays pretty stable once it gets to operating temp. And I sit in bumper to bumper traffic barely moving for over an hour most days.

My car seems to take about 10-15mins before it's fully warmed up. It's definitely the slowest to warm up of any car I've driven. BIAM, if your's is doing about the same, then I guess my car's functioning normal then.

My Dad's old 1985 Merc 230E is probably the quickest car to warm up that I've ever seen. It reaches 80 degrees before it gets out of the street. Barely two kilometres.

The operating Temp used to make me crazy! I install a mecanical water temp gauge, It' probably the best $200 i invest in the car. It help me understand my car a lot. I can told you thet the original temp "meter" is absolutely unacurate.

If you worry, get yourself a gauge, doesent need to be a smith one, but it's good for piece of mind.

PS: the smith looks verry good

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My 'modern' car used to not warm up at all, ever, unless you were stuck in traffic for 10 minutes. It used to get issues on the highway because the temperature gauge would be reading less than off. Previous owner had obviously thought removing the thermostat would cure all, when in fact all it did was increase fuel consumption and probably engine wear. As Mike said, they perform a very important task! Since fitting one, the car is now up to operating temperature (which I generally define as the opening temperature of the thermostat) within 2 - 3km.

If you are having problems with your Mini running cold, and it is not down to the thermostat, consider blocking off half of the grille with some cardboard or similar to limit the air flow.

yeah all the minis i've had take a little while to reach optimum temperature..