Engine warm up ... how long?
18 April 2003, 08:53 PM
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Hi,
Drove an M3 the other day and noticed the rev. counter suggests what rev's you can run to as the car warms up ... neat trick I thought. I'd always assumed that when your engine temperature gauge was at ''normal operational levels'', your engine was up to ''Full temp.'' The M3 rev counter took a long time after the temp. gauge was at ''Normal'' before suggesting it was OK to rev. the engine hard ... any thoughts guys?
Steve
Drove an M3 the other day and noticed the rev. counter suggests what rev's you can run to as the car warms up ... neat trick I thought. I'd always assumed that when your engine temperature gauge was at ''normal operational levels'', your engine was up to ''Full temp.'' The M3 rev counter took a long time after the temp. gauge was at ''Normal'' before suggesting it was OK to rev. the engine hard ... any thoughts guys?
Steve
18 April 2003, 08:57 PM
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Just cos the water's up yo temp, doesn't mean the whole engine and transmission is, it takes a lot longer than you would imagine to get everything nice and warm, unless you're a hooligan!
18 April 2003, 09:31 PM
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Suggest you carefully keep under 3000 revs for around 10 mins, (or about 8 miles), in normal weather. If very cold allow a little longer. This will get your engine to the correct temperature before 'planting the boot'.
19 April 2003, 08:43 AM
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The lights on the M3 go out way before the oil is warm.
I ignore the lights and wait until the oil is up to at least 70 c before going over 3k revs.
It takes around 8 miles in my M3 to get fully up to temp. My P1 took six miles, so go figure...........
I ignore the lights and wait until the oil is up to at least 70 c before going over 3k revs.
It takes around 8 miles in my M3 to get fully up to temp. My P1 took six miles, so go figure...........
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19 April 2003, 04:07 PM
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Starting the car and doing nothing is actually bad for your engine, you need to get the car moving to get the oil warmed up quicker, sitting there doesnt warm the oil up any where near as quick as driving it 
On average ive also noticed that within 5 miles my oil pressure gauge has settled nicely when stationary so id expect that it has warmed up by then
Tony
On average ive also noticed that within 5 miles my oil pressure gauge has settled nicely when stationary so id expect that it has warmed up by then
Tony
20 April 2003, 01:37 AM
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If using a thick oil such as a 15W/50 and in cold weather, you should let the car idle for around 2 minutes before driving off so as the oil warms up a little, to be able to start lubricating, then take it easy for around 6 miles or so.
Cheers,
Wrexy.
[Edited by WREXY - 4/20/2003 1:39:02 AM]
Cheers,
Wrexy.
[Edited by WREXY - 4/20/2003 1:39:02 AM]
20 April 2003, 08:54 AM
#14
Idling the car from cold to warm it up is a bad practise IMHO and although the water temperature may open the thermostat the engine is not warmed through and ticking over from cold will take for ever and a day to reach normal operating temperature.
Do yourself a favour and fit an oil temperature guage or better still a combined oil pressure/oil temperature. Observing how long it takes for the oil to reach 80 degrees c. will be a revelation and it is also interesting to note the very high pressures for a relatively long period on more than say 2.5/3k rpm until working temperature is reached.
On the coldest winter days when it was snowing neither of my two cars reached 80 degrees c. oil temperature on 20 mile commuter journeys which included 12 miles of derestricted dual carriageway.
Quite an eye opener, so now I avoid short journeys wherever possible and stay off boost and below 3000rpm until 80 degrees oil temp is showing.
Do yourself a favour and fit an oil temperature guage or better still a combined oil pressure/oil temperature. Observing how long it takes for the oil to reach 80 degrees c. will be a revelation and it is also interesting to note the very high pressures for a relatively long period on more than say 2.5/3k rpm until working temperature is reached.
On the coldest winter days when it was snowing neither of my two cars reached 80 degrees c. oil temperature on 20 mile commuter journeys which included 12 miles of derestricted dual carriageway.
Quite an eye opener, so now I avoid short journeys wherever possible and stay off boost and below 3000rpm until 80 degrees oil temp is showing.
20 April 2003, 12:40 PM
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Harvey,
An eye opener indeed ... thank you. I guess I need to find a longer route to work (10 miles max at the moment) to make the journey more fun ... Tee Hee!
Steve
An eye opener indeed ... thank you. I guess I need to find a longer route to work (10 miles max at the moment) to make the journey more fun ... Tee Hee!
Steve
20 April 2003, 03:04 PM
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In support of the comments made by others my VR6 Golf showed normal water temperature in a few minutes but the oil temperature on the computer thingy didn't reach the normal operating range for 5 - 10 minutes after that.
I too had always been told to never, ever, let a car sit and idle when it was cold. I suspect that some handbooks, not sure about Subaru, make this point.
In the real world everything is probably up to temperature after about 10 minutes of normal mixed driving. I am sure the Golf, with a V6 and no turbo, probably took a little longer than the Subaru might.
I too had always been told to never, ever, let a car sit and idle when it was cold. I suspect that some handbooks, not sure about Subaru, make this point.
In the real world everything is probably up to temperature after about 10 minutes of normal mixed driving. I am sure the Golf, with a V6 and no turbo, probably took a little longer than the Subaru might.
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