Warm up?

1390 Views 19 Replies 15 Participants Last post by johnlew, Mar 26, 2002

in_d_haus

Discussion Starter · Mar 24, 2002

Do you allow your car to warm up or just fire it up and rock!

1 - 20 of 20 Posts

ALEX325i

· #2 · Mar 24, 2002 (Edited)

No, not really. I do let the engine idle for 15 seconds or so whenever it's cold before taking off, but just so the oil circulates a little bit (not that it takes 15 seconds, but what the heck).

Then, I take it easy until the engine temp. reaches hafway between the blue square and the normal operating temp. (i.e. middle)

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Imola Ed

· #3 · Mar 24, 2002

ALEX325i said:
No, not really. I do leave the engine idle for 15 seconds or so whenever it's cold before taking off, but just so the oil circulates a little bit (not that it takes 15 seconds, but what the heck).

Then, I take it easy until the engine temp. reaches hafway between the blue square and the normal operating temp. (i.e. middle)

Same deal here.

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nate

· #4 · Mar 24, 2002

ALEX325i said:
No, not really. I do leave the engine idle for 15 seconds or so whenever it's cold before taking off, but just so the oil circulates a little bit (not that it takes 15 seconds, but what the heck).

Then, I take it easy until the engine temp. reaches hafway between the blue square and the normal operating temp. (i.e. middle)

I take it easy until about 3 min after the needle hits center line. I don't have an oil temperature gauge

(yet)

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ict330xi

· #5 · Mar 24, 2002

Lock n' Load! :thumb:

bmw325

· #6 · Mar 24, 2002

I shift at around 3000 rpm until the temp gauge is in the middle- then I wait another 10 minutes (atleast I try to) for the oil to warm up. Then I shift at around 5000+. Usually, this point coincides w/ the shifter getting much smoother (from the tranny oil heating up).

Alex Baumann

· #7 · Mar 24, 2002

No warm up here. "Gentlemen, Start your engines and go!"

johnlew

· #8 · Mar 25, 2002

I said yes, but didn't read carefully. I start it and go, but drive respectfully until the car is fully warm. Then if I want to rev her higher I will. Best not to warm the car at idle, engine warm everything else cold and you will harm the other components if you drive aggressively immediately.

alpinewhite325i

· #9 · Mar 25, 2002

I let the engine idle for about 15 seconds...then take it very easy (shifting no higher than 3k) until the temp gauge is in the middle. then...rock and roll!

Guest84

· #10 · Mar 25, 2002

2 min warm up.

Clem

· #11 · Mar 25, 2002

I do.

Many people don't realize that their car only needs about 30-60 seconds to warm up. So they sit for 5-10-20 min waiting for the warm air to blow out of the vents. I wonder if they realize the warm air will come out faster if they just drive. :dunno:

in_d_haus

Discussion Starter · #12 · Mar 25, 2002

Actually I'm suprised that these results. Driving your car before it is warm accellerates wear. the oil is not circulated and has dripped off bearing surfaces and is sitting in the pan and must be pushed up and around. The metal of the engine has not heated and expanded. It takes more than 30 - 60 seconds to do this.

Very interesting results. I posted this because of a guy at my work with an E30 325. he jumps in the car (cold) and fires it up, dumps the clutch and squeels out of the garage...

Ah well, it's his car and his repair bill...

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ALEX325i

· #13 · Mar 25, 2002 (Edited)

in_d_haus said:
Actually I'm suprised that these results. Driving your car before it is warm accellerates wear. the oil is not circulated and has dripped off bearing surfaces and is sitting in the pan and must be pushed up and around. The metal of the engine has not heated and expanded. It takes more than 30 - 60 seconds to do this.

Very interesting results. I posted this because of a guy at my work with an E30 325. he jumps in the car (cold) and fires it up, dumps the clutch and squeels out of the garage...

Ah well, it's his car and his repair bill...

The reason why I let it idle for 15 seconds or so when it's cold is because a BMW tech (who I trust) back in NY told me once that that should be long enough for the oil to circulate. He was the one who also told me to take it easy (stay under 3K RPMs) until you reach at least halfway between the blue square and normal operating temp (at that point, the engine has warmed up at least a little)...

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Emission

· #14 · Mar 25, 2002

Turn the key, then wait for the pressure to build and oil to circulate. After that 15 second wait (during which time I put on my headset and mess with the radio and climate controls), I am off.

For the first few minutes, I shift below 4,000 rpm.

I don't redline however for at least five minutes - I want that oil nice and hot for something like that.

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BS' Bimmer

· #15 · Mar 25, 2002

in_d_haus said:
Very interesting results. I posted this because of a guy at my work with an E30 325. he jumps in the car (cold) and fires it up, dumps the clutch and squeels out of the garage...

I don't know how many of us that voted no actually do this!!! That's insane! :yikes: I'm with everyone else here. Start it, wait a few seconds, then off I go driving gently until warm. :thumb:

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Guest84

· #16 · Mar 25, 2002

Okay, is it my imagination, or does it seem like on the manuals, the clutch release point is slightly different until the car is completely warmed up? Could be just a 04:30am thing for me..:dunno:

exsilio

· #17 · Mar 25, 2002

I totally wait for it to warm up. I won't sit in the drive way, but I will not do any spirited driving until the oil is at a good temperature...and now it's easier with the lights on the M3 tach. :thumb:

But harder to maintain control because it's an M3

catch 22 I guess.

geomax

· #18 · Mar 25, 2002

Clem said:
I do.

Many people don't realize that their car only needs about 30-60 seconds to warm up. So they sit for 5-10-20 min waiting for the warm air to blow out of the vents. I wonder if they realize the warm air will come out faster if they just drive. :dunno:

Right! A lot of people think the heat comes from their engine, when in fact there is completely seperate heating unit. Engine heat may help, but the bulk comes from the heater.

As for the engine, I wait for the idle to drop, then drive conservatively until the engine temp gauge starts to move - then I let it rip.

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bmw325

· #19 · Mar 26, 2002

geomax said:
Right! A lot of people think the heat comes from their engine, when in fact there is completely seperate heating unit. Engine heat may help, but the bulk comes from the heater.

As for the engine, I wait for the idle to drop, then drive conservatively until the engine temp gauge starts to move - then I let it rip.

Heat DOES come from the engine...
Coolant (heated by the engine) circulates through the heater core -- which is like a radiator and then a fan blows air past this providing heat. There is a direct correlation between the water temp (coolant) of the engine and the maximum amount of heat that you can achieve. Cars warm up faster if you drive them vs idling. Or- did you mean that most people think car heaters are like those in old VW beetles/vans-- air directly from the engine compartment is used to provide heat...

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johnlew

· #20 · Mar 26, 2002

robg said:
Heat DOES come from the engine...
Coolant (heated by the engine) circulates through the heater core -- which is like a radiator and then a fan blows air past this providing heat. There is a direct correlation between the water temp (coolant) of the engine and the maximum amount of heat that you can achieve. Cars warm up faster if you drive them vs idling. Or- did you mean that most people think car heaters are like those in old VW beetles/vans-- air directly from the engine compartment is used to provide heat...

Heater cores aren't like radiators, they are radiators.

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