warm up question

[srmast1]

So about the whole warm up thing..I hate driving it under 3000 rpm for as long as it takes to warm up. This car is a powerless, wet noodle under 3k rpm (I mean..I still love it and all). It's ok in the summer since it gets quite hot where I live, but takes FOREVER in the winter. So, I tend to turn it on, but leave the key out, then I lock the car, open the garage door about a 1/4 of the way and come back in 10 or so minutes. By that time the temp is right at or beyond 160, and then the temp variable red line will have adjusted to about 8200 rpm. Then I keep it under 4k rpm or so until I feel like the other mechanical parts besides the engine (such as the transmission/diff etc..), have warmed up.

Is there anything wrong with this? Is this somehow harmful? Are there oil pressure considerations (that I'm not considering) during neutral warmup? I just don't see how driving around on a cold engine, that is known for oiling problems, with its super thick oil not warmed is a good idea. Even with keeping the revs below 3000, it's still metal on metal until about 160 at which point the 10w-60 starts to reach max viscosity right? So by my logic, metal on metal at 2 to 3k rpm is more damaging than metal on metal at idle speeds, but then intuitively, the warmup should take longer at idle (since there should be less heat generated per unit of time by the engine?), and there is less oil pressure, so im not sure if it evens out damage-wise. I'm just so bad at keeping the revs below 3000, any feedback would be great!#

[oolas3]

10+ minutes is too long to idle. You're probably doing more harm than good. A few minutes is ok but beyond that I would not do.


http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-cult...m-up-your-car/

[digitalpersona]

Idling is a waste and probably does more harm. I start it up wait about a minute until cold start cycle ends then drive under 3k until it's warmed up. All part of proper care and maintenance. Just need to be patient if you want to keep the engine healthy. Applies to all cars but just so happens the s65 is more finicky due to oil type and bearing clearance.

[Amirsm3]

I start the car, take a moment to pick the right song, put on my seat belt then leave. Idling for longer than a few minutes is definitely a waste - especially if you're keeping it under 4k rpms anyway after running the car for so long sitting still. You're not even into the meat of the fun part of the RPM band so why bother?

[shimmy23]

Originally Posted by digitalpersona

Idling is a waste and probably does more harm. I start it up wait about a minute until cold start cycle ends then drive under 3k until it's warmed up. All part of proper care and maintenance. Just need to be patient if you want to keep the engine healthy. Applies to all cars but just so happens the s65 is more finicky due to oil type and bearing clearance.

I do this. Let the cold start cycle end, then off I go keeping it under 3k rpm till ideal operating temps are reached.

[3Pedals_6Speeds]

3k for a while sounds disciplined, but is this strictly required, or specified in the manual? Not that I'm wringing it out, but it seems to me that the "sliding" redline indicator on the tach until up to temp clears you to use more of the engine than 3-4K. I''m not condoning shooting yourself in the foot here (long term) but 4-5K doesn't seem excessive when the Tach is showing redline at 7K and such.

[Ink09]

I was always under the impression that letting the car sit and idle to warm up was bad, I have never heard that to be a good thing.

[G80indy]

OP
10w is the winter weight. 60 is at temp...
It shouldn't be an issue unless we're talking Arctic temps, below 0 degrees ..
Also keep your oil clean and within spec.

Are you in a garage when you first start it ?
What are those ambient temps?
There isn't metal to metal contact after minutes of driving...
!?
Maximum viscosity? Isn't reached at highest/ warmed up temps. Perhaps optimum viscosity as designed for the engine, yes.

Keep this in mind---- when first driving off don't load the bearings.

NEVER REV your engine like the idiots on YouTube sitting there in neutral.

Keep it in the right gear, keep RPMs reigned in and Don't lug the engine !

Think about how you warm up for a run or lifting weights.
Take it easy--- let your heart ramp up.

[Yoddha]

I never agreed with the "below 3K RPM" standard because there is a fine line between revving too high and too low. The last thing you want to do at any point driving the car (either at temp or when it's cold) is lug the engine. Our cars have an adjustable rev limiter that signifies the highest you can go, rev wise, depending on the engine temp. At start up that's at 4500 RPM, and until the car is fully warmed up, I upshift at around 3700-4000 RPM. As long as you're keeping it under that, ensuring you aren't accelerating too hard, and are easy on the shifts, you will be fine. Modern cars are built to just start up and get going, so don't be too worried mate.

[luis_m3]

I never leave the car at idle to warm up. Personally, I just turn it on and move. During warm up, I stay under 4500; zero issues thus far.

[Prince_of_Persia]

Originally Posted by shimmy23

I do this. Let the cold start cycle end, then off I go keeping it under 3k rpm till ideal operating temps are reached.

+1, Have been doing this as well. Anything more than that is waste/more harmful for the car

[srmast1]

Ok. Thanks for all the input everybody. Advice seems to be to not let it sit for more than a minute or two and keep under 3000k until warmed up. Alright will do. But next question is:

Should i wait until160°F or 210°F to take it beyond 3k rpm?

[Kong Sheng Han]

I might be wrong, but isn't 3k recommended often bc it puts you at the lowest RPM for next gear that is safe for acceleration?

[buzz367]

I think that most warmup stress is done when the car is under load, not necessarily rpm driven. It's definitely related (the rpm's) but to lug the engine when cold is much worse than to rev it above 3k. I most definitely dont rev it out until the oil is at full temp, I stick to 3500 rpm shifts until that point, but I mostly try to take it easy load-wise on the motor while it warms up. I start the car and if the rpm's are stable I'm off right then and there.

When warming up I try my best to stay in the 2k-3.5k range with minimal load.

[Umi|all|day]

Don't make it such a big deal, Drive it like you payed hard earned valueale money for it for the first 7-10Min & then you can drive it like you stole it, simple.

[dparm]

You guys are focusing too much on the engine RPM. Think more in terms of engine load (this is an actual OBD parameter, by the way).

[burtonsbs5114]

I will let my car warm up for a few min until the cold cycle is done. Then I drive the car casually until the engine is up to temp, around 180 or so. When the engine is still cold, I will shift around 3-4k to avoid lugging by shifting too low in the RPM range

[///M Power-Belgium]

And why we need to do this so carefull ?

Yes that's the real problem ...and not how to warm up !
In other words the S65 bearings really s@ck...cold and warmed up !

[12mpgm3]

I agree with what seems to be the consensus approach: start car, let it finish cold start cycle, drive off. Never lug the engine and keep below 4K until 'warmed up'. To me, warmed up is effectively 210F, when the temp reaches the bottom of the dial (just below where it would sit during normal, spirited driving in moderate weather). Some think it doesn't need to get that warm - that reaching the bottom of operating temperature range (175F - see below) is enough but I would never come close to redline when not around 210F...


From M3 Owner's Manual:

Driving Controls (pp 63):
Do not wait for the engine to warm up while the vehicle remains stationary. Start driving right away, but at moderate engine speeds.

Things to Remember When Driving (pp 137):
Set off immediately
Do not let the engine warm up while the car is still standing, but set off immediately at moderate engine speed. This is the fastest way for the cold engine to reach its operating temperature.

Some commentary on when operating temp is reached:
For a precise measurement and display of the oil level, it is necessary that the engine be at operating temperature, i.e. after uninterrupted driving for at least approx. 6.2 miles/10 km.

Launch Control is available when the engine is at operating temperature, i.e. after driving continuously for approx. 6.2 miles/10 km.

Other info from the M3 Supplemental Owner's Manual:
When the engine is at normal operating temperature, the engine oil temperature is between approx. 175F/80C and approx. 250F/120C.

[Referring to the moving Tachometer function] The variable advance warning zone, arrow 1 and arrow 2, limits the currently permissible engine speed range depending on the engine oil temperature. The permissible engine speed increases as the engine oil temperature rises. If at all possible, avoid engine speeds in the yellow advance warning zone, arrow 1. Absolutely avoid engine speeds in the red warning field, arrow 2. In this range, the engine speed is limited to protect the engine.

The high-speed V8 engine uses its 244 cu in/4 liters of displacement to produce a maximum output of 414 hp and a maximum torque of 295 lb ft/400 Nm. Its spontaneous response results in a very wide effective rpm range. The maximum engine speed is 8,400 rpm and is electronically regulated. Because of the powerful engine dynamics, the maximum engine
speed is limited to 7,000 rpm when the vehicle is stationary.

During the warm-up phase, the high-performance V8 engine runs a little more roughly due to its emissions control system. For technical reasons, the exhaust system sounds slightly metallic when the engine is cold.

[tlow98]

The only metal to metal contact is during the actual starting of the motor.

Once it's running oil pressure is built instantaneously.

[Kong Sheng Han]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

And why we need to do this so carefull ?

Yes that's the real problem ...and not how to warm up !
In other words the S65 bearings really s@ck...cold and warmed up !

I have that shirt.

[nadans]

Isn't cold start just to warm up the cats? I get in my car, change the song and just drive under 3k until oil temp gets to around 165. After that, I enjoy my car sing.