How much is too high for revving before the engine is warm? I've really been babying my 7 below 3.5K until the choke releases automatically. Sometimes that takes over 10 minutes though here in minnesota. Am I being too patient with the rev count, or is this correct?

 

I do the same thing gradually increasing rpm as the temp rises.

 

I don't have a choke, but, I don't rev it above 3 till it's fully up to temp.
I'm paranoid.
But I also love my 12A.
And I'm running 20W-50.

 

Seems contradictory that Mazda would equip the later model RX7's with a cold start system that would rev the engine to 3k RPM, if it were bad for the engine to do so. I would say once you have oil pressure, you are probably OK to rev it to 3-4k RPM or a bit higher, but use common sense and restraint and avoid higher revs just to be on the safe side; especially in extremely cold weather.

 

^Very good point.

 

I like to keep it at 2k - 2500 for the warm up. It seems to get the job done, imho anything higher is excess.

 

I would imagine that like piston engines, rotary engines don't like to be lugged at low RPM and high throttle input/load. Excess wear from lugging could potentially be as bad as or worse than running it at higher RPM's while not at operating temp. Of course, lugging is a matter up for debate. I've never seen any real definitive proof that it is bad to run an engine at extremely low RPM's, though it makes sense to me that doing so might be detrimental to the engine. I can just hear my engine yelling at me to down shift when I'm trying to accelerate in a higher gear while at less than 2000RPM. It couldn't be happy.

I still say to simply drive smart until the car is up to operating temp. As long as it is getting oil, and you aren't at WOT, the fact that it is below normal operating temperature shouldn't be a problem at mid range RPM. So don't try to race anybody and you should be fine just driving it responsibly like most people would on their daily commute (unless of course you drive like me, I like to put my car through its paces every day).