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How long do you warm up your car for?

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Old Dec 16, 2003 | 11:16 PM
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How long do you warm up your car for?

How long do you guys warm up your car for? I have been warming it up until it reaches about 60c, according to my PFC. It takes about five minutes to get up to this temp from a cold start. Should I warm it up for longer? Should I warm it up at all?

Also what is the normal operating temp for the car? What does your car run at? Mine seems to like to run at about 84c.

Thanks!
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Old Dec 17, 2003 | 12:58 AM
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i usually let mine warm all the way up, but sometimes i will drive it at lower temps, but won't boost until it's at operating temps, which mine hovers between 87 and 90*c
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Old Dec 17, 2003 | 01:03 AM
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I used to warm up until the needle stopped moving, then I got to the point where I would go when it got to the C. Now I go when the car settles down to about 1500 RPM, or about 10 seconds.

Now, I take it easy, staying below 3000, until the needle stops moving then I keep it below 6k until I feel that its up to full operating temp.
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Old Dec 17, 2003 | 01:36 AM
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yeah, until operating temp, i don't go above 3k. another good way to check things is when your oil pressure drops to what it is when ur normally driving, that's a good indicator that it's warm
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Old Dec 17, 2003 | 01:37 AM
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I dont get to more than 23OO until the car is at 83C where it stays....

letting the car warm correctly and changing the oil often are my 2 main things that make me feel good and it seems to be working for the engines as well
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Old Dec 17, 2003 | 01:44 AM
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I go by the oil pressure gauge too.
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Old Dec 17, 2003 | 02:20 AM
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You can start driving within a minute or two -- the car will warm up faster that way anyway. I sincerely doubt lightly boosting (1-3 psi) on the primary is hard on the car after a minute or so of warming up.

I don't kick in the secondary until the car is FULLY warmed up, which means it has been at operating temp for several minutes. An oil temp gauge is helpful here.
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Old Dec 17, 2003 | 02:44 AM
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I do whatever rynberg tells me to do.......
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Old Dec 17, 2003 | 03:05 AM
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Originally posted by EviLPeNeviL
I do whatever rynberg tells me to do.......


(dreamstate voiceover): "Dan, Dan, give me your RP-01s....."
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Old Dec 17, 2003 | 03:15 AM
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I rev it up to 8 krpm and dump the clutch in reverse out of my garage.

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Old Dec 17, 2003 | 03:46 AM
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I've heard that does a pretty good job of warming the car up quickly
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Old Dec 17, 2003 | 08:04 AM
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5-8 minutes during winter, 3-5 minutes during the summer. i look at my oil pressure guage.
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Old Dec 17, 2003 | 08:20 AM
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I let it sit for a minute or two, then just keep it below 3k and off the boost (maybe 1-2 psa on the primary) until it hits 80+ degrees celcius on the PFC for a few minutes. Then I drive it 'normal' .
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Old Dec 17, 2003 | 08:21 AM
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i wait until the needle starts moving and reaches the lower end of the temp gauge. then drive it real nice and slow until it gets to operating temp. which sounds like what most people are doing.
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Old Dec 17, 2003 | 08:23 AM
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No warmup. Pull out of garage and drive. Keep revs below 4k and boost below 2psi until normal op temp and steady warm idle.
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Old Dec 17, 2003 | 08:37 AM
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In winter I set the turbo timer for 6 minutes.

By the time I come out of my house its about 60-65C water temps. Plus the car is warm from the heater too..
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Old Dec 17, 2003 | 08:39 AM
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i let mine warm up about a minute, then i dont go over 3k or out of vaccuum until its fully warmed up.

I have a remote start i need to install then it will get the warm up lovin it really needs
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Old Dec 17, 2003 | 08:52 AM
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I usualy wait till full warm-up allways, unless I'm in real rush than maybe just 2-3 min. and go but without boosting, once is fully warmed-up, pedal to the metal...
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Old Dec 17, 2003 | 09:05 AM
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I never let it warm up while standing still. I just take it out and drive it with light throttle and never past 2.5k RPM. Its fully warmed in about 5mins, but even then I hesitate to go full throttle until like 10mins or so.

Sometimes I baby this car too much
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Old Dec 17, 2003 | 09:07 AM
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160 f on my SPA water temp gauge
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Old Dec 17, 2003 | 10:26 AM
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Originally posted by clayne
I rev it up to 8 krpm and dump the clutch in reverse out of my garage.

Holy cow, I never laughed so hard at work!!
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Old Dec 17, 2003 | 10:44 AM
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1min 30secs... as long u drive it slow the first few mins, its fine.. BMW suggest u dont warm up and just drive slow the first few mins.
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Old Dec 17, 2003 | 10:56 AM
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Sounds like a lot of people like to let the car sit and warm up. I can't think of ANY reason to do this. I get in the car, start it, and ease out of the garage. I stop to put on my seat belt, and click the remote for the garage door. All that takes about 30 seconds. Then I go. I take it very easy until the car is fully warm.

IMO, letting it sit and idle is a waste of time and gas. These cars get bad enough mileage as it is.
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Old Dec 17, 2003 | 11:05 AM
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I drive in Vaccuum untill my rad temp gauge shows 9'o clock.. 160-180F and the thermostat has opened ....
I'm having a Coolant temp gauge put in that reads water jacket coolant... and we'll see how the two correlate and when I start bosting then... (not for a while due to rebuild)
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Old Dec 17, 2003 | 12:05 PM
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I kinda follow what Pettit recommends:
http://www.pettitracing.com/faq/index.html#lessons

Warm the car up before driving hard

Start the car and immediately poke the throttle to prompt the kick-down. (Pettit actually recommends turning it off for a couple of seconds immediately after it catches to allow freshly pumped oil to seep into the bearings while they're loose, then restarting.) A lot of wear occurs during that 30 seconds or so at 3,000 RPM. It does this to warm the cat to operating temp sooner, but at the expense of your bearings. Within a minute, start driving. Warm up the car under light load, not sitting idling in your garage. Wait until the temp guage shows normal operating temp before going above 4,000 RPM or above 5 lbs boost (see boost guage below).
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