I have ALWAYS let my turbo cars run for at least 3-5 min before I drive them...no matter what the temp is outside. I live in South Carolina so in the summer I only let it run for about 3 min cause by then it's about half way between the first line and operating temp. In the winter I let it run for about 5 min. I did the same thing with my 1G turbo Laser and never had a single problem with engine wear, oil consumption, gas mileage, or turbo wear. So I'm a firm believer in letting the car WARM UP! I don't know how some of you can drive your EVO's without letting them warm up first! DSM's and EVO's act alike when they are cold...they run like ****! Seriously how hard is it to go out a few minutes before you need to leave to let your car warm up??

 

Same here. I wait till the temp needle moves, and then I drive it easy until the car warms up.

 

I always give my cars about 5 min warm up and they need it.. The trans need it too. It doesn't shift as smooth if its cold and its just best to let any car warm up a bit in the cold and just in general... If I have to leave somewhere in a hurry I give it about 1 min and then don't rev up past 3k until its up to temp.. Just what I do with my cold weather starting

 

Sitting and waiting while the engine is warming is just a waste of gas; you aren't doing any favors to it. The engine warms more quickly and evenly with light driving, plus it also warms up your transmission, transfer case, and rear differential too.

 

Its nice to let the car warm up. BTW is not to get the oil pressure up like someone said earlier in the post. Your oil pressure is highest while cold. Once it warms up the oil thins lowing the oil pressure not raising it.

Light driving is ok. Its really important if you have forged internals. If you have forged internals and listen close you can here a little cyl slap until the pistons swell from heat. Metal expands and contracts with temp. Easy driving will not hurt anything but hard driving while cold is not good on a motor.

 

I always warm mines! 3 min.

 

i warm mine up for a few minutes before i take off. i dont boost until 5 min later.

 

lol i leave my car on for about 15 mins

 

I warm mine up for a solid 5 minutes then take off...But I never boost until the needle is right in the middle and the car's COMPLETELY warm (norm 10 mins is safe)

 

I have a 1g and an evo. I've always started them up and drive them right away. No need to wait crank it and go.

 

I don't know anything about what the manual says. I know for the fall/winter period, I start my car, walk back in the house to make a cup of coffee, grab my backpack, and when I return to my car, the temperature is sitting about 1/2 way which is good for me. I have had to start my car up and go on occassion and the shifting felt different. One thing that I absolutely don't do if I can't warm my car beforehand and that's get on it like I'm running from the cops.

 

A DSMer would say this..

 

I happen to agree with that motto we have a rally car for god's sake its supposed to be made of iron. Just take it easy on the motor while its warming up and its fine.

 

in my case its made of aluminum

 

Decided to just drive around my parent's neighborhood after leaving tonight. Drove around for a good 3 minutes and the needle was almost at the normal temperature. I'm probably going to go with just do light driving if I'm at a house and let it really warm up if I'm at a place where I'll be needing to go 45+ instantly (i.e. 8 hours at work. Highway is 30 seconds away).