usually i warm up my car for around 5 minutes, until my car idles at around 750 rpms.

recently though, my friend told me that i shouldnt warm up my car like that and i should drive it at low rpms to warm it up. he told me to shift before 2rpms until my oil heat gets up to about just below mid level. i dont know if he was just ****ting me or if hes just stupid, but ive never heard of that before.

also sometimes i dont have time to warm up my car and i have to leave right away, is there anyway i can quickly warm it up or warm it up while driving it like my friend said?

also, if none of my ways sound correct, please tell me how you warm up your car. the quickest and the safest way would be nice. thanks.

 

Warming up the car isn't totally necessary but definatley doesn't hurt because remember, when you start the car, all the oil is sitting in the bottom of the pan, takes a couple seconds or so for the oil pump to start drenching the internals with oil. It's worse to start putting a heavier load i.e. high rpms on an unlubricated engine.

 

ya in the winter i usually let it sit for like 50 mins and then after that i just drive slower till its like all warmed up and then i abuse her lol

 

it's not good to let them sit that long cuz you'll start building up carbon. just let it run a couple minutes the dive slow for a bit

 

how can u tell that the oil is warm u got a oil temp gauge?

 

yea i do.

 

when u do a cold start and you start driving, just don't go over 3000 rpm or so. Keeping the revs lower than 3000 rpm will reduce the risk of piston slap. Just drive it like u're breaking it in until the idle revs become lower or the temp gauges starts to move.

 

yup thats what i do.. even if i dont have time to let the engine warm up, i wont push it past 2000RPM until it warms up.

 

in the witner i dont like to get in it unless the heat is warm though, i have driving when im cold i cant do it very well.

 

well ive driven my friends audi and it has water and oil temp gauges... and his oil temp doesnt get up to operating temp for a few miles after the water temp is up... just something for you all to think about

 

yeah i hear ya, but 50 mins, u could have a sauna in there

 

I warm it up for 10 min before I leave, then the temp. gauge is at operating temp.

 

well bmw sent a letter to my gf about her car and warminng up, but i dunno if they meant all cars. this is wat it said. with an automatic you should start the car and drive normally for a couple of miles. dun rev and steer hard. with a manual let it stand for 10 seconds then drive normally. it said that most damage occurs while letting the engine warm up. id post it but i cant find it anymore.

 

Modern cars are designed to be "warm" within 60 seconds. I would say that means there is sufficient lubricant in all parts of the motor. Bue as said above, the oil and everything else is still cold for at least 5 more minutes (and this is California I'm talking about) so drive modestly for at least 10 min or longer. I often work at 5am, so I actually roll all the way down my hill in neutral before putting the car in gear and driving.

 

but i only work 5 minutes away...isnt it worse to drive the car cold then shut if off