Keeping Under 3K rpm until Warm

[KiwiTT]

I've always allowed my car to warm up to Mid way on the temp gauge, until, pushing. I do this to alow the oil to circulate properly.

When exiting my carpark, I start the car, wait 10-15 seconds, then coast out of the carpark, keeping the rpm under 3K. By the time I reach the exit the temp is at normal

I have seen many people in ordinary cars, turn the key and drive off, within 1 or 2 seconds. I can only imagine what they are doing with their engines and with standard oil in them, as opposed to synthetic, which does circulate faster.

Am I wrong ?

[SGHOM]

No !!! your more than right !! thrashing a cold engine is the worst thing you can do !!
I dont set off in mine for at least 2 mins, & I dont put my foot down until the temp gauge is at normal operating temp. good point Richard. :-D

[KiwiTT]

... I dont set off in mine for at least 2 mins...

I usually do this from home, but at the carpark at work, it takes about 5 mins to get down to the exit. Hence I am just coasting down the ramps. No revving. Just trying to keeping revs under 2K and no bursts to 3K.

Should I then just wait 2 minutes in the park before moving off ?

[zedy1]

my engine is always warm :-D

[SGHOM]

Should I then just wait 2 minutes in the park before moving off ?

wouldn't have thought so. It's just one of my pet hates !! people treating their engines with contempt. I never rev it untill its fully warmed up.
used to own a alfa romeo many moons ago, [ alfa sud 1.5 TI ] & it had a huge red water temp light in the middle of the dash!!! & this did not go out until the engine was fully warm.
It served as a warning, & I've followed that rule ever since.

[SGHOM]

my engine is always warm :-D

:lolz:

[Nick Mann]

I don't wait before driving off, but I do 'short shift' and stay easy on the loud pedal. I also do the same at the end of the journey. The last mile or so is always in high gear, low revs and throttle as closed as it can be. Won't make a lot of difference until the long term - but it is time well invested.

[Spirit]

I understood the water temp is not always a good way to guage (poor pun sorry) this as the oil takes longer to get up to temp. On the VR4 it seems to take plenty long enough to reach this anyhow so not too worried and I do the same as Nick on the way home. Slow down to low revs for last mile or so then sit stationery for 30s to 60s at least.

[KiwiTT]

... 30s to 60s at least ....

Sound like a turbo timer ?

[Brind]

I've noticed on the VR-4 and other turbo cars I've driven that if you wait for for around 30/40 seconds or so, the engine kinda changes note slightly and the revs drop ever so... slightly but if you have an ear for the engine before you drive off you'll hear it.
I take that as the time to move off, as sitting there idling will take ages to get anywhere near warm (well to be honest never taken notice of the VR-4) but once moving, turbo cars tend to get warm VERY quickly.
Also sitting at idle isn't healthy for your spark plugs.

I always keep the revs down when cold but I go by the rule of driving before the rev range where the turbos spin up which is around 3k in general, using the automatic it isn't too easy to keep the revs down when cold as that wants to rev high before changes anyway.

Basically, just have sympathy for the engine and it'll last years..., ragging the arse off it at any stage isn't good for it, so taking good care of it when warm won't do bugger all if you're gonna abuse it anyway.

[SGHOM]

Also sitting at idle isn't healthy for your spark plugs.


.

I'd rather replace my spark plugs than my engine !! & as regards abusing it !! A well maintained engine can take the kind of abuse we give them, It's well within the tolerance of the engine, as long as we get everything up to 'normal operating temperature' first, it should not be a problem.

[Brind]

True..
Revving the engine at a constant 6000rpm (for example) just because it's under the red line isn't healthy either, high engine speed is a killer no matter how warm the engine is.

[SGHOM]

high engine speed is a killer no matter how warm the engine is.

mmm ??? not so sure on that one ?? most of one of my relatives driving is long distance in a hot country, fully maintained car, which does a regular 2000 mile round trip.
150K on the clock, & constant 90 mph driving. ??

[Brind]

90mph is about 3.5, 4000rpm.
You drive at full speed or a lower gear at high revs and you'll see what I mean.

[KiwiTT]

I spent the best 2 minutes, simply admiring my car while it warmed up.

"What a super "V ictory R oad 4 wd"

This helps in reducing stress, prior to entered the peak-hours traffic.

[colVR4]

Do the VR4's have an oil temperature guage as well as a coolant temperature guage? How easy would it be to fit one to a Galant so that you can see when the car has warmed up properly?

I too tend to stay off the throttle until at least 2-3 mins into my journey.