Warm up routine
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Discussion

SilverPorker

Original Poster:

89 posts

173 months

Monday 13th May 2013
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When starting up my Porsche, I stay we'll under 3,000rpm until a couple of minutes after my temp gauge gets to normal operating temperature. After that a gradually increase revs over the next 5 mins or so before feelings it's okay to let rip.

Just curious as to what others do? Am I being too cautious or alternatively am I missing doing something that others feel is necessary to keep the car in the best condition long term?

Rockster

1,515 posts

190 months

Monday 13th May 2013
quotequote all
SilverPorker said:
When starting up my Porsche, I stay we'll under 3,000rpm until a couple of minutes after my temp gauge gets to normal operating temperature. After that a gradually increase revs over the next 5 mins or so before feelings it's okay to let rip.

Just curious as to what others do? Am I being too cautious or alternatively am I missing doing something that others feel is necessary to keep the car in the best condition long term?
There's nothing wrong with that.

These engines take a long time relatively speaking to warm up. Under some climatic conditions I've driven my Boxster 15 minutes from a cold start to where the coolant temp peaks and then flattens out.

lucky63

29 posts

162 months

Monday 13th May 2013
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i do the same in my 997.2 turbo, keep below 3000 rpm until oil reaches normal operating temp, u should treat the engine with respect whilst still relatively cold

V8KSN

4,713 posts

214 months

Monday 13th May 2013
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Thrashing a car from cold is like making love to a woman with no foreplay - Swiss Tony


6C4GTS

5,186 posts

208 months

Monday 13th May 2013
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V8KSN said:
Thrashing a car from cold is like making love to a woman with no foreplay - Swiss Tony

Only really appropriate with a rental.

Asterix

24,438 posts

258 months

Monday 13th May 2013
quotequote all
Same as the OP but it doesn't take long during the summer for the car (in Dubai) to warm up!

It's odd to get to the car having not driven all day and the ambient temperature is hot enough so the temp gauge is already off the stops.

BertBert

21,270 posts

241 months

Monday 13th May 2013
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Why 3k rpm? It's not a TVR ffs

SilverPorker

Original Poster:

89 posts

173 months

Monday 13th May 2013
quotequote all
I guess a max of 3,000rpm until fully warm just feels like the right engine speed to me. What would you do Bert?

Mario149

7,789 posts

208 months

Monday 13th May 2013
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I get in mine and pretend it revs like a diesel until the oil pressure at idle has settle at just over 1 bar - on both my 996 and 993 this is where it seemed/seems to be when it was/is fully warm. I've no idea about times or temps in my 993 or my 550 (to be fair, the latter's gauges and associated Italian electrics I never really trust hehe), but since oil pressure is related to oil viscosity, which is in turn related to oil temp, it seems as good a way as any.

RiccardoG

1,755 posts

302 months

Monday 13th May 2013
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In my 997 I don't go over 3k rpm until I've driven for 15 minutes (as per the trip info display). I always assumed that the oil takes much longer to warm up (there is so much of it) than the coolant and this is what you want to be nice and viscous before increasing the revs.

I also take it much easier with the gearbox until its warmed up and the gears go in smoothly.

Rockster

1,515 posts

190 months

Monday 13th May 2013
quotequote all
anonymous said:
[redacted]
In Porsches my best info is the concern is not a cracked head but arises from fluid dynamics.

At higher engine speeds with cold oil the oil doesn't flow well. The oil in the bearing interface heats up from the hydraulic friction but can't be replaced with fresh oil. Wear can occur at the bearing interface if the oil breaks down.

Additionally the cam lobes are splash lubed. At higher engine speeds there may not be enough oil flowing from around the lifter buckets to lube the lobes. There is also the splash characteristics of the oil when cold. It may not end up where it should. (This is also possibly a bigger issue for those that run non-approved oils, say a 10w-xx or even 15w-xx oil...) Anyhow, wear can occur.

Anyhow keeping rpms below IIRC 4K until the engine is up to temp is in the owners manual. Even if it is not it is good engine treatment.

Legacywr

15,695 posts

218 months

Monday 13th May 2013
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Shirley, with modern oil technology warming an engine up is no longer such a worry?

And, as mentioned earlier, it's not a TVR Speed Six!smile

Rockster

1,515 posts

190 months

Monday 13th May 2013
quotequote all
Legacywr said:
Shirley, with modern oil technology warming an engine up is no longer such a worry?

And, as mentioned earlier, it's not a TVR Speed Six!smile
There's no need to pay strict attention to the temp but the concern is real. While improvements have been made in oil there are still limits, real limits of how the fluid can perform in low temperatures.

As an indication of this Porsche approves 0w-40 for all temperature ranges while 5w-40/5w-50 oils are approved for temperatures above -25C.

Does this mean that if you live/drive in a region that has an ambient air temp above -25C you can ignore any empathy with the engine and thrash it from cold? No, of course not.

But of course it is your car and your engine and you can treat it anyway you want at any time.

KPE

150 posts

169 months

Monday 13th May 2013
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And how many of you bought a used car or even worse, a demo or a manager's car for the spec? I doubt those previous owners and drivers wouldn't have cared as much.

pcn1

1,346 posts

249 months

Monday 13th May 2013
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Im so mechanically sympathetic, I dont even pull of the driveway until my car has ticked over for at least 20 seconds.
My Ducati, I'll wait a full minute !!

BertBert

21,270 posts

241 months

Monday 13th May 2013
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anonymous said:
[redacted]
What? How quickly is that going to be then? I'm not talking about bouncing it of the limiter from the start, but just drive it normally. It's a mass-produced engine that you get in and drive.
Bert

anonymous-user

84 months

Tuesday 14th May 2013
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BertBert said:
anonymous said:
[redacted]
What? How quickly is that going to be then? I'm not talking about bouncing it of the limiter from the start, but just drive it normally. It's a mass-produced engine that you get in and drive.
Bert
You're right. They never go wrong so why bother? Oh, wait a minute.........

christer

2,804 posts

281 months

Wednesday 15th May 2013
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In my view it is going to be a balancing act between getting oil temps up whilst maintaining mechanical sympathy. In my GTR for example I usually drive in auto mode for the first 10 mins of a drive and the engine management controls the shifts. From cold it holds each gear until 2200-3000 rpm max for the first few minutes before it starts to shift at lower rpm. It is clearly important to get some oil temps up to provide good lubrication.


Fantuzzi

3,297 posts

176 months

Wednesday 15th May 2013
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Not a porsche owner, Ive got no oil temp gauge and read that the engine can take 10miles to warm up, which isnt as long as it sounds, luckily my hooning routes are all 10-15 miles away so it works out ok!

Would be interested to hear how long (miles) it takes for the temp to go from cold to normal with those who have a gauge.


SilverPorker

Original Poster:

89 posts

173 months

Wednesday 15th May 2013
quotequote all
My Boxster doesn't have an oil temp gauge either, only a coolant temp gauge. It takes about 10 mins for the coolant gauge to show its up to temp, so I've just assumed another few minutes for the oil to also get up to temp. No science to my theory, just seems about right to me.