| Author |
Message |
Harry (Harry)
New member
Username: Harry
Post Number: 40
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 13, 2003 - 12:13 pm: | |
The best is to start driving when oil pressure is there (few seconds after starting) and to take it easy until the oil warms up a bit. Best is constant driving with part load and moderate revs in high gear. If you let it idle or go too slow, the warming up process is extendend unnecessarily. This will certainly not hurt, but is no good thing either. After all, there is no reason to worry too much about the warming up procedure. It's only an engine. |
Dave328GTB (Hardtop)
Member
Username: Hardtop
Post Number: 543
Registered: 1-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 13, 2003 - 11:22 am: | |
Omar,
I normally let it idle a couple of minutes then drive very easy with revs under 3K for a mile or two. After 4-5 miles, I normally have at least 140 oil temp and will rev to about 5K or so. When oil reaches about 160 (might take 10 miles depending on weather) I'll drive it as hard as I want, but I don't drive it hard very often anyway. In cold weather, the water temp gauge seems to read low but the heater is still plenty hot which would indicates to me the thermostat has opened and the motor is at full operating temp. Opinions vary on these procedures, I think mine is pretty conservative. The owners manual has a general warning to go easy on it when cold, nothing specific.
In winter weather, it can take 20 miles to fully warm up. Generally, I just don't drive very hard when its really cold out.
As for shifting, when I upshift slowly (like when tranny is cold) I do blip the throttle before engaging the clutch. A little practice will make the clutch takeup very smooth.
Dave |
Lawrence Coppari (Lawrence)
Member
Username: Lawrence
Post Number: 610
Registered: 4-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 13, 2003 - 7:06 am: | |
In frigid weather (<20F) my oil temperature (1987 328)will only barely get off the stop at the lower end. I have to stuff something in the air intake to get it up to temperature. In 70 F weather, about 10 miles gets it warm enough to drive it hard.
Years ago I foolishly ran the engine to 7K without fully warming the oil. It was summertime and the temperature was in the 80's. After doing that I noticed that my oil pressure was low. Not knowing what to do other than adjusting oil pressure (which I did not do), I changed the oil and filter. The filter was crushed internally which explained the low oil pressure. The standpipe was also detached from its base.
This was in the early 90's. I learned my lesson. |
Omar (Auraraptor)
Member
Username: Auraraptor
Post Number: 560
Registered: 9-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 13, 2003 - 6:05 am: | |
Dave, how long does it take you to get the oil that temp in cold weather? How long in about 60 degree weather? (I am going to take her out and see later this week if I am free and the its not raining.
Also, any thoughts on questions 2 or 3, seeing you have a 328 as well?
Thanks all for your help! |
Dave328GTB (Hardtop)
Member
Username: Hardtop
Post Number: 540
Registered: 1-2002
| | Posted on Monday, May 12, 2003 - 10:07 pm: | |
In colder weather, it might take 1/2 hour for fan to come on. The key with cold motors is to baby it until warm. No high revs, only part throttle. I wait until oil temp rises to 140 before getting on it. Interestingly, the new M3 tach has a colored caution area that rises as the engine warms. It's a good idea to go easy on any cold motor.
Dave |
Taek-Ho Kwon (Stickanddice)
Member
Username: Stickanddice
Post Number: 413
Registered: 11-2002
| | Posted on Monday, May 12, 2003 - 8:59 pm: | |
Omar,
What I was told a good rule of thumb for warm up was...
Turn the engine on and let it idle until you hear the fan kick in. Then you're pretty much ready to roll.
Cheers |
rich (Dino2400)
Junior Member
Username: Dino2400
Post Number: 220
Registered: 10-2001
| | Posted on Monday, May 12, 2003 - 7:04 pm: | |
A somewhat related issue: I've heard many Ferrari owners say that since it is hard to shift into 2nd gear while the tranny oil is still cold, that they go 1st to 3rd.
I can't picture this. Does this mean that:
1) they rev it up high enough to be able to shift into 3rd without lugging the engine, and thus are probably reving too high for a cold oil situation (since engine oil is still too cold as well)
2) they don't rev it very high and just shift into 3rd and pull it from like 1000 rpm in 3rd. Isn't this also not a very healthy thing to do to one's car?
I live on a long street so I just go really slowly in 1st gear all the way down and by the time I go through a few of the stop signs and get out of the 15mph streets, the oil is somewhat warm enough to get into 2nd anyway (in the ZF gearbox in the dino coupe and now in the daily driver fiats as well). |
Mitch Alsup (Mitch_alsup)
Member
Username: Mitch_alsup
Post Number: 646
Registered: 4-2002
| | Posted on Monday, May 12, 2003 - 5:24 pm: | |
1. The issue is that cold oil has high absolute viscosity when cold, and the piston rings will scrape it off the cylinder walls; accentuating wear after startup.
Once you have a couple minutes on the oil, it is at a useful temperature unless its real cold outside (like below 0 dF), and all you really need to avoid is high RPMs (keep it below 75% redline) and wide throttle (try to stay under 50%).
2. If you don't have a oil temperature guage, it takes about (ABOUT) 4 times as long for the oil to get warm as it does the water. If you have an oil temp guage, watch it, and have it checked for accuracy once in the life of your car.
My F355 gets water up to temp in about 3 minutes, oil takes longer than 10 minutes, but I drive when the oil indicator first moves, and just keep the RPMs and power low.
3. I match the clutch release to the speed of the shift. When cruising along I bring the clutch into the friction zone and feel the engine/tranny accomodate the speed differences, then let it out fully. When racing I do pretty much the same, but with more mental energy and less time. I catch my misshifts with the clutch to avoid stress on the driveline.
When racing my F355, and up-shifting pretty fast (but not drag racing fast), the RPM drop of throttle lift exactly matches the time of gear to gear selection time. When downshifting, a quick blip on the throttle puts the revs up where they need to be, but I am still cognizant of speed and touch of clutch release. |
Matthew J Germane (Mjgermane)
Junior Member
Username: Mjgermane
Post Number: 64
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Monday, May 12, 2003 - 4:25 pm: | |
Omar:
1. As far as I know, the only thing it does to your engine when you take the revs up while it is still cold is just more wear and tear. If you do if once in a while, do not worry about it, but obviously don't make a habit out of it.
2. This one I do not have a lot of experience with because I have only driven a Ferrari a dozen times or so. But if I remember correctly, it took about 10 minutes to warm up a 328 to the proper driving temperature. The 10 minutes included letting it sit for a few minutes after I started it and then when I drove it I babied (spelling) it until it warmed up. Other people that constantly drive Ferraris will be able to better assist you.
3. I will let somebody else try and give some insight on that one.
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Omar (Auraraptor)
Member
Username: Auraraptor
Post Number: 555
Registered: 9-2002
| | Posted on Monday, May 12, 2003 - 3:26 pm: | |
1.
Reving past 3000 with cold oil....
Its bad, yes, but what happens if you accidently to it once in a while (like 5 times total)? (I'm talking 5-6k rpm shift with only 1/4 up the oil temp guide.)
I ask as my friend...well lets say he never knew until I yelled at him when I found out; He said he did it like 5 or 6 times though.
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2.
Also, how fast does your car warm up to normal temp? I am thinking I need a thermosat in my car, as it never when past 1/4 back in winter (50 degrees outside) But then I only drove her for 20 miles anyway...
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3.
When shifting between gears how fast do you let out the clutch? When I shift fast and I mean fast, the cars is fine no prob, but if I baby each shift, and still release the clutch rather quickly, the car jerks slightly (albeit very slightly) as the clutch grabs and has to rematch the rpms. I am thinking to just blip the throttle when the clutch is depressed, so that when I quickly release clutch the rpms match more. |
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