Fluids up to temp is not the issue. Getting the metal parts up to temp thru and thru is, and that takes 15-20 minutes depending on storage and outside temp. Imagine your SO. Take your time and do not beat on the old lady straight away. Start with some slow, foreplay. Remember, the real rough and tumble only lasts a few minutes (sadly for us all).
It's been mentioned in this thread that both BMW and Porsche advise owners in their manuals not to warm their cars up by idling the car for long periods, but instead, to drive the car gently as soon as possible. Curiously though, there's no mention anywhere as to what Ferrari advise! Has anybody checked their manual or contacted Ferrari for an official recommendation as to the best way to warm the car up? I'm pretty certain BMW and Porsche don't make their warm-up recommendations just for fun and that they have their reasons for suggesting it, so surely Ferrari would have an opinion on the matter for their cars?
Having owned for BMW's... Two Z3s and two Z4s, I can second that motion. The manual definitely says to not let them warm up for a prolonged period prior to driving. And how interesting because I am in the market for a 348 and have been watching a lot of videos on YouTube. Several of them strongly suggest that you warm the Ferrari up for 10 or 15 minutes before driving. Apparently that's not in the owner's manual. I never thought that might be an area of debate. I thought you just started those Ferraris up and you waited 10 minutes before you headed anywhere. I'd like to find out for sure. Sent from my VS995 using FerrariChat.com mobile app
A very old advice (late 60's, which I follow) is to start driving the car soon after it's started but drive gently until the engine is fully warmed up. In this way, you warm up the transmission as well then you can push the car. The same advice said that a typical mistake of some people who warm-up the engine first (before driving the car) is that they think that "now that the engine has fully warmed-up, I can push it to the maximum" (and what about the transmission?).
Great, now you said you drive it soon after it's started... Does that mean as soon as the temp gauge is off the peg? Sent from my VS995 using FerrariChat.com mobile app
So I started this thread many years ago based on my 98 F1 GTS. While I no longer idle for 10-15 minutes, I do for 5. For an F1, this is essential as the car shifts horrible without it.
Porsche (none turbo-none gt3) and Bmw recommend 2 minute idle and low revs first two miles because they are not dry sump lubricated. However I would not feel confident driving a dry dump Porsche or Ferrari without at least 5 minute idle, followed by 2-3 mike cruise before spirited drive.
"Soon after you start" has no correlation to the temp gauge, it means after you fire it up you begin to drive it almost immediatey and regardless of temp gauge
Oh, ok... thanks for the clarification. You know, when you're new in something and you hear some differences in opinion without anything actually in print, it gets a little confusing at times. That is why it's good to hear and draw on the experience of others who do things in a specific way and have had no problems doing it. Thanks again Sent from my VS995 using FerrariChat.com mobile app
Excluding break-in periods, I start it and drive it. I like to drive it like an old lady while I feel it warming up and coming alive. The throttle response improves, the shifting gets smooth... After about ten minutes I drive it relaxed, and when the oil is up to temp at 15-20 minutes, I hit a freeway entrance ramp.
my warm up period is simple.. from 100% cold start.. I let idle for the ~3mins the air injection pump is on. when the whistle goes off.. I roll it out of garage.. and drive away slowly and let car reach operating temp.. if there is a short period between starts.. I let idle for a minute and drive off slowly again until back to operating temp.. the very limited times that I drove off immediately, from pure cold start, the car drove horribly, throttle, shifting etc.. until the temp rose. so letting it warm up is ideal.
What kind of car you got? I'm thinking about a 348 Sent from my VS995 using FerrariChat.com mobile app
I guess the question would probably boil down to this... Would it hurt to let the engine warm up for 3 to 5 minutes before putting it in gear? This would be on an average summer day 80 degrees, that kind of thing. Sent from my VS995 using FerrariChat.com mobile app
I agree. I think I'm just going to Target about a three to five minute warm-up initially and then see what the car wants me to do, depending on temperature and conditions. Same with my XKE... The cars usually let you know what they want you to do, I guess the trick is to listen Sent from my VS995 using FerrariChat.com mobile app
Where are you and Western New York? I'm from the Buffalo area. Also a 10 to 15-minute warm-up seems a little bit longer than what I've been told, I didn't see what kind of car you had so I'm wondering if you might have a 12 cylinder. I think most of the responders for me or 8-cylinder engines, which would probably take a little less time. Well I'm in Florida right now and have been for many decades but one good thing about Buffalo, you put your car away for about 3 to 5 months and you save a lot of mileage on it! Sent from my VS995 using FerrariChat.com mobile app
i get in and go. stay below 2 or 3k rpms until its warm. In my opinion no reason to let the fuel sit ontop of the injectors etc....in the FF i HAVE to get out of my garage otherwise the house shakes!
Very correct M Letting the engine warm up at idle is the worst thing to do.Never ever do that except for a few occasions that require this. (testing, ...) The warm up time takes way to long and as long as the engine is not at full operating temperature the incomplete combustion of fuel in the cylinders produces a lot of corrosive by products that will deteriorate the oil and metal parts very fast !. The operating temp should be reached asap without putting heavy load on the engine. So start up, let the engine stabilising a bit by revving gently to +- 1500-2000 rpm a few times ( this starts also a higher oil flow+pressure from start then just idle) and go. Look on youtube how to start an F1 engine( this is of course even more important; the oil is preheated ) or any racing engine. Grts Patrick
Okay so let me get this straight... As a newbie to Ferrari's, I'll be purchasing something in about 3 to 6 months from now, the three to five minute warm up time should actually be thrown out the window and I should not allow the car to idle for very long at all. And a 10 to 15-minute warm-up time should never even be considered? I'm really confused. You know there is probably enough widespread debate on this topic that someone should actually write to Ferrari and get some kind of an answer, then put this to bed as to the correct procedure once and for all. If others want to vary that procedure, then it's up to them. Sent from my VS995 using FerrariChat.com mobile app
Again, I've posted this several times - I've been doing a 5 minute idle warm up for years - because I have an F1 car. Let me say it again - an F1 car. The warm up makes a huge difference. How this could hurt the hard is just nonsense - it doesn't hurt anything.
Funny how modern cars have remote starters so in winter/summer you can start the car and have it nice and warm/cool when you go out to get in it and drive.
