Should the engine be warmed up in the morning?

Never warmed it up even in very cold weather. Like you, I just drive gently for a few miles. Was always taught (learned to drive in Canada) never to warm up the engine, just start and drive gently (I kept my Cali under 4000 rpm for the first 5 mins of driving) until it gets up to operating temp. I was told that it's just not a good idea to let an engine warm under no-load conditions (there was a reason for this that i have now forgotten...it was too long ago!). One thing I do know, it takes much much longer to warm up if it's just idling.

 

+1. Use auto mode to keep revs down until at least water temp comes up.

 

Also in these dry sump engines, there is so much oil in the system that it takes longer for the oil to reach operating temp than for the coolant. Since oil flow properties vary with temp, you really want to get oil temp up before "exercising" the engine.

 

California has a wet sump unfortunately

 

Ah... I didn't know that. Wonder why.

 

Due to the fact that the Cali has a wet sump, the oil temp rises to operating temperature a lot quicker than dry sump systems.

I think this is a nice advantage for the Cali. I drive to work and appreciate this time savings in the morning. If I had to drive my 360, it would take 10 minutes before the oil temp started to move on a cold morning.

As far as oil starvation when pulling high g's in a corner, modern wet sumps perform much better than older wet sump systems in this area.

I don't think Cali owners have any worries if they track their cars about burning pistons or cranks.

 

+1

 

Indeed... BUT with almost the same oil capacity as dry sumps .

 

Start it and drive it. I keep it below 3K until I see water temp or movement then careful until it gets to normal operating temp, about 2.5 miles.

Rick

 

The owners' manual of my air cooled Porsche 911 (which takes 12 quarts of oil) specifically says that you should warm the car up by driving gently, rather than letting it idle, because idling does not evenly warm up all of the parts of the drivetrain. I have followed this practice over the 13 years that I've owned the car and accelerate gently and limit the car to 3,500 rpm until it warms up, with no apparently damage to the engine.

 

It is illegal to idle with your car running for more than 5 minutes here. You can only warm up your car longer than that if you want to break the law. So you just have to drive it.

Suggestion: do not take the engine over 4k until the oil is warm...the gauge will start to move.

 

Do you have to stay under the speed limit too?

 

My BMW manual also specifically states not to let the car sit and warm up. The explanation given is that it takes longer to warm up and consequently there are more acid by products produced when the engine is cold that contaminate the oil and cause wear on aluminum engine parts. I always drive my Fcar below 3000rpm until water temp comes up and below 4000rpm until oil temp comes up.