Do you Warm up your engine? - The Unofficial BMW M5 Messageboard (m5board.com)

SWing · 12th March 2002, 19:27

Hi Guys,

I am just wondering whether you guys warm up your engine before driving in the morning. I thought I read somewhere that you can drive right away after starting your car but another buddy of mine with a M3 said that I need to warm my engine for at least a couple of mins.

What's your thoughts on it?

Cheers
Sugi

GNALUZU · 12th March 2002, 19:30

There is no need to let the engine warm up in these cars. However, you should not push the engine into the higher RPMs until the oil temp rises, or the tach lights go out.

chazzy · 12th March 2002, 19:44

On page 62 of the '01 M5 manual, it states:

Do not allow the engine to warm up by leaving it running while the vehicle remains stationary. Instead, begin driving immediately at a moderate speed.

Digi · 12th March 2002, 19:45

NO NO NO! Read the manual. This is the worst thing you can do to your engine. The manual says to start driving immediately at moderate speeds until the engine warms up. To do otherwise, you will foul up you engine with added carbon and contaminants, plus it puts increased wear on the components because it stays below optimum operating temperature longer.

Charlie · 12th March 2002, 19:51

Never let the engine warm up before driving!!! Better let the engine get to it's working temp by driving with low revs. It all has to do with exhaustfumes and our environment. Just keep in mind that you keep the revs low when the engine hasn't reached it's optimum temp. Take care,

Philip · 12th March 2002, 21:28

I always let it warm up for at lease a couple minutes before driving. Of course the politically correct manual and EPA advise against it. Guess you know what motivates them!

Diamond Dave · 12th March 2002, 22:35

I believe it's pretty common for our cars to idle rough when cold, no? Mine does at least, but not excessively so.

I start her up in the morning and take 30 seconds to clean my glasses. By then, the roughness is gone and I drive away smiling. Keep those revs low until the tach lights go out.

My two pennies...

DWP

Bart Carter · 13th March 2002, 08:51

You don't have to warm up the engine.

You do have to let the oil circulate completely throughout the engine, coating everything before you start driving.

I usually turn on the engine and release the clutch pedal while in neutral.

Then I push my Accept button, select sport, put on my sunglasses and seatbelt, turn on my mobil phone.

Then I drive gently until my guages start to show the engine is warm.

If you follow a pattern like this, I feel you are doing the best you can for longevity.

BlueBiturbo · 13th March 2002, 15:40

Quote:

Originally posted by SWing
another buddy of mine with a M3 said that I need to warm my engine for at least a couple of mins.

What's your thoughts on it?

Cheers
Sugi

Is your friend with the M3 an Indonesian too? Every Indonesian that I know always warm up their engine. Me on the other hand are always in a hurry (read: late in the morning) thus I only let it idle for 30 seconds of so but never higher than 3,000 rpm before the temp needle stays in the middle.

Every driver in Jakarta warm up their engine in the morning after washing the car, I guess it's a wrong habit huh?

Cheers,
Taffy

tfung · 13th March 2002, 18:13

Unless you plan to floor the car out of your garage, I think it's unneccessary to warm the engine up for more than a minute.... for the M5, you just have to wait till the idle comes back down to 600rpm before you drive....