warm up

[bbt11]

Probably been threaded a thousand times sorry.

Ive heard from a reliable source that its better for the engines when started to be driven straight away being carefull with revs rather than let it warm up on the drive. Reason told is that the oil struggles to reach the the top when cold and low revs 800rpm tick over. Oil semms to have a better chance when running at 2000rpm max whilst warming up. Probably a load of c*#p but thought id ask. Thanks bbt.

[monkeysteve]

Yeah it is and for a number of (controversial reasons)

1. Oil viscosity when cold means it dont get to the top of the engine so well

2. Th elonger the inlet manifold takes to warm up the more the fuel acts as an acid. Droplets of fuel that have not misted or evaporated so well form and can wear the manifold and cylenders etc ( out of the 90% of cold engin wear oil only accounts for about 10%)

3. If you have cats you will screw them just sitting there from a cold engine.

I always wait about 20 second then drive steady (under 3k revs) until the temp (water) has risen. On my car I have an Oil temp guage - (dont know if you have) but always wait for it to hit 40 deg C before unleashing all those horses.

well thats my 2 pennies worth anyway!

[alans]

i've always believed thats it best to drive as soon as possible from cold. But obvoisly keeping the revs down untill the oil temp has a chance to come up to operating temp, as leaving a car idleing only raises the water temp and engine oil not the gearbox or diff.
Always done this over the 30 years i have been driving without major problems on any of the multitude of cars i have owned.
alan

[arcbeer]

I'm sure I read on here before, someone saying they keep it below 3000rpm for the first 10 miles. So I try to stick to this. I think the engine temp can be a misleading guide, as it will get hotter quicker than the oil.

[monkeysteve]

I am with you on that - thats why I only ever look at the Oil Temp

[davidd]

As already saidm this thread has been done a few times..
For my part I start it, let it idle for a minute whilst I put the front on the stereo, turn my phone on and unlock it. Then I turn the car round in the street and pootle off through the village at lowish revs.
After a mile or so there is a junction where I might have to wait for a minute or so, after which I have a 40 limit for a couple of miles.
Once I get off this and onto A roads I open it up to 3k rpm, a couple of miles later I take to B roads for three miles and I open it up a little more. After this I'm back on A road s then a mile later I hit the A!! and dual carridge way (where I got a ticket for speeding last week ) At this point I start to explore the rev range a litte more although never going beyond about 5k rpm until I have done a good few miles.

D.

[washy]

Somewhere back in the old early Cerbera days I recall seeing a procedure (may have been in the manual). Something like crank the engine and apply sufficient throttle for it to fire. Hold it at a steady 1600rpm or so for 1 minute. Drive not exceeding 3000rpm until water well up to temperature and oil pressure settling at normal level. At this point I'll use more than 3000rpm but I never get to carried away for a good 10 miles as the hydratrak diff and gearbox take a while to warm up and I hear the diff especially does not take kindly to being worked hard when cold.

I think equally important once it's warmed up is drive it hard. I've never known a car get so upset if not given a good thrashing on a regular basis.

And if you've really thrashed it cool it down for the last couple of miles too!

Hope this helps.

Washy

[Julian64]

I hold by the drive with your window open theory. My personal opinion but I don't think you need an oil temp gauge. Oil pressure yes, oil temp no. If you start the car and drive with your windows open you will quickly learn the sound of pain and the sound of happiness from your engine. Drive cautiously to start and you will hear when your oil is warm enough to use more power. Here lyeth Zen and the art of Cerbie Maintenance. Besides watching your oil temp gauge means your missing out on all those lovely birdies bouncing off the windscreen.

[Vee Eight]

On the point of warming up, have you ever accidently got carried away and opened up before a sensible warm up peirod. I have twice now, and my lesson is learned, thank goodness no damage. However I had to question whether there was something in my y2000 model's engine managemnt system that prevented me from doing this since as the revs spilled up to 4000 + the enginecoughed as if flooded or starved of fuel, is this a safety feature I wonder for forgetful madmen such as me or well what ??

The idle characteristics on my speed six are not the most exciting sound and do not do the engine justice, for this reason I start up, idle only while doing up seat belt, and then keep it easy until water temp is up to 90, normally 3-5 minutes. Then it's fantastic.

[gazzab]

On V8s it is best to keep it below 3K revs for say 4 miles and then below 4K revs for a further 8 miles and then it is ready to roll!
I understand that S6 engines take longer to warm up that V8s.

[tvrslag]

Just a question.
I have a 96 cerb which has aside from the obvious gauges fuel, oil pressure and water temp. After reading a couple of the threads on here I'm assuming that either people have fitted their own gauges or that the later cars came with more or varied gauges as options. Please can someone advise as the old oil pressure (capillary style) gauge is rubbish and I would love to be able to protect my spanking new engine with a new oil pressure or maybe oil temp gauges. I know Stack do some pretty impressive multi reading units that can display various items but what have people on this site done? Has anyonefitted a stack unit at all?

[mlumb]

fitted a smiths oil temp gauge that matches the standard ones and could even be put where the clock usually is ,although i made a seperate pod for mine.

it works very well and takes the guesswork out of running the car.

mike.

[gazzab]

You can improve the oil pressure readings by getting a new relief spring. The old design is cr@p and the new design/material keeps its tension for ages and ages and keeps a reasonable reading and doesnt reduce over time.

[tvrslag]

mlumb said:

fitted a smiths oil temp gauge that matches the standard ones and could even be put where the clock usually is ,although i made a seperate pod for mine. it works very well and takes the guesswork out of running the car. mike.

So some people have replaced the clock in the lower pod with a smiths oil temp gauge. Hmm Sounds interesting.
I'm assuming that you need to put a thermocouple into the sump somewhere to get a reading, is it then just a case of wiring it in? Mlumb did you do this yourself or did you get a dealer / independant to help you out?
Mlumb, where did you put you're extra gauges? I have seen those very dodgy looking pods that form part of the 'A' pillar post, I'm assuming that when covered properly they will probably look OK but would they fit a cerb OK. Has anybody tried that for extra gauge space?

[mlumb]

i put mine in the centre console where the 6x9 speaker was. theres a picture somewhere from a earlier thread about this.

i did the wiring and gauge install and got joolz to fit the temp sender to the oil filter housing.

mike.
see 'pics as promised' on my profile.

>> Edited by mlumb on Tuesday 8th July 12:43

[GCerbera]

Very nice work Mike.

How is the Road Pilot, I'd heard some not working too well with Cerbera's?

Is it the standard one (about £470 ) or the one with Radar?

Are you using it in conjunction with Microsoft 'Map-Point'
and can you pre programme a journey in or only save it
after you have done the journey?

[mlumb]

the road pilot works great, its saved me on a few occasions much better than the radar detector i had before it.
it is the standard one but there are varios upgrades you can get i think,

mike.

[markys]

Whats the best way to warm up before pulling away as I am having problems stalling when cold as I have to reverse down my drive and then down the road abit until I get to a junction and then it tends to stall also the same at work drive slowly out of the carpark to junction stop and stall. Any ideas ?

[GCerbera]

markys said:

Whats the best way to warm up before pulling away as I am having problems stalling when cold

Even in this heat?!
I would get it checked, but these may help:

www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=37024&f=6&h=0&hw=stalling

www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=45030&f=6&h=0&hw=stalling

Go create some weather...
Graham
TCR The Cerbera Register

www.aauk.biz/Cerbera/index.htm

[markys]

Only happens when cold will try the 1500 rpm 30sec's job