Do other engines need to warm up like TVR?

[Stin Hambo]

I was wondering after reading so many replies as to how to treat the Speed 6 if other engines need to warmed up in this manner?

Ferrari, Porsche, Mercedes for example?

I see so many of these others given some stick soon after being started. Are they more sympathetic or just heading for the repair yard?

Is there any way of making an engine warm up quicker?

[alex.mcintosh]

It really applies to ALL engines, but I would guess the more tuned the engine, the more care should be taken.

Kenlow do a pre-heater which basically heats and circulates the coolant. Requires mains and won't heat the oil...but it would help

[mrmaggit]

I've warmed up every engine I've ever owned, even my Honda 125.

[spartacus]

Stin Hambo said:

I was wondering after reading so many replies as to how to treat the Speed 6 if other engines need to warmed up in this manner? Ferrari, Porsche, Mercedes for example? I see so many of these others given some stick soon after being started. Are they more sympathetic or just heading for the repair yard? Is there any way of making an engine warm up quicker?

Er.... No engine should ever be thrashed from cold, be it on a hi performance supercar or a humble shopping car! if you don't at least give it long enough for the oil to get a bit warm, so as to make it thin enough to coat most of the moving parts its there to lubricate, damage and premature wear will almost be an inevitability.

As to the people you see gunning the aforementioned cars soon after starting there are two possible explanations:
1. The engine is already hot and may have been stopped for only a few minutes.
2. The owner is a complete cock who does not even have a basic knowledge of how an internal combustion engine works.

As to making the engine warm up quicker you could either drain out all the coolant or you could just be a bit more patient, keep the revs under 3 grand for the first five minutes or so!

Im really starting to wonder how many of the Speed 6 failures are merely down to a basic lack of knowledge of just what the shiny thing is under the bonnet by
a large percentage of the owners.

[cuzza]

You certainly do on the Elises with the cloud of the dreaded HGF hanging over you. All Elise drivers are obsessed with the temperature gauge especially as it tells you the exact temp rather than having a needle making you even more paranoid!!

3k rev limit and even then, no flooring it until the temp is up to normal (85) seems to be the norm.

In general no engine should be revved hard until it's warm no matter what the state of tune.

[V8 Archie]

spartacus said:

Im really starting to wonder how many of the Speed 6 failures are merely down to a basic lack of knowledge of just what the shiny thing is under the bonnet by a large percentage of the owners.

That's easy! It's the chassis plate!

[spartacus]

V8 Archie said:

spartacus said:Im really starting to wonder how many of the Speed 6 failures are merely down to a basic lack of knowledge of just what the shiny thing is under the bonnet by a large percentage of the owners. That's easy! It's the chassis plate!

Very drole!

[z_chromozone]

A freinds old M5 has waring lights that go out on the rev counter as the temp rises.

Z

[philf329]

Giving any engine stick before letting it warm up & oil circulate properly is one of the worst things you can do to it long term.

Obviously no guarantees that warming up will prevent all problems, but with a performance engine, due to the costs involved its well worth taking a bit of care unless spending a few £k on a rebuild doesn't bother you.

Keeping revs down for a mile or so rather than warming up sitting on the driveway also allows gearbox & axle oil to warm up.

[plotloss]

z_chromozone said:

A freinds old M5 has waring lights that go out on the rev counter as the temp rises. Z

More than warning lights on the current one, its a soft rev limiter...

[Don]

Yep. My Porsche manual advises me to avoid high revs until the engine has reached operating temperature.

I have always treated it the same way as out Chimaera with the minor difference that, since it has a larger rev range anyway, I allow the car to reach nearer 3Krpm..

[trooper1212]

plotloss said:

z_chromozone said: A freinds old M5 has waring lights that go out on the rev counter as the temp rises. Z More than warning lights on the current one, its a soft rev limiter...

The NSX has similar, a variable rev limit depending on oil temperature.

[RichardD]

Suppose another reason for having some temperature is when an engine is tuned the idle may be a bit rough when cold.....

[DustyC]

trooper1212 said:

The NSX has similar, a variable rev limit depending on oil temperature.

VTECS dont start working till they hit a certain temp preventing damage to the engine. I forget the temp t'intenet will tell you.

[trooper1212]

DustyC said:

trooper1212 said: The NSX has similar, a variable rev limit depending on oil temperature. VTECS dont start working till they hit a certain temp preventing damage to the engine. I forget the temp t'intenet will tell you.

Yep, I don't know about other VTECs, but the NSX also limits on low oil, oil temp too high etc...

[maddog-uk]

The guys who I race with in Karting own a fair amount of exotic cars. I asked one about his ferrari which he has owned from new. He says basically he has to drive around below 3000 rpm for the first 20 minutes until its warmed up. Sounds just like a sp6. I think this is very common sense. I try not to go over 2500 until its at 80c oil temp. Whilst its feels like you are driving miss daisy for the first 20minutes, I think it will be worth it later on in the ownership curve!

[z_chromozone]

maddog-uk said:

The guys who I race with in Karting own a fair amount of exotic cars. I asked one about his ferrari which he has owned from new. He says basically he has to drive around below 3000 rpm for the first 20 minutes until its warmed up. Sounds just like a sp6. I think this is very common sense. I try not to go over 2500 until its at 80c oil temp. Whilst its feels like you are driving miss daisy for the first 20minutes, I think it will be worth it later on in the ownership curve!

If it is running carbs then they take some time to warm through to the point where you can actually dive the thing with any grace. Its not just an oil thing, the whole induction takes a while to get to temp.

Z

[powerlord]

don't forget turbo cars.

Very important with my old 300zx twin turbo. Turbos are oil cooled, and you really need to get them all warmed up before you go firing boost through them or the bearing tend to go very quickly... and similarly cool them down before you stop too (hence turbo timers)

stu

[zumbruk]

My old Alfasud Tii had a warning light that only went out when the engine was warm enough for play to commence. My Cossie handbook had a warning not to exceed 3000rpm until the engine was properly warmed up. An RS200 I drove once actually had a large red sticker in the windscreen saying that severe engine damage would occur if the engine was revved before it was warm.

So, yes, they should all be warmed up properly, and I do that for all my cars, and always have. That, and turbos should be allowed to cool down after being caned, too.

[TUS 373]

Some types of engine are going to warm up faster than others too. My Saab 9-5 warms up to temp in a mile or 2 - it only holds about 5 litres of oil. The S6 lump in contrast is a big engine and takes 11 litres to warm up to operating temperature - and more like 15 minutes of gentle driving at upto 3000 rpm.