AndyK

When I start my car in the AM, the manual says "DON'T let it warm up while idling...just go, taking it easy RPM wise"...

To me that is so counter-intuitive! Is it really OK to just turn it on, throw it into reverse, and back out of the driveway?

iloveporsches

Yes. It helps the car heat up evenly. Otherwise the engine just warms up and everything else like the tranny stays cold. Start it up, let it idle for maybe 20-30 seconds and then go.

adrial

I go with start it up, idle for 30 seconds to a min and then go.

5 mins idling is too long, no idling may be OK but I feel better with a little bit.

Jeff928S4

I just started doing the "start and go thing". I don't like it - cause I'm not used to it.....but it seems to be done for a reason, so I'll keep doing it.

944S Boyeee

Damian in NJ

Unless it's real warm, I usually skip second gear until the tranny oil warms up-saves the second gear synchro's. old Alfa Romeo trick I learned in my youth. Our cars have enough torque to do it.

adrial

Speak for yourself!

ahofam123

I believe that it is ok as long as you keep it below 3000 revs. Once the oil warms up you should be able to safely exceed 3000 rpms. I determine if the oil has warmed up by looking at the coolant temp guage and seeing if the thermostat has opened.

JoeyMac

This is true for all cars, sludge will build up otherwise. Supposedly its bad for your car to let it sit and warm up. Driving slow and low rpm is good at warm up. wait a second...isnt the last two sentences exactly what you said.

P944forScott

I talked to a 951 owner who told me he had to warm up the car for five minutes (!) for the turbo to get lubed or something like that... anyone heard that or was he pulling my leg?

Manning

All you need to do before driving off is build oil pressure, which takes what, like a second.

Scott,

I think dude with the turbo either has an oiling problem with his car or is confused with the notion that you should cool down a turbo after you finish driving.

MD951

I let mine warm up for a minute or two before getting on it, after burning both turbo's in my Audi S4 I learned not to put full boost into a cold turbo... expensive mistake :-(

Manning

Yeah, but you don't need to sit idling to do that. Just driving at lower revs for a few minutes will warm up a car better, as others have already said. Then once you are up to temp you can get after it. The idea is not to be froggy right off the bat when you start driving.

Dave in Chicago

Actually, the temp gauge is not your barometer here. When you get the warm-oil-pressure reading, you can whomp on it at will. Cold idle will show 4+ bar oil pressure. Warm idle will show 2-3 bar oil pressure. Once that baby drops into operating range, flog it like the wild german beast it is.

Start and go right away, no full throttle, revs between say 2000 and 3500. After warm, spin it up baby.

I have 153k miles on the car and can't believe how it loves to run hard.

adrial

Bingo, except I try to keep it below 3000rpm until the temp gauge moves up a bit, then 3500 or so...then once oil temp is down....the sky's the limit

Manning

Like I said, let the car get up to temp. I never said anything about only relying on the temperature gauge though.