hey guys, i have been allowing my '91 tt converted from n.a. to "warm up" while idling. i have heard two stories ie. don't warm up at idle and do warmup at idle. which school of thought is correct? many thanks, tjn/vk

 

Circle check car. Start engine. Fasten seat belts, put on sunglasses. Check warning lights, ensure have oil pressure. That's all the idle time you need. Drive. Idling to warm up is bad. Keep engine speed and loads moderate until oil is warm. JMO.

 

I have to warm up otherwise my low idle kills the car at the first few stops.

 

The owners manual specifically tells you not to warm up by idling. The real reasons WHY, OTOH, are the stuff of urban myth and legend..I think it applies to all cars, but even more so to horizontal cylinder layouts.

 

My car won't even get warm while idling; I know this from trying to check my oil in the winter. I can let it sit there idling for 20 minutes after a drive and it won't get hot enough to read correctly. Driving it under 4000 RPM until the oil temp gauge is moving is how to warm it up.
You might also want to inquire on one of the turbo boards about cooling down. I know some TT owners that let their cars idle for a minute or so to cool the turbos down before shutting off the engine.

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A warm up at idle does no real harm to the motor, afaik .
The cat takes longer to get up to temp , so you get more pollution , you spend money on fuel to warm up the car that could be used to get you down the road .

 

I didn't think that was to let them cool - I thought it was to let them stop spinning so fast? Once you cut the engine, oil flow stops - and if your turbo is still spinning at xxxxx rpm, expensive things happen.

 

There is nothing to be gained by warming it before you set out. Driving it will warm it up faster than any other method. Keep the revs BELOW 4000 RPM for the first few miles as the owner's manual states.

 

It is raining condensed water and acid from blow-by inside the crank case when the engine is cold. The water and acids evaporate when the engine gets hot enough, but you don't want to have more than you have to, and you want them out again as soon as practical. Driving gently until fully warmed up is the best way to limit the rain time, while still being gentle as the cold parts expand to their normal size. Idle does not really warm up an engine enough to drive off the condensed acids.