On a cold start, after some time the RPM drops and the engine temperature reaches the start line, however the oil gauge temperature takes longer to climb up. How long should one warm the car before driving? Should the oil gauge temp also climb into the operating zone or is the engine temp good enough?

Thanks

 

You can start driving as soon as the idle settles. Try to keep the revs below 4K until the engine oil reaches operating temperature.

 

No need to warm up. On very cold mornings just start driving slowly. Try to keep RPM under 2.5-3k. As water temperature climes to 175F you can relax RPM slightly. Only when oil temperature reaches typical 200-215F you really open up a bit. Still remember with winter tires (hope you have them) it is a different braking and steering.

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05' C2S 997

 

You can drive off immediately. Just use a light throttle and keep the revs below 4k ( I keep it below 3K) until reaching normal operating temp.. It takes about 10 minutes in summer, maybe 15 minutes in winter to get the oil temp up to about 200F. Then, let her rip!

 

The manual specifically says not to idle the car for long periods to warm up the car. As previous users posted, I too keep the rpm's around 3k until the oil warms up and then you can push the car

 

I'm in cold snowy Canada and I don't let the car idle for too long. Just keep the revs below 3k...

 

Thanks guys :-) I usually drive after the idle settles.

 

The manual actually says to drive the car immediately. I think it has to do with heating the cats and emissions. Like everyone says, keep the rpm under 3k until the car reach 200 degrees or close to it..

 

My Boxster, I found early on cause I bought it in the middle of January in the KC Mo area, was a bit better behaved if I let the engine idle until the secondary air injection pump shut off and the idle speed dropped to near hot idle normal before heading out.

The engine is a bit more tractable and easier to drive more smoothly. Not by a huge amount but there was a noticeable difference. (The same applies to my Turbo.)

Oh, my Boxster is a manual. If it had been a Tip I might have not bothered.

Let it idle a while or drive away almost immediately? Up to you I guess. Whichever way you decide be sure to keep the RPMs down below 4K and I like to with a really cold engine keep the RPMs under 3.5K. On the flip side you want to avoid real low RPM operation and heavy loads, lugging. This is no good for the engine with the engine hot or cold.

Remember that even though the coolant temperature gage needle may reach the "180" hash mark the oil is probably still quite a bit cooler. Takes some minutes of driving before the engine's load of coolant and oil is fully up to temperature.

 

You don't want to just your warm your engine and then start thrashing on a cold transmission. Just start the car, drive off immediately and warm up everything together. This is especially if you have a manual. Tires and brakes and stuff need time to warm up too.

 

On a different note, let's say I start up then have a short stop after less than 10 minutes of driving, is it better to idle for a few minutes rather than shut the car off before reaching full temp? In my previous car (RX-8) which ran way rich upon start up, I used to use the valet key and lock the car running when picking up bagels for a few minutes, rather than shut off and restart.

 

No. Just a waste of gas/time. Shut off the engine. Lock the car. Run in and get what you need done done and then back to the car and start and go.

IIRC if you lock the Porsche with the valet key the driver's door is locked but not the passenger door. Someone can open the passenger door and remove some stuff or worse yet for an accomplice at the driver's side door unlock the car with the dash button and your car's now a stolen car statistic.

 

It depends. Basic Guidance pretty much says don't let it sit and idle. When I had a turbo I actually would wait 20 miles before I would punch it. You need to get all components up to temperature, like transmissions, tires, suspension pieces, etc. There's a lot to a car, but severely cold temperatures dictate even more caution. Treat it respectfully, but don't baby it either.