51 Should I warm up my VW?
Description
This article is from the Watercooled VWs General FAQ, by Jan Vandenbrande with numerous contributions by others.
51 Should I warm up my VW?
A: General recommendation is:
- Let it idle for a bit (couple secs, 1/2 minute)
- Then drive the car easily, rpm < 3000 or so.
- When the car is up to operating temp (80C oil or water needle 1/2 way)
you can increase rpm.
Why? Part of the reason is lubrication. Cold oil is not as viscous.
Oil pumps are constant volume pumps (at a specific rpm) and therefore
may produce excessive pressures when cold.
The second reason is thermal expansion. An engine is made to be driven
at operating temperature, and therefore things will not fit or seal
as well when cold. In addition, engine components expand at different
rates (e.g., cast iron vs aluminum, small vs large volumes) and the
slower this process occurs the smaller the expansion differences.
Idling your engine may warm up the engine too fast, driving hard
immediately will produce reduced lubrication and excessive pressure.
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