i have been hearing varying answers and i want the best one, i live in California (Sacramento), and right now the weather goes from lows in the 60's and highs in the mid to upper 80's.

Thanks!

 

I don't let my car warm up anymore before driving off. I live in Sothern CA so we have similar weather conditions.
The key is HOW you drive the vehicle while it's warming up. Make sure you're not mashing the pedal for the first 5-7 minutes of driving. Keep the revs under 4 or 5,000 for the first few minutes. A few minutes after your engine temperature gauge has settled in its usual spot, then you can start driving agressively.

 

It isn't really time based, because of that varying temperature thing you mention As long as you don't redline it through the gears when it is hard cold, you are generally fine. What people generally go with though is one of these:

A: Wait till the needle starts moving until driving
B: Keep RPMs under 3-4k until the need starts moving

Either way, don't turn off until top dead center. Last winter, I sometimes had to wait ~20 minutes before it was warm (I know Canadians.... you have it worse... i get it). A week ago at Lime Rock it was 93 degrees, and my needle started moving in about 30 seconds.

Use your judgment and rules of thumb and you are good to go.

 

I wait until the car moves up the initial high RPM choke setting. That takes about 10 seconds. Then I don't rev above 4K until it worms up.

So I agree with Jedi54 except I don't even go above 4K.

 

Well think about it a little more.

The engine's "warmed up" temperature is much hotter than 80 degrees. I think its about 200 degrees engine bay temp? I may be mistaken.

So I mean you have "less" warm up time than myself who in the winter it can be 5 degrees in the winter.

The best timing is the temperature guage on the cluster. When it's in the middle it's "fully" warmed up.

You can drive it while it is being warmed up but don't push it over 5k until the dial shows the middle.

I know in winter my car goes into a "hiberate" that sets the revlimiter at 6k I beleive.


Hope any of my ramble and babble helps

 

^ yeah, the series 2 has an visual shift in the rev limiter, but the series 1 still has a rev limiter that fluctuates depending on the temp. Even in 60-70s, if you start it up in the morning and stomp on it out of your driveway, you will hit the lower cold rev limit ~6k(?)

 

I just wait until my oil temp gauge reads over 150° F, then I start driving agressively.

 

We all aren't so lucky to have an oil temp guage

 

ready to drive when the temp gauge starts to move but keep it under 4 to 5k while driving. when gauge gets to it normal spot your ready to mash!

 

I have family in Sac...it was in the 90s already last month (May) and soon you'll be enjoying the 90 and 100+ days. I'd make sure to be using anything but 5W-20 oil in Sac.

 

No warm up. Just start it up. Buckle my seat belt, reverse the car out of the garage and drive. Keeping rpm below 4000 until temp. needle is at the middle. then it's hyperspeed.

 

I wait until I get to 140F before going above 4K. I usually let the car sit for 10 seconds after start-up, then take off. (or until RPM's sit at 1500)

 

i usually wait until the rpms drop below 2k after initial start up and drive it lightly, kepping it under 4k until the temp needs gets to its usual spot, then i start to have some fun!

 

I have always just started up and driven off albeit very slowly .
Since having an AFR guage on board I see that the mixture is very rich for a minute or so while the air pump is operating , so it is probably a good idea let it do its thing with the air pump before taking off .
This takes 2 minutes 20 seconds on a cold morning (0-10deg C) . I know this cuz i just timed it .
During this period I believe it is important not to shut off the motor and as it could cause a potential flooding situation . Once this intial period of rich operation is over you should be able to shut off the motor without it flooding .

 

I get in the car

Attach Seat Belt

Turn radio up/find a station

Drive.

That gives the car enough time to settle down to about 1500 RPMs. I then do the obvious "no rev above 4k until warm" part.

 

There is no specific time because every car is going to be a little different anyway and it depends on the outside temp. I have never waited for a vehicle to warm up before driving off with it. But, I never drive them very hard until they are warm either. My 8 warms up very quick relative to my other 2 vehicles. But, as others said, when the temp gauge is in the middle, it's ready to rev.

 

Always flip the key, and immediately mash the pedal redlining in reverse as I leave the garage when I'm on my way to the liquor store.

Otherwise, I do the same as Jedi if I'm going anywhere else.

 

youre in sac yet you dont come to our meets? shame on you

 

made my day

 

I let the air pump run its time before I take off. If I let it run any longer its 2-5 minutes just gathering my stuff before i leave to goto work.
I noticed when you first start it up while the air pump is running - if you give quick throttle jabs to 3k - it sounds very rich gargle-like. Once it sounds normal I start to drive grandma style till fully warm.

 

way to roll baby!!!

 

Hi mate,

How long does it take for your oil to reach 150° F?..
We have to remember that temp readings on the dash are for coolant not oil.
Also Your Tranny and Diff take a lot longer to warm up (depending on outside temp)..imo usually 15 minutes at least until GB and Diff are getting close to normal operating temps.

Ash

 

@ pksan123

i just got my rx8

 

I usually let it idle at least a minute before I drive off

and at the first 10 minutes or so. I will keep it as low rpm as it could

Its not just rotary, every single car out there deserves some warm up time. Just like human, you should warm up before u go run that 50 miles marathon

 

Think of warm up as foreplay.. most men don't do it long enough.