I said let it warm up I just said its not important for it to sit on the drive for 10+ minutes heating up before you drive it. Jumping in and flooring a car straight away is a fast track way to kill it. Especially with the GTI due to the Turbo. Heating up and cool down is important in a turbo'd motor.

 

hey man I'm withya I don't hit it until I'm halfway up the temp gauge, and yeah everyone should invest in a turbo timer. I kind of exploited you with the "ohnoesaz" comment, just trying to get a laugh, which I did, just sorry it was at your expense. peace...

 

+1
Computerstake into account ambient and IA temperature, and operate the engine accordingly. If u use oil spec'ed for the temp range you drive in, then its simply a matter of allowing oil to circulate where needed at a slow idle... mebbe a minute or less. Idling for warm-up is wasting gas. Or mebbe for creature comfort in the cold winter morns.

 

letting your car idle for more than 20-30 seconds isn't what keeps your engine from blowing! It's gunning it or redlining it, warm or cold, that's going to do it.
I just can't see the wisdom in getting 0 miles per gallon... unless you think OPEC deserves more of your money![:@]

Also, in regards to friction, wouldn't a cold engine have less friction, since the cold metal hasn't expanded yet? Obviously a lack of oil pressure at start up would be an issue but that should be taken care of within a few revolutions, assuming oil pressure is normal...
I just have a hard time buying that start up has so much impact on an engine compared to some of the hardcore Ricky Roadracer moves most of us do at least once a day!

 

It all depends on the build of the motor...Cast iron block with Aluminum pistons,Different alloys with different expansion rates.

 

I hear you, but a cold engine will ALWAYS have more friction due to the dry surfaces. Yes. a warm engine in theory would have more friction due to expansion, but not if there is ample oil pressure.

 

From cartalk.com:

Unless it's below freezing, cars don't need to be warmed up at all. Driving them gently is the best warm up there is. If it's 25 degrees out, you might want to let it warm up for 30 seconds. If it's 10 degrees out, warm it up for a minute. If it's -10 degrees out, move somewhere warmer.

 

+1

I was looking for that exact article. That's always been my position on it, for what it's worth.

 

Doesn't the anti-drain back valve in the oil filter solve(or help) the dry start problem? I thoughtit was there to keepoil in the line so the pump wouldnt need to start from scratch everytime the engine is started.

 

Yes, it helps but unfortunately, the cylinder walls don't have anti drain characteristics. That is where most cold start wear comes from.