Reving the Engine when it is cold

[Prince_of_Persia]

Hey Guys,

I have a quick question. It is pretty cold in Canada, as you guys probably know. I was wondering if it harms the engine if I rev the car up to around 6000 RPM while it is still cold? what is the safe rev when yor car is still pretty cold?

Thanks

[smmmurf]

it's safe if you're leasing it
yes it's bad to rev the engine when it's cold
baby it until the temp needle is at least 1/4 or 1/3 way.

[jonasaurus]

I dont rev above 3k until the temp needle is in the middle...

[Prince_of_Persia]

Reving a M3 means what RPM ? 6000 is not safe? What is the maximum safe RPM when the car is cold? And no, I own my M3 and I love it!!

[Prince_of_Persia]

Originally Posted by jonasaurus

I dont rev above 3k until the temp needle is in the middle...

oh wow! In canada, it will take one hour of driving till it gets there LOL

[MDCTFTW]

I don't go above 3-4k until my oil gauge has a reading.

[DBH]

You can rev to max shown on movable tack red line indicator. However, please have sympathy on moving parts and keep below 3k 'till oil temp gauge settles close to center.

[sensi09]

I shift at around 3-4K when the engine is warming.

[persian54]

DCT shifts at about 3100

and that's what I do

[prichards516]

its pretty cold in new york too but i still manage to keep it under 3k...just to be on the safe side until the oil needle gets to the center

[Prince_of_Persia]

Thanks guys. So I guess I should not go above 3-4K rpm before the oil gets warm enough

[BMWBoss]

Revving a cold engine is not a good idea. Let the car warm up and keep the rpms to under 4000k when until it warms up. I live in NJ and it gets pretty cold here too, but I always warm my car up for about 10-15 mins before even driving it.

[Prince_of_Persia]

Originally Posted by BMWBoss

Revving a cold engine is not a good idea. Let the car warm up and keep the rpms to under 4000k when until it warms up. I live in NJ and it gets pretty cold here too, but I always warm my car up for about 10-15 mins before even driving it.

I heard some one here was saying running the engine without driving your car is not a good idea because all the other parts stay cold. He was suggesting to drive the car right away after starting, is it true?

[1sikbmr]

Originally Posted by jonasaurus

I dont rev above 3k until the temp needle is in the middle...

this.

[MVF4Rrider]

Originally Posted by Prince_of_Persia

I heard some one here was saying running the engine without driving your car is not a good idea because all the other parts stay cold. He was suggesting to drive the car right away after starting, is it true?

Modern German cars are made to start up and go. Some say 10 seconds is ideal before you set off. Why? Because in Germany it's illegal to sit with your car idling so the car is designed to not have to warm it up stationary. Just get in and go, but never exceed the maximum revs as indicated in the moving rev counter.

Of course, it's also important to warm your tires up too before you drive anything close to spirited in the very cold. And since you live in Canada, I assume you actually have true winter tires on your M3? Summer tires in cold do not grip near as well as winter tires, even on DRY pavement.

Was your original question a real question? I would think you would know better.

[Prince_of_Persia]

Originally Posted by MVF4Rrider

Modern German cars are made to start up and go. Some say 10 seconds is ideal before you set off. Why? Because in Germany it's illegal to sit with your car idling so the car is designed to not have to warm it up stationary. Just get in and go, but never exceed the maximum revs as indicated in the moving rev counter.

Of course, it's also important to warm your tires up too before you drive anything close to spirited in the very cold. And since you live in Canada, I assume you actually have true winter tires on your M3? Summer tires in cold do not grip near as well as winter tires, even on DRY pavement.

Was your original question a real question? I would think you would know better.

Thanks for the answer! I usually turn on the car and start driving it in a min or so as well. I do have true winter tires, in Canada driving in winter without winter tires is impossible!!

And about my question, yes! haha. today after almost 10 minutes driving, there was a car beside me that wanted to race, and I reved the car to around 6000 RPM and changed gear after. Few minutes after I realized my oil temperature needle was showing still at the coldest temperature. That's why as soon as I got home, I asked this question.

[///My5UV]

Originally Posted by MVF4Rrider

Modern German cars are made to start up and go. Some say 10 seconds is ideal before you set off. Why? Because in Germany it's illegal to sit with your car idling so the car is designed to not have to warm it up stationary. Just get in and go, but never exceed the maximum revs as indicated in the moving rev counter.

I always wait for the idle to settle down to ~600 or so... definitely under 1000 RPM or else the car is just not happy. Having said that, the sooner you start driving, the less the stupid secondary air system has to run and the longer it will last, but definitely keep the revs down until the oil temp is moving up. No point in waiting for it to reach the middle in winter, since on cold days it will never get there!

[SonnyJack]

Originally Posted by MDCTFTW

I don't go above 3-4k until my oil gauge has a reading.

this

[424D57]

My process:

Start car
let rpm settle under 1k
drive off
shift point <= ~3k until temp hits ~ 175F (this is just past the 1/4 dot, but easiest way to tell is when the variable tach meets the real tach)
shift point <= ~4k until temp settles just under 210F (the middle mark)
Once temp hits almost 210, tranny to S4/5, M button where appropriate and go to town.

-424D57

[mrkbbd]

I really like some of these answers, keep it under 3-4k rpm, when you think about it, a Camry barely revs to 5500, so that's like 75% of max (which nobody who drives a camry every does) ... back on topic, I try to keep mine under 3 until at least a quarter of the way up on the oil and the disappearing red line has completely disappeared

[Looper]

Originally Posted by Prince_of_Persia

Hey Guys,

I have a quick question. It is pretty cold in Canada, as you guys probably know. I was wondering if it harms the engine if I rev the car up to around 6000 RPM while it is still cold? what is the safe rev when yor car is still pretty cold?

Thanks

I take it you weren't a big auto mechanics guy in high school? Never beat on a cold engine period, be it your M3 or your weed eater they all need to warm up at a low RPM so your not wearing things prematurely and the internals have a chance to expand to operating temp and size.

Surprised none of the cold weather guys havent come up with a block heater or something to keeps temps up over night.

[Krozi]

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