How long until the engine is warm?

[Korbin]

First off please let me know if this has already been tackled, I did some searches mainly about the break in period and now my head is full of the interweb and all its conflicting information. I guess this is more a sub point, one of the consistent messages is to wait until the engine is warm before doing anything flamboyant.

How long does it take for the engine on a GTi to warm up enough to ensure that you don't damage it?

I ask as I drive around 9 - 10k to and from work each day, and I am sure I remember something about it takes 8k for the engine to warm up...

The trip takes about 20 - 30 mins in traffic, is it a time/distance thing? or should I just wait until the temperature stops rising?

Edit: When I say wait, I am not going to sit like an idiot idling in the driveway, just drive keeping it under say 2500 RPM until warm.

[Manaz]

Generally, once the temperature needle starts moving, the engine's warm enough that you don't have to worry about it. As long as I'm not running late, I try to wait for the needle to start moving before I take off, and certainly before giving it any stick!

[whplash]

Ambient temperature will make a difference as well - in QLD in summer it takes no time at all for the engine to warm up, only a few minutes. My idea is not to floor it till the needle is near the normal temp. You can start the car and move straight away driving it gently - no need to warm it up as such.

[Guest212]

Takes about 3 minutes of my route in the morning for the oil temp to hit 80 deg C which is the temp where it is lubricating properly.

Takes a further 2 minutes for the water temp to catch up to the oil.

About the same time the DSG stops shuddering and changing gears badly (well, usually), so i assume this means it is also warmed up properly.

After this I assume it is all good to start giving a bit of a squirt.

I don't rev over 2500rpm when its cold. I have done a few times by accident (DSG is extremily unpredictable when cold), but don't believe anyone when they say if you do this it will shorten its lifespan. I think just get in it and drive it normally (ie: no hooning) and she'll last whatever VW expect it to last, which id assume is somewhere around the 200,000 to 250,000km mark.

[Korbin]

Excellent

Sounds like a plan

I have decided to do a few runs up and down mount cootha here in Brisbane just driving normally, that should run through the gears at low to medium revs to get it running in nice.

Driving out to Ipswich to do the pickup tomorrow.

The question is, will I sleep tonight!

I think not!

Korbin

[Paul_OH]

The rule of thumb I've been told is 5 min of normal driving before getting on it. Just remember though that the temp gauge indicates coolant not oil. Oil is the gooey stuff that needs to be up to temp before driving hard however I don't know exactly what the correlation is. I'm sure I've seen a thread on here somewhere that has some info on how long to reach oil operating temp and will have a search.

ps I wish the GT TSI's had a temp gauge, instead we've got a semi-useless boost gauge

Paul

[Greg Roles]

My testing showed the stock water temp gauge shows the middle 90 degree operating temp at just over an actual 80 degrees water ( and settles down to around that ), and the oil takes approx twice as long to hit the normal 80 degree temps in the sump. This is going by Vag Com and my aftermarket oil temp guage sending from the sump plug.

I've no idea how Yom got readings the other way around, but perhaps the oil temp sender was somewhere near the turbo, or in a smaller quantity of oil. Certainly the entire sump takes a while to get up to temp.

I'd wait till the water is showing half way before getting up it, as the oil is lagging behind from what I've found. Even worse on a cold day!

[Paul_OH]

My testing showed the stock water temp gauge shows the middle 90 degree operating temp at just over an actual 80 degrees water ( and settles down to around that ), and the oil takes approx twice as long to hit the normal 80 degree temps in the sump. This is going by Vag Com and my aftermarket oil temp guage sending from the sump plug.

I've no idea how Yom got readings the other way around, but perhaps the oil temp sender was somewhere near the turbo, or in a smaller quantity of oil. Certainly the entire sump takes a while to get up to temp.

I'd wait till the water is showing half way before getting up it, as the oil is lagging behind from what I've found. Even worse on a cold day!

Thanks and good answer. I envisage that the sump temp would have to be the worst case scenario.

[gregozedobe]

I find a big difference in how long my 2.0 TFSI (petrol) engine takes to warm up compared with the 2.5 TDI (diesel) engine. The TDI takes a lot longer, and if I'm driving gently on a cold Canberra winter morning (ie less than -5C ) it can actually cool down again going down hills.

I believe Cogdoc when he says it take longer for the oil to get to normal operating temp, so I stick to 2,500 max for my TDI (and 3,500 for my TFSI) until the coolant is up to 90C, then up to 3,200/4,500 for the next 3-5 minutes, then red line is the limit (although there is not much point in going to red line with either engine, the mid range is pretty "meaty" in both).

[Paul_OH]

I find a big difference in how long my 2.0 TFSI (petrol) engine takes to warm up compared with the 2.5 TDI (diesel) engine. The TDI takes a lot longer, and if I'm driving gently on a cold Canberra winter morning (ie less than -5C ) it can actually cool down again going down hills.

Slightly OT sorry but I've heard that diesels run a lot cooler than petrol engines. I know the TSI engine bay is extremely hot after even a 5-10min run to the shops and others have mentioned that the TDI engine bay can be just above ambient after an extended run. That must be good for you 'oiler's' intake temps, and terrible for us.
There's a lot going on in a TSI engine bay which I'm sure would benefit from sort of heat extraction vents or something (and no I'm not going to add a scoop or such)

[Guest212]

My testing showed the stock water temp gauge shows the middle 90 degree operating temp at just over an actual 80 degrees water ( and settles down to around that ), and the oil takes approx twice as long to hit the normal 80 degree temps in the sump. This is going by Vag Com and my aftermarket oil temp guage sending from the sump plug.

I've no idea how Yom got readings the other way around, but perhaps the oil temp sender was somewhere near the turbo, or in a smaller quantity of oil. Certainly the entire sump takes a while to get up to temp.

I'd wait till the water is showing half way before getting up it, as the oil is lagging behind from what I've found. Even worse on a cold day!

Aircon readout.

PRess and hold AC and top right blowjob button at once, and then adjust knobs to the right numbers and you get the figures.

it is highly likely i have the oil and coolant temps mixed up.

[Greg Roles]

Slightly OT sorry but I've heard that diesels run a lot cooler than petrol engines. I know the TSI engine bay is extremely hot after even a 5-10min run to the shops and others have mentioned that the TDI engine bay can be just above ambient after an extended run. That must be good for you 'oiler's' intake temps, and terrible for us.
There's a lot going on in a TSI engine bay which I'm sure would benefit from sort of heat extraction vents or something (and no I'm not going to add a scoop or such)

"You guys" definately have heat as a major factor. Two compressors, and two nice sources of heat, plus a petrol turbo runs a lot hotter anyhow. I've little doubt a diesel takes the longest to warm up, but the same rule applies, water first, then oil, in about the same time again. I'm sure the "gassers" heat up quicker overall.

Personally I'd be investigating a water intercooler spray, some thermal wrap on the cold side intercooler pipe, perhaps removing the upper rear bonnet seal on the back of the engine bay, and you can get great 12V ducting fans, I have two and they will be plumbed into the engine bay for those hot, stuck in traffic days. Remember too, you can always use the radiator fans to switch on early, and move some air.

[benough]

ps I wish the GT TSI's had a temp gauge, instead we've got a semi-useless boost gauge

Paul

Sorry to go OT but could you VAGCOM The boost gauge in the TSI to read from the coolant sensor?

It obviously wouldn't have any of the markings but you would at least know when it is moving and at temperature.

[Greg Roles]

Why not buy a normal Golf water temp gauge, and get an aftermarket vent or pod style boost gauge. At least then you'd have some real numbers to watch for boost! Or you could relocate the stock boostometer into the vent / pod..

[benough]

Because it's part of the dash yo!

You would have to replace the whole cluster right?