Engine Warm up/cool down

[landopanda]

What is the best way to warm the car up before driving, (fast ish).
How long should it take and is it best to keep the revs bellow 3k? Thetemp gauge is coolant, how much longer does the oil take to warm up than the coolant, and do you need to wait for it to get all the way to 90?
Also is it good to let the engine idle for a little while before shutting it down to allow the turbo to stop spinning?


Silly post i know but i have would just like to know what some of you guys do? Becase ive heard plenty of people revving away down the road on a cold engine, and think...why do that to your car!!

 

[voorhees]

The way I have figured over my three year ownership and from comparing to others is wait until it hits 90 before pushing it (my only coilpack failure was pushing it way before it hit 90),and if you have been running it hard then try to do the last mile or two on no boost or when at your destination leave it a couple of minutes on tickover...I tend to reset my DIS and turn a/c and ICE off and tidy up the cabin then switch off.

 

[MintyS3]

The oil does take longer to warm up. Possibly twice as long as the coolant if I remember correctly from my last car with a oil temp gauge.

 

[HTC]

To add, always drive to warm up the 1.8T engine. Idling doesn't circulate the coolant quickly enough.

 

[bl_1969]

I bust a coilpack when going flat out from cold. Stupid stupid boy that I am!

I do learn though. I now wait about 10 mins after 90 for coolant.
As for engine off after a spirited run.... 2 to 3 mins.

 

[fran-s3]

I'm pretty sure once you switch your engine off on the S3, depending on how hot the engine is, the water over run unit continues to cycle for a short period to cool it down. I can certainly hear it after a long run, confused me at first wondered what the heck it was lol?!

 

[s3ollie]

I'm pretty sure once you switch your engine off on the S3, depending on how hot the engine is, the water over run unit continues to cycle for a short period to cool it down. I can certainly hear it after a long run, confused me at first wondered what the heck it was lol?!

mine does it if i turn the ignition on and off without driving

 

[S3 Wannabe]

I'm pretty sure once you switch your engine off on the S3, depending on how hot the engine is, the water over run unit continues to cycle for a short period to cool it down. I can certainly hear it after a long run, confused me at first wondered what the heck it was lol?!

ahhhh! -so that's what that noise is!

 

[S3 HODGE]

On warm up i drive the car straight away but i wait untill 90 untill i get over 3-4k. Then warm down, I just drive like a biddy 1 or 2 miles from home and then let it idle for about 1 minite while i get ready to dis-enbark the S3

 

[S3Matt]

Hmm... I never let the turbo spool down, wasn't aware you were supposed to do that? I don't think it mentions in the manual (tho could be wrong). Anyhow, 2 years of engine off straight away don't seem to have done any harm! What can happen??

 

[s3ollie]

i thinks its more to do with letting it cool before you turn it off rather e.g not turning it straight off when red hot after a caning. as the after run pump is just for coolant... i think the oil can super heat in the turbo bearing and turn to coke crap clogging the oil ways and the like. i could be wrong though

 

[voorhees]

i thinks its more to do with letting it cool before you turn it off rather e.g not turning it straight off when red hot after a caning. as the after run pump is just for coolant... i think the oil can super heat in the turbo bearing and turn to coke crap clogging the oil ways and the like. i could be wrong though

that sounds like how I heard it.

 

[landopanda]

If you turn the engine off and the turbo is still spinning you cut the oil pump and then the turbo still spins down but with no oil, which is obviously bad for it, this is as i was aware anyway. So if you let it idle for a minute, or as stated "drive like an old biddy - off boost" for a mile or so that should be ok.

 

[james0808]

Its not about slowing the turbo down before you turn off,its to allow the turbo to cool down as s3ollie said,so not to block your oil ways and blow your turbo to bits.

 

[landopanda]

oh right, well wouldnt that take a bit more than a couple of minutes then?

 

[s3ollie]

If you turn the engine off and the turbo is still spinning you cut the oil pump and then the turbo still spins down but with no oil, which is obviously bad for it, this is as i was aware anyway. So if you let it idle for a minute, or as stated "drive like an old biddy - off boost" for a mile or so that should be ok.

Im sure the turbo will be spinning even on idle as the exhaust gasses will still be flowing. so waiting wont stop it spinning AFAIK

 

[james0808]

Im sure the turbo will be spinning even on idle as the exhaust gasses will still be flowing. so waiting wont stop it spinning AFAIK

They do spin on idle and stop almost instantly when the engine is switched off.

 

[ianysm]

Its all about cooling. Hot oil stays in the turbo when its immediatetly switched off, cools then clogs. Idling after a hard run ensures the excess oil is passed through. It also carries on pumping water through to cool the metal. (ever seen your turbo/manifold glowing orange?)

Afer a hard run this could be a problem but short joruney's wouldn't make a difference.

As for warming up. Hot oil is better lubricating than cold and given the speeds the turbo spins thats why you must warm it up before.

So, best practice is to warm up and cool down to help turbo longivety.

 

[S3 HODGE]

Yea also when it does break... Bits of broken turbo being sucked into the engine doesnt do it much good either lol. Friend learnt the hard way on his scooby