[RockCrusher]

That long of a warm up idle time is a bit excessive. Especially in southern CA. (I lived in northern CA and never had to let the engine of any of my cars I owned there idle that long.)

With the exception of one car -- which I won't detail here -- my SOP is to after cold engine start as I am buckling up, scanning the dash for signs of trouble, taking note that I have everything, I let the engine idle. By the time I'm done with my pre drive check the elevated cold engine idle speed has dropped. I know this is when the engine controller has switched from open loop fuel control to closed loop fuel control. The O2 sensors/converters are up to operating temperature. Then I drive off.

I still avoid high RPMs heavy loads on the engine until the oil temperature has reached in the case of the M2 "210" on the oil temperature graph. With my M2 if I ask the car what the oil temperature is it replies that it is 210. It may be 210 or something else +/- some handful of degrees different than 210, but it is where it gets/stays no matter how much longer I drive or even if I push the engine harder. One of these days I'll see if I can use an OBD2 scan tool to obtain oil temperature.

Once the oil is up to its operating temperature then if I desire I will push the engine.

Never really paid that close of attention to any difference in warm up times in efficient mode vs. sport mode.

[Geighty7]

Been idling for like 2-5 mins since I got the far (probably negligent on my part) but should I be worried about any effects? I usually pull it out of my parking structure after rpm lockdown and onto the street for a few mins while I get settled.

Anyone here think I should be concerned about the random intensity of condensation(smoke kinda but not really) I’ll get at a red light while car isn’t heated? Seems like the engine will go into a deeper lull during that brief period.

After warm up it doesn’t really happen.

[a358970751]

Wait for rpm dropped to 700-800 then drive gently until water and oil temp is warmed to normal operating range .

[Hook3549]

Originally Posted by a358970751

Wait for rpm dropped to 700-800 then drive gently until water and oil temp is warmed to normal operating range .

What range is considered normal oil temperature?

[a358970751]

Originally Posted by Hook3549

What range is considered normal oil temperature?

200-220 , little below middle point

[aerobod]

Originally Posted by Hook3549

What range is considered normal oil temperature?

Over 70C / 158F is where BMW considers the oil to be in the "normal" range, as the gauge then indicates a normal temperature, as opposed to the blue "cold" indication below that. I avoid any high revs until it passes that point.

[tylerdurdem]

I let it idle for a few minutes in the garage before I get in, my local fun roads are close enough that if I don't, the car isn't up to temp before I want to start wailing on it.

[MisanoblueZ4]

If BMW was worried about “excessive idling during warmup” they would have never included remote start!

Other then making it more comfortable before setting off and a tick more pollutants into the air, no harm in the car warming up a few minutes.

[RockCrusher]

Originally Posted by MisanoblueZ4

If BMW was worried about “excessive idling during warmup” they would have never included remote start!

Other then making it more comfortable before setting off and a tick more pollutants into the air, no harm in the car warming up a few minutes.

Remote start feature seems to be quite at odds with this from the owners manual under Saving Fuel:

Drive away without delay.

Do not wait for the engine to warm-up while the vehicle remains stationary. Start driving right away, but at moderate RPM.

This is the fastest way of warming the cold engine up to operating temperature.

But I believe remote start does give the operator the ability to get the engine running and either cool the interior down or heat up the interior and begin the process of defrosting the windows. Of the two I think the latter is more important. From a comfort point of view not so much but from a safety point of view having the windows free of snow/ice and thus having all the visibility possible available from the outset of the trip.

Too often in snowy conditions one sees a vehicle being operated with quite a bit of snow still covering the windows.

[RockCrusher]

Originally Posted by Geighty7

Been idling for like 2-5 mins since I got the far (probably negligent on my part) but should I be worried about any effects? I usually pull it out of my parking structure after rpm lockdown and onto the street for a few mins while I get settled.

Anyone here think I should be concerned about the random intensity of condensation(smoke kinda but not really) I’ll get at a red light while car isn’t heated? Seems like the engine will go into a deeper lull during that brief period.

After warm up it doesn’t really happen.

If you are agreeable to taking the (admittedly probably small) hit to fuel economy and drive the car long enough after to get the engine up to temperature so the oil gets hot enough to boil water to vapor and this vapor can be removed thus keeping water build up in the oil down, a few minutes of idle time after a cold start is not the worst thing you can do.

The condensation is normal and more so in cold temperature. As long as it doesn't persist even after the engine/exhaust system has warmed up -- if it does in this case it could be coolant getting into the engine but this while a very serious condition is quite rare -- nothing really to worry about.

[RockCrusher]

Originally Posted by MrTiger

Reason is simple, oil thickens with low temps and viscosity is impacted. It will not get to all the critical parts if its idling and not warming up quickly.

Even at idle the oil flows quite readily at low temperature being it is 0w-30 oil.

To be sure the engine and oil will warm up quicker if one begins driving the car soon after cold start. Though of course one needs to mind the RPMs and load until the engine is up to some suitable temperature.

I like to see the oil temperature reach its normal operation temperature and be there for some minutes to ensure all the oil is up to temperature.

[Geighty7]

Originally Posted by RockCrusher

If you are agreeable to taking the (admittedly probably small) hit to fuel economy and drive the car long enough after to get the engine up to temperature so the oil gets hot enough to boil water to vapor and this vapor can be removed thus keeping water build up in the oil down, a few minutes of idle time after a cold start is not the worst thing you can do.

The condensation is normal and more so in cold temperature. As long as it doesn't persist even after the engine/exhaust system has warmed up — if it does in this case it could be coolant getting into the engine but this while a very serious condition is quite rare — nothing really to worry about.

Appreciate this response. Thanks!

[Fastfwd]

Appreciate this topic. I should actually read the manual instead of considering it reference material.

I wouldn't believe letting it sit to warm up could possibly hurt. As others stated it does have remote start to enable that very thing.

[Carefree]

I don’t infer any correlation between remote start and extended warm up.
It’s simply a convenience option IMO.

[M_Power Rob]

Originally Posted by Carefree

I don’t infer any correlation between remote start and extended warm up.
It’s simply a convenience option IMO.

Exactly...just like people complaining about not having a digital key and having to carry their fob (and identity the fob as a cheap plastic piece of crap) and use it in place of their cell phone. Personally, my piece of crap Galaxy S22 is bigger and bulkier than the fob...

I can understand people in the frigid north wanting to warm up the interior but for warming up the engine, lets be real, those twin turbos get warm and warm up quickly by just normal, not aggressive, driving out of the driveway and down the road.

[Ctothej]

A minute.

[turnsignalslol]

I used to wait a stupid long time in my 330i and my M2C until I realized it's a waste of time, gas, and does more harm than good. Now I wait around 30 seconds to a minute before driving off, which is around when the idle dies down. I keep it in the lowest settings and D1. I sometimes switch to S1 or S2 once the engine oil is above 120 (lowest point on temp gauge) and let it rev up to like 3k rpms. Once it reaches optimum temperature (180+), I turn on sport+ and drive it in either D2 or S2, shifting around 3.5-4k rpms because I'm still in break in.

[turnsignalslol]

Originally Posted by M_Power Rob

Exactly...just like people complaining about not having a digital key and having to carry their fob (and identity the fob as a cheap plastic piece of crap) and use it in place of their cell phone. Personally, my piece of crap Galaxy S22 is bigger and bulkier than the fob...

I can understand people in the frigid north wanting to warm up the interior but for warming up the engine, lets be real, those twin turbos get warm and warm up quickly by just normal, not aggressive, driving out of the driveway and down the road.

This. You could leave your car to idle for like 20 minutes before that oil temp gets up to 200 lol. Or, get this, you can drive nice and calm for like 5-10 minutes and it'll do the same thing with less carbon buildup in your engine

[Geighty7]

Originally Posted by turnsignalslol

I used to wait a stupid long time in my 330i and my M2C until I realized it's a waste of time, gas, and does more harm than good. Now I wait around 30 seconds to a minute before driving off, which is around when the idle dies down. I keep it in the lowest settings and D1. I sometimes switch to S1 or S2 once the engine oil is above 120 (lowest point on temp gauge) and let it rev up to like 3k rpms. Once it reaches optimum temperature (180+), I turn on sport+ and drive it in either D2 or S2, shifting around 3.5-4k rpms because I'm still in break in.

Did you notice any performance issues with the M2C after letting it idle for long periods to warm up? Or just mostly time wasting? I’ve recently stopped warming up my G87 for 5-8 mins before taking off. Worried about performance issues down the road even though I doubt I’ll have any. Mostly just wasted time lol.

[turnsignalslol]

Originally Posted by Geighty7

Did you notice any performance issues with the M2C after letting it idle for long periods to warm up? Or just mostly time wasting? I’ve recently stopped warming up my G87 for 5-8 mins before taking off. Worried about performance issues down the road even though I doubt I’ll have any. Mostly just wasted time lol.

I didn't own the 330i or the M2C long enough to notice any decreases in performance (about 10k miles in each) but just letting the car idle for long periods of time causes carbon buildup on your valves which leads to losses in performance later down the road. You should be good, worst case you may have to do a walnut blasting at some super high mileage but all DI cars have a lot of carbon buildup on the valves over time. Nothing you need to be worried about! Like you said, mostly just time and gas wasted

[RockCrusher]

Originally Posted by turnsignalslol

I didn't own the 330i or the M2C long enough to notice any decreases in performance (about 10k miles in each) but just letting the car idle for long periods of time causes carbon buildup on your valves which leads to losses in performance later down the road. You should be good, worst case you may have to do a walnut blasting at some super high mileage but all DI cars have a lot of carbon buildup on the valves over time. Nothing you need to be worried about! Like you said, mostly just time and gas wasted

To address any intake valve deposit build up or deposits on any sufaces exposed to combustion you can use Techron. Buy a bottle and add it to the fuel tank according to directions on the bottle label.

Even though the engine is direct injection the Techron still gets to the intake valves. The engine is designed so some exhaust gases flow into the intake manifold at least as far as the intake valves. (The is to pollute the incoming charge under some conditions and reduce combustion temperatures which reduces NOx emissions.)

But this reverse flow of exhaust is what leads to build on these valves.

However with Techron in the fuel in the combustion chamber Techron doesn't burn but does turn into vapor in the heat of combustion. As hot exhaust flows past the intake valves being cold (relatively speaking) the Techron condenses on the valves and will remove deposits. (It also condenses onto the (again relatively speaking) colder combustion chamber surfaces and will remove deposits from these surfaces, too.)

The advice I received was to use Techron a tank or two before an oil/filter service. If the use of Techron has a positive effect on engine performance -- and one time with a non direct injection engine just running through a tank of Chevron Supreme (91 E10) with Techron had the engine running better -- the advice I received was to use a 2nd bottle mixed with another fresh tank of fuel.

[fangelov]

Originally Posted by RockCrusher

To address any intake valve deposit build up or deposits on any sufaces exposed to combustion you can use Techron. Buy a bottle and add it to the fuel tank according to directions on the bottle label.

Even though the engine is direct injection the Techron still gets to the intake valves. The engine is designed so some exhaust gases flow into the intake manifold at least as far as the intake valves. (The is to pollute the incoming charge under some conditions and reduce combustion temperatures which reduces NOx emissions.)

But this reverse flow of exhaust is what leads to build on these valves.

However with Techron in the fuel in the combustion chamber Techron doesn't burn but does turn into vapor in the heat of combustion. As hot exhaust flows past the intake valves being cold (relatively speaking) the Techron condenses on the valves and will remove deposits. (It also condenses onto the (again relatively speaking) colder combustion chamber surfaces and will remove deposits from these surfaces, too.)

The advice I received was to use Techron a tank or two before an oil/filter service. If the use of Techron has a positive effect on engine performance -- and one time with a non direct injection engine just running through a tank of Chevron Supreme (91 E10) with Techron had the engine running better -- the advice I received was to use a 2nd bottle mixed with another fresh tank of fuel.

My undestanding was that the carbon build up on the intake valves on the DI engines is from the oil from the PCV system. Not clear what the Techron will do. Maybe a catch can can mitigate it to a degree.