[Nath316]

Nooooooooooooooooooooooo

[Alex5]

I have always tended (when starting from cold) to start the car and let it run for ~30 seconds, and then fast idle it around 1500rpm for a couple of minutes until the engine warms a little before driving. I don't know maybe this is the worst thing ever so interested to hear a little more on the subject.

[MINI-Morgan]

Is this not why the engine has a high initial idle to get the pressure to lubricate the hydraulic tappets? and we do use fully synthetic 0w-30 oil?

I personally drive straight from cold unless im messing around changing cds or I forgot something. If the car is going to run rich then I might had well be using it to get 1/4 a mile down the road. Needless to say I dont rag it but its 1/4 down a hill when I leave home so a nice gentle run to start with.

[iain cooper]

Quote: Originally Posted by Alex5 (original)

I have always tended (when starting from cold) to start the car and let it run for ~30 seconds, and then fast idle it around 1500rpm for a couple of minutes until the engine warms a little before driving. I don't know maybe this is the worst thing ever so interested to hear a little more on the subject.

I don't imagine you'll do any harm Alex but always best to drive off asap after cold start up.

to summarise, when the engine is cold it should be brought to running temperature asap in as "gentle" a manner as possible.

ie no high revs, harsh acceleration, rough gearchanges, labouring of engine, etc, etc

just commonsense in fact !!

[Ant FR]

Wha hey, someone got it right.

Yes you can indeed rev the engine to let it warm up quicker. In fact that is exactly what race cars and F1 cars do. Now when i say rev i don't mean sit there blipping the throttle. I mean holding at a continuous higher rev, eg 2000-2500 rpm. The problem only comes when you put load on the engine. Simply running at higher revs will not cause any damage.

Also , i love the winter and colder mornings.

it means one thing.

My car now starts on turn of the key, yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

where as in the summer it takes 2 goes. Oh and mine runs fine when cold

[Suj999]

The oil to air ratio is higher when starting from cold, and even more in ice. The catalitic converter needs heat to operate properly, and works the hardest when starting a very cold engine and the car warmes up faster when driven rather than at idle.

[Rigsey]

I would not base your warm up point on the MINI temp gauge.

I have a Scangauge2 ODBC port reader which reads variables straight from the ECU; my MCS runs at around 90c when warmed up and the gauge reaches the centrepoint at 70C ish (and stays there until about 105C) i.e. its not very accurate.

[Richard Crofts]

I know it not accurate Rigsey .. but when (for the moment ) its all you have its better than nothing at all. I strangely have my eye on a scanguage and several other bits to make sure I know when the car is optimal (she is about to be treated to some new go faster bits soon and so I need to know more info)

What I love about most car temp guages including the MINI is how they sit on the line, sit on the line, sit on the line, then all of a sudden in the space of 20 seconds....its overheating in the red LOL

You have got to love that and the on-off 02 sensors the car has

[Rigsey]

Quote: Originally Posted by Richard Crofts (original)

I know it not accurate Rigsey .. but when (for the moment ) its all you have its better than nothing at all. I strangely have my eye on a scanguage and several other bits to make sure I know when the car is optimal (she is about to be treated to some new go faster bits soon and so I need to know more info)

What I love about most car temp guages including the MINI is how they sit on the line, sit on the line, sit on the line, then all of a sudden in the space of 20 seconds....its overheating in the red LOL

You have got to love that and the on-off 02 sensors the car has

Just checking

Its quite scary how inaccurate the temp gauge is

As you may have noticed I rate the Scangauge

[Ant FR]

get the scanguage, its worth it. the other night it was so cold my intake temps went down to 12c i was only poodling.

[MINI-Morgan]

Quote: Originally Posted by Ant FR (original)

get the scanguage, its worth it. the other night it was so cold my intake temps went down to 12c i was only poodling.

Got to love cold nights.....10C intake temps and the S turns into a right little monster.....

[Nath316]

Quote: Originally Posted by MINI-Morgan (original)

Got to love cold nights.....10C intake temps and the S turns into a right little monster.....

You are not wrong there! hehe

Basic rules

more air = more fuel = MORE POWER

Cold air is more compressed so MAF puts more fuel in so WAHEYYYYYYYYYY

Is why we use cold air intakes etc

[Cooooooperslad]

Though a cold air intake dosnt add much power?

[Nath316]

on its own no but add all the other bits n pieces and there is a power increase

waits for laughter

[Bhozar]

Quote: Originally Posted by Cooooooperslad (original)

Though a cold air intake dosnt add much power?

Makes more of a difference what you have upgraded the rest of the engines breathing, such as an exhaust manifold, head work or both.

[MINI-Morgan]

Quote: Originally Posted by Nath316 (original)

You are not wrong there! hehe

Basic rules

more air = more fuel = MORE POWER

Cold air is more compressed so MAF puts more fuel in so WAHEYYYYYYYYYY

Is why we use cold air intakes etc

And the biggest differences are seen on force induction cars due to lower intercooler temps too... colder air in and colder intercooler = less charge temp and so higher air density.

Have to say I really noticed the difference on a modifed S though where the charge temps need far more cooling.

[MINI-Morgan]

Quote: Originally Posted by Cooooooperslad (original)

Though a cold air intake dosnt add much power?

I would say it doesnt cause such a drop off of power due to heat soak in the engine bay. Amazing how quick the temps change when you stop with a hot engine and red hot manifold..

[Richard Crofts]

If you ever log any data on the S you'd be supprised at how much effect the forward speed really does have on inlet temps and boost 5th and 6th in WOT at the right speed can produce more boost than lower gears

[Nath316]

I have observed this with in gear acceleration and it is very good

[MINI-Morgan]

Interesting.... I never thought to even look! I only ever logged acceleration between set speeds in a single gear.