# Best Warm Up Routine



## iamnotapainter (Nov 20, 2015)

Hey guys,

Long time lurker, first time poster. Looking for some clarification.
2015 Jetta TSI 12k miles

I've read two very different methods of warming up the engine and would like some thoughts on how you all warm up your babies because I have read plenty of contradicting material and would like your input.

Now when turning the car on, it high idles for a minute or two and then goes to low idle. I always assumed this was heating up the oil to lube to the turbo to avoid damage. I also thought this would cause the engine to run rich and increase carbon build up due to the sometimes long idle as well as put extra stress on the engine because idle. I've always thought the best way to warm up an engine would be driving it easy for the first 10-15 minutes until its up to temp to have fun.

Now both of these methods make sense but directly contradict each other. So what do you do, and why?

Thanks much. 



PS. I posted this to the Jetta VI forum, realized this was a better place for it. And can't figure out how to delete the other from clogging the board. Help on that would be appreciated as well


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## V42 (Feb 25, 2008)

I start my car. I let it idle for 1 minute, maybe 2. I drive easy till it's up to temp.


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## Jeff1983 (Oct 16, 2013)

Ditto. I dont know about earlier generations of the 1.8T, but the only thing I hate about this one is how clackety clacky sounding it is when not warmed up. Sounds like its about to throw a rod.


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## Dirtmvr (Feb 28, 2016)

In my opinion the outside temperature plays a big role in how long you idle before taking off. You want enough time for the oil to reach all locations. In the old days, you could hear when the oil made it's way up through the long pushrods, and over the rockers--the engine would quiet down significantly, but with overhead cams it shouldn't take long and they have figured out how to keep oil in the turbo bearings too. You don't want to idle any longer than you have to because you don't want incomplete combustion creating carbon deposits. I think ideally you want to start it, let it idle for say 10-20 secs, then just don't load the engine or lug it too much until you see the temperature gauge start moving. I'd keep the RPM's under 2000 or so if you can until you see the temperature coming up. With modern diesels, they won't heat up without a load on so you have to start and take off without idling too long, whereas the gas engines heat up quickly. For colder temperatures (say <0C) then I'd recommend you start the car, then by the time you're done scraping windows etc., you're probably good to go. Again, try not to lug or rev the engine too much until the temp gauge starts moving.

Keith


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## iamnotapainter (Nov 20, 2015)

Thanks everyone for the input! Much appreciated.


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## chois (May 12, 2000)

The best way to warm up the car is to drive it.
There is no logical reason to let it sit and idle for a minute or more. This just burns (a very little amount of) fuel, and creates (a real small bit) more emissions.

Just drive it easy until the temps are up in the normal range.


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## jcme0557 (Mar 31, 2015)

Modern cars don't need to be babied until oil is warm like old cars. Most experts agree that it's best to just drive your car to warm it up.

Higher idle speed when the engine is cold is an emissions control strategy. Since cold start and cold fast idle are some of the "dirtiest" parts of the run cycle, the engineers want to get the engine up to operating temp and into closed-loop fuel control ASAP. You will notice that when it's cold out, the engine typically idles higher and for longer. 

I suspect that VW has built in various control strategies to limit boost until the oil is at a certain temperature. My Passat is decidedly more sluggish until the engine oil get good and warm.


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## rogerdm (Mar 30, 2016)

until the internal parts are hot, the working clearances between pieces are not good. that's easy to understand


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## BenignB7 (Jan 21, 2015)

I let mine idle 10 seconds here in sunny socal. If that. 

Try to stay away from WOT full rev blasts until the temp meter shows normal.


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## DasCC (Feb 24, 2009)

30 seconds idle, and easy throttle until oil temp, NOT WATER TEMP, shows 180 degrees.


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## surfstar (Mar 13, 2016)

DasCC said:


> easy throttle until oil temp, NOT WATER TEMP, shows 180 degrees.


This is important! 

With the ea888, the water temp gets up to 200 in a very short time. It takes a good ~7mins for my oil temp to even show, which is 120-130 or so. 
Don't flog it when its cold, and its all good. 

"gentle" driving is the best to warm up a modern engine. The high idle built in now-a-days isn't for oil flow/pumping, its to warm up the cat and quickly get out of the high emissions conditions with a cold engine.


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## 71DubBugBug (Dec 3, 2006)

Start it. Wait for the RPMs to go back down to idle, then take it easy till your oil temp is up.


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## BenignB7 (Jan 21, 2015)

surfstar said:


> This is important! It takes a good ~7mins for my oil temp to even show, which is 120-130 or so.


Good info, I will keep this 7 minute mark in mind.


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## surfstar (Mar 13, 2016)

BenignB7 said:


> Good info, I will keep this 7 minute mark in mind.


It can vary depending on outside temp and city/hwy driving - that was just what I noticed when first driving my car.


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## BenignB7 (Jan 21, 2015)

For us guys with no oil temp data it is good to have at least a baseline in mind. I know I have been guilty of gunning it much earlier than 7 minutes because of the quick jump on the dash water meter. So thanks for that info. 



surfstar said:


> It can vary depending on outside temp and city/hwy driving - that was just what I noticed when first driving my car.


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## DasCC (Feb 24, 2009)

BenignB7 said:


> For us guys with no oil temp data it is good to have at least a baseline in mind. I know I have been guilty of gunning it much earlier than 7 minutes because of the quick jump on the dash water meter. So thanks for that info.


Outside temps also affect this. the other morning it was around 40F outside and took a solid 15 minutes to hit 190


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## Jeff1983 (Oct 16, 2013)

Everyone needs to remember that theres no temp guages in these cars anymore....no way to tell when its warmed up, just a light to tell you its over heating. Ide like the smack the a** hat at vw who decided this was an effective way to cut costs on the car.


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## DasCC (Feb 24, 2009)

Jeff1983 said:


> Everyone needs to remember that theres no temp guages in *these cars* anymore....no way to tell when its warmed up, just a light to tell you its over heating. Ide like the smack the a** hat at vw who decided this was an effective way to cut costs on the car.


by "these cars" you mean Jetta? This is engine forum, the Passat and Golf have coolant gauges.


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## chois (May 12, 2000)

DasCC said:


> by "these cars" you mean Jetta? This is engine forum, the Passat and Golf have coolant gauges.


And oil temperature is available in the dash display.


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## iamnotapainter (Nov 20, 2015)

chois said:


> And oil temperature is available in the dash display.


Not in the jetta's. Should have clarified that's what I'm driving, sorry.


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## Jeff1983 (Oct 16, 2013)

Ya, Jetta owners get the big shaft in the guage department if you don't own a GLI. I just assumed the Golf's and Passat's didnt have the guages either.

I was using Torque Pro for a while but it's too annoying to try to plug in the OBD dongle every time I get in the car and then pull it out when I get out of the car. I haven't been able to find out how much draw the dongle takes from the battery if I just leave it plugged in all the time, I don't want to be left stranded with a dead battery.

I also didn't want to add any guages, but depending on how long I decide to keep the car, I might just do that.


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## 03boosted18 (Apr 6, 2009)

my jetta seems to always take its sweet time to warm up...

Like today, It is about 60ish outside today and i leave work to get food and the car does a cold start about 1800rpm ish for a good 2 mins. Then ill go to subway turn the car off and get my food to-go get back in and then it cold starts again.. is this normal ? seems a little bit excessive


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## surfstar (Mar 13, 2016)

03boosted18 said:


> my jetta seems to always take its sweet time to warm up...
> 
> Like today, It is about 60ish outside today and i leave work to get food and the car does a cold start about 1800rpm ish for a good 2 mins. Then ill go to subway turn the car off and get my food to-go get back in and then it cold starts again.. is this normal ? seems a little bit excessive


Is subway less than 5min away? Totally normal. It takes a good while to heat all the metal engine components and oil. The water temp goes up far sooner and faster than everything else (secondary water pump also helps to give cabin heat faster for comfort). 


I make a killer breakfast sandwich on a bagel each morning. Costs ~$0.75 too, but gotta get up 20-30min earlier (I enjoy it with coffee while checking email).


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## MK7_JSW (Jun 10, 2015)

V42 said:


> I start my car. I let it idle for 1 minute, maybe 2. I drive easy till it's up to temp.


I do the same, i let it idle for a min or 2 to circulate the oil and then i drive it easy keeping the rpm 3k and below without lugging it and slowly start pushing it more as it warms up to operating temps.


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## LauraOtto80 (11 mo ago)

Jeff1983 said:


> Ditto. I dont know about earlier generations of the 1.8T, but the only thing I hate about this one is how clackety clacky sounding it is when not warmed up. Sounds like its about to throw a rod.


I experience this same thing... I wonder if the is something we can do to fix that...


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## LauraOtto80 (11 mo ago)

Not to mention the emergency break sticking


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