The Reason Why...

[jst2878]

Here is the reason why an enormous amount of x5 enthusiasts are having problems with coolant system and oil seperator system:


1. In the x5 manual it specifically says you are able to start your car and drive(but drive slowly until the car warms up). In freezing cold temperatures the coolant hoses change size and unless they're warm they are prone to leak.

2. The oil seperator also needs to warm up before driving due to ice buildup in freezing temp. in the hoses and seperator.



These vehicles are so sensitive that the necessity of vehicle warmup before you ever touch the shiftknob so crucially needed to keep your x5 FREE of oil seperator failure, oil hoses leaking, loss of coolant due to frozen hoses, hydro Lock, and head gasket failure.


ALWAYS LET YOUR CAR WARMUP FIRST TIME YOU DRIVE AND WHENEVER THE ENGINE IS COLD IN THE WINTERTIME


I don't like nickels because there not a dime...

[Bimmer360]

go giants!

[Islands52]

SO glad this is not an issue for me...

[PLAYERPRO]

Originally Posted by jst2878

Here is the reason why an enormous amount of x5 enthusiasts are having problems with coolant system and oil seperator system:


1. In the x5 manual it specifically says you are able to start your car and drive(but drive slowly until the car warms up). In freezing cold temperatures the coolant hoses change size and unless they're warm they are prone to leak.

2. The oil seperator also needs to warm up before driving due to ice buildup in freezing temp. in the hoses and seperator.



These vehicles are so sensitive that the necessity of vehicle warmup before you ever touch the shiftknob so crucially needed to keep your x5 FREE of oil seperator failure, oil hoses leaking, loss of coolant due to frozen hoses, hydro Lock, and head gasket failure.


ALWAYS LET YOUR CAR WARMUP FIRST TIME YOU DRIVE AND WHENEVER THE ENGINE IS COLD IN THE WINTERTIME


I don't like nickels because there not a dime...

I would agree with this...good "meter" on cold temp is when you strat up and you get the 37 degree chime...

go Patrone~man!

[lemans4.8]

letting your engine fully warm up is horrible for the car! The engine is warm and all but the tranny is still very cold as well as the whole drivetrain.... When you start your car.... Let the rpm's drop before you start driving and then switch it into manual mode and don't go over 2.5-3k rpm.

[jst2878]

Exactamundo!

Originally Posted by PLAYERPRO

I would agree with this...good "meter" on cold temp is when you strat up and you get the 37 degree chime...

go Patrone~man!

[JCL]

Originally Posted by jst2878

Here is the reason why an enormous amount of x5 enthusiasts are having problems with coolant system and oil seperator system:


1. In the x5 manual it specifically says you are able to start your car and drive(but drive slowly until the car warms up). In freezing cold temperatures the coolant hoses change size and unless they're warm they are prone to leak.

2. The oil seperator also needs to warm up before driving due to ice buildup in freezing temp. in the hoses and seperator.



These vehicles are so sensitive that the necessity of vehicle warmup before you ever touch the shiftknob so crucially needed to keep your x5 FREE of oil seperator failure, oil hoses leaking, loss of coolant due to frozen hoses, hydro Lock, and head gasket failure.


ALWAYS LET YOUR CAR WARMUP FIRST TIME YOU DRIVE AND WHENEVER THE ENGINE IS COLD IN THE WINTERTIME

Following this advice is very likely to cause more oil separator problems, not fewer. The oil separator can only thaw out from radiated heat under the hood. Your engine will not make heat until you put load on it. That means driving it right away. Drive reasonably, but drive it, preferably within five seconds of starting it. The time it takes to do up your seatbelt is about right. My chime doesn't come on for a block or so (garaged vehicle) so that wouldn't work for me.

There was a poster a few weeks back who got a seized engine while idling in a parking lot, from the oil separator freezing open and the oil entering the intake manifold. Driving it might have heated it up faster, and avoided the problem.

[jst2878]

agree to disagree

[JCL]

OK.

My '03 X5 3.0 manual states, and I quote:

Do not allow the engine to warm up by leaving it running while the vehicle remains stationary. Instead, begin to drive immediately at a moderate engine speed.

The reason is that an engine wears much more when it is cold. The primary objective is to reduce the time that it is running in that state.

But we can disagree if you like

[motordavid]

Not piling on, but I tend to agree with JCL's remarks. The problem
of "warming up your car" is define "warm up"; is that 30 seconds at
32 degs F, or 2 mins at 32 degs F; thus, 5 mins at zero F, etc.???

Idling will eventually warm the engine's internals, but at a cost:
lower oil pressure circulating, close to zero circ in the ancillary
fluid compartments and units, (trans., pwr steering, drive line cases),
and a fairly rich feed to the intake manifold.

I'm not on the side of driving away a stone cold, just started car
like it's been operated and warm; I tend to let it idle a half min
and have the luxury of very low loading, as I rumble down the mtn
7 months per year; sort of like a boat leaving the marina area.

I also think ambient temps have a greater effect on the warming
up period as to "when" the engine is up to snuff.

Remember, the coolant sys. "cools" the top of the engine and the
oil "cools" the heart and guts of the motor...

I'm for a "slight" idle before driving gently...esp. when temps are cold;
a "long" idle in your driveway while you are brushing your teeth is not
the deal, imo.
My Qtr's Up in the Jukebox.
BR,mD