winter warm up

albertax5 · #1 10-07-2009, 09:01 PM

ok so this my first winter with a 2006 4.4 x5.what is the proper warm up for it? now i live in northern alberta,im talking warm up in -25 to -35 celcius.also anybody use any sort of engine or oil pan heater?thanks guys

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askhao · #2 10-07-2009, 09:22 PM

i usually wait until the RPM meter needle goes down. If you look closely, and listen, you can see it gradually drop, and then a larger drop, then the engine is not as loud after that drop. But this isn't as cold as where you are. If i were you, i would wait until the coolant meter goes out of the blue zone.

killcrap · #3 10-07-2009, 09:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by albertax5

ok so this my first winter with a 2006 4.4 x5.what is the proper warm up for it? now i live in northern alberta,im talking warm up in -25 to -35 celcius.also anybody use any sort of engine or oil pan heater?thanks guys

start, and let it idle for MAX 60 seconds, keep it under 4000rpms.

sarb · #4 10-07-2009, 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by killcrap

start, and let it idle for MAX 60 seconds, keep it under 4000rpms.

Thanks killcrap this is very good advice.

I also live in alberta i wait til the rpm drops or as killcrap said wait 60 sec.

albertax5 · #5 10-07-2009, 09:59 PM

60 seconds seems a little quick,how about trans warm-up etc.nothing warms up that quick at - 30.

BMWLOVER · #6 10-07-2009, 10:22 PM

I'm in Edmonton and have had the x5 for about 2 winters. Although it's garaged when I do a cold start I let the rpm fall which takes about 30-60 seconds. Then drive off driving very slowly and not letting the rpm go past 3000-3500 rpm. After the temp gauge is at half way point I drive like normal. I do this if I start after it's been in garage or outside. This was discussed a while back as well and most people agreed that this is the best way to warm the x5 up.

albertax5 · #7 10-07-2009, 10:36 PM

alright,i guess im just used to my truck,thanks for the help..

BMWLOVER · #8 10-07-2009, 10:38 PM

Yea I was used to different style warm ups before as well with the explorer and impala but learned its actually better to warm up a vehicle this way because it warms up a lot faster with driving and Idling also isn't good for the engine.

Mikedd · #9 10-07-2009, 11:16 PM

Looks like lots of Albertans here. One thing to keep in mind, when we get a real cold spell and your car is not garaged, you need to plug in a block heater. even the oil in the pan, transmission fluid etc will not flow properly at these temps. My 7 series would never run right until warmed up for at least a few minutes. Just driving away can wreak havoc on transmissions and gears etc. Ever notice how the error messages pile up when it's really cold? there was a you tube video on this very subject that explained in detail this very issue. I'll try to find the link. If there are any Petroleum Engineers on here it would be good to hear from them.

JCL · #10 10-08-2009, 02:01 AM

No petroleum engineer here, but a mechanical engineer, 30 years in the engine business, and an ex-Albertan twice (Edmonton and Grande Prairie, on two different assignments).

Mikedd, there are no block heaters (in the traditional sense, ie jacket water immersion heaters) available for BMWs. You can use a silicone pad heater on the oil pan, available from multiple aftermarket sources, if you like. Not common, but helpful if you are parked outside below -40. 5w-30 and 0W-30 flow OK at those temperatures, but it gets worse the colder you go. The engine control unit is pretty good on the modern BMW engines, I never had cold start problems, and was down to -30 or so several times on trips (I didn't own BMWs when I lived in Alberta). While driving away can be hard on componentry, idling to try and warm the engine will have zero impact on transmission or gear temperatures. Since cold running causes faster wear, the goal is to shorten the duration of the warm-up period, by putting reasonable load on the engine and transmission. That means take it easy, light throttle, but drive as soon as the idle has stabilized (and you have visibility through your frosted up windows).

BMWLOVER: Your procedure is exactly right for the X5. My only comment is that this is exactly the same recommendation for your previous vehicles. The difference is that the BMW is less tolerant of the abuse that your Explorer and Impala put up with.

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