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#1
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Heating Oil
So this is somewhat of an example of my X. My daily is a silverado and my X stays home with the wife who does not work, but keeps a busy schedule raising our three kids. It's used for library, park, and grocery store, all with in a few miles from the house. She might take it out say 3-4 times a week. The weekend comes and I wash and check it out. We usually take a "Sunday Drive" and I might put a 100 miles or so on it. Some weekends I don't. I also drive it to work twice a month or so (25 miles RT). So this is my question and I would like views from all sides; Is it ok to fully warm the entire engine once a week? If not why? If yes then why? From my point of view I would be on the yes side and this is why. Any time we see dew in morning that is a form of accumulated moisture. If your car is parked in this environment, then I would believe there is some sort moisture being acquired. Or is the engine only accumulating moisture on a cool down? If it did acumulate any moisture (which I believe every engine does at some point) during the short trips, would it not be back to normal after the long drive on the weekends? Thanks guys. This is an awesome forum and I love my E53!!! |
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#2
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I vote for once a week, or regularly, drive it long enough to fully warm/hot it up...
While fully warm/hot, every time one drives is an admirable goal, in real world of short hops, errands, short trips, it is elusive, imo. I think you are doing the right thing/best you can in real world use circumstances. Fwiw, our '01 3.0, with ~94k miles, is driven to not nearly hot with some frequency, and also driven to full hot a few times a month, and then also driven on hard driving all day road trips a couple three times a year. With that kind of use/abuse on our '01, it still runs better than my Rolex...all anecdotal, but aside from the theory and the term papers on Bob The Oil Guy site, I feel you are doing the right/best you can. GL, mD
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#3
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Yes, it doesn't have to be once a week, once a month would do as long as you drive over say 25 miles and put the pedal to the metal a couple of times. Not getting an engine up to operating temp on a regular basis can not only cause harmful condensation it can also build up carbon deposits in the engine. I would add a bottle of Techron to a full tank a couple of times a year and check the oil on a regular basis just to watch for any milky brown color.
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X5 4.6 2002 Black Sap, Black interior. 2013 X5M Melbourne Red, Bamboo interior Dallas |
#4
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Old rule of thumb: Oil takes 20 minutes to reach operating temperature, and drive it for another 20 minutes to boil off moisture and diluted fuel.
2002 X5 3.0 245,700 miles 2004 325i 109,000 miles |
#5
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Frequently oil changes instead of the 15,000 BMW oil change will also remove much of the condensation that occurs in the engine due to short drive. Also the climate in which you drive your X has a lot to do as to what additional problems that can occur. If you live in a temperate climate such as Los Angeles, Las Vegas, San Francisco you will not experience CCV freezing up. I don't do a lot of short distance driving even though my daughter would like for me to drive her the 4 blocks to school when the weather is nasty outside.
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2006 Infiniti G35 2001 BMW 3.0I E53 X5 Build date 08/2000 SOLD Lotus Europa 1970 Destroyed by fire Lotus Europa 1970 S2 Renault Powered Lotus Type 52 1970 Twincam Webers Powered PORSCHE 911 Targa 1982 The Garage Queen Audi Avant donated to Kars for Kids BMW 525IT Sold Audi 4000CS Quattro Sold Jensen Healey Lotus Powered Sold Opel 1900 Sold Triumph Spitfire 1971 Sold Triumph Spitfire 1968 Sold Plymouth "Cuda" 340 Six pack SOLD Last edited by upallnight; 01-07-2014 at 10:10 PM. |
#6
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It is important to remember that you don't just have to get it to operating temp (20 minutes or so) but then you have to operate it there while the moisture is boiled off.
My own rule of thumb is 1 hour once per week, 20 minutes to heat up and 40 minutes operating at temp. That isn't science, it is just my swag. Not everybody has a schedule or use pattern that supports this goal. Fair enough. If you see condensate paste forming under the oil filler cap, drive it more or change the oil more frequently. It doesn't have to be very cold out to get condensation. Moisture comes from the temperature change as much as from the cold, from the thermal cycling. In Vancouver, same climate as Seattle, I got condensate paste building up on a 318 with commuting 60 km/40 miles per day. That engine didn't produce much waste heat. The X5, on the same commute, didn't form the paste. Finally, the CCV freezing up is an extreme result of too much moisture, followed by a very cold ambient. Even if you live in a moderate climate, which means the CCV won't freeze, the short trips and moisture buildup is bad for the engine. The damage just shows up as accelerated wear, not as a frozen CCV.
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2007 X3 3.0si, 6 MT, Premium, White Retired: 2008 535i, 6 MT, M Sport, Premium, Space Grey 2003 X5 3.0 Steptronic, Premium, Titanium Silver 2002 325xi 5 MT, Steel Grey 2004 Z4 3.0 Premium, Sport, SMG, Maldives Blue |
#7
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Awesome responses here, thanks!
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********************* Olympic Peninsula, WA, USA ----------------------------------------- 2005 Mini Cooper 100k, British Racing Green/Silver-Black 04/2002 4.6is 140k, Silver/Black-Alcantara *FOR SALE* 1989 325iX 270k, Diamond Black/Black 1984 318i 370k *SOLD* (First Bimmer) Honorable Mentions: '71 2002, '87 325, '90 325ic, '92 525it, '93 325i, '94 530i |
#8
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Ya thanks for all the input guys!
Looks like all will be well. I was a little concerned with our habbits, but not anymore. |
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