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YOUR RESEARCHFrequent short trips
Reported or suspected cause
oil failing
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Reported cause
Some of the damage reported with these engines is due to the oil failing so I want to be extra careful.
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Suggestion
I'd think that letting the car idle until reaching full operating temp would be REALLY BAD, as the oil pressure would be too low to properly lubricate vital parts.
Leading evidence: 'oil failing' (1 discussions report identifying this cause; no attributable repair resolution). Across 1 matching discussions, the most frequently mentioned possible cause is 'oil failing' (1 discussions; 1 report identifying it and 0 suggest it). The most frequently discussed action is 'Lubricate vital parts' (1 discussions). For that action, 0 discussions report a resolution and 0 report an unsuccessful attempt. No action has an explicit, attributable resolution report under the current rules. These are forum reports and suggestions, not a confirmed diagnosis.
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Suspected cause
It sounds like you're avoiding ragging the car out when it's cold, which regardless of the semantics is probably a good thing.
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Suggestion
I'd think that letting the car idle until reaching full operating temp would be REALLY BAD, as the oil pressure would be too low to properly lubricate vital parts.
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Suggestion
It's fine to let the car sit and run after starting, until the idle drops to 750-800 rpm (normal idling range without AC engaged).
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Lubricate vital parts
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Suggestion
I'd think that letting the car idle until reaching full operating temp would be REALLY BAD, as the oil pressure would be too low to properly lubricate vital parts.
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I daily-drive my 03 996 C2 (my first Porsche) to my office, which is just 5 short minutes away. Sometimes the car doesn't even reach normal operating temperature, which seems to be about 185 degrees.
Any concerns about these frequent short trips? I let it warm up for a few minutes before leaving, and mostly keep the revs below 4000...anything else I should be doing?
Very bad. Condensation in oil. Extra fuel from cold start diluting engine oil. Not charging the battery enough...maybe some longer trips every wk or so.
Change the oil every 5,000 miles. Use a quality product. Try to stretch her legs on the weekends.
Don't idle. Start and go.
Keep an eye on your oil fill cap and filler tube for a "mayonnaise" like substance. This is a tell tale sign of frequent short trips. Moisture condensation mixing with the oil. If you don't have it, all the better.
I have this "problem" as well, so I either walk, or if I do drive the Porsche to work, I leave earlier and take the long way via the boondocks and back roads. That way the car is fully to temp when I get to work, and I arrive at work in a great mood...T
I have this same problem! I did get a yellowish looking substance under the cap once and panicked! A nice long drive and an oil change and it hasnt come back
My office is only 3 miles and i DD my car. Never had any problems, although I usually find a reason to leave and go for a drive every now and then. Plus i give it a nice workout over the weekends.
I don't think you should simply start and go before warming the engine up at low revs. Maybe in the air cooled cars but not water cooled. Even then, all engines should be slowly warmed up before giving them the gun. Just my opinion for what it's worth.
Read your Owner's Manual. It's start & go. Don't idle. Yes, keep rpms below 4,000 till oil in the 160-180 range.
I do:
1) unlock door
2) start car
3) put on seat belt
4) lower top
4) put on sunglasses
5) and go
Disagree to some extent.
I like to let the oil warm up a little so it can get up to some kind of minimum operating temp (personally once the needle starts to move on the temp gauge) before giving it the beans or going above 3k rpm. Some of the damage reported with these engines is due to the oil failing so I want to be extra careful.
That said, I wouldn't really want to let it sit and idle for more than it takes to warm things up a little, which is usually for me about the time it takes to lock the house, pack a pipe (tobacco), and then casually drive a few blocks.
no need to fully warm up before driving off
I start it up and wait until the RPM drops to normal, maybe 15 seconds or so??
I keep it below 3k until at least the water temp is normal
Yes, I know the oil takes longer to warm up fully
I guess it may depend a little on the ambient temperature as well
The only time I let it idle to warm up is at the track or AX if it has been sitting a while between sessions and has cooled off a lot
told by quite a few porschaphiles it's start and go. no warming up.
the previous owner advertised "always warmed up and cooled down properly"
yeah, nice scoring. no thx.
I think part of the confusion here is being caused by the term "warm up"... It's fine to let the car sit and run after starting, until the idle drops to 750-800 rpm (normal idling range without AC engaged). Once you reach this point you're not doing the car any good by letting it sit and idle...in fact you could be doing it harm. I'd think that letting the car idle until reaching full operating temp would be REALLY BAD, as the oil pressure would be too low to properly lubricate vital parts. As soon as the idle drops, start driving, but not too hard - I usually keep it between 2500 - 3000 rpm, until I reach full operating temp. **If I must go over 3000 rpm, I never go over 4000 until it's fully "warmed up"
You like to slowly warm up your lubed vital parts like that too?
I would hate for the lub to break down if cold and cause some scoring or unwelcome friction.
Just read my owners manual: "When starting the engine, be ready to drive immediately. Drive vehicle at moderate speeds and avoid engine speeds above 4,200 rpm during the first 5 minutes." I will follow this procedure going forward.
Took some our your advice today and left the office to go on a "site visit" - put 125 spirited miles on my 996 and de-watered my oil!
I would add, I personally feel that low rpm, high load, particularly while cold, is often more damaging than higher rpm, light loads. I use the same phylosophy as above only a very light foot until up to temp.
Manual also suggests long intervals for oil changes. Some of this information is based as much or more around environmental than mechanical best practices.
I don't agree - high RPM operation when the oil is cold (and thus thick) is a bad idea.
Unless you're driving up 20% grades in 4th at 20 MPH, what kind of high loading can you be doing to a 996?
It sounds like you're avoiding ragging the car out when it's cold, which regardless of the semantics is probably a good thing.
I dont disagree that high rpm on a cold engine is bad, what i am saying is big throttle openings at low rpm (lugging) puts a lot of strain on an engine.
And you are correct, i avoid both.
I'm in a similar situation. I daily drive my 02 and my office is less than 5 minutes from my house. Sadly the car tends to get the wet days since I bike when the weather is nice.
The problem is that the drive isn't far enough to warm up the car so I never really get it above 4K RPM. I usually let it warm up at idle for a minute or two before leaving. Not because I think that is the best way to warm up the car, but because if I don't it won't reach operating temperature by the time I'm at work.
Also my concerns on the engine are mostly for cylinder scoring. So for that situation where the car is driven mostly for really short distances which is better: letting it idle for a few minutes to start to get warm, or driving it and turning it off when it never made it to temperature. Why?
Obviously I also take it for long drives whenever I can and it does get hot on weekends. But I can't just taking the long way to work
every
day.
You guys should park a small high quality ceramic type space heater right next to your oil pan. Put on a timer if you want. You can easily pre-warm the oil to 100-120 degrees. Your oil will come up to temp very-very fast. And nice warm engine oil cold starts. Assuming you are parking in a garage.
Yep I agree. I let it idle down to its normal level, usually within a minute, then drive slowly to no more than 3,000 RPM until normal operating temperature is achieved, then gradually increase rev's and or speeds.
Taking the "Scenic Route" takes the worry out of the engine/warm oil equation.
Drive safe,
GT3RS-Fan1
Nice. I've thought of that in the past but wasn't sure it would make enough of a difference. But I think it is worth a try. Something small enough to fit under the car that I could just drive over and put on a timer. I might just try that to see how much it would help.
It works. I did it this past March/April on my 991 when the gas heating system in the garage died before I could get it fix.
The small heater I used is about the size and shape of a football on a tee. Butted up right against the aluminum oil pan. Overnight. Garage temps in the mid 40s. Oil temp when set on 750 watts was 80-ish. When set on 1,500 watts was 120. Worked great.
I'd not suggest driving over the heater. Most would be too tall.
$hit happens. That's what insurance is for. Don't live your life in constant fear.
The chances of cold weather cylinder scoring are higher than your faulty space heater innuendo. Pick your poison.
