Turbo Warm Up Procedure?

[Protious]

So, maybe I'm a bit over-cautious - but I wanted to see what everyone else did a well. I normally keep RPMs below 4 until my temperature hits over 160.

I started doing this ever since I "blew" my turbo on my 535i, thoughts?

[Pazzo009]

Good question...Well common practice would be to wait until the car is at normal operating temperature. That concern is mostly for the oil temp. Do that and you should be fine. I always thought proper care for Turbos is to not shut down the car right away but maybe let it idle for a minute or two before shut down. Thats just my take...I'm sure someone who is more knowledgeable than I will comment soon.

[URBAN LEGEND]

I always let the car warm up well before going into boost. Also if I've been running the car hard I never shut it down without a few miles of normal driving. Basically I take it easy a few miles from my home or destination.

[JOHNBMWM5]

Originally Posted by URBAN LEGEND

I always let the car warm up well before going into boost. Also if I've been running the car hard I never shut it down without a few miles of normal driving. Basically I take it easy a few miles from my home or destination.

Me too, this advice is good.

[Tom C]

Coming from a Nissan GT-R I am already conditioned to go it slow until the transmission oil temps get up to its normal operating range. I have been babying the M5 as well until the temps (using engine oil as a gauge) get up to at least 165 degrees.

[RPiM5]

I dunno guys, I trust BMW engineering and research & development. If the manual does not specifically say to let the car idle for a minute or two in order to let the turbos cool down, I don't think it matters. Besides if any of you have studied the engine, turbo, and downpipe design at all, you would see that they put the cats very close to the turbo and A LOT of heat remains right next to the turbo anyways, even after you shut the engine down.

The only I do, is to let the engine reach optimal operating oi temperatures before I start to hoon the M5 everywhere. I trust the fact that they tested the M5 in sub-zero temperatures of Sweden in the winter and in the blister heat summers of Death Valley in California and everywhere in between. If it doesn't state any warnings to not do something then I'm not worrying about it.

My 69 cents, but in my opinion I think some of you are over analyzing such things.

[jmh]

As for cooling down the turbos after driving the car... some more useless details

On the S63(tu) the conventional coolant pump is driven by a belt and can't be used to cool the turbos after the engine has been shut down. There is an electric coolant pump (20W) which is using a separate cooling circuit, this circuit can also be switched on while the engine is running. It is controlled based on coolant temp, engine oil temp and injected fuel quantity. Based on these values the heat input to the engine is calculated , the time the electronic coolant pump will run can last up to 30 minutes. In addition to the electric pump the electric cooling fan (850W) can also run for up to 11 minutes .

[avlnch]

Just a general rule of thumb:
1. Bring the car to operating temp before running hard (keep under ~3.5k)
2. Bring the car back down to normal operating temp after running it hard

General reasons for these rules (in order):
1. To prevent unnecessary engine/transmission wear.
2. To prevent depositing pad material onto brakes, to allow components to cool..

You could get real technical and go into details, but these are the general rules and reasons for them. BMW M agrees.

[Pazzo009]

Originally Posted by jmh

As for cooling down the turbos after driving the car... some more useless details

On the S63(tu) the conventional coolant pump is driven by a belt and can't be used to cool the turbos after the engine has been shut down. There is an electric coolant pump (20W) which is using a separate cooling circuit, this circuit can also be switched on while the engine is running. It is controlled based on coolant temp, engine oil temp and injected fuel quantity. Based on these values the heat input to the engine is calculated , the time the electronic coolant pump will run can last up to 30 minutes. In addition to the electric pump the electric cooling fan (850W) can also run for up to 11 minutes .

I gotta ask...I read a lot on this forum and you are very knowledgeable about these cars. There are many others who are too and I appreciate and learn from you guys. However you typically donate very useful and technical information. What is your background with M cars, or are you just very resourceful? You don't have to answer, just curious.

[Simon H]

Another reason to let the car idle before shut down is, after running hard for a period, the turbos can be spinning at upto 100krpm, so if you shut down straight away, there will be no oil feed to them, therefore promoting rapid centre bearing wear.

[URBAN LEGEND]

The reason we do what we do is because we a M car owners. We are enthusiasts not just drivers.

Back to guest mode for me.

[Pazzo009]

Originally Posted by URBAN LEGEND

The reason we do what we do is because we a M car owners. We are enthusiasts not just drivers.

Well put

[s4awd]

I'm putting in a GReddy turbo timer!!!

[Stuartlogan77]

Just get in and drive. Previous versions had a warm up feature with adjustable rpm. Trust the engineers and the accountants worked out it was not needed.

You also have a four year warranty.

[URBAN LEGEND]

Originally Posted by s4awd

I'm putting in a GReddy turbo timer!!!

You are pushing it now.

[BIG~BLUE~BMW]

Originally Posted by Tom C

Coming from a Nissan GT-R I am already conditioned to go it slow until the transmission oil temps get up to its normal operating range. I have been babying the M5 as well until the temps (using engine oil as a gauge) get up to at least 165 degrees.

Me toooooooo......

[jmh]

Originally Posted by aculeg87

I gotta ask...I read a lot on this forum and you are very knowledgeable about these cars. There are many others who are too and I appreciate and learn from you guys. However you typically donate very useful and technical information. What is your background with M cars, or are you just very resourceful? You don't have to answer, just curious.

Don't mind at all. Much of it is research/interest in the topic as in my "prior" life I owned/founded a car tuning/stereo company in Germany (before I went into IT)
Other parts are due to contacts in BMW HQ/M GmbH with whom I have contact for a number of years due to work connections.
Just trying to help where I can and trying to not speculate too much (which is a common thing on in the Internet where everyone is a rocket scientist or 14yr old girl )

[Pazzo009]

Originally Posted by jmh

Don't mind at all. Much of it is research/interest in the topic as in my "prior" life I owned/founded a car tuning/stereo company in Germany (before I went into IT)
Other parts are due to contacts in BMW HQ/M GmbH with whom I have contact for a number of years due to work connections.
Just trying to help where I can and trying to not speculate too much (which is a common thing on in the Internet where everyone is a rocket scientist or 14yr old girl )

I figured it was something to that effect. Well It's appreciated so I thought it would only be right to commend you. It's really nice to be able to find out information that only a few people in the world know. Anyway, thanks again for sharing.

[Protious]

Thanks for all the great advice / feedback!

Seems like I'm doing the right thing then - like I said, on my 535i I killed the turbo pretty quickly (about a year), because I would never let it warm up (according to SA in Phoenix). Oddly enough the manual has nothing about this at all though.

It was right about the time I traded it in for the M5, and I swore I wouldn't kill it so quick again!

[Tourbillon]

I know it's best practice to let the engine warm up before really opening the car up, but if this was absolute, then why wouldn't BMW engineer the car to not let you go over a certain RPM until its thoroughly warmed up?

[Protious]

Originally Posted by Tourbillon

I know it's best practice to let the engine warm up before really opening the car up, but if this was absolute, then why wouldn't BMW engineer the car to not let you go over a certain RPM until its thoroughly warmed up?

Well.. Technically, that's true and it's not like we don't have warranty on these cars for a few years.. From my experience so far though, it's been bad news to not let them warm up for 10 - 15 (where I live) before really pushing them. Then again it may of been a fluke, and I had a bad turbo to begin with - the car would randomly cut power, engine would just turn off (no joke), and other really funky stuff.. I didn't keep it long enough to find out though. For all I know it was another issue altogether and they just wanted me to trade it in for the M5. Last time I saw the car (two months after I traded it in), it was marked as CPO.. So, yeah.

I keep telling myself I'm going to keep this car for a while, so I'm trying my best to take care of it. No more upgrading cars every year!

EDIT: Also, if you think about it - it DOES limit your rev RPMs on a cold start, and doesn't let you do stuff like launch control until your engine temp / oil temp is above a certain temperature.. I think?

[johntomferg]

Make sure you live at least 25 miles (one way) from work.

Anticipate that the first and last 2-3 miles will be the mostly likely spots for cops in the morning and evening. Enjoy the 20 miles in between.

But I can say I definitely am not overly aggressive with the car unless that oil gauge "on the move." Even when I was at the HPDE. It was 1 to 1.5 laps before I would be excessive on it, but that also had to do with getting heat into the tires.