How can you tell if engine is warm?

[kernelguy5]

Just wondering how you can safely know the oil temp is at the right temperature as our cars don't have a gauge? Don't want to do an "italian tuneup" while the engine is still cold...20 miles on the highway enough??

[theonlynameleft]

Originally Posted by kernelguy5

Just wondering how you can safely know the oil temp is at the right temperature as our cars don't have a gauge? Don't want to do an "italian tuneup" while the engine is still cold...20 miles on the highway enough??

I would say go into the screen where it shows the oil life left. If it knows it instantly and doesn't have to wait I'd say thats when the car is at its ideal operating temperature... but thats my opinion.

[Alow]

Get a BMW performance steering wheel with an oil temp display :-)

[Tom K.]

Originally Posted by theonlynameleft

I would say go into the screen where it shows the oil life left. If it knows it instantly and doesn't have to wait I'd say thats when the car is at its ideal operating temperature... but thats my opinion.

Actually, it's the oil level screen on the dash computer. When the oil is sufficiently warm, a reading will be displayed; otherwise there will be no reading - just an icon of a spinning clock. And the engine must be running.

I find that mine takes about 4 to 6 miles of moderate driving to warm up, depending on the outside temp.

BTW, I notice that the new F30 328i now has a temp gauge - but it no longer has a non-turbo inline 6.

Tom

[mdputnam]

Warm BMW Engine



Cold BMW Engine

[BFD99]

I've heard the oil gauge doesn't read till you've driven 6 miles on the N54, but don't know if that holds true on the N52. I drive my car about that distance at interstate speed and my oil temp gauge moves off the bottom, so it's at 180 at that point.

[jkoral]

Originally Posted by BFD99

I've heard the oil gauge doesn't read till you've driven 6 miles on the N54, but don't know if that holds true on the N52. I drive my car about that distance at interstate speed and my oil temp gauge moves off the bottom, so it's at 180 at that point.

That's the great thing about the performance steering wheel with the coolant and oil temp display. On cold mornings, the oil/coolant temp in my unheated garage will be 40s and 50s. After driving a short bit, the coolant temp will be 160 blowing hot air while the oil temp is still under 100.

I would think the oil gauge in the cluster reads the temp, just nothing to display since it starts at 160.

[Evice]

Originally Posted by jkoral

That's the great thing about the performance steering wheel with the coolant and oil temp display. On cold mornings, the oil/coolant temp in my unheated garage will be 40s and 50s. After driving a short bit, the coolant temp will be 160 blowing hot air while the oil temp is still under 100.

I would think the oil gauge in the cluster reads the temp, just nothing to display since it starts at 160.

It is very normal to blow hot air from vents before the oil really warm ups. Because air that comes from the vents uses the heater core which is connected to the head, that coolant circulates in. Coolant warms up much faster than oil.

[BFD99]

Originally Posted by jkoral

That's the great thing about the performance steering wheel with the coolant and oil temp display. On cold mornings, the oil/coolant temp in my unheated garage will be 40s and 50s. After driving a short bit, the coolant temp will be 160 blowing hot air while the oil temp is still under 100.

I would think the oil gauge in the cluster reads the temp, just nothing to display since it starts at 160.

Yeah for sure, I have my JB4 set to flash the hazards when it's up to temp. It's a neat little feature.

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by kernelguy5

Just wondering how you can safely know the oil temp is at the right temperature as our cars don't have a gauge? Don't want to do an "italian tuneup" while the engine is still cold...20 miles on the highway enough??

The best way would be to use an OBD-II scan tool (like the BT tool or the like)and see what the extact oil and water temp is. Any OBD-II scan tool that is CAN BUS can read those sensor temps.

The oil level gauge in the BC will start to show a reading after 6 miles or drivig. Here is what the owners manual has to say about that...









But... why the Italian tune up? Chances are that your spark plugs are worn out if you have more than 45K miles on them. Or maybe its carbon buildup you are talking about?

[jkoral]

Originally Posted by BFD99

I've heard the oil gauge doesn't read till you've driven 6 miles on the N54...

Originally Posted by Dackelone

The oil level gauge in the BC will start to show a reading after 6 miles or drivig.

Oops, my mistake BFD99, I thought you were talking about the oil temp gauge, not the oil level gauge.


Has any other BMW other than the E46 M3 had lights in the tach to indicate max revs until the car was up to normal operating temperature? I always thought this was a neat feature, but could see how it could be perceived as gimmicky.

I was not aware of the JB4 feature, that is really cool.

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by jkoral

Has any other BMW other than the E46 M3 had lights in the tach to indicate max revs until the car was up to normal operating temperature? I always thought this was a neat feature, but could see how it could be perceived as gimmicky.

I believe this is only used for M models: e46M3, Z4M, e9xM3's and the e60M5 and M6's had them too. The new 1M does not have them. On the new-er e9xM3's some have the LEDs and some have a moving redline in yellow and red. Like this... (yes, these gauges are in a 135i that was coded to run these M3 gauges )

[BFD99]

Does the LED rev-limiter work as it should on the 135 dack?

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by BFD99

Does the LED rev-limiter work as it should on the 135 dack?

For the above M3 gauges? Yes.

Those two pics were from Thorsten's 135i (car-coding.de) he installed those M3 gauges and coded them to work. The 135i N54 motor still have the same redline as stock... but the M3 tach redline is preset to the V8 high rpm scale(redline). The LED's on the silver trim did not work(light up). Only the rpm scale in yellow and red moved - just like it does on a e9xM3 car.

[kernelguy5]

Originally Posted by Dackelone

The best way would be to use an OBD-II scan tool (like the BT tool or the like)and see what the extact oil and water temp is. Any OBD-II scan tool that is CAN BUS can read those sensor temps.

The oil level gauge in the BC will start to show a reading after 6 miles or drivig. Here is what the owners manual has to say about that...


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But... why the Italian tune up? Chances are that your spark plugs are worn out if you have more than 45K miles on them. Or maybe its carbon buildup you are talking about?

I was originally talking about the carbon buildup. I live really close to where i go to school and work so my weekly drives consist of driving 2 miles a day. Thought it would be beneficial to get the engine going a bit though the lack of an oil temp gauge on the 128 got me wondering how i could tell it was warm. The OBDII scanner idea isn't a bad idea!

[Järppä]

You can allways use Hidden menu, there is coolant temperature but i don't remember is there oil temperature.

2 miles is so short journey that oil wont warm at all. Oil needs over 30 min drive when it achieve the right function temperature.