Question for BMW Owners?
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 25,006
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From: Far NW 'burbs of Chicago
St. Jude Donor '13
Question for BMW Owners?
Some (all?) of the new Beemers have lights around the tach that tell you what RPM is acceptable, as the engine warms up. Questions:
Is the permissible rpm determined by the WATER temp, or by OIL temp? and
What is the minimum water/oil temp for full throttle and full rpm?
I've been using 180' oil temp as my "let's have fun" minimum, and it takes FOREVER to get that warm in winter. Perhaps we can learn something from BMW.....
Is the permissible rpm determined by the WATER temp, or by OIL temp? and
What is the minimum water/oil temp for full throttle and full rpm?
I've been using 180' oil temp as my "let's have fun" minimum, and it takes FOREVER to get that warm in winter. Perhaps we can learn something from BMW.....
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 1,191
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From: Palm Beach Shores, FL
Re: Question for BMW Owners? (Gearhead Jim)
I let mine run up to 150 before I give it any high revs. Don't have a "Bimmer" any more. Sold the M5 last January, and I haven't had a "Beemer" for many years.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 21,374
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From: Various places in Southern California.
Re: Question for BMW Owners? (Gearhead Jim)
I'm not sure how the BMW algorithm works, but I think 180 degrees on the oil temp is probably a little overly cautious.
Once the coolant is up to 190, the engine itself is at operating temperature, given that the heat conductivity of aluminum would indicate that the whole block is at or above the temp of the coolant (some items, like the pistons and valves would be much hotter, of course).
Since the oil is not, primarily, a cooling medium, it is going to heat up much more slowly. The main issue would be at what temp is the oil going to flow properly? I'd say once the oil is above 150 or so, it is going to flow just fine, so you ought to be good to go for full throttle use at that point.
Once the coolant is up to 190, the engine itself is at operating temperature, given that the heat conductivity of aluminum would indicate that the whole block is at or above the temp of the coolant (some items, like the pistons and valves would be much hotter, of course).
Since the oil is not, primarily, a cooling medium, it is going to heat up much more slowly. The main issue would be at what temp is the oil going to flow properly? I'd say once the oil is above 150 or so, it is going to flow just fine, so you ought to be good to go for full throttle use at that point.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 6,269
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From: Richmond Ca
Re: Question for BMW Owners? (Gearhead Jim)
They can answer your question over here: http://nmpcs.com/bmwboard/
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 19,304
Likes: 85
From: San Diego CA
Re: Question for BMW Owners? (Duck916)
I'm not sure how the BMW algorithm works, but I think 180 degrees on the oil temp is probably a little overly cautious.
Once the coolant is up to 190, the engine itself is at operating temperature, given that the heat conductivity of aluminum would indicate that the whole block is at or above the temp of the coolant (some items, like the pistons and valves would be much hotter, of course).
Since the oil is not, primarily, a cooling medium, it is going to heat up much more slowly. The main issue would be at what temp is the oil going to flow properly? I'd say once the oil is above 150 or so, it is going to flow just fine, so you ought to be good to go for full throttle use at that point.
Once the coolant is up to 190, the engine itself is at operating temperature, given that the heat conductivity of aluminum would indicate that the whole block is at or above the temp of the coolant (some items, like the pistons and valves would be much hotter, of course).
Since the oil is not, primarily, a cooling medium, it is going to heat up much more slowly. The main issue would be at what temp is the oil going to flow properly? I'd say once the oil is above 150 or so, it is going to flow just fine, so you ought to be good to go for full throttle use at that point.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 25,006
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From: Far NW 'burbs of Chicago
St. Jude Donor '13
Re: Question for BMW Owners? (Dave68)
Duck, and Dave-
I suspect that you guys are correct, and I'm trying to pin down the real numbers. I'll post if I get anything off the BMW forum.
Duck- I still get a kick out of your mod list
wwashing- the link put me into a pretty dry board, but I once had a bookmark for a M3 forum. Trouble is my computer ate the bookmark. Do you have the link for the M3 group? Thanks.
I suspect that you guys are correct, and I'm trying to pin down the real numbers. I'll post if I get anything off the BMW forum.
Duck- I still get a kick out of your mod list
wwashing- the link put me into a pretty dry board, but I once had a bookmark for a M3 forum. Trouble is my computer ate the bookmark. Do you have the link for the M3 group? Thanks.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 21,374
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From: Various places in Southern California.
Re: Question for BMW Owners? (Gearhead Jim)
Here's a link for an M3 forum:
http://forums.roadfly.com/bmw/forums/e46m3/
http://forums.roadfly.com/bmw/forums/e46m3/
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Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 25,006
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From: Far NW 'burbs of Chicago
St. Jude Donor '13
Re: Question for BMW Owners? (Gearhead Jim)
I posted my question on the board that Duck mentioned, and got several answers. Here is a summary:
Keep in mind that the redline for a warmed-up M3 is 8,000 rpm!
1. The lowest max rpm limit that the tach lights will show is 4,000 rpm
2. At an ambient temp of 50'-60', the tach lights show rpm limit of 5,500 rpm immediately after starting
3. The max rpm lights start increasing very soon after startup, so fast that they must be based on water temp.
The owners who posted said they don't believe the lights, and wait for oil temp to increase
4. The old E30 M3 Owner's Manual said to stay below 5,000 rpm until oil temp about 180'F
So, I don't know much more than before. But thanks for the help.
Keep in mind that the redline for a warmed-up M3 is 8,000 rpm!
1. The lowest max rpm limit that the tach lights will show is 4,000 rpm
2. At an ambient temp of 50'-60', the tach lights show rpm limit of 5,500 rpm immediately after starting
3. The max rpm lights start increasing very soon after startup, so fast that they must be based on water temp.
The owners who posted said they don't believe the lights, and wait for oil temp to increase
4. The old E30 M3 Owner's Manual said to stay below 5,000 rpm until oil temp about 180'F
So, I don't know much more than before. But thanks for the help.
Intermediate
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 39
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From: Darien IL
Re: Question for BMW Owners? (oceanaire)
One of my techs here at the track (Daytona) and a BMW owner a former Autometer employee reccomends 190-195 as optimum water temp with oil temperature 10 degrees below that.