Hi, just trying to make sure I maintain my newly purchased 11-plate VRS in good condition. I have some queries:

 

1. Warm-Up. The manual states not to warm up the car as the fumes are bad for the env. it suggests I jump in and drive away immediately. I think this is bad as the oil has not warmed up; neither has the coolant. Should I warm up the car so that the water temp is close to 90 (halfway and oil temp show 50C) before I drive it  in the morning?   Recommendations on the this forum then suggests that I dont rev over the 2000 mark until Oil temp hits the 80+C. Is this correct ?

 

2. At the end of the drive, should I wait for 2 mins for the car to wind-down the turbo? This is on top of the gentle last mile, ie not driving hard and then sudden stop at motorway services.

 

3. Red-Lining. I read somewhere on the forum, that it is good for the engine, being a turbo. How do you red-line. I tend to keep it in automatic and then as I am coming home from the motorway, I would use the shift paddles to lower the gears until I am ~ 3rd gear. I notice that the rev's touch 6-7000 before I paddle up again....I then do my gentle 1 mile home-run. Is this the correct way to red-line ? ANd how often should I do it. Once a week ?

 

thanks

D

The coolant will warm up in 5 minutes or less,

 

The oil might take you, 5 to 10 to 20 miles to get to normal operating temperature, Weather Dependent,

so sitting warming up is probably a waste of time and petrol.

 

The Cooling pump will do its job if you are driving normally before stopping, and turn the car off and stop the engine.

 

The car does  not need redlined for the good of the components, or even the turbo used on some trips,

you can maybe drive all day, have the cars oil hot, and not need the turbo much.

 

It really is just a car,

and if it is a 2011 car, you would expect it is run in and doing fine.

 

Just feed it good Petrol, check the Fluid Levels, Tyre Pressures & get it serviced as per service schedule,

but maybe the spark plugs more often than the Skoda 40,000 miles.

 

??? How many miles has your car done?

 

It is between 800 and 2,400 rpm on Supercharger and Super & Turbo from 2,400 - 3,500,

i would not be driving around trying to stay below 2,000 rpm, even in a town its going to be changing up around 2,000 rpm in 'D',

but the engine is not made of chocolate.

Personally i would not give it 6,200 rpm or above before the oil was at 50*oC indicated.

Not to say thats going to do harm though,  just not what i would do.

(Well unless an Audi Diesel was up my chuff just as i leave the 30 mph limit, then it is game on!)

 

Enjoy your car.

Leaving it idling on the driveway is the worst thing you can do. 75% of engine wear occurs from cold, and idling the engine leaves it running cold for longer. Hop in, start and go. Gently using the car gets the engine temp up nice and quick.

 

A gentle mile on the way back home is good practice, especially if you've been pacing it.

 

No need to leave it idling on the driveway when you get home either, leave that to the scooby nuts and their fussy highly tuned lumps.

 

In my opinion 

 

Enjoy the car!

Edited 10 February, 201412 yr by Ben90

I cringe when I see neighbours leaving their cars sitting running on winter mornings, I've heard some going for as long as 15-20 minutes, what a complete waste of fuel. It is also an opportunity for thieves if you go back indoors.

As said above, 1 and 2 are wrong (especially no.1) and it's amazing how many people driving modern cars are still ignoring this fact and think "it's good to let it run idle for 5 minutes before setting off!". In your car this will only have a negative effect in fuel economy and engine wear. Modern ECUs take care of warming up the engines fine during these first minutes of driving from cold. The only thing to really keep in mind is of course is avoiding high revs before the oil gets at operating temperature ( > 80 C).

 

Almost the same stands for cooling down. A cool drive ( < 2k rpm) during the last minutes of each trip suffices and if need be, the cooling pump will do it's thing even after you switch off.

 

As for red-lining, It's something you should be doing as part of enjoying your car rather than some scheduled pro-active action which needs to be carried out regularly. If you don't feel like it don't do it at all, it won't harm anything. Provided that oil temp is where it should be you could just find some space and start accelerating by keep on to the gears a little longer every time (manual mode) but there's not really a good or bad technique about it. When the weather is good I usually go for a nearby hiil-climb, keeping the revs between 4500-6500 almost once a week. But it can also be that 2 months pass by without going more than 3500 rpm due to crappy weather and conditions. Haven't noticed a difference in the car's behaviour whatsoever between these different periods.

In the old days tolerances were to say the very least, a-bit laxy-daisy as compared to todays high spec cars and their components.

Running an engine-in is almost unheard-of now-a-days, dealers and car producers say the quicker the vehicle reaches is optimum working temperature the better.

Sat in your drive with the engine idling will not warm-up the gear-box oil etc.. you still gotta get the car moving at some point..??

I agree with much of what has been said above. Don't leave the car sat on the drive idling before setting off (I know this is tempting on icy mornings). Drive normally and don't push it until oil temp is at least up to 50 degrees. Don't be concerned about red lining once the car is warm (oil temp 80 degree plus). No need to sit for two minutes letting the turbo spool down unless you have just come off the motorway and stopped. I do however keep the rev's down to about 2k or so for the last three minutes (approx.) before arriving at my destination, particularly if I have been driving 'enthusiastically'. As for running in a new engine, either drive normally or if anything work the engine hard in my opinion. I think gentle running in can do more harm than good and may not help with future oil consumption.

 

But don't necessarily believe in what you read in forums!!!

The advice about letting turbos spool down has always struck me as being absolute nonsense - unless you approach your driveway at 70 and then slam the anchors on.

However, I never push it till the oil is up to temperature and that depends on how freely you're moving and the external temperature.

Totally agree with everything above. These engines by design run quite hot. But being a modern engine, systems are in place to manage heat on shut down. You can hear the pump still going after the engine has been switched off. Just apply a bit of mechanical sympathy and don't be afraid to enjoy the cars potential.

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Well I come from a Polo and RRover both over 18yrs old, so had not realised engines have moved on

The advice here is excellent and will follow that.

I have also changed to ESSO Ron 97 Super Unleaded  to see how that fares.  Not sure what it actually does. Does it give you more power, better fuel effeciency or is it just better for the engine ?

 

Cheers

D

The prescribed fuel is 98 ron, and thats what  the engine was designed to use, & 99 ron in the form of Tesco Momentum might only cost £2.50 a tank over others 95 ron. (5 pence a litre more, and 5 pence a litre at least less than Shell V Power Nitro.) 

 

It can run on 95 or 97 octane, but as the manual tells you, you might expect less performance.

& that might equate to a lower mpg, the 95 ron can be a bit rough on cold starts.

I would have preferred the 98, but there's no Tesco where I am. Only an Esso and a Murco

I opted for the Esso.

Anyway, what does the "super" petrol really do ?

http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octane_rating

 

You should be fine with 97 ron, others use it, certainly better than using 95 if you want to use the car spirited sometimes.

 

Sainsburys Super Unleaded is often the cheapest 97 ron.

My nearest station is a Murco but the name alone puts me off - can't help but think I'd be putting mucko in my tank.