just bought my mk2 vrs and just wanted to know what to have my water temp/ oil temp at before driving merrily through the festive period :p  

Wouldnt go off the coolant temp, that gets up to temp really soon.

Its the oil temp that you wanna look at if you can

Oil is fully up to temp at around 80/90 degrees i think.

Just make sure there's oil in it before going merrily

mine has a built in oil temperature sensor but on a winter's night on short journeys mine rarely touches 80-90 unless i boost i agree that these engines do get up to water temperature very quickly I've gone off my oil sensor and started boosting at oil temperature 50 degrees do you think thats too low ? 

Do not worry about the Water Temperature,

 just start the car, and once you are driving a bit it will come up to show 90*oC.

 

Around 0*0C to 10*0C the Oil might take 5-10 miles at 60 mph before showing 50*oC.

& 15-20 to get above 88*oC -92*oC

 

For the sake of the engine, mostly let the oil at least get over 50*oC before booting it.

(Unless someone is up your jacksy as you leave the 30-40 MPH limit.)

 

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/261562-450-miles-in-a-vrs-45-mpg

Edited 25 December, 201411 yr by goneoffSKi

Thanks all have a safe christmas.

Yea same as what George says for me. Usually around 85c up to 95c if I am having a play :-)

My maxidot doesn't show coolant temp. Should it be showing it as well as the oil temp?

No.

Just the Coolant Gauge at the left hand side, and the needle that ends up pointing straight up.

Cool cool cheers

Ive had a few e46 M3 that have built in Oil temp sensors. It normally takes about 10 minutes of steady driving before its warm enough to drive spiritedly.

 

Don't get too hung up - as long as its over 60c then it will be fine to open the taps. If you are maybe going on track then Allow a warm up and cool down lap to help things

 

These engines will run rather hot by design

These engines are only 1390cc and are slow to warm the oil to efficient temperatures,

and when the oil gets hot, or hotter, quick to cool it to the efficient temp,  there is a good coolant system.

There is only a 3.6 Litre oil capacity.

 

They really are not designed to run hot, but are fine when the are, and good oil and the right fuel sees them through,

but VW messed up a bit with some components and early Engine Management (Mapping) and have 1 cylinder that get a bit too hot with Spirited Use, and sometimes just with normal use.

Edited 26 December, 201411 yr by goneoffSKi

how do you know that 1 cylinder gets too hot?? curious??

The major clue is where they burn out the valves,

or the tip of the spark plug, coil failure etc.