Quote Originally Posted by sillywet View Post
as for a safe temp before belting it, i don't think there is a 'number', more it's just a matter of being sensible. they reckon that driving up a hill is the best way to warm up an engine, but of course, it's the gearbox and diff that also need to be warm. normally i wait until i see a temperature on the guage before i belt it (i think it reads from 55 upwards).
Belting an engine when the oil's not up to working temp is one of the very worst things you can do for it. At 55 degrees, your oil is not up to operating temperature and isn't lubricating the moving parts to a degree I'd be comfortable with when pushing on, that's for sure. Going up a hill or revving out your engine is of course going to warm the oil faster - but it'll also be wearing the internal surfaces and bearings in the process!

I never give mine any stick until it's at 80 degrees minimum. Don't drive too gently from cold as to extend the duration of the warmup, otherwise you can be doing more harm than good. Just drive normally until it's up to operating temp before you cut loose, IMO.