I fall into the "oil" camp, much more important to warm the oil than the water and yes, most engine wear is in that first moment because of the oil. I live in Florida, so the issue is minor, but in extreme climes...well you know the rest!

 

The "worst/cheapest" oils of today are better then the "best" oils of 20 years ago. Get in, start it, drive it. Quit sweating the small stuff.😉

 

OB,

When the 6-cylinder cars were added to the range, Jaguar did not produce a separate Drivers Handbook. They just had one handbook with separate paragraphs where there were distinctions between the 6- and 12-cylinder models. The paragraph about "Warming Up" remained as previously written.

Paul

 

Maybe we shouldn't worry as much with the Advent of modern lubricants, which could mean the advice in the Handbook, is not as critical as it used to be.

 

90+ percent of the consituents of "modern" lubricants
remains exactly what it has been for decades.

 

When cold or not driven for a day or two, I start it, watch the oil pressure gauge rise and back it out of the garage, sit there until the garage door is closed. For the first two miles or so I keep the revs below 2000. When I see the temp gauge moving up I drive my usual way, whatever the hell that is…

 

Meaning?

Do you think the advice in the Hand Book is still valid?

 

Probably the best advice I've heard.

It takes me about 10 minutes, to get my Car out of the Garage and down the driveway by which time the AAV has reduced the RPM and I'm ready to go.

In which case the Hand Book advice, just doesn't apply, as fast idle with the AAV provides enough revs, without touching the throttle.

But I still wouldn't use an unrecognised brand of Oil or less than 99 Octane Petrol/Gas

Magnatec Fully Synthetic 10/40.

 

Forget about valid. The handbook advice is too vague to even be helpful.

Unless, of course, you're referring to the 'cold weather' part where an actual specific instruction is given

Cheers
DD

 

The goal is to get the engine up to operating temperature and out of enrichment as fast as possible. That reduces cylinder wall washing and oil dilution from excess fuel.

The best way to do that is to put some load on it and the temperature will come up quicker than idling, which is the minimum load and thus the slowest way to come to temperature. Of course, not WOT right after starting, but driven gently.

EFI will match the fueling to the engine's needs, but due to condensation and puddling of cold fuel an engine typically needs between 70-85% more fuel to cold start than at fully hot. Most of that fuel stays liquid and will dilute the oil, rather than being burnt. That's why it's so important to get it up to temperature as fast as possible.

What I generally do is start the car, put on my seatbelt and back out of the garage. That interval gives enough time for the oil pressure to come up, and then it's ready to drive. I would wait no longer than it takes for the oil pressure to build.

I do live in a cold climate, and in the winter I will use the block heater to prewarm the engine. I does make a noticeable difference in cranking speed and the car will start faster. Sometimes it makes the difference between starting and not starting. At -40 there is gross overfueling just to get the engine to start because the fuel doesn't want to vapourize.

However, when it's really cold (i.e. -20C and colder) and if the car is parked outside I do let it warm up by idling a bit longer, because I usually have to scrape frost off the windshield, and I turn on the heated windshield and rear window defrost while I'm cleaning the car off. It's mainly a safety thing, I need the windshield clear to see! At those sorts of temperatures if I breathe the wrong way the inside of the windshield will frost over. Jaguar is one of the few cars that have a heated windshield, it's a feature I love in winter. Not the XJS, but it is parked for the winter. The X300 and my X Type do have it, and it's great. X300 especially, as it's heater is marginal in the winter.

So there I will wait a few min until the glass is clear, and then drive off gently. It makes a noticeable difference to how fast the engine will come up to temperature to drive vs leaving it idle, even at -30. I'd rather do a few loops through my neighbourhood to warm it up, rather than leave it idle.

 

Jeez, and here is me thinking 2 or 3 Celsius is cold. lol

 

I start mine, back it out of the garage, go approximately 1/2 mile to the main highway at 15MPH then drive it like a rental car from there. Have so for 8 years, runs great, burns no oil, I enjoy the hell out of it. These cars weren't meant to be babied. Put quality oil in it, drive it as often as you can and let the V-12 be a V-12.

 

I can say from experience that an X300 heater is unable to keep the windshield clear of frost on the inside of the glass at -43C and 110 km/h.

Thank goodness for the electrical heating grid in it, that was able to give enough heat to keep the glass clear, I had to run it about every 10 min.

A Series III V12 car could keep the glass clear, the heater in those cars is excellent. It's the same unit as an XJS, so I suspect a coupe would be fine in the cold. Not sure about a convertible, I park mine for the winter.

 

The '96 4,0 that owns me is the best car I can remember having as to going from cold, as in 15 degrees to a 600 rpm idle. Takes about 10 seconds to settle down from 1,200. Sweet, and I don't wait any longer than that to drive off but at very low throttle settings for a bit. Be gentle, these old ladies aren't needing to prove anything as to ripping off from a standing start.
Cheers, RagJag

 

I start my STR....and wait to move the car when the tack drops from around 1,200 rpm to the 700 to 850 range then 'glide' out rather than 'launch'....that's for a tad later.

2003 STR quartz, light grey int. 126K and counting.
1995 911/993

 

You don't drive them enough if they're getting cold :0 JK
Here in Canada, I run outside in my pjs, start her up, turn on the heat and seats then go back in the house and have a coffee
It may sit for 10 minutes before i get back to it, then I drive gently until the first stop sign about 5k