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Start the engine at dead idle... (archive)
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Posted by Steve///Borsse on September 09, 2001 at 20:09:50:

In Reply to: Engine start advice posted by Zajo on September 09, 2001 at 19:29:51:

foot off gas, transmission in neutral. After 10-15 seconds, gently increase idle to 1200-1500 RPM max. Hold your foot on the gas maintaining this RPM for another 15 seconds. This "spins up" the oil pump helping increase lubrication without putting a load on the engine.

On my 01 Euro M roadster, I can see at this point the temperature gauge moving up to the top end of the "blue" range. Then drive off gently, neither revving nor lugging the engine. Keep the RPM under 3,000 until the engine water temp reads "straight up." You can now safely rev a little higher, but it will be about five more minutes until the oil temperature reaches normal operating temp, at which point you are "free to fly." The oil temp is really what is critical.

Your manual will tell you to "drive off" after ten or fifteen seconds of warm-up, but the load of pulling the car will always be harder than the above mentioned technique.
This is the exact procedure I currently use, and the same one I used on my 98/2.8. The engine oil level would not move down even a sixteenth of an inch in 9,000 hard, fast miles in year round driving in Florida between oil changes.

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