1983 D24T cold drive.
 

Hi, as a few of you know I picked up a stock 1983 760 Turbo Diesel a few months ago, but being new to the scene I am still a bit lost of how to drive it when the engine is cold. For example, I was told they don't like to idle to warm up, but be driven pretty quickly after the D24 has started. However when I drive it and the engine is cold, I take my time and don't rev it that high, but I end up causing a line up of cars behind me because it is so gutless. My rev gauge doesn't work, but it sounds like I don't take it above 1500-2000rpm when I drive it first thing in the morning.

For you who daily a D24 powered Volvo, how do you drive it when it's cold? Thanks.

D24t
 

Idk about your climate
But
My d24t warms up within a couple of miles or appr 10mins of easy driving (colder months, East Coast of USA). My high mile m46's overdrive needs even more in the coldest months.
2000rpm sounds gentle but in the Winter even that often seems too high for the first miles... Keep your foot off the pedal as much as you can and do not race the engine. Especially uphill or towing.
In general, any month of any climate, you should definitely avoid taking the highway in the first ten minutes to avoid excessive (unnecessary) wear of internal engine parts.

As you already know, diesels in general will not warm up to operating temp. from just starting and idling as a gasoline engine would.

Mine is up to temp within 5 minutes of easy driving from start.

Best practice is to start it, give a few seconds for the idle to smooth out, and drive off babying it somewhat for the first few minutes. Not extreme baybing it, but avoid pushing it hard, excessively loading it, and of course, no WOT. You don't need to restrict the revs so much, but avoid loading it. Give the oil time to get up to temp. (given a properly functioning cooling system, the oil temp should roughly follow the coolant temp) and remember the engine components have differing rates of thermal expansion due to different materials (ex. aluminum head, iron block).

I bought one of mine that needed a new engine. The PO lived at the bottom of a long steep hill and she would boot it up that hill from a cold start every morning, quite effectively shortening the life of that engine.

Best thing you can do is to ensure you have the correct thermostat that correctly blocks off the bypass port, and use full synthetic diesel-rated motor oil. ;) This is a must.

Are you saying it is gutless because you are hesitant to rev it into its powerband? Is your situation that you enter a high speed highway immediately from your starting location?