Running in advice

[nickd]

Hi All,

I have a conundrum.

The car in my sig arrived at the beginning of May, minus the Comfort Pack. At the time, the dealer offered me a few options, one of which was a cancelled order with the same spec as I ordered (plus a bonus sunroof), and promised that if it didn't arrive in time for my driving holiday (Adelaide -> Mt Buller) he would lend me a new Scout.

Now, the replacement car arrives in Melbourne on 26/6, and I head off on 10/7, so while there is probably only a small chance it will arrive before I head off, knowing my luck, this is what will happen (and it will be the day before).

My question is... is a road trip like this a bad way to run in a car?

The Owners' Manual just says not to avoid exceed 75% of the maximum speed for the first 1000k. I've read elsewhere here different opinions on how to run the engine in which involve not babying it...

Should I even be considering taking my brand new baby on a trip like this?

Nick

[Gerrycan]

I think you will find the owners manual says something like don't run out to maximum rpm for the first thousand k. Big difference.
You will be able to run at the speed limit and the engine will only be doing a 2000 rpm or so.
The thing to avoid is same revs for long periods so mix it up a bit and occasionally change down and run at higher revs for a bit and use the gears on hills even if you don't really need to.

To be honest you probably do not have to do it with modern cars as the manufacturing tolerances are so good, but it is just the manufacturers covering themselves as there are some stupid people out there.

[woofy]

What he said ^

Dont use the cruise control and don't tow anything. If it is DSG chuck it in manual mode and mix up the revs on the highway every 10min or so. There is usually instructions for when you hit the 2000km mark, usually something like rev it out to nearly redline....easier to do that at 100km/hr....

[gadget007a]

What they both have said.
sounds like you are getting the same spec as me and mine is on the same ship due in on the 26th.
looks like there will be two identical rs's getting around adelaide

[Umai Naa!!]

Two days after I bought our last new car, we took it on a 1400km round trip, via the Putty Rd in NSW.

166,000kms later, it still doesn't use a drop of oil.

[nickd]

Thanks for the comments guys. gadget007a... I sure hope there are 2!


2007 Golf 2.0 TDI Comfortline DSG/ESP
MY15 Octavia RS Wagon 135TDI, Race Blue, 18" Black Pack, Tech Pack, Comfort Pack, Auto Tailgate (on order)

[Gerrycan]

Imagine that, so many new Octavia in Adelaide. I welcome the company even if I won't feel quite so special.
Welcome to the club boys.

[TheScout]

Running in advice

I drove my Scout out of the dealer in Sydney and straight down the Hume to Canberra. As others have said, no cruise and downshifts every five to ten minutes will see you through fine.

Only other advice I would give is:
- load the engine and gearbox up a few times (once it's warm) the first time you drive it. Best way to do that is in second or third, around 2,000rpm, apply a good hit of throttle (but don't rev it out);
- in general driving, don't flog it, but don't baby it either;
- try to get the oil up to a decent operating temp whenever you drive it. This is more of a general tip, but especially important imo during the first couple of hundred kays. Things in there will still be tight, warm oil helps.

Enjoy!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[brad]

Just go for it.

Don't use cruise control

Ignore 5th & 6th gear

vary revs

get some pressure behind the rings.

75% of max revs is still ~3000-3500rpm

If you run it in slow it will be slow forever

check oil at every fuel stop. Ask the dealer for a litre of top-up oil

[Ozsko]

Take it put somewhere and flog it to seat the rings and after that drive it normally and do not pander it at all and it won't chew oil. Motors these days do not need slow running in and some manufacturers pull them off the line straight onto a dyno for power runs.

[Gerrycan]

The car manual gives quite specific instructions regarding a gradually increasing workload over the first 1000/1500 km.
The advantages are that if there are problems during this period then there should not be any issues regarding warranty claims and the secondary running in requirements for both the tyres and brakes will be met by normal driving techniques.

The counter argument of a flogging the engine also has its supporters, the following link offers an explanation: Break In Secrets--How To Break In New Motorcycle and Car Engines For More Power .

Being a cautious type I tend to follow the manual but I am intrigued enough to believe 'flogging' may have some merit.
After all the 24 hour class records set by Mazda and Vauxhall involved taking brand new standard diesel cars from the assembly line to the race track and letting teams go full bore for 24 hours at speeds well over 120 mph with no obvious issues.

It would be great if an independent laboratory took two identical cars and established which method is superior

[Ozsko]

I have always used the method of run it in fast and it will always be fast but back in those days we had no evidence to support what we did and I don't know where we got the idea from. The diesel motor in my car was not run in as per Skoda's book of rules and uses no oil and never has but each to his own and I am only relating my experiences over the years. It has always been a contentious issue but 50 years ago motors were badly built, clearances varied etc and they didn't last long. These days they are precision built and last 500,000 km and most importantly the oils are way way better to the extent that oil changes could be halved. We were changing oil in trucks at longer intervals than recommended and after testing we found the oil was still serviceable so we stretched it further, out to 75,000 and the only reason they got serviced then was to do a mechanical check. Some manufacturers used to put a different oil in the motor for the initial period then change it but VW do not even have the 1000 km service these days which maybe a bit much as it was really a mechanical health check on the car but anything to save money.

[sillyboy]

The car manual gives quite specific instructions regarding a gradually increasing workload over the first 1000/1500 km.
The advantages are that if there are problems during this period then there should not be any issues regarding warranty claims and the secondary running in requirements for both the tyres and brakes will be met by normal driving techniques.

The counter argument of a flogging the engine also has its supporters, the following link offers an explanation: Break In Secrets--How To Break In New Motorcycle and Car Engines For More Power .

Being a cautious type I tend to follow the manual but I am intrigued enough to believe 'flogging' may have some merit.
After all the 24 hour class records set by Mazda and Vauxhall involved taking brand new standard diesel cars from the assembly line to the race track and letting teams go full bore for 24 hours at speeds well over 120 mph with no obvious issues.

It would be great if an independent laboratory took two identical cars and established which method is superior

I think Gerrycan sums it up very nicely, myself however took the 'drive it firm' approach, I am not redlining the car yet (at 2500kms), but I do rev it(sometimes up to 6k) and engine brake when ever possible.

[Ozsko]

Its an interesting debate and always causes lively discussion. I worked as a fleet supervisor for a large government corporation and had a fleet of trucks as well as delivery vans to supervise. We never ran in any vehicle and the drivers did their best to see if they could break them. They were driven flat out from day one, all diesels and every one of them performed flawlessly. My experience over the years is to disregard running in and just drive it normally but initially to give the motor at least one hard session. Trucks especially never get run in and give no issues, in fact I am not sure I have ever seen any break in advice for a truck now I come to think about it. I might have it wrong but that is my experience for what that is worth which is most probably not much.

[gadget007a]

The idea of flogging the engine in the article mentioned by Gerryvan is in relation to rebuilt motorcycle engines.
the idea of flogging the engine is to seat the piston rings in. with cars the idea is to get the car warmed up quickly then on the road get upto 60km per hour in top gear (or what ever gear is 1:1 ratio) and floor it until the car gets to 80km and back off the gas till the car slows to 60 and then repeat several times. The thought is this will seat the rings in so they seal, the. Drive normally varying the speed and not letting the engine idle for too long, slowly increasing the load. Then change the oil not long after. But this is the thought for rebuilt engines.
as the guy in that article states there is a small window of opportunity to seat the rings in, which in modern cars will have been done in the factory.

personally I would follow the manual then if it has issues then you could make a claim on the warranty.

every new car I have owned I have followed the recommended way but at the first inspection I always insist that they change the oil and filter. Doing this I have had cars reach 300,000km and not use oil.

any way that's my 2c worth.