Breaking in your new car

[PhilMart]

[QUOTE=Splashalot;136550]

Hi Guys,

This is my method....

As I was leaving the dealer. I put my foot on the floor all the way...QUOTE]


Remind me never to buy a used car from you

I'm also a fan of the varying med-high load/moderate revs run-in technique. This is explained in a rather long-winded way in the following link on a US Acura (ie. honda) forum. I don't agree with everything written there, but it gives some sound priciples behind this school of thought. Hope it's helpfull to all those running-in their new pride and joy

http://tsx.acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1443&highlight=break-in

SS

That site is now on my favourites! It seems to agree with what I think in the main .. and I suppose that really is the best way to do it ..

[Elcuban]

Guys, When I first picked up my car, it sat idle for about 10 mins while I transfered my things between cars. Do you think this ahs cosued soem damage. F(*&(&(*

[Logzy]

Guys, When I first picked up my car, it sat idle for about 10 mins while I transfered my things between cars. Do you think this ahs cosued soem damage. F(*&(&(*

Probably wasnt the best thing to do but i wouldnt be too worried about it.
You cant change what happened anyway.
Just forget about it and enjoy your car.

[Greg Roles]

So long as the next few thousand k's are varied driving without baby-ing the car, it'll be fine.

The acura link above makes perfect sense to me, and confirms the get up it a bit idea for high combustion pressures.
I like the idea of the short trips, but my car has been too much fun to drive for that!
Makes for a theory perfect run in though in my opinion.

Still, you hardly hear of big end problems in modern cars, but often hear of poor ring seal and elevated oil use. FPV, LS1 you name it.

Great link to a great run in writeup all the same!

[Bubu]

Somehow, due to modern manufacturing and materials, I dont think the running-in process is as crucial as it was on older cars.


Another thing to keep in mind is that VW engineers built the engines and have more experience with engine testing, wear and durability than your local mechanic or some know-it-all who posts on forums or has his own website. So maybe the best thing to do is to follow the instructions in your user manual, after all VW do want their engines to last. Look at Toyota and how everyone perceives them as being reliable, every manufacturer in the world wants their cars to be labeled 'reliable' because its good for sales.

Apparently modern engines are built 'loose', by that I mean they are not very tight because tight engines create more friction and more friction means more petrol and more polution.

[PhilMart]

Just spoke to a VW mechanic .. good name about the place from what I hear.

They effectively stated this

If you MUST change the oil, change it after 7500km. The oil in your car at pick up is specifically formulated to assist in breaking in the engine. He also stated that the precise clearances etc that can be achieved in creating an engine means that less debris is cast off and held in the engine. He stated that on removing "camshaft end caps??" which would generally store debris from a engine breaking in does not show any significant amount of debris in all the engines he has worked on.

However he did state that "babying" an engine in the first 500km is the big no-no. He advises all his customers that taking the car for a drive in the Adelaide Hills immediately after taking ownership is the best way to break in. The whole idea is to get the car going through a constant rev range during the first 500km. This assists in the seating of the rings etc. By the same token it is not a good idea to rev it past 3500 rpm in the first 500km but he stated that giving it full throttle to 3500 rpm is not a bad thing!

He also stated that loss of oil MAY be due to babying or not breaking in the engine properly ie he usually finds that customers that do a long distance drive on picking up their car and stay at constant revs usually lose so much more oil, which could be attributed to the seals not seating properly.

So happy he made the comment about the hills run, coz thats exactly what I did when I picked up my GTI!

[D3bb4]

if you let it sit at constant rpm for too long, you glaze the bore - result of fuel wash. Varying loads on engine... more load, not with rpm is the way to go for bedding in rings. It even says in the owners manuals: do not let the car sit/idle to get the engine up to temperature! you can let it idle for a bit to let it cool down -also says in manual (i'd presonally just drive it gently to cool it but).

[rym]

Dear gentle beings, I'm due to pick up my 1.8TFSI Skoda in coming days.
I certainly have no intention of "babying it".

I have owned a few sports bikes in my time and I'm not sure if this is coincidence or not but the "healthiest" and strongest engine I have had was one that I broke it in at Philip Island race track. I loaded the engine via acceleration and deceleration on the way (about 200km+) to the track.

On the 1st session at the track, I exercised "caution" with steady smooth acceleration and deceleration on all parts of the track. This was really hard to do on a track when there is 300kmh straights... but I persisted for the 1st 15 to 20 minutes session riding with the "slower" groups. My consideration of the 1st session was about bedding in all moving parts that has friction, not just the engine itself. But, this may be overkill as my road riding of 200km + trip to the track should have done that I guess...

In the 2nd session, I joined the "fast" group and didn't hold back, bounced the rev limiter occasionally and there was plenty of redzone... and this continued for the rest of the track day.

Of course, the tyres was shagged and had to be replaced the next day. I'd also changed the oil the next day using normal mineral oil and did the change again in 5k intervals and was onto full synthetics after that.

Some months later, I did some mod & tuning work and this engine was so strong and clean, the dyno guy mentioned the same that this was the healthiest example that he had seen.

Not that I will take the skoda for any track day, this is my family wagon but I certainly think there is merrit in NOT Babying Modern engines with their already tight build tolerance.

My 2c on this topic.

[Greg Roles]

And to add fuel to the debate, most decent road bike engines such as the R1's are DRY run at high revs just after assembly on the production line. NO OIL. Quite a sight....

This is TO massively accelerate bedding in the rings.....

[SoVeReIgN]

If you MUST change the oil, change it after 7500km. The oil in your car at pick up is specifically formulated to assist in breaking in the engine.

How ? It's no different to the oil they put in the car later on in its life ?

[Candyman]

How ? It's no different to the oil they put in the car later on in its life ?

Most break in oils are mineral and they then switch to either a mineral/synthetic blend or full synthetic

Well, that is what Subaru do with their turbos

[PhilMart]

How ? It's no different to the oil they put in the car later on in its life ?

Not sure .. I have actually emailed VW Australia to see if there is anything to this. Would be interesting to see if the first oil had some other characteristics from a normal oil. Will keep you updated.

[Splashalot]

Not sure .. I have actually emailed VW Australia .... Will keep you updated.

Please do.

[gregozedobe]

The oil in your car at pick up is specifically formulated to assist in breaking in the engine.

Given the following:

1 VW deliver TDIs with original fill oil that may be in there for up to 32,000KM (euro long life servicing)

2 VW are very pedantic about using only the absolutely correct VW specification oil,

3 VWA themselves recommend the first oil change be done at 15,000Km/12 months (despite some dealers fostering the belief that the first oil change needs to be done at 7,500Km),

4 What I've read on UK web sites and several vendors (Fuchs and Castrol) about original fill oil;


I have a hard time believing that our TDIs (at least) are delivered with anything except the oil that is recommended for normal use ie NOT a special running-in oil (otherwise VW themselves would be telling us to change it at 5000Km or so).

If anyone gets anything official and informative from VW head office (not VW Australia) to the contrary then I would be very interested to know what they say, as it will affect my decision on when to do an initial oil change (and at what distance).

BTW, it is interesting how running-in procedures and oils are always a "hot" topic on forums like this. I guess it is because they are mainly populated by enthusiasts and new car buyers who want to look after their vehicles as well as they know how.

[Greg Roles]

After starting my time here asking exactly this sort of question, I too agree with Gregoz, for the diesels at least. As Gregoz rightly pointed out the PD mechanism, and the particle filter in the exhaust, needs a pretty specific full synthetic oil. Good for PD and filters, bit of a bummer for run-in.
( I just drove extra hard )

Perhaps the GTi and R32 come with a mineral blend, and it is switched out to full syn at the 15k service. Pretty normal practice with more performance orientated cars. Also always next to impossible to get a definative answer to this question from the manufacturer, sub agents, workshops, as they all have differing views. I get the feeling no manufacturer wants to go on record, as the fact is the nearest drum of oil often ends up in the car.....

If I didn't buy a diesel I would have swapped it out myself, just to be sure. But that's me.