Tips for breaking in a brand new engine?

[AdamD]

The more I read about breaking in, the more confused I get.

Was planning on ensuring that the speed and revs are not kept constant, which may not be that easy with the DSG.

What does everyone think about running in in 'S' vs 'D'? Any merit in running in in 'S' mode as it will give more freedom for the engine to rev?

I'd expect that driving in Sport mode will just annoy you very quickly. In my experience, it'll rev higher than is comfortable for everyday driving. AFAIK, higher engine speeds aren't what you should be aiming for during the early stages of run-in, but rather varying the engine speed regularly, to ensure matching/consistent/smooth surfaces between the various moving parts.

Push the lever to manual and do the gear shifting yourself from time to time. Drive the car gently but don't baby it completely, and if you're cruising along straight stretches of road without undulations (for variation in engine load), or changes in engine speed, then just shift down a gear or two for a couple of minutes, and then shift back. Rinse. Repeat.

I'm only going to be doing the above for the first couple of thousand km before I pay less attention to it; by that stage the parts should have machined to each other nicely. Then it'll be time to start increasing the maximum engine speed and throttle load. By 5,000km I'll probably give it the full welly occasionally.

[AdamD]

Just do what it says in the manual.

Which is, incidentally, take it easy for the first 1,000km or so (from memory). I think they recommend staying below 75% of maximum speed (road speed and possibly engine speed too). 75% is probably a very sane limit for engine speed and load IMO.

[Syd118TSI]

I'd expect that driving in Sport mode will just annoy you very quickly. In my experience, it'll rev higher than is comfortable for everyday driving. AFAIK, higher engine speeds aren't what you should be aiming for during the early stages of run-in, but rather varying the engine speed regularly, to ensure matching/consistent/smooth surfaces between the various moving parts.

Push the lever to manual and do the gear shifting yourself from time to time. Drive the car gently but don't baby it completely, and if you're cruising along straight stretches of road without undulations (for variation in engine load), or changes in engine speed, then just shift down a gear or two for a couple of minutes, and then shift back. Rinse. Repeat.

I'm only going to be doing the above for the first couple of thousand km before I pay less attention to it; by that stage the parts should have machined to each other nicely. Then it'll be time to start increasing the maximum engine speed and throttle load. By 5,000km I'll probably give it the full welly occasionally.

This sounds good. I'll definitely give the 'manual' shifting a go and will take the car on a nice varied drive for a couple of hundred kilometres on the first weekend, as a lot of the regular driving in this car will be on a long straight flat road at 100/110 km/h and will be the Mrs behind the wheel for those trips.... not too sure she'll be keen to do the shifting herself, so may suggest she take a different route for a couple of weeks.

[Beaker]

It took me a while however I finally found the article I was looking for on this. From a previous car I know a world renown engine builder to subscribes to the same theory put forward in the article (he does them on a dyno), have a read and look at the pictures of the pistons and make up your own mind.

Break In Secrets--How To Break In New Motorcycle and Car Engines For More Power

This one is also worth having a read of.

New Engine Break-in Procedure

Don't like the first article, the second one is good - its basicaly saying the same as most on here have said - vary the load, but don't flog the piss out of it (ie rev the crap out of it.)

[Mk6 GTI]

Guys my dealer told me the engine was broken in at the factory and that i can go ahead and drive it how i want?..

[brad]

Guys my dealer told me the engine was broken in at the factory and that i can go ahead and drive it how i want?..

That contradicts what the factory manual says. One is in writing & the other verbal. I doubt the salesman would stand behind his advice if something went wrong.

I'd have no problems driving my car "normally" straight from the showroom but there are some tosspots out there with little mechanical sympathy that would probably push too hard at the start.

[Mk6 GTI]

That contradicts what the factory manual says. One is in writing & the other verbal. I doubt the salesman would stand behind his advice if something went wrong.

I'd have no problems driving my car "normally" straight from the showroom but there are some tosspots out there with little mechanical sympathy that would probably push too hard at the start.

Fair enough well i didnt push past 4000 rpm in the first 1000 kms. Maybe accidently a few times! But nothing full on. Im at 1200 now. Ive hit 5000rpm since going over 1000kms.

Being at 1200kms.. how hard can i push?

[kennyc]

Basically what he told me as well, and it wasn't the salesman, it was the service department guy.

But yeah i have reved my car to like 7000 rpm a few times in sport mode. Time will tell i guess if my car fracks up sooner then all yours.

[Mk6 GTI]

Basically what he told me as well, and it wasn't the salesman, it was the service department guy.

But yeah i have reved my car to like 7000 rpm a few times in sport mode. Time will tell i guess if my car fracks up sooner then all yours.

Well the salesman that told me had just been on GTI training. I havent even used sports mode yet because its going to rev right out. Ill hold back untill 2000kms i think at least just for peace of mind! But i think it is fine either way to be honest..

[brad]

Fair enough well i didnt push past 4000 rpm in the first 1000 kms. Maybe accidently a few times! But nothing full on. Im at 1200 now. Ive hit 5000rpm since going over 1000kms.

Being at 1200kms.. how hard can i push?

You should be able to feel the engine going tight - like it doesn't want to rev. I just kept taking mine to that tight point momentarily in 2nd or 3rd, then backing off for a bit & doing it again. It only takes a decent drive of a couple of hundred kms to get to the point where the engine feels reasonably free & responsive.

[Mk6 GTI]

You should be able to feel the engine going tight - like it doesn't want to rev. I just kept taking mine to that tight point momentarily in 2nd or 3rd, then backing off for a bit & doing it again. It only takes a decent drive of a couple of hundred kms to get to the point where the engine feels reasonably free & responsive.

I know what you mean.. thats when i would keep pulling off. It was generally around 4000rpm. Ive driven to newcastle and back. Made sure i fluctuated the revs while on the freeway. Like i said before i have accidently let it rev to 5500rpm a couple of times but hopefully that hasnt caused any damage! :|

So how long till i can start having a real go do you think?? I have 1200kms

[brad]

I know what you mean.. thats when i would keep pulling off. It was generally around 4000rpm. Ive driven to newcastle and back. Made sure i fluctuated the revs while on the freeway. Like i said before i have accidently let it rev to 5500rpm a couple of times but hopefully that hasnt caused any damage! :|

So how long till i can start having a real go do you think?? I have 1200kms

If it feels good now, then go for it. I was giving mine some short "tests" by about 1000km. Wouldn't take it to a track day at those mileages but for the occasional big pull in 3rd out of a corner or up a hill........ I love my engine - good fuel economy, no oil usage, spins nicely, good power, good torque.

[Mk6 GTI]

If it feels good now, then go for it. I was giving mine some short "tests" by about 1000km. Wouldn't take it to a track day at those mileages but for the occasional big pull in 3rd out of a corner or up a hill........ I love my engine - good fuel economy, no oil usage, spins nicely, good power, good torque.

Awsome, thanks for that brad!

Yes its a awsome engine! How many kms have you got now?

[brad]

I've got a 2 year old 1.8TSI 118kw/250Nm Skoda Octavia (same engine as an entry level Audi A4 or what they have just started putting in the Passat). It has 46,000km on it.

[WhiteJames]

Both articles on ‘breaking in the motor’ are great reads.

I guess you avoid the two extremes:

Babying it or driving it around town in peak hour traffic with bugger all load, little oil pressure & not enough cool airflow. On the other hand, not so much a good idea thrash it at high revs or use more than 75% throttle for fear of piston ring flutter, esp. with a boosted motor. Piston rings on the MK6 motor (EA88 are stronger than the piston rings on the MKV motor (EA113) re: piston ring flutter.

Worth noting that I found that once the motor heats up to its ideal operating temperature, the DSG gearbox generally takes up to 3 times longer to warm up to provide the Volkswagen trademark silky smooth automated shifts.

Cheers.

WJ