Running in new petrol engine?

Sure, there's the argument that if it's on a lease then why care, but someone will be buying it afterwards - say you (or your son/daughter) bought it, wouldn't it be far nicer to have an engine/car that's been looked after? Why not think about it being more than just another disposable item? I've been looking at a M135i recently and read a few reports about its run in period. Again, some say "it's a modern engine so just ignore it" but there's also a lot of comments that the demo/press cars drunk a lot more oil than those owners that observed the specified run in - so, whether it's fact or just placebo, I know I would observe the manufacturer's instructions regarding the engine's run-in.

Doesn't the R8 have a clever system that it purposely limits the revs until its oil is warm and possibly even after x miles - to try to look after its engine. So, a cold car from production straight to a dyno isn't likely (apart for a press exercise). Same as a race engine going from being freshly built to roaring around a track where they don't care if it will last 10k miles, let alone 100k. Just 'cos it can perform out of the box doesn't mean it will last as long or be just as trouble-free as an engine treated with mechanical sympathy.

Yes, you have no control of the state of the driving during the delivery miles, but why not be a little calmer than normal during the first 500-1k miles just to try to let everything bed in and settle down? What I'm more surprised by, is the lack of a 1k mile oil change - if they specify a run in period then why not an oil flush afterwards to get rid of any swarf/rubbish?
 
It's the cooling down that is most important I think. Don't rev the nuts off it before switching off, go easy for the last few miles.

The engines in the STs are pretty bullet proof though. They won't mind if you boot it from cold :)
 
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Read the handbook, if there is a run-in period it will say. My car had a 1250 mile run-in period and a service at that point, I was not supposed to go above 5500rpm during that period which for the most part I stuck to.
 
Drive normal, just dont break 4500rpm until 1000 miles.

high spots on piston rings before they have bedded will have more of an effect the faster the rings. Normal driving to get good cylinder pressure will help those high spots bed in ready for post 1000mile high engine speeds.

Thats my 'sensible' guidance.
 
Nasher said:
It's the cooling down that is most important I think. Don't rev the nuts off it before switching off, go easy for the last few miles.

The engines in the STs are pretty bullet proof though. They won't mind if you boot it from cold :)
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Don't ever boot ANY engine from cold.

Hard break in, worked for me twice now.
 
I tended to take it easier for the first couple of 500 miles or so. It's certainly not going to hurt in the long run.
 
Kuros said:
I tended to take it easier for the first couple of 500 miles or so. It's certainly not going to hurt in the long run.
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Some people say it doesn't seat the rings properly and you end up using more oil, both of my vehicles use no readable amounts of oil.

Engines are tough, either way works
 
When i got my bike with 134 miles on, i was told :-

up to 500 miles - 6k rpm max
up to 800 miles - 8k rpm max
up to 1000 miles - 10k rpm max

I sort of stuck to that, but i'd boot it every now and again up to the next 'max rpm' level. E.g at 300 mile would take it up to 8k rpm just for that bit then back down.

Obviously wait until it's warmed up before enthusiastic with the go-pedal (i still do this now)

EDIT: Followed the manufacturer service schedule of course
 
Archeum said:
Reminds me of a popular post on the Civic Type R owners facebook* where a scary amount of them were adamant that because there was no turbo they can just give it some when it's cold.
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Seems a strange thing to be adamant about considering the VTEC doesn't engage until the car is up to temperature.
 
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