Does any one remember those signs on new cars? I assume is it not necessary these days to run an engine in to the degree that used to happen (only brand new car I've had has been a company car)...was it discovered that it just wasn't necessary or was there some kind of advance in engine manufacture?
Running in...please pass.
- Thread starter Briton
- Start date
Briton said:
Not really, manufacturing tolerances are much tighter now with advances in manufacturing, so the running in process is almost eliminated in the first place.
I don't remember 2, 3 and 5 star petrol so much as remember people with old cars complaining at stations that they wanted 2* for their cars and couldn't get it any more.
The Mrs' new Fiesta Zetec-S says in the manual to drive carefully in the first 500 miles or so not using more than 4000 revs where possible. But it also says to use the range upto 4000 regulary.
Then it goes in for a courtesy service to check everything is still bolted together!
Then it goes in for a courtesy service to check everything is still bolted together!
engineering tolerances may indeed be tighter, but it doesn't in any way stop monkeys failing to put things together properly
Only had two brand new cars to date, my current Golf Mk5 is a joke, my other [Alfa 156] was actually mechanically better till the engine needed replaced at 40k due to high oil consumption
to put it all in perspective I had a Honda prelude VTEC which had 85k on it when I bought it, I kept it for 3 years and sold it with 120k on the clock in that time it needed a clutch [got 110k from original] an aircon recharge and in the week I was selling it an abs sensor failed
needless to say, Honda will be getting my next order
Only had two brand new cars to date, my current Golf Mk5 is a joke, my other [Alfa 156] was actually mechanically better till the engine needed replaced at 40k due to high oil consumption
to put it all in perspective I had a Honda prelude VTEC which had 85k on it when I bought it, I kept it for 3 years and sold it with 120k on the clock in that time it needed a clutch [got 110k from original] an aircon recharge and in the week I was selling it an abs sensor failed
needless to say, Honda will be getting my next order
I had to run in the ST for 1000 miles, i was told to keep it under 3k.
There are two schools of thought on running in, one is to rags the nuts of it, and the other is to follow the manufacturers guidelines, now they reckon if you give it grief from day 1, you have a chance of it making more power than std (or something along those lines), for me id rather follow the man guidelines, if something goes wrong you have less of a chance of having the warranty invalidated.
Plus you have to remember its just not the engine, you brakes,tyres,gearbox etc all need a ittle running, plus the driver, you need time to get used to the car too.
There are two schools of thought on running in, one is to rags the nuts of it, and the other is to follow the manufacturers guidelines, now they reckon if you give it grief from day 1, you have a chance of it making more power than std (or something along those lines), for me id rather follow the man guidelines, if something goes wrong you have less of a chance of having the warranty invalidated.
Plus you have to remember its just not the engine, you brakes,tyres,gearbox etc all need a ittle running, plus the driver, you need time to get used to the car too.
Anyone else getting deja vu? 
http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=17661230
http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=17661230
Whether or not the ECU logs such things (wouldn't surprise me), they'd stand no chance of voiding the warranty as a result unless the dealer had expressly warned you about obeying the running in procedure when the vehicle was handed over. Putting a note in the handbook about it and then trying to void the warranty when you say you didn't read it just isn't going to stand up in a court I'm afraid.Saytan said:
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I also like the features that are appearing in some cars recently which lower the rev limit until the engine is warmed up.. not during the run-in period, but throughout the life of the car.. good feature, though i bet lots of people hate it 
Vertigo1 said:Anyone else getting deja vu?
http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=17661230
Whether or not the ECU logs such things (wouldn't surprise me), they'd stand no chance of voiding the warranty as a result unless the dealer had expressly warned you about obeying the running in procedure when the vehicle was handed over. Putting a note in the handbook about it and then trying to void the warranty when you say you didn't read it just isn't going to stand up in a court I'm afraid.
If you had to be 'expressly warned' then surely none of us has to worry about small print ever again? I doubt that somehow.
unless I am very much mistaken this "logging" is nothing more than counting the amount of times you hit the rev limiter,
that coupled with the sensors analysing the state of the engine oil is about as much as I would expect them being able to wag their finger at you about
so I wouldn't be altering my driving style just yet
, common sense would stop me over-revving an engine in its 1st 5000 km
a brief explanation in reference to new engines that was put to me years ago by a respected mechanic is as follows :-
in a new engine the gap between piston rings and cylinder bore is minimal, at this time you should expect higher friction which equates to reduced engine power and fuel economy, as the friction reduces due to natural wear the tolerance will hit the "sweet spot" and your power output and fuel economy will improve, as the engine approaches end of life [70k + ] you should expect loss of oil, lower power and worsening fuel consumption.
obviously the harder you push the engine at any stage of its life the more you will accelerate this [no pun intended], I'm also sure a considerate driver can expect to keep the engine in the "sweet spot" for longer than your average company car owner
that coupled with the sensors analysing the state of the engine oil is about as much as I would expect them being able to wag their finger at you about
so I wouldn't be altering my driving style just yet
, common sense would stop me over-revving an engine in its 1st 5000 kma brief explanation in reference to new engines that was put to me years ago by a respected mechanic is as follows :-
in a new engine the gap between piston rings and cylinder bore is minimal, at this time you should expect higher friction which equates to reduced engine power and fuel economy, as the friction reduces due to natural wear the tolerance will hit the "sweet spot" and your power output and fuel economy will improve, as the engine approaches end of life [70k + ] you should expect loss of oil, lower power and worsening fuel consumption.
obviously the harder you push the engine at any stage of its life the more you will accelerate this [no pun intended], I'm also sure a considerate driver can expect to keep the engine in the "sweet spot" for longer than your average company car owner
if you follow the manufacturers running in instructions to the letter, you can kill most cars within a few hundred miles...
on the other hand, follow good practices and you can drive the car hard from new.. warm the car up before driving off etc etc...
Indeed tolerances are much better these days, and you can do max legal speeds within running in guidelines...
Gone are the days of being restricted to 40-50mph
on the other hand, follow good practices and you can drive the car hard from new.. warm the car up before driving off etc etc...
Indeed tolerances are much better these days, and you can do max legal speeds within running in guidelines...
Gone are the days of being restricted to 40-50mph