Running In Period

[JJH]

whatever theories are out here, the best one is defined by the people responsible for minimising engine warranty cost to VW.
in other words just follow the manual.......no need to over complicate things......

[p3asa]

Interestingly every person I spoke to regarding me having a brand new car, just laughed when I said I was taking it easy as the car had to be run in.

Yeah, but how many of them had a degree in mechanical engineering?

Just the 3 of them 

[p3asa]

I also go up and down the gears in proper sequence. I always remember an engineer coming into fix my Hobart mixing machine. Once he opened up the machine he asked me if I skipped gears when operating the machine, I said yes. He told me that you get un even wear in the machine skipping gears. From that day on I have always used my gears in the sequence. Years later I had an engineer in my car and when I drove up to the traffic lights coming down all the gears he said yes that’s the right way as you will have even engine wear.

People taught to drive nowadays are told to miss gears out i.e. go from 4th to 2nd when coming up to junctions.

[topher]

That's for safety/control rather than engine longevity though

[p3asa]

I agree with you but you would think Learner driver cars that rack up the mileage would notice any engine / gearbox problems if they were teaching all their pupils to drive like this and if there was an apparent problem revert back to going through the gears!? After all its hardly a hardship going from 4th to 3rd to 2nd.

What kind of mileage are we talking here before problems are noticed as I have never once went from 4th to 5th in the Mk VI I don't see the point of 5th at all. It goes straight into 6th at that speed.

[topher]

In approximately 1736.4 miles your gearbox will explode!

I drive like that too, it doesn't concern me. The theory is there, and it makes sense, but in reality gearboxes are pretty tough things. I have a mate who is a mechanic for a company who leases cars to driving instructors and he's never mentioned such problems.. only moans about bad knees/back from fitting dual controls

[p3asa]

That's my thinking. The wear from not going through the gears would be that negligible it wouldn't matter. 

[mags]

I have never really run any of my cars in as the way I see it is that there is a warranty in place if there are any issues but I have yet to have an issue.

[Steve30]

I'm on my 4th mk5 GTI all from new. all I do is change the oil at 2000 miles and never had any problems with engine just keep the revs down and go up  watch man utd which gives it a good run up the m6. I am a great beliver in oil changes regular !! Thanks Steve

[Sare]

OP, i followed r32's run-in advice and the manuals:

OK, a 'cut and paste'

"For a piston engine, a good running in regime would be to start off with very light throttle, low revs, and light engine loads - and progressively build up both revs and loads (but still avoiding WOT) - and end aiming for full throttle, max revs, and max engine loading at about 1,200-1,500 miles.  It is absolutely vital not to maintain a "constant" rev loading, say for the first 600 miles, and then to cane the pants off it suddenly.  You need to vary the engine revs, up-to, say 3,500rpm (not consantly at 3,500rpm) for the first 300 miles, then upto 4,500rpm for another 300 miles, and so-on."

    0   -    300   miles   up to   2,500 rpm   /    1/4   throttle
 300   -    600   miles   up to   3,500 rpm   /    1/2   throttle
 600   -    800   miles   up to   4,500 rpm   /    1/2   throttle
 800   -   1,000   miles   up to   5,500 rpm   /    3/4   throttle
1,000   -   1,200   miles   up to   6,500 rpm   /    3/4   throttle
1,200   -   onwards          max rpm     /    full   throttle


The most crucial thing when running in, is to vary the engine speeds within those thresholds, so for example, between 600 and 800 miles, don't religiously stick at 4,500 rpm for the whole 200 miles - vary it up to 4,500 rpm."

ok then, so as T_T loves to say RTFM.... so here's the section from P60 of booklet 3.2

Also, I think it's okay to skip gears as the clutch and the tranny syncros allow for this within reason.  It's even better of course to rev match with double clutching or single clutching.   Here's a good site with lots of details on the a fore mentioned:http://standardshift.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=6&sid=3f9e9ca3fcb1d947604215fbef1a9977