Running In Period

[Captain Sensible]

It is said modern cars do not need a running in period. Personally I never take a new car above 60mph for the first 3,000miles. I have had a Passat  and a few golf’s over the years and have noticed VWs always feel a lot tighter when new.

 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.
When it comes to fuelling up I also put in a fuel additive every tank full

Do you have a way of running in your car or do you just go for it from the off.

[Nutkins]

Generally I keep it under 4000revs for the first 1000 miles and that's about it. Even then will still give it the odd blast up to around 5-5500 thousand. There's a school of thought that if you nanny an engine too much from new it will grow up to be a whinging wimp 

Also would not sit on a motorway at one speed for too many miles either.

After 1000 miles will use the engine to it's full potental 

[Hulmie]

My misses had a running in period. Now she's on a long long cool down period 

Back to the mk4 section for me

[boardlord]

        Can't really see any gain of wrapping your engine up in cotton wool! There run in before they get fitted to the car, mine personnally has only been treated nice when the misses drives it... had 9 miles on it when I picked it up so was well run in. IMHO. However we will only keep it for 18 months before chopping it in so will always have warrenty.  Ben

[FroGTI]

I am usually really careful for the first 100 miles or so, then gradually start driving normally. I never thrash my cars anyway, only ever going above 5000rpm for a few seconds when overtaking, for example.

[p3asa]

Once the oil was heated I unwrapped the cotton wool from the engine 

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.

[topher]

Modern engines are run-in on a bench that's true. However, there is no way an engine sitting on a bench will come under anywhere near the kind of loads it will be asked to pull when it's sat in a bay with all ancillaries attached and tugging along a 1.5 ton car up a hill.

Run it in hard, your car will become more responsive at a faster rate than someone tickling it in for the first 1000 miles, but don't be surprised if in 3 years time you're using a litre of oil every month.

[Radek]

There was an excellent thread on this subject. Personally I tried it and can't recommend enought. In short you use the revs up to certain range increasing that range every 200-300 miles. So for the first 200 miles up to 3000, then for the next 200 up to 3500, then 4000 and so on. Don't wait with 3000 revs untill 1000 miles and then thrash it!

I had a chance to compare my car and dealers's demo I was lent for a week - DSG on both. Mine sounds so much better, crispier. Even the guy I was giving a lift to work noticed the flat noise the demo was offering. Was it because they didn't run in properly? Who knows but that would be my guess.

From experience - 1000 miles seems a long time to go but then the miles just pile up. Almost 4 months and nearly 5000 miles for me...

[mac7]

Here's what I do. Always let the oil warm up. Regardless of road speed or what gear I'm in, I generally keep the engine spinning somewhere in the 2,000 - 4,000 rpm range for the first 10-15 hours or so of driving. I make sure I don't labour the engine at low revs, e.g. accelerating from 1,200rpm in 3rd gear when carrying passengers. That can do more harm than hitting the red line now and then.

Loads more opinion here http://www.golfgtiforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=129136.0

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?

[Captain Sensible]

Here's what I do. Always let the oil warm up. Regardless of road speed or what gear I'm in, I generally keep the engine spinning somewhere in the 2,000 - 4,000 rpm range for the first 10-15 hours or so of driving. I make sure I don't labour the engine at low revs, e.g. accelerating from 1,200rpm in 3rd gear when carrying passengers. That can do more harm than hitting the red line now and then.

Loads more opinion here http://www.golfgtiforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=129136.0

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?

Thats a good link so thanks.
Here is a post made that more or less dose what I am saying and although I don’t take my car above 60 mph for the first 3,000 miles I do varied speed. I have bought quite a few new cars over the years and I find it works for me as I never have suffered any mechanical problems before

The engine needs to be run in during the first 1500km.

up to 1k km:

 - do not drive faster than 3/4 of top speed.  (i.e. 112 mph)
 - do not use full throttle
 - avoid high engine speeds
 - do not tow a trailer

from 1k to 1.5k km:

 - speeds can be gradually increased to the maximum road speed or engine speed (rpm)


during its first few hours of running, the internal friction in the engine is greater than later on when all the moving parts have bedded down.

if the engine is run in gently, the life of the engine will be increased and its oil consumption reduced.