running in new engine

[s2martyn]

what are peoples thoughts on this..i have to run in the engine for 1000-2000 miles before remap...i have been told to unplug n75 so i only get mechanical boost..
should it be done gently ,or should it have some from word go?
i am keen to know what methods others that have have done after rebuild as theres been a few new engines on here recently

[add]

i would say it will be fine after such a long running in period but that's just my opinion
change the oil,check torque of head bolts.HTH

[Audi_CQ]

Interesting reading:

http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

[20Vcqdriver]

not so gentle

Anyone tried this method.
http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

[T2Andy]

Martin you have created a monster ,it looks ****** mental the links are what i was saying about some tuners thrash the engines from the off .

[avants2turbo]

havent read the link in the post above, but was chatting to an engine builder mate of mine, he said the gently gently approach is no longer a good idea, he recons with in reason the car should be driven hard from the start, reason being, times of old, engineering methods were more crude and when the bores were machined they had a course surface and they need a slow gentle run in so the rings cut into the bores properly, nowadays the bore surfaces of new and honed bores are much finer and if the car/bike isnt driven hard from the outset the rings never cut into the bores properly and dont seal completely. For example what does the sales man do at the dealership on the pdi test drive, thrashes the life out of it! A car thats been used and abused always feels looser than a car thats driven slowly
All its life.. Im not suggesting you thrash the life out of it, but drive it normaly, dont over rev it, and dont labour it (low revs high gears)

But thats just my 2pence worth

[GT500]

We have followed that way of doing it. We had no choice, race engine in race car that was finished being put together the night before. ( not what normally happens, let down with part supplier and had to have the car on the grid!).
Must say it worked! it gives loads of power and uses no oil!

Glad it was not me driving the car! I just told the driver what to do and went and hid in the garage!
It just seems all wrong!

[S2central.net]

Work it hard from the get go - machining & bearing tolerances are MUCH better than the old days when you had to baby a fresh engine for fear of breaking it... Nowadays you will glaze up the bores if you baby a fresh engine... You want some seriously good sealing on the piston rings.

I think mechanical boost limit is a fine idea - say to 0.4bar boost or so - drive it hard within that as soon as you have established oil pressure is good. Using good oil - though not best synthetic at first is great way to bed the rings in. After 100 miles or so I would drain the initial oil and put in good synthetic. This is another reason not to run silly boost levels on the turbo until you have the best oil in there to protect it.

[avants2turbo]

Work it hard from the get go - machining & bearing tolerances are MUCH better than the old days when you had to baby a fresh engine for fear of breaking it... Nowadays you will glaze up the bores if you baby a fresh engine... You want some seriously good sealing on the piston rings.

I think mechanical boost limit is a fine idea - say to 0.4bar boost or so - drive it hard within that as soon as you have established oil pressure is good. Using good oil - though not best synthetic at first is great way to bed the rings in. After 100 miles or so I would drain the initial oil and put in good synthetic. This is another reason not to run silly boost levels on the turbo until you have the best oil in there to protect it.

yeah, what he said...

[Jamo]

I wish people would stop posting that crap motortune link, it's complete piss.

Ask Repo for his running in guide it's what I and Terrybullwon will be using.

[A80Avant]

im consuming no oil at the moment and about 40K kms after the rebuild.

initially, we started the car on cheap 10W40 oil to work the engine on the stand for 10mins

then switched to castrol 10W60 and drove the car in the city for the first 3000Kms with gears revving up and down as often as possible and boost no more than 1bar. After 1500kms we upped the rev range from 4000rpm to 5000rpm and then after another 1000kms gave it WOTs but again with no more than 1bar of boost. Engine had pleny of fueling so no problems there and after a hard acceleration,we always allowed the engine to decelerate with the gear in.

initially it consumed about 500ml of oil, then after 5000kms we replaced the oil,and ever since it barely uses 100ml or so every 7-8000Kms which i do an oil change.

[s2martyn]

thanks guys..this was the sort of feedback i needed...
i know race engines are thrashed from the word go,but are rebuilt regularly....
i am using mineral oil,as recomended,for the first 1000 miles then will change it to semi/fully synthetic

[Bram]

With my new pistons rings and light hone of the cylinder walls I drove it like I stole it from the start with limited boost (max 1.2 bar). I did perform an oil change after 200 km, but after that time I boosted all the way to 2 bar.

[GazzaG60]

id say give it some too. the mototune is along the right lines i feel maybe a little harsh. you got a lot longer with cast iron than alloy to seat the rings.

what i did was get a good idle. run here for about 5 minutes up to temp. drive round the block 1500rpm-4000rpm in 3rd starting at aBOUT 50% throttle then lifting off allowing the engine to break. this pushes the rings out when your on throttle and drags oil up whe you lift off letting it run down. a few laps like that then up to 70% or so throttle. can pressure. off for an oil change then some 4th gear down the bypass. same procedure.

used comma running in oil for first 500 miles or so. never go straight for fully synthetic oil always a mineral with no deturgent/ lubes. you want to bed parts in.

did 2 changes on the runnig in oil then onto fully synthetic. i run the halfords track day 5-50 stuff.

there is no right but tickling it about is not right really.

[Ross]

I recently read an expert analysis of an engine failure, whereby the route cause was the melting of a big-end bearing (and consequent failure of the conrod) which was described as most probably the cause of hard driving before the bearing surfaces had sufficiently worn in (and thus absolving the engine builder from any responsibility). Might smell of BS, but such a report could be a sting if you ever have an engine failure during run-in...