Running in engine

[ziderapple 0]

Finally finished my VR6 re-build. Was just wondering how I should run it in, ie: stick below a certian rev limit, for how many miles etc, how soon should I change the oil?

Its supercharged if that makes any odds.

Thanks.

[Crasher 3]

Don't use synthetic oil for 10K miles, keep the revs below 4000 for 1K miles but don

[double-6s 0]

Stealth's running-in instructions go something like this....

 

No more than 3k revs for 1500 miles.

Oil change.

Then another 500 miles at no more than 3.5k revs.

Then increase revs by 100 every 100 miles until you reach 4000 revs.

 

Something like that anyway - i've not got the best memory in the world :)

 

I'll dig the sheet out tomorrow. Suffice it to say, it's a bleedin nightmare! I did it on a brand new vr engine, and the waiting nearly killed me.

[ziderapple 0]

Arse, I filled it with synta silver... and It'll take me ages to do that kind of milage, I'm starting a new job in two weeks and get a company car..

 

I suppose I'll have to drop the synta out and put mineral oil in and just use my car for some work driving...

[VR6Will 0]

let the engine get up to temperature, then drive it hard.

[double-6s 0]

let the engine get up to temperature, then drive it hard.

 

Yeah maybe with a race-spec engine of some description.

 

Good luck doing that with a fragile vr lump though.

[KADVR6 0]

my present corrado had a new engine fitted by VW 5 years ago 8) and the run in instructions read, run upto 3000rpm for 1000 miles then do an oil change, then upto 4000rpm for another 1000 miles then do another oil change, then upto 4000rpm (again) for another 1000 miles then do another oil change. then?? cane the arse of it :lol:

 

also according to VW all the oil changes should be done using sytna silver.

 

karl

[Lizard Racing 0]

Fill the engine with 10w40 MINERAL oil. Warm engine to normal temp and then drive it hard, accelerating and decelerating the engine. Change the engine oil after 20 miles. Then refill with 10w40 mineral again and then just drive it normally but vary your driving take it for a good blast now and then. Change the oil after 200 miles, and then again at 500 miles. Thats pretty much it.

 

The idea is to seal the rings thats all the running in process does, running it hard for the fisrt 20 miles forces the rings on the crosshatched honed surface, which wears the new rings before they become hardened. 90% of the ruuning in is done during the first 20 miles the other 10% in the following 480.

 

I run all my engines in this way and I have never had a failure. Stealth etc tell you to run it in slow as a safety precaution.

[junkie 0]

^^^^^^^ Thats how i was told to do my engine, the 1st 20 miles were done for me.

[Lizard Racing 0]

Generally running the engine in this way will give you better ring seal resulting in more power. If its going to blow its going to blow whether its 20 miles or 2000 miles.

[double-6s 0]

Yeah, Stealth Racing know nothing eh? :?

[Lizard Racing 0]

No Vin does know what he is doing 100% but stealth like any business has to have some safety margin to ensure that the engine does get run in without it failing. At the end of the day its up to you how you run your engines in, I am only outlining my experiences.

[double-6s 0]

So Vince does it for what reason mate?

 

To ensure that his customers engines don't blow up.

 

Which implies that......

 

IT'S SAFER TO RUN IT IN PROPERLY RATHER THAN JUST RAG IT AS SUGGESTED.

[Lizard Racing 0]

Safest yes, but is it the best?

[Critical_Mass 10]

So guys, we have multiple run-in procedures here, which one is right? I ask because ill be getting a new VR lump next month. Personally though imo, the forementioned 'longer' procedure sounds better. I dont like the thought of ragging my new engine within the first 100 miles. Isnt it a case also of getting the pistons to sit properly in the cylinders?

[junkie 0]

Although your not keeping it below certain revs religously, your still not ragging it either more just varying the engine revs instead of holding upto a point, so if on the motorway you would accelerate up and drop back down the rev range and changing down a gear doing the same, no need to take to the red line if you see what im saying, just varying the load and engine speed.

[Lizard Racing 0]

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

 

http://www.pumaracing.co.uk/runin.htm

[Critical_Mass 10]

Cheers Junkie,

 

So basically its a case of not holding the high revs. Though its ok to blip the high revs, just dont hold it there. Do the oil change intervals still apply, every 1k for first 2 k?

[junkie 0]

Sooner if you can as it flushes it out and clears all the debris of metal you will build up.

 

On a stealth note im sure they will do the hard break in procedure as i cant see them building an engine then giving it to you unstarted for you to break in.

 

Its ok to take the revs higher but obviously still take care not to abuse it for 500 miles then after that increase the revs more for another 500, so its kind of like the stealth procedure but not as strict.

 

I ran mine upto around 4k generally for 500 miles but not strictly no more still went above, then after that i just went all hell for leather to be honest and as far as i know its still as strong as ever.

[junkie 0]

This link is good take a read.

 

http://www.pumaracing.co.uk/runin.htm

 

It explains much better than i can :) and this is what i was told for mine.

[Critical_Mass 10]

Again thanks, ill give it a read :D

[Kevin Bacon 5]

The correct method for bedding in engines has been debated for as long as they've been around!!

 

One thing is for sure, we don't live in the 1950s anymore and rope piston rings and decokes every 5000 miles are ancient history, as is this 100,000 mile barrier that everyone still seems to have.

 

Anyway, Mr Lizard is correct, a hard break-in is best for power (theoretically) and the Stealth / VW gradual break-in method is best for long life.

 

For a forced induction engine, it's nice to get it 'used' to the boost it's likely to see, so within the first 20 miles, use that boost to push the rings hard against the cylinder walls, followed by extended periods of overrun to throw lots of oil onto the bores to lube them.

 

Be warned though, I did this method on my 3.0 JE block and f'cked it up, so it doesn't always work! This is why Stealth go with the gradual method. Who do you think will get the blame if the motor blows and will have to rebuild it at their expense and besides, the difference between a hard broken in motor and a gradual one in terms of power is small, so don't read too much into the horse crud internet claims.

 

Change to synthetic at 2000 miles, you want to keep as much honing in there as possible for oil control.

Quantum silver is fine for bedding in.

 

It's as simple as this......Just drive it normally, avoid the redline and keep the revs high when cold starting. Low revs may sound kinder, but it isn't. Oil pressure is low and forged pistons will bounce around the bores.....

[double-6s 0]

So to summarise..

 

If you're in a race team - go for the hard method. Or if you're a risk-taker.

 

Not a racer? Go for gradual.

 

I cannot believe someone would risk a savage running in method on a new road-going vr lump for the theoretical advantage of a couple of bhp! Why! :shock:

[Supercharged 2]

I cannot believe someone would risk a savage running in method on a new road-going vr lump for the theoretical advantage of a couple of bhp! Why!

 

Becuase it's the only way to be sure that the rings bed in properly!

 

Not sure about the gains but I know there were alot of MK2 GTi's that were fast and some that were quicker - one 16v I drove that always put out high figures was originally a demonstrator - maybe the engine was so strong becuase of the way it was driven early in it's life?

[davidwort 0]

absolutely, plenty of new mk2 GTI's were hammered from day 1 and weren't any the worse for it, it's the one's that pootled about that seemed to have the problems.

Have to say though on my own car I've always taken it steady for the 1st thousand without labouring the engine, given it a filter and oil change then gradually increased the red line, it seems kinder.

This is a bit like the cold engine debate it seems.