Running In

[mopardave]

Has anyone bothered to "run in" their T6's? Here's what I was told by a VW technician:

DON'T bother running in the engine as it's already been done at the factory.
DO run in the (manual) gearbox.

Ok, he's the technician and I'm not.......but here's what I did anyway:

First 1000 miles...........max rev's 3000
1000 to 2000 miles.......max rev's are 4000
after that, I'll just drive it with my usual mechanical sympathy.

Gearbox

I'm told setting off on minimal revs is a not good for DMF's........try dial in a few revs first.

Don't know if anyone else bothers breaking things in but I just can't help myself.

Oh, and it will be getting an oil change at 12 months max............(2 years between oil changes.....yeh whatever!)

Just my thoughts for what they're worth.

 

[Loz]

I am trying to run ours in.....

 

[RattyMcClelland]

Honest of god.... Running inn.. is a thing of the past. Yes an engine will be more free after so many miles.

However they are ran in from factory, there is a specific engine rev process once first built, an engine needs to experience the full rev range to operate properly especially none constant revs like motorway miles. It needs all revs to realise the tolerances. That's why I don't understand people taking it easy for the first lot of miles. That will do more damage.

I have just spent £7k on Forged engine for my car. The engine was ran in during the oil circulation process and dyno tune and initial run in. During ther first 1000 miles I want the engine to experience the full rev range also advised by my engine builder who I researched is the top guy in the UK for my specific vehicle .


Engines are not like they used to be.

 

[Loz]

It says in my manual to run it in..

 

[Caravellet6]

Honest of god.... Running inn.. is a thing of the past. Yes an engine will be more free after so many miles.

However they are ran in from factory, there is a specific engine rev process once first built, an engine needs to experience the full rev range to operate properly especially none constant revs like motorway miles. It needs all revs to realise the tolerances. That's why I don't understand people taking it easy for the first lot of miles. That will do more damage.

I have just spent £7k on Forged engine for my car. The engine was ran in during the oil circulation process and dyno tune and initial run in. During ther first 1000 miles I want the engine to experience the full rev range also advised by my engine builder who I researched is the top guy in the UK for my specific vehicle .


Engines are not like they used to be.

Tend to agree, when I used to rebuild car engines with my mates we always gave them a full range of revs once we'd done the first oil change (500 miles), they always went the better for it.

When I got my first new car I took it easy for the first 6 months, never seemed to go as well as dealers own demo that got ragged!

 

[Loz]

It's not a short term racing engine or a company car going back in 3 years so it is not a great problem to do it properly.

 

[VanBlanc]

I think there is a bit of a diference between between factory running in and hand built engines.

From what I have seen factories build the engine, put some running in oil in and then drive it from the crank shaft. This knocks the burrs off and beds the moving parts in but it's a bit different to fuelling it up and driving it under load.

So whilst not being cotton wool cautious, which I agree is not likely to do any good, a lit bit of care for the first wee while would be good. I guess that is what manual is saying but being what it is needs to say it in a more proscriptive style.

 

[Roadrunner]

Last car I ran in was my 1380 Mini as I built the engine and that was a case of building the revs up, think by 500 miles it had done the full range. All I do now on a new car is ensure I don't labour the engine too much.

 

[VanBlanc]

Last car I ran in was my 1380 Mini as I built the engine and that was a case of building the revs up, think by 500 miles it had done the full range. All I do now on a new car is ensure I don't labour the engine too much.

The difference there is that you had to run it in (knock the burrs off and bed the bearings and bores) with the engine actually running and under load which is completely different to what a modern factory build engine undergoes.

 

[Caravellet6]

I think there is a bit of a diference between between factory running in and hand built engines.

From what I have seen factories build the engine, put some running in oil in and then drive it from the crank shaft. This knocks the burrs off and beds the moving parts in but it's a bit different to fuelling it up and driving it under load.

So whilst not being cotton wool cautious, which I agree is not likely to do any good, a lit bit of care for the first wee while would be good. I guess that is what manual is saying but being what it is needs to say it in a more proscriptive style.

Give me a break, I wasn't comparing to factory engines just relating to what I used to do with a hand built engine!

 

[former member]

I have run in all our new cars/vans - just can't see any reason not to.

Stuck to 3k rpm max in the van (not too awful as it's redlines below 5k and revving a diesel too high is pointless anyway) - the engine is definitely loosening up (2300 miles on it now) as is the manual gearbox which always seem tight for at least 1000 miles. Also kept a close eye on the oil level.

It was more painful in the BMW - 4k rpm max (7k rpm redline) for 1200 miles. It was great finally opening it up!

As Loz says, we all (well mostly) want to keep our vans/cars for a long time so anything that can help that longevity is a good thing. I also want vehicles I sell to serve the next owner well - I can't stand the lease mentality of "I'll thrash it to death - who cares what happens when I sell it" - seems many are like that.

 

[mopardave]

I'm not talking cotton wool stuff here guys........just a little mechanical sympathy for the first few thousand miles........but then I've always been like that. I'm actually more concerned about the cheap sh*t solution to vibration......the dmf! I might even change the oil at 5000 miles.......approx. 7 or 8 months motoring for me. Interesting that the vw tech said don't worry about the engine........but DO run the gearbox in???????????? Good to get everyone's opinion though.

 

[CRD]

My kombi in now approaching 5000miles (only had it 6 weeks, eek!). I don't know if it is my imagination, but for the first 1000 miles or so when pulling off in 1st, it was if the engine was reluctant to go above 2500rpm, as if a rev 'limiter' was kicking in (it could go above 2500rpm, but felt as if it was being forced). There was also a very slight baulk when changing from 1st to 2nd. As the mileage has increased, both of these characteristics appear to have eased off.

But as I said, might just be my imagination

 

[RattyMcClelland]

I don't see any harm taking the engine easy for the first x amount of miles.

I personally have never done that. I have always driven the engine however I want after its up to temperature.
My t5.1 went well. Drove it hard to run the engine in when I got it new and find those extreme tolerances early. Van did drive better after a few hundred miles of course.
My t6 I'll drive that hard when I get it.

My Honda prelude 400 miles fresh off it's forged engine rebuild has seen the 8k redline and full boost (I make full boost above 75% throttle at any rpm) way to often already. Love it.

 

[former member]

My kombi in now approaching 5000miles (only had it 6 weeks, eek!). I don't know if it is my imagination, but for the first 1000 miles or so when pulling off in 1st, it was if the engine was reluctant to go above 2500rpm, as if a rev 'limiter' was kicking in (it could go above 2500rpm, but felt as if it was being forced). There was also a very slight baulk when changing from 1st to 2nd. As the mileage has increased, both of these characteristics appear to have eased off.

But as I said, might just be my imagination

I'd say we had a similar experience with ours.

 

[mopardave]

There was also a very slight baulk when changing from 1st to 2nd.

mine too. only at 1200 miles so I suppose it's still tight?

 

[mopardave]

I do wonder if the reason why my fans seem to be on all the time.........(I can tell because the tickover rises to approx. 950rpm when they're running)..........is because I've been driving quite gently so the DPF is regenerating? I do tend to hold on to the revs more now that I've got thousand miles under my belt.

 

[CRD]

mine too. only at 1200 miles so I suppose it's still tight?

Many things in life are preferable being on the tight side, but your gearbox should continue to 'free' off as the miles increase.

 

[VanBlanc]

Perhaps it is all a case of take it easy, enjoy the drive and let it come to you?

Otherwise thrash the nuts of it and see what happens - just remind me not to buy it form you

 

[former member]

I do wonder if the reason why my fans seem to be on all the time.........(I can tell because the tickover rises to approx. 950rpm when they're running)..........is because I've been driving quite gently so the DPF is regenerating? I do tend to hold on to the revs more now that I've got thousand miles under my belt.

Yep ours did the fan/regen thing a lot but seems to be far less frequent now.

But imagine this - it's 39 degrees, you're MUCH nearer a huge forest fire than you realised, you return from a (pretty awful) restaurant at 9pm and it decides to do a massive regen which also happens to heat the floor up enough that it's borderline too warm to touch.
Now that wasn't a very handy feature while in Portugal! Luckily it only did that twice.