[plbxr]

This is how I gave my new motor a good solid run-in to help bed the piston rings properly.

When I bought my first ever new car, a Suzuki, I ran the motor in according to the owners manual. It was a disaster. The motor consumed a litre of engine oil every 2000 km's. Over the years I did quite a bit of scouting around in forums and talking to mechanics, I was eventually led to http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm I read the page and although it seemed a bit querky, I was convinced he was on the right track and decided to try his controversial procedure with my 1.2 TSI Yeti. So, with just 30 km's on the odometer I warmed the engine up, filled the fuel tank with 98 RON and headed off down the road. I had decided to use a piece of 110 kph posted motorway that climbs 170 metres over about 6 kms.

1st uphill run: Gear selector in D driven fairly briskly (to make sure everything was at operating temp).
1st downhill run: Selector in Manual mode, 4th gear only (minimal brake usage).
2nd uphill run: Gear selector in Manual mode, switching between 3rd and 4th gear with brisk acceleration.
2nd downhill run: Manual mode, mainly 4th gear with a couple of gear changes back to 3rd (5500 rpm max). The computer blocked me from getting back to 2nd gear.
3rd uphill run: Manual mode, lots of changes between 2nd, 3rd, and 4th gears with heavy acceleration at varying speeds between 80 to 110...or thereabouts.
3rd downhill run: Selector in manual mode, 3rd gear only with quick acceleration followed by engine-braking deceleration, followed by acceleration again.

Since then I have had a few long afternoon drives on B roads over hilly terrain to help the motor bed in some more and always use S mode around town. Up to 500km's the oil level dropped by about 3mm on the dipstick from factory fill level, but has not fallen any more since then and the vehicle has now done 2,500 km's. The motor is responsive and quiet and is fun to drive.

I truly believe that a hard run-in is the way to go, especially when I read so many posts in forums about high oil consumption after an "Owner's Manual" recommended run-in procedure. With the motors factory filled with good quality synthetic oil, hard run-ins seem more of a necessity than ever to get those piston rings bedded properly.

Please note: No Yeti's were harmed during this hard run-in process and my vehicle shows no ill effects.

Edited by: plbxr

 

[Steph64]

Tend to agree with you, too light and fluffy is not the way to go; I'll be doing similar next week when I pick mine up.

 

[PUG]

RUN- IN

Have had several small diesels. Have always run them in at a firm speed. Don't be too soft and fluffy...

 

[adobedon]

I have been told not to go too high or too low with the engine revs and just use the car as you would normally. then I was told with todays machining there is less chance of damage to the engine.
the reason to "run in" the bores of the engine was to "iron out" the horizontal milling marks inside the cylinders, where as todays milling leaves very little lines.

 

[Steph64]

It's not just the engine bores that appreciate a bit of running in - it's the whole motor, gearbox, transmission, brakes and even tyres. One reason for honed bores ( you speak of honing marks rather than milling machine lines, I think) was to aid piston rings bedding in (and promote a bit of oil retention in the new bores during running in) - you are right though, these days manufacturing tolerences are better and there's not such a great need to run in as before (that said, I wonder sometimes about fully synthetic oil during the running in period). Using the car fairly "normally" is best advice; not too aggressive but not too light either.

Do Skoda suggest an oil change after the running in period (assume it's 1000km)??

 

[PUG]

FIRST OIL CHANGE.....

Well did first oil change today piece of cake. LIQUI MOLY 4200 .Have only done 2500km but I think it is important.

I truly believe that 15000 km is way too long for any oil change........ESPECIALLY a diesel.But hey that's just me......

 

[Wile e coyote]

I know this is an old post but I have always made my new engines work hard from day 1 and have never had any problems diesels always over 200.000 miles
A farmer I know always puts his new tractors straight into ploughing to work them

 

[PUG]

I too have had new diesel cars for the past thirty years . Back in the day when oil was made from dinosaurs I guess that was when I pick up the habit of several oil changes in the first twenty thousand Kay's .I will admit that with synthetic oils that I only ever use these days it is probably an over kill.However when in days gone by when your five hundred Kay's from no where and towing a van it was always piece of mind when the temp was in the red.

Pug

 

[plbxr]

I have been a long time (i.e. over 30 years) user of synthetic oils and love them. But I have NEVER run in a new engine on, nor have I used any synthetic engine oils before the first 5,000 kilometres. All the advice I have ever read says that too. However, as the Yeti is factory filled with synthetic oil I decided that part of my hard break-in exercise would be to also see if this method could be used successfully with OEM synthetics in the sump. As I said previously, my initial small (about 200-300ml by my estimation) oil usage stopped at about the 400 kilometre mark and continued to remain at the same level till it was drained. I have now serviced out the original oil and am now running a 502/505 grade <strike>Casteroil</strike> Castrol LongTec Professional 0W-30 oil equivalent to Castrol Edge. It is allowed by Skoda which lists this type of oil as a "low friction" oil for the petrol engine. I bought a factory sealed 205 litre (44 gallon) drum on fleabay for $615 delivered from Condobolin to Sydney. That's $3 (about £1.80) a litre!!! It could only be cheaper if you stole it

. The buy of the century me thinks.
I will continue to check to see if there is any decline in the oil level but I have not seen any so far and frankly I don't expect to see any. It is now several thousand kilometres down the track and the engine still runs smoothly and quietly and there are no problems. I will continue to use this method on any new vehicle that I may buy in the future.


Edited by: plbxr

 

[PUG]

sound good

Pug

 

[mf1981]

Im giving mine the complete opposite. Completed the first 1500km recently and never been above 2300rpm yet. Soft and gentle accelerations Will let you know how much oil it consumes.

 

[The Hood]

I kept the revs below 2500 whilst running in, now after 23000 miles (for KM divide by 3 and multiply by 5)I have still not had to add a drop of oil.