Run In / Break In new Engine

[scoutfox]

Hello,

Any recommendations on how to run in (break in) a new 1.8TSI engine? Anything would help since it's the first turbo engine I will be owning/driving. Got some info from the dealer but really made no sense compared to what I read around on the net. So Octavia drivers anything i should do lookout for etc etc in breaking in a new engine???

[Tom_vRS]

Don't stay at constant revs/speed for a long time for the first 1000 miles or so, try and vary the revs.

Don't baby the engine, give it some beans! Don't go chasing the redline, but don't be afraid to give it some revs either.

Always let the engine warm up before giving it welly, and always give the car time to cool down before switching it off.

Other than that, drive it normally, and keep an eye on oil levels - they like a drop when they are new

[sam_underhill]

Not meaning to hijack the thread, but any reason why a remap shouldn't go on straight away? Other than to make sure everything is working out of the box and doesn't need immediate warranty attention.

[vRSLen]

Not meaning to hijack the thread, but any reason why a remap shouldn't go on straight away? Other than to make sure everything is working out of the box and doesn't need immediate warranty attention.

No reason, apart from warranty issues.

Regarding running it in, let it warm up just drive it

[sam_underhill]

All other new cars I've had (V6 Golf, vRS fabia), I've thought about driving more carefully. Then, once you've shown off to your mates a few times it all seems a bit pointless going too gently any more. May as well just drive it. I can't wait for my new TSi vRS with Shark stage 1!!

[Aspman]

I've had a couple of new cars and I've driven them pretty hard from new. As said don't rev the nuts off them for a good while but some full throttle hasn't done mine any harm. I even read some internet advice that you should use full throttle (but not high revs) on a new car to bed in the piston rings and reduce future oil consumption.

No idea if that actually happened, oil consumption seems pretty ordinary on mine.

[scoutfox]

Don't stay at constant revs/speed for a long time for the first 1000 miles or so, try and vary the revs.

Should I keep in mind not to go over a certain speed? Or the speed does matter as long as I dont over do the revs. Cause it has 6 gears.

[psycholist]

I'd use full throttle, but not go within about 500 rpm pf the red line for the first several hundred miles. Also don't give it lots of throttle if the revs are too low to give immediate acceleration (It's bad to do this anyway). Drive normally (Under 3000 rpm, no full throttle stuff) until the temperature gauge is sitting dead centre (Or within a few degrees of it), then take off your shoes and give it socks :-P...

Before stopping the car drive for a minute or two without full throttle to let the engine cool - If where you live is vaguely residential then this probably happens automatically anyway.

Keep an eye on the oil level and make sure the oil you top up with is to the correct VW spec in the manual - don't just stick any oil with the same viscosity rating in as the VW specifications include high temperature high shear testing to ensure the oil won't degrade in turbocharger bearings.

Edited 22 January, 2010 by psycholist

[Delcac]

I don't run engines in, I just break them.

[dan_the_v8man]

from my personal experience i've found giving a new engine some proper use seems to stop it from drinking oil, my vRS never drank a drop

The A4 i've got now drinks like a fish

[auditek]

from my personal experience i've found giving a new engine some proper use seems to stop it from drinking oil, my vRS never drank a drop

The A4 i've got now drinks like a fish

ditto

[PowerMalc]

My last brand new car, a Focus ST, was run in as follows

Collected from dealer with 2 miles on the clock, warmed up both water and more importantly the oil and proceeded to run it to the red line (6500rpm) in the lower gears, let it slow down, repeat for 20 miles along the A14. Back to the dealer and got them to change the oil the following day, Job done

Result - rings nicely bedded in and sealed and never used any oil in 50000 miles and not one mechanical problem in three and half years

[icarusi@hotmail]

Hello,

Any recommendations on how to run in (break in) a new 1.8TSI engine? Anything would help since it's the first turbo engine I will be owning/driving. Got some info from the dealer but really made no sense compared to what I read around on the net. So Octavia drivers anything i should do lookout for etc etc in breaking in a new engine???

If you have the second part of the manual ref re gradually increasing the revs to the max in each gear, good luck in finding out what they mean. Two dealers and Skoda UK remained silent when I asked them. I can only assume it's gobbledegook!

[darrenw]

If you have the second part of the manual ref re gradually increasing the revs to the max in each gear, good luck in finding out what they mean. Two dealers and Skoda UK remained silent when I asked them. I can only assume it's gobbledegook!

In Czech-lish no doubt. I do wonder about the translation at times. Early version of Babelfish perhaps

Or maybe by these fine fellows

[scoutfox]

Great loads of info , I will definitely warm-up and warm-down the car. Something I never did on my previous car.

Now the only thing missing is the car!

I'll post some pix and an update on the "breaking it in" situation, next week.

thanx all

[iann]

I made the mistake when I bought my first new car in years, of "Running it in gently".

The 105PD engine always needs oil between services. Our other car a Superb

130PD was purchased as a 6 month old "Demonstrator" and was probably thrashed from

new. Needless to say this doesnt need topup oil between services.

[brad1.8T]

I have the 1.8TSI.

Picked it up from the dealer which was 45 motorway km from my home. Once it was warm I drove home in 3rd & 4th gear slowing down to ~1500rpm then accelerating with half to 3quarter throttle up to around 3500rpm - you could feel the engine going tight beyond that. Then letting it over-run back to ~1500rpm. The next day I had a 400km trip on with the family on board & I knew they'd get jack of me doing that, so I just drove it but didn't use 6th (barely used 5th either) and kept the engine spinning & working through the rev range without chasing revs or labouring. After that I gave up & just drove it.

It seems to have worked. I use no oil (have never topped up between 15,000km services) and the engine gives good power, great economy & is dead silent.

[div]

just to do another hijack of a thread is it worth doing an intermitant oil and filter change? i know on new engines they used to have one at about 1,000-2,000 miles or something similar, i am going to go for fixed servicing as once a year sounds fair for me to give it a serice as only do about 9,000 a year so. Not sure if its better for the engine to have a fresh set of oil to help bedding in and running in or if its better to leave it as they say.

have had mine for 200 miles and have behaved up til now (all below 3,00 revs) but might be tempted to give it a bit more beans now as i dont want an oil burner!.... if i did i would have gone for a diesel! hehe just kidding.

[icarusi@hotmail]

In Czech-lish no doubt. I do wonder about the translation at times. Early version of Babelfish perhaps

Or maybe by these fine fellows

I think it was a badly worded version of the 'Italian tune-up', possibly pitched at variable vane turbos. Don't know if a TSI turbo has variable vanes. Assumed it was a diesel thing. Probably not a bad idea to give it some revs occasionally at the later stage of the running in, especially if your normal driving is mostly 'pedestrian'.

[gilesk]

Let it warm up and warm down properly and drive it like its stolen!

[scoutfox]

and drive it like its stolen!

Thats what I did with my previous Alfa 147 120 hp and it sounded like a diesel every time I started it up, until it was warmed up!

Edited 26 January, 2010 by scoutfox

[scoutfox]

Have done 1000km so far.

Engine sounds little noisy a bit of a mix of petrol diesel.

Is it normal? Does it get quitter?