Running In A Tavia Vrs

[Steve Sherwen]

How many miles did you all wait before letting rip? I'm picking up my car next Thursday hopefully and have a trackday booked on 15th November. How many miles should I get under my belt before hand?

Steve

[mannyo]

I would aim for at least 1000 miles, the more the better as the engine will loosen up nicely as the miles go on.

[DGW]

Steve, follow the running in advice on page 108 of the Owner's Manual if you want your engine to have a reasonable life expectancy.

[DaveU]

I left the forecourt with plumes of burning rubber pouring off the tyres

But seriously there are several schools of though on this one.

I like to run my cars in reasonably fast - it gives them a taster of what to expect later in life. It's never let me down yet (apart from my old STI-V which let go after 3k miles but we don't talk about that )

I would (like Manny says) give it at least 1000 miles before letting rip like a loon - but I wouldn't be afraid to occasionally stretch it's legs leading up to that.

Dave

[philc]

The worst thing you can do is carefully nurse the engine below 300 revs for the first 1,000 miles, then floor it as you pass that mileage.

I'd say just drive it as normal, across the rev range, but don't thrash it at first. Equally, don't labour it in the lower gears. If it sounds unhappy, it is!

Oh, and don't forget that it's not just the engine that needs running in -brakes and suspension need easing in, too!

Enjoy the car -you won't regret it. If you've got anything serious to do in the first few days, I'd carry a photo of Maggie Thatcher. so you can wipe the grin off your face!

Phil

[Huck]

as with the rest of life, everything in moderation.

i'm pretty much with dave on this one. service manager at my dealer says they can be driven 'pretty enthusiastically' from the off, just don't be an idiot and thrash it everywhere.

[redbaron]

only a few more days huck......

[Huck]

i know, i know.........

got to say i really can't wait and the anticipation is driving me mad.

has confused a helluva lot of people though - 'you're trading in your 330 for *another* skoda?!!'

:D

[philc]

Originally posted by Huck in this post

as with the rest of life, everything in moderation.

i'm pretty much with dave on this one. service manager at my dealer says they can be driven 'pretty enthusiastically' from the off, just don't be an idiot and thrash it everywhere.

If I remeber correctly, the handbook says you should keep below 3/4 speed at first -which is nearly a ton in a Vrs!

Phil

[LadyLoki]

The accepted running in time is about 100-1300 miles, but they're right- don't pussyfoot with it under that time and then floor the bugger at 1k.

Run it well, often and with respect. It will repay that patience in spades.

[Huck]

1000 - 1300 surely?

[LadyLoki]

Yes, sorry.... bad typing.

[William]

Not a vRS, but I never had trouble running in my cars engine, but the gear box took time as changing gear became very stiff on long journeys untill I had about 3K on the clock.

[Huck]

sorry, just being pedantic. i knew all along

[LadyLoki]

Pedantry? On *here*? Surely not...

no excuses for bad typing mate- RSI can be a bugger.

[100mphplus]

One thing I was told a long time ago and I've always had good engines since, is to keep the engine on load and not at constant revs, as this can glaze the bores.

Obviously the quickest way to run them in is on the M'Way. In top I repeated run it up to 3500 revs then off to 2500 - 3000, then repeat, occasionally giving it one up to 4000. You'll be cruising between 65 - 90, - just don't set the cruise control!!

Probably sends drivers behind me nuts but I don't give a ****!

[bandit1]

Originally posted by LadyLoki in this post

no excuses for bad typing mate- RSI can be a bugger.

Hmmm,

RSI = Recurring Supplimentary Income to the Legal Profession !!

Only Kidding LL, If you are a sufferer you have my sympathy.

:cheers:

Graham

[SamsterXX]

Just go careful for the first few hundred miles and then give it death.

You've a warranty haven't you?

IF it's gonna let go, which is highly unlikely, it'll let go early within the warranty period.

100mph+ is right - load the engine, don't just sit at 90 on the m-way at constant revs................an engine needs to be flexed and to go through as many different temp changes in it's early life so as the engine metals contract and expand as much as possible.

Thrash it. leave for 5 mins. Thrash again. leave for 10 mins. Thrash again. leave for 15 mins....................get the idea?

Tolerances these days on modern units are simply awesome compared to say 10 years back................running in really isn't an issue.................if it was an issue then Skoda would want your new car back after 1000 miles to dump the original oil as it would now contain loads of bits of shaved off metal.................however, they don't and they're happy to see the car for the 1st time at 20,000 miles.

[Dutch4x4]

Originally posted by 100mphplus in this post

One thing I was told a long time ago and I've always had good engines since, is to keep the engine on load and not at constant revs, as this can glaze the bores.

Obviously the quickest way to run them in is on the M'Way. In top I repeated run it up to 3500 revs then off to 2500 - 3000, then repeat, occasionally giving it one up to 4000. You'll be cruising between 65 - 90, - just don't set the cruise control!!

Very good advice, that.

1. Keep it below 3500-4000 rpm in the first 1k

2. Try to change the revs as much as you can, and keep it off the cruise control

3. Don't strain the engine by accelerating up in (too) high a gear, i.e. from 30mph up in 5th.

4. Give it some stick within the appropriate rev range, i.e. shortshift with a fair amount of throttle to seal off the pistons. Engines that have been run in too carefully will be using more oil as the pistons haven't been rubbed in against the cylinder walls properly, resulting in gas leaks and brownish pistons. Have seen pictures of 1.8T engines that were like that...

BTW, this has been said to me by a renowned Dutch Lotus Elise tuner, so I'll trust his word on this one...

[Jimmy]

Here's an interesting thought. How many people think that those vehicles delivered with 10 or so miles on the clock have been allowed to warm up thoroughly, revs kept below 3k etc.. Not likely. They'll have been caned out of the factory gates into the compound, caned up the ramp onto the transporter, caned off the boat and caned onto the transporter to the showroom. I've absolutely no substance to these claims but I bet it happens.

[Jono]

" Caned off the transporter"

Yeah I know all about that, Symmetrical scuffs under the front bumper on pick up day!

Seriously tho, anyone picking up a new car, go over it with a FINE toothed comb.

I found 2 big scuffs, 2 scratches, a stonechip and dirty carpet!

I strongly suspect if I had left the forecourt before noticing these I'd be getting them fixed at MY expense.

[Jono]

Ive had the car 600 miles now (and a week or so)

Its pretty hard keeping those revs down...

reading the manual:

"600-1000miles it is possible to gradually increase up to the maximum speed of the gear engaged or to the maximum permissible engine speed."

Hehehe... righto, might try that in 4th

But seriously. Ive been trying to change up at about 4k, rarely got over 5k (I was embarrasing a Vectra, alright?)

What IS the engine limiter set at, because I dont actually know how far to go before its considered to be pushing it too hard.

Also, did I read that "Diesel tickover syndrome" is nothing to worry about? I keep trying to stop near a blackcab so people dont think its me

[Huck]

i've been running my RS in 'enthusiastically' - not redlining it anywhere but giving it some, then relaxing etc. basically, i am enjoying its performance from the off and was told by the service manager that as long as it's not driven idiotically, there should be no probs at all.

jono, have had diesel startup, but not diesel tickover - anyone else care to comment?

[JimFord]

Originally posted by 100mphplus in this post

One thing I was told a long time ago and I've always had good engines since, is to keep the engine on load and not at constant revs, as this can glaze the bores.

You actually _want_ to glaze the bores of cast iron cylinders - it's one of the things that gives cast iron good wear qualities! Aluminium liners are hard anodised to give them a glazed surface as hard as corundum (same material - aluminium oxide).

Regards: Jim Ford