Running in...

wilko

wilko

Top Gear
Joined
Feb 1, 2005
Messages
725
Reaction score
1
Points
16
Location
Nottingham (UK)
Guys seeing as my time until I actually get my car is shortening by the second... I was to know:

1) How many miles should I be running the 2.0 TDI engine in for?

2) What speed should be my maximum speed until the car is run in?

And if there is anything else i need to know please tell me about it..... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/noidea.gif
 

The manual recommends that for the first 1000miles you only use 3/4 of the available revs and don't use full throttle.

The sale guy I picked my car up from said not to bother running it in as it would be fine...
Personally I always take it really easy for the first 500 miles and then for the enxt 500 I start upping the revs a little more and a little more etc an then after about 1500 miles start to drive it like I stole it!!!!

The god thing about the Tdi is that theres loads of power from 2K to 3K so it's no real hardship taking it easy

J.
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Do what I did. Grab the keys of the dealer, jump in, ignition on, fun button (esp) off, wheel spin off the forecourt laugh as you see the salesman's head shake in disbelief...

[/ QUOTE ]


lol /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cry.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanx for some serious answers guys!!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bravo.gif
 
The official top speed is 129mph. Borrow a RA from a dealership and see how accurate it is, or easy still, time yourself over a known distance at a constant 80, say. Even the average mph on the DIS shows something different to the speedo (about 3 mph under at 80mph).

My father was given a RA to try on in his A4. The RA showed 5mph under at 70mph. My father took it back and said he doesn't want it as it's showing the wrong speed. Dealer said the RA is accurate, it's the speedo on his A4 that it is faulty. My father went, well you supplied me the car!

I don't trust the speedo at all. Still, it's better than if it under reported by loads.
 
[ QUOTE ]
No, I meant just in case the long arm of the law was reading your post

[/ QUOTE ]

er...crap...I made it all up.... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shutup.gif
 
I think there was some discussion about this before. Isn't it meant to be up to 10% under? Mine reads about 5-6 mph under at a reported 70, according to TomTom...

Toby.
 
Have tried a number of GPS uints and all seem to report 5mph below the speedo. However the number of times the GPS unit polls the satalites and the changes in accuracy (in ft) of the reported position may affect the results. Dunno for sure though.
 
audi upgrades
I thought by law they had to read accurate / over but be within 10%. But never read under. So because of tyre wear affecting rolling radius and so speedo readout gives the large discrepency.

Hope this makes sense, my heads tired /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif
 
I drove to the nearest strech of road and used launch control, then picked up my girlfriends little brother and did it again... it was, IMHO, run in after the first 50 miles /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
wilko trust me on this - nail the f*cker from the first minute. I won't bore you with the details, but you will not do any damage

Contrary to popular belief, engines do need running in - talk of better tolerances etc has sod all to do with it. Engines arrive "tight" from the factory and surfaces need to bed in. The only things that have changed are piston materials, cylinder linings and oil technology. So, although the engine still needs running in, it is a procedure that simply involves putting miles on the clock, not buggering about at low revs for 500 miles etc etc etc. By nailing it, you not only spare yourself the ignominy of behaving like a total lifter, you also will more likely get a better mated piston - cylinder interface (rather than a glazed surface from insufficient revs and heat), more power and no fannying around. To be really anal, ideally mineral oil should be in the engine upon delivery, then changed to regular after 1,000 miles, but seeing as the car wont ask for new oil until 18-20,000 miles, Audi are clearly unconcerned.

I have screwed the living sh*t out of every engine I have ever owned, with no reliability problems (BMW320D 122,000 miles in 2 years, Golf 150 TDi 67,000 miles in 1 year, numerous motorbikes etc etc). This is not because I am a hero or an idiot, its because thats what modern engines like best.

So be nice to your new engine, and nail it.

J
 
[ QUOTE ]
So be nice to your new engine, and nail it.

[/ QUOTE ]

Awesome /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/lol.gif

Seriously tho - totally agree..... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beerchug.gif
 
Heard similar comments to those by jungle in the past. Was told by a dealer years ago that if you do take it easy you can end up with an engine that wont be happy when you do try to make it work hard.
Had my 2.0tdi for 14 months now and its got 25k miles on it. Drove it normally from day 1 without trying to nurse it or red line it.
Apart from initial oil consumption being high, which seems to be common, there have been no problems and the engine is nice and lively for a diesel.
When I picked it up audi dealer told me that they run the engine in the factory for about 10hours. They also change the oil before delivery. (Dont know if anyone on here works for audi who could confirm this)

So get in it and enjoy it !
 
Running the risk of sounding like an ***. "Mineral oil in the engine on delivery" is this something that can be requested of the dealer to be suplied with a new car, or is it something that I will have to organise after the sale?

Mineral oil mmmmmmmm sounds tasty.
 
[ QUOTE ]

The manual recommends

J.

[/ QUOTE ]

THERS A MANUAL !!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cry.gif
 

S-line I wanted to change the rear indicator bulbs for silver ones and couldn;t figure out how to, I know, I know I gave in and got the manual out! I promise never to look at it again though /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

J.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Running the risk of sounding like an ***. "Mineral oil in the engine on delivery" is this something that can be requested of the dealer to be suplied with a new car, or is it something that I will have to organise after the sale?

Mineral oil mmmmmmmm sounds tasty.

[/ QUOTE ]

This would have to be done at the factory.
 
Just remember that "running in" also includes the tyres and breaks too! Drive like a **** from the off and you soon will be, off the road that is!
I have always run cars and bikes in. All this crap about glazed bores etc is rubbish. You are only running it in for the first few hundred miles or so. It will not glaze up in that time. No matter what engine from a little moped to F1 they are all run in for at least some time. Maybe only a few miles, but its worth it!
 
Actually, running in engine is different than running in brakes. F1 engines aren't runin gently. But brakes have to be runin gently, as well as tires. But this doesn't mean engine should be.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Actually, running in engine is different than running in brakes. F1 engines aren't runin gently. But brakes have to be runin gently, as well as tires. But this doesn't mean engine should be.

[/ QUOTE ]

I was thinking about this today during one of my long drives - why do Audi (as well as Honda, Kawasaki and Suzuki) stipulate running in regimes when the engines do not require it?
Obviously tyres and brakes need some consideration, but as Yak says, nailing a car in 3rd and 4th gears does not place undue stress on new rubber, and after all this is road rubber we are talking about which is not sensitive to heat cycles etc.

Could it be something to do with wanting people to become accustomed to the driving characteristics of their new bike / car?
 
[ QUOTE ]
Could it be something to do with wanting people to become accustomed to the driving characteristics of their new bike / car?

[/ QUOTE ]

That's exactly what I was thinking... Definitely makes sense in my book...!
 
I agree. It would be nice if the manual said "no need to run me in, just go for it from the off", but I think such a comment would be unlikely in today's litigious society...

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/soap.gif
 
I've read quite a few reports in bike magazines stating that engines that are 'thrashed' straight from the crate often give more power than engines that have been treated gently.
I didn't bother taking it easy in my A4 and I don't intend taking it easy in my A3.
As someone else stated,build tolerances are so superior these days that there's hardly any requirement for running-in.
 
Don't know about audi, but I've a friend who works at Toyota, and all their engines are run in the engine plant to 'simulate' the first 100 miles, heat and rev cycled whilst connected to fuel / water etc from the test bed. Then all the fluids are blown out and it's packed up and sent to the car line.

As said here, the vehicle run-in i feel is more for the rest of the car - bushings, bearings, brake pads etc - just need to settle in a bit. While they are not settled then frictions will be higher which may cause undue wear in certain areas - perhaps only showing up in later life. But why not be gentle with all of it for a short while?

Besides it only says do not exceed 3/4 of maximum speed and be gentle with the brakes, so thats not so bad.

You think its bad in a car, try running in a 170mph bike at no more than 65mph for 1500 miles!!

Coming from a mechanical engineering background, the idea of thrashing something out of the box makes me feel ill !!!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

G
Running In
Replies
5
Views
846
JamS3
JamS3
N
Running in
Replies
13
Views
1K
JaminBen
JaminBen
S
Running in period?
Replies
8
Views
1K
N8
N8
mac1403
Running in question
Replies
12
Views
1K
tobycruse
tobycruse
D
S3 Running In
Replies
19
Views
2K
phantom
P
Top
Back