Engine Run In

will-i-a-m

will-i-a-m

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One things for sure that when my new car arrives obviously im not and shouldnt be taking it to red line, could some one please inform as to how i should run in my engine...

Many thanks.
 
it will tell you in the manual, and the dealer normally runs through it too.

It's something like, not rev above above 4k for 500 miles, then not above 6k until 1200, thats not exact numbers but it's that kind of methodology and will be dependant on which engine you have etc.
 
Yeah the revo and all other engine related mods are on hold i guess i just got a bit excited at the start and then it hit me that i need to run it in first :)
 
Just drive it like you've stole it from day one, it will be a quicker car in the long run, and losen up quicker!!
My remap is going on the day I get the car.
Like S3RYE says, you don't really need to run them in, and after all, you have a waranty if anything goes wrong!
However, each to their own
 
they say they will be quicker in the long run, this doesnt mean absolutley kick the nuts of it with brash /harsh gear changing... i still take into consideratrion all the drivetrain needs a few miles to bed in properly.. but i never hold back giving it a redline, just dont hold it there!!!
 
Well, just trashing the car from day one won't help at all either. Just drive as you normally would drive and treat the car the way you would treat anything else of value.

Personally I would go with the break-in procedures.
 
xnox202 said:
Well, just trashing the car from day one won't help at all either. Just drive as you normally would drive and treat the car the way you would treat anything else of value.

I AGREE WITH THIS......
Click to expand...
 
I thought you was meant to run the car in for atleast 1000 miles, not really revving over 3k or 60mph on motorways. This would make sure that all the bearings and components in the engine have been fully bedded in and provent anything from seizing.
 
L33TAY said:
Just drive it like you've stole it from day one, it will be a quicker car in the long run, and losen up quicker!!
My remap is going on the day I get the car.
Like S3RYE says, you don't really need to run them in, and after all, you have a waranty if anything goes wrong!
However, each to their own
Click to expand...

Yeah that's real smart advice. I'm sure Audi and every other car manufacturer recommends you run the car and engine in just for the sake of it...
 
L33TAY said:
Just drive it like you've stole it from day one, it will be a quicker car in the long run, and losen up quicker!!
My remap is going on the day I get the car.
Like S3RYE says, you don't really need to run them in, and after all, you have a waranty if anything goes wrong!
However, each to their own
Click to expand...

Interesting advice....whilst most current engines are to an extent run-in,how you treat the thing is going to influence how long it lasts,and if you thrash it while it's still pretty tight,then you can't expect the best results.

Relying on the warranty is fine,but if the dealer ever gets a hint of a remap or any non-OEM hardware on the engine such as CAIs etc,then you could find yourself with a battle....still,it's your car you're giving advice about,not mine.
 
beanoir said:
Yeah that's real smart advice. I'm sure Audi and every other car manufacturer recommends you run the car and engine in just for the sake of it...
Click to expand...

when i b ought my cooper s i was told not to bother running in, likewise audi, likewise clarkson, likewise my mate who has a very big insight to motorsport... anyway im not having an argument so whatever :blahblah1:
 
There are a number of motorsport people who recommend you to thrash them from new but dump the oil after a few k......

Not saying it's correct info. but S3RYE isn't talking crap (this time) :)
 
when i bought my cooper s i was told not to bother running in = BMW dealers are Jim Henson's finest, they no nothing more about car engines than estate agents

likewise audi = Not what I was told by Audi for all 3 I've had from them.

likewise clarkson = see note above re BMW dealers

likewise my mate who has a very big insight to motorsport = You dont drive a racing car mate, I just hope you have a pit team to sort you out.
 
edition said:
There are a number of motorsport people who recommend you to thrash them from new but dump the oil after a few k......

Not saying it's correct info. but S3RYE isn't talking crap (this time) :)
Click to expand...

Another interesting one.....the guy who built the engines for my Cosworths and built race engines for a living gave exactly the opposite advice re thrashing the engine......agreed re the oil,but not the thrashing part.

Anyway....since this one obviously has different opinions,I'd treat the engine sensibly if it was mine and I had any intentions of keeping it.
 
This is why I said 'Each to their own'

I won't be running mine in, however, some people are precious to the running in thing and drive like 'Miss Daisy'
When I had my 08 S3, it went into Awesome GTI 2 days after getting it, as it went in for lowering etc the APR tuning guys were there from America, they asked if they could use my car as a test case for some new software etc, I said 'what do i get out of it' and they gave me a free remap and uprated fuel pump, bearing in mind it had 70 miles on the clock, and I asked what about the running in?? They said its not necessary!
It was on the rolling road for 1 week being redlined, and it ran like a dream after that!

Like I said, we all have a choice, but IMO you would struggle to break the engine.
 
audi upgrades
The 2 golden rules I will be sticking to at all times are:

No high reving till the oil is to temp
Not holding it at redline for the first 1K or so.
 
well...good luck,and each to their own.

I'll stick with the advice of a guy who engineered a BTCC winning team.
 
I can't believe so many people here take the advice of racing "experts". It may well be that rally/touring/formula1 cars or other different incarnations of competition racing car engines do not have to be run-in in the same way. This is because the engines are purpose built, pistons will be honed to much much greater tolerances and the rings will bed much better after shorter run-in periods, the engines will also not be built to last 100's of thousands of miles like road cars are without a rebuild or replacement after every other race.

Car manufacturers recommend that their engines are run-in for a reason, they are not hand built exotic race engines, they are mass produced with lesser tolerances and consumers expect their cars to be reliable and last far longer than a race car.

Audi recommend it, their technicians recommend it and the manual says so, do you really think some race team engineer wannabe has as much experience behind him on Audi cars as Audi do? Do you really think anybody here is qualified to offer up that thrashing your car from new AGAINST the advice of one of the biggest car manufacturers in the world who spend billions more than racing teams designing and building their cars, is the right advice to offer people? Will you provide a warranty to the OP if the piston rings go kaput at 50k? I dont think so.

Will-i-a-m...listen to Audi, they provide the warranty mate, not the "race engineers".
 
Last edited:
My Audi dealer advised that no real running in is required. I did ask him to clarify and he basically said no need to be driving miss daisy - let the car warm up and for the oil temp to reach the middle of the indicator before driving hard. That's what you should do all of the time anyway. Regardless of whether your car has 10miles or 10,000miles, you should always let the car warm up before driving it hard.

These A3/S3 engines are not highly tuned beasts - they're really not that sensitive. I recall that an M3 I had required a running in service at around 1,200 miles - up to 1,200 miles you're supposed to drive like miss daisy and if the 1,200 mile service is not carried out in time then the warranty is void!! The M3 engine is a highly tuned, highly strung engine that is pretty much maxed out from the factory.
 
Just my 2 cents worth - My MKV Gti was run in missy daisy style and that car had endless problems with it including new turbo, new manual gear box, new DP, 5 x DV's, and new CAM...needless to say i sold the GTI for the S3...i thrashed the S3 from the first mile and after 2 years i hadnt had a single problem!

Now i dont believe that either driving style had an influence on the cars, and personally i just htink it came down to gettin a "bad" car or getting a "good" car. I dont see the point in runnin a car in but i dont see the point in thrashing it either for the first hundred miles...just dive normally for the first hundred miles :)
 
edition said:
There are a number of motorsport people who recommend you to thrash them from new but dump the oil after a few k......

Not saying it's correct info. but S3RYE isn't talking crap (this time) :)
Click to expand...

oi i dont talk crap, just honesty...

beanoir said:
when i bought my cooper s i was told not to bother running in = BMW dealers are Jim Henson's finest, they no nothing more about car engines than estate agents

likewise audi = Not what I was told by Audi for all 3 I've had from them.

likewise clarkson = see note above re BMW dealers

likewise my mate who has a very big insight to motorsport = You dont drive a racing car mate, I just hope you have a pit team to sort you out.
Click to expand...

see this is where forums are ridiculous, yes my mate knows alot about racing, why are you taking that as if hes talking about racing cars?? he knows were talking about my brand new s3 and all his friends, mechanics told me to not run it in....

L33TAY said:
The 2 golden rules I will be sticking to at all times are:

No high reving till the oil is to temp -
Not holding it at redline for the first 1K or so.
Click to expand...

SPOT ON, THIS IS A GUY WHO KNOWS

Yaks said:
I've also heard that you get better long term results if you rev it hard in the first few miles, although always warm it up first.

Have a read of this and see what you think :-

http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm
Click to expand...

EXACTLY!!!!

whiteunderarm said:
Just my 2 cents worth - My MKV Gti was run in missy daisy style and that car had endless problems with it including new turbo, new manual gear box, new DP, 5 x DV's, and new CAM...needless to say i sold the GTI for the S3...i thrashed the S3 from the first mile and after 2 years i hadnt had a single problem!

Now i dont believe that either driving style had an influence on the cars, and personally i just htink it came down to gettin a "bad" car or getting a "good" car. I dont see the point in runnin a car in but i dont see the point in thrashing it either for the first hundred miles...just dive normally for the first hundred miles :)
Click to expand...


hmmm what a coincedence....


Fact is, i never said at any point thrash it! i always let me oil temp warm up, everytime i drive the car, i hardly the the turbo spool whilst oils cold! you also have to let gearing and drive mechs (oil) warm too...
 
Well lets leave it up to the OP and see what he decides is good advice, after all, thats what he is after, some good sensible advice.
 
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