Running in procedure

[Concept24]

I believe my 2001 Corvette had as factory fill, full synthetic oil. The video that came with the car described the breakin period as being for the transmission, not so much for the engine. Sadly, that LS1 engine did consume a quart of oil every 1500 miles, so....

 

[Gizmo750]

Sorry to drag this thread up again but I've never had a new car so the run-in process is something I've been reviewing. I'm collecting my Emira from Hethel and then its a 220 mile trip home to Dorset. This would usually involve a lot of dual carriageway and motorway miles, but is this a bad idea in terms of running in and should I be looking for a different route back with more variations in speed and revs?

 

[VL3X]

Sorry to drag this thread up again but I've never had a new car so the run-in process is something I've been reviewing. I'm collecting my Emira from Hethel and then its a 220 mile trip home to Dorset. This would usually involve a lot of dual carriageway and motorway miles, but is this a bad idea in terms of running in and should I be looking for a different route back with more variations in speed and revs?

First things first: Don't get it wet and don't refuel it after midnight!

In all seriousness, I think you'll be fine on the drive home. Just change gears occasionally if you'll be maintaining a constant speed for long periods of time.

 

[Calran]

Sorry to drag this thread up again but I've never had a new car so the run-in process is something I've been reviewing. I'm collecting my Emira from Hethel and then its a 220 mile trip home to Dorset. This would usually involve a lot of dual carriageway and motorway miles, but is this a bad idea in terms of running in and should I be looking for a different route back with more variations in speed and revs?

Was wondering exactly the same as I’ve got a 250 mile drive, usually on boring motorways.

 

[TomE]

The key thing is to vary your speed and engine revs, don’t sit at exactly 70mph in 6th for 2 hours.

Easier to do that on a more varied route, but on a motorway or dual carriageway just switch into 5th and possibly 4th periodically and vary from matching the pace of other cars in lanes 1, 2 and 3. You can also take a few offslips and join back on again if you know the junctions allow you to go across and back on.

 

[Hell4Leather]

The key thing is to vary your speed and engine revs, don’t sit at exactly 70mph in 6th for 2 hours.

Easier to do that on a more varied route, but on a motorway or dual carriageway just switch into 5th and possibly 4th periodically and vary from matching the pace of other cars in lanes 1, 2 and 3. You can also take a few offslips and join back on again if you know the junctions allow you to go across and back on.

These two above. Running in used to be more important on older vehicles. Now it’s really more about running through all the the steps of the transmission, letting the engine heat up and cool down and heat up again, etc. basically allowing the moving and lubricating parts to move and lubricate. After 1500 miles or so drop EVERY fluid in the car; oil, trans, brake, coolant, steering, headlight and change every filter. I’ve even flushed radiator and transmission. Then replace everything with top of line spec for the environment you are in. Where I live in TX I use 20,000 mile full synthetic but replace once a yr at every 10k.

The powertrain in this car is easily capable of performing at peak for well over 100,000 miles. For many of us that’s as much as 20 years.

 

[Scottmc]

getting mine soon just organizing a trip but concerned that running in mite take a while ??

 

[danmessy]

Is there any issue with knocking off the 1500km run in period within a week or two - so via longer runs (varying RPM/speed/gears). Or is it better to span that 1500km over a longer period, which based on my usual driving might be something 2 to 3 months (potentially more, but I doubt it as I will want to play with my new toy )

 

[Kimmax]

Is there any issue with knocking off the 1500km run in period within a week or two - so via longer runs (varying RPM/speed/gears). Or is it better to span that 1500km over a longer period, which based on my usual driving might be something 2 to 3 months (potentially more, but I doubt it as I will want to play with my new toy )

My drive home was almost 700km, should be fine haha

 

[drummingj]

I recently bought the i4 version from Lotus Kent and the rep said there's no need to follow the much talked about sub 4,000 revs run in procedure. He said AMG Merc run-in the engines in their factory, so when it goes into the Emira, its already done 400 miles of programmed varied rev breaking in, and is filled with fresh oil as well..

Has anybody else with the AMG i4 been told the same?

 

[Ryder35]

I recently bought the i4 version from Lotus Kent and the rep said there's no need to follow the much talked about sub 4,000 revs run in procedure. He said AMG Merc run-in the engines in their factory, so when it goes into the Emira, its already done 400 miles of programmed varied rev breaking in, and is filled with fresh oil as well..

Has anybody else with the AMG i4 been told the same?

Not me. Lotus Colchester said follow the book. I would not want to argue with lotus over warranty if there was an issue. They do log revs used etc.

 

[Andy H]

Has anybody else with the AMG i4 been told the same?

LOL - I would be questioning your man in Kent

I was also told to stick to the limits and they were fairly strict on it during my previous test drive with a sub-1000 mile car.

 

[DJManc]

I recently bought the i4 version from Lotus Kent and the rep said there's no need to follow the much talked about sub 4,000 revs run in procedure. He said AMG Merc run-in the engines in their factory, so when it goes into the Emira, its already done 400 miles of programmed varied rev breaking in, and is filled with fresh oil as well..

Has anybody else with the AMG i4 been told the same?

I used to work for Mercedes AMG (Sales) and as part of the training were were told about the bench running in proceedure. That said, I personally, would still not go out and give it full beens on a new engine until it had a fare few miles on the clock. We were also advised, it was no longer necessary to have a running in service.
I guess if your Emira is something that you think is going to be a forever car, then some may choose to pamper it a little more than others who just intend to keep a few years and move on.

 

[netsinah]

Reading the last few posts:

-the "run-in period" (aka the break-in period) has nothing to do with timing; but rather only miles on the engine and tires (and clutch, if applicable), as you properly wear them in. You can complete it in a few days if you're constantly driving, or over a few months if you're putting few miles on it, during each trip

-people are worrying about the route they take, with a route having a steady speed limit over a distance. As others have said, it's ++ important you vary your speeds and RPM's. Don't do anything really aggressive and that includes really hard braking (unless an emergency, of course...safety first), sharp cornering or a ++ fast acceleration. By way of illustration, after picking up my Emira, I had a 3 hour highway drive home on a fairly flat/straight road, after doing some lower speeds in the City. In general, and with a 110km speed limit, I varied my speeds from a low of around 80 km, to a high of **km (censored due to traffic laws), making sure if I exceeded 4,000 RPM it was only momentarily. My dealer encouraged me to go over 4,000 RPM, as long as it was a super short time span. Drivers around me, if they didn't recognize a brand new vehicle and realize what I was doing, likely thought I was nuts or rude or both. At times I'd pass them, then they'd pass me, as I slowed down or sped up. My focus was on the car w/o concern for anything other than safety. I've done this many times, for all my new vehicles but I'm especially careful with a sports car. My 2 cents.

 

[seriously]

Aside from the engine, break in is for all the drivetrain components also. Would not go full beans until break in. Personally, I think it's good to bed-in the brakes with hard aggressive braking. Also once the car is broken in, I believe it is healthy to push your car to redline to exercise your engine. Some people think you need to baby your car to keep it healthy. I believe the opposite. Drive it regularly + occasionally push the car = healthy car IMO.

 

[David s]

What a load of crap. These engines are already bench run. Further. The Toyo engine popping or box dropping is just not an issue. Just get use to the car for a couple of hundred of whatever u measure distance in your country and then full throttle to the closest mod shop.

 

[kitkat]

What a load of crap. These engines are already bench run. Further. The Toyo engine popping or box dropping is just not an issue. Just get use to the car for a couple of hundred of whatever u measure distance in your country and then full throttle to the closest mod shop.

There's absolutely no way Toyota nor Lotus bench runs in the 2GR-FE.

We also have multiple people with oil analysis of their first 2-3 oil changes showing it clearly is no way run-in from factory.

Don't spreading misinformation like this.

 

[Hell4Leather]

There's absolutely no way Toyota nor Lotus bench runs in the 2GR-FE.

We also have multiple people with oil analysis of their first 2-3 oil changes showing it clearly is no way run-in from factory.

Stop spreading misinformation.

Agree. The Toyota is not benched at the factory. I had to look up the AMG. From their site I found that AMG does a cold bench test (turned by electric) with every engine to test compression and leaks; they are not run in.

A robot in engine manufacturing

With microphones, sensors and, most recently, a UV camera: this is how AMG tests the engines in the engine factory in Affalterbach.

www.mercedes-amg.com

 

[kitkat]

Agree. The Toyota is not benched at the factory. I had to look up the AMG. From their site I found that AMG does a cold bench test (turned by electric) with every engine to test compression and leaks; they are not run in.

A robot in engine manufacturing

With microphones, sensors and, most recently, a UV camera: this is how AMG tests the engines in the engine factory in Affalterbach.

www.mercedes-amg.com

Yup -- and this makes sense, both are produced at a volume that is completely unreasonable to bench run in the engines. Both Toyota and Merc/AMG make way too many engines a year. And tours from the Lotus factory just shows engines coming in wrapped up and immediately put into the Emira.

 

[David s]

There's absolutely no way Toyota nor Lotus bench runs in the 2GR-FE.

We also have multiple people with oil analysis of their first 2-3 oil changes showing it clearly is no way run-in from factory.

Don't spreading misinformation like this.

This is my fourth Toyo lotus from new. Tracked all of them extensively. Never had even a backfire. My first schedule service on my emira was just completed, which is 10 months after it delivery. Maybe things are different here down under. Like, we don’t get our oil analysed after it’s been dropped out.
The cars here are delivered with there first schedule service being 10k kilometers or one year(whichever comes first).
Kit Kat. I like your posts. But don’t like them when they include “labelling”. Must have got u before your first coffee of the day.