Team-BHP - View Single Post - ARTICLE: How to Run-In your new car

DieselFan · 15th April 2007, 11:37

Folks,

Running-in is more than just limiting the car to a high RPM/Speed and not pushing it beyond a specified limit. Run in is a process that is typically refered to Engine because it needs running in the most. Engine piston and cylinder are machined to a high degree of tolerence. Piston runs at a very high speed in the cylinder which makes engine more suseptable to damage. Engine is also the hottest part of the car. For the above main reasons Run in is required most for an Engine rather than any other parts of the car. Other car parts do need running in but in relatively lower scale.

Diesel engines need a different running in as compared to petrol. Diesel engines should not be babied (Go at low speeds/RPM while in the Run in period). The following 5 rules apply to Running in of Diesel engines -

1. Till 200 KM on ODO drive the car as if it is a baby. Do not ahrd accelarate or go beyond 80 KMPH. Do not break hard. Do not ride the cluch.

2. Beyond 200 till 1000-1500 KM is when you need to constantly vary the speed/RPM while driving. Do not run in a fixed speed/RPM for a long duration of time. There should be some change every 5 min or so.Do not exceed 2500 RPM when cold and 3000 RPM when warm (Here the assumption is the Redline RPM is 5000 and Max. Power RPM is 4000). DO NOT LUG your engine. Lugging is driving in an RPM which is lower than 1500 in higher gears. Lugging damages the engine more than running on high RPMs. DO NOT REV. the engine while idling. Do NOT idle for more than a Minute. Check up the oil level and quality once every week at least. Change Oil as soon as it reaches 1000 KM (Or as recommended by Manufacturer). Your car would have run in more than 50% once it hits 1500 KM on ODO.

3.1000 KM to 5000 KM - Maintain the above running in rules (Rule 2) but the upper limit of RPM extends to 3000-3500. Once in a while one should take the car to 4000 RPM (High power RPM) either in 3rd or 4th gear. This enables proper seating of Pistons in the cyclinder.The car would have run in more than 75% once it hits 5000 KM on ODO.

4. 5000 KM to 10000 KM - Reach 4000 RPM more often. At the end of 10000 KM the car would have run in 90%.

5. Once car reaches 20K KM then the car would have run in fully. In Western countries where the conditions are much more favourable for driving car, diesel cars complete run in only by 60000 miles.

Run in is completed when engine generates maximum compression. There is negligible or no Gas leakage from the combustion chamber.

DO NOT USE Synthetic oil till 20000 KM as it prevents complete/proper running in.

My 2 Paise on Run-in or Break-in on a diesel engine.

15th April 2007, 11:37	#29 (permalink)
DieselFan BHPian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 457	Running is in not about just Max Speed/RPM Folks, Running-in is more than just limiting the car to a high RPM/Speed and not pushing it beyond a specified limit. Run in is a process that is typically refered to Engine because it needs running in the most. Engine piston and cylinder are machined to a high degree of tolerence. Piston runs at a very high speed in the cylinder which makes engine more suseptable to damage. Engine is also the hottest part of the car. For the above main reasons Run in is required most for an Engine rather than any other parts of the car. Other car parts do need running in but in relatively lower scale. Diesel engines need a different running in as compared to petrol. Diesel engines should not be babied (Go at low speeds/RPM while in the Run in period). The following 5 rules apply to Running in of Diesel engines - 1. Till 200 KM on ODO drive the car as if it is a baby. Do not ahrd accelarate or go beyond 80 KMPH. Do not break hard. Do not ride the cluch. 2. Beyond 200 till 1000-1500 KM is when you need to constantly vary the speed/RPM while driving. Do not run in a fixed speed/RPM for a long duration of time. There should be some change every 5 min or so.Do not exceed 2500 RPM when cold and 3000 RPM when warm (Here the assumption is the Redline RPM is 5000 and Max. Power RPM is 4000). DO NOT LUG your engine. Lugging is driving in an RPM which is lower than 1500 in higher gears. Lugging damages the engine more than running on high RPMs. DO NOT REV. the engine while idling. Do NOT idle for more than a Minute. Check up the oil level and quality once every week at least. Change Oil as soon as it reaches 1000 KM (Or as recommended by Manufacturer). Your car would have run in more than 50% once it hits 1500 KM on ODO. 3.1000 KM to 5000 KM - Maintain the above running in rules (Rule 2) but the upper limit of RPM extends to 3000-3500. Once in a while one should take the car to 4000 RPM (High power RPM) either in 3rd or 4th gear. This enables proper seating of Pistons in the cyclinder.The car would have run in more than 75% once it hits 5000 KM on ODO. 4. 5000 KM to 10000 KM - Reach 4000 RPM more often. At the end of 10000 KM the car would have run in 90%. 5. Once car reaches 20K KM then the car would have run in fully. In Western countries where the conditions are much more favourable for driving car, diesel cars complete run in only by 60000 miles. Run in is completed when engine generates maximum compression. There is negligible or no Gas leakage from the combustion chamber. DO NOT USE Synthetic oil till 20000 KM as it prevents complete/proper running in. My 2 Paise on Run-in or Break-in on a diesel engine.