ARTICLE: How to Run-In your new car

[mithun]

Is it wise to use AC on a new car which had run less than 1000 KMS since it will increase the load on the engine ?

[tsk1979]

Compared to the power of cars vs the load by AC, the difference is not really much if you keep the engine within the requested rpm as per run in suggestions

[sriku23]

Guys I dunno if you guys believe in "break in". I did it on my Pulsar 150. IT WORKS!!! I know it takes a lot of courage to rip a bike straight away , but it worked in my case, The RPM raise is very smooth through out .

[mithun]

Originally Posted by sriku23

Guys I dunno if you guys believe in "break in". I did it on my Pulsar 150. IT WORKS!!! I know it takes a lot of courage to rip a bike straight away , but it worked in my case, The RPM raise is very smooth through out .

Nice to know that you've done a careful run-in of your Pulsar 150 when compared to the other 150cc showoff guys. The same is the case with my Pulsar 150 also. I've also done a very careful run-in. And the engine responds much better than other Pulsies and don't forget to use Castrol Power 1 for every oil change.

[mithun]

I've heard from mechanics that it's not advisable to push the car to higher RPM's after every service (especially after oil change) since it requires atleast 300 KMS for the engine oil to lose it's detergent properties and to change it's original colour.

Is this true ?

[hrag]

Originally Posted by mithun

I've heard from mechanics that it's not advisable to push the car to higher RPM's after every service (especially after oil change) Is this true ?

Never heard this one. I routinely take my car out on a highway drive just after the service. Although Tata recommends 10000 km for an oil change, I have it changed every 5000 km since the 35000 km mark.

[madhav]

How do you run in a car like the WagonR Duo? How would one make sure the performance of the car does not change with Petrol as well as LPG.
Should the running in be done with LPG or petrol or should one alternate the fuel type during the running in?

[swathyd]

I had kept a speed limit of 60/1500 rpm on my adventure until its first service at 1280kms. Even after the 1st service i keep a speed limit of 80 kms / 2000 rpm. I think i can drive normally after 3000kms.

[JPL]

Originally Posted by madhav

How do you run in a car like the WagonR Duo? How would one make sure the performance of the car does not change with Petrol as well as LPG.
Should the running in be done with LPG or petrol or should one alternate the fuel type during the running in?

dude definitely run in the wagon with petrol !! my guess is that running should be done only with fuel.

[madhav]

Originally Posted by JPL

dude definitely run in the wagon with petrol !! my guess is that running should be done only with fuel.

My thoughts exactly...but how do you maximise the engine performance for a fuel like LPG? Coz most people when they buy the duo LPG are looking at LPG being the primary fuel (for obvious reasons) and petrol for the occasional long runs. Now we runin the car with Petrol and then switch to LPG are there any known issues? I'm still not sure how to go about!!

[grvanand]

Me touched 160 in Palio on its second day of purchase and as far as I remember it has been driven in an enthusiastic way throughout. I was of the opinion that cars dont require run in like in the bikes and also the car manual did not specify any run in period. Am I right in this perception or not? Also what is the actual benifit of running in your cars?

[Jaggu]

one of the most debated topic in almost all the automobile forums.

my take drive normally making sure loading up the engine in a proper way

no abrupt acceleration and braking, rather loading up in all gears, warm up very imp!!

Increasing speed gradually, from say 50 to 60 settel then to 70 kinds

ofcource initial few hundred kms dont run in one go and make sure to take break with idle down if you have to

i dont believe in mothering the car to keep under 2k rpm and all, normal cautious driving with a watch on engine temp, avoid rev limiter rpms.

this i have followed in zen, iKON and the humble CT 100 took the mototune way of extreme runnin in.. end result not much difference due to either and all stable healthy engine, zen has done more than 1.25 lakh km by now and is with my uncle

at the end of the day its ur money, dont go with extreme ways if you cant afford any eventuality but that doesnt mean you have to baby foot either.

expecting swift vdi and planning to follow what i did with previous cars, just healthy normal (loading in gears) runin, will post the results

purely my opinion and always do listen to what manufacturer says, coz they are the ones who offer warranty at the end of the day.

[yogi1771]

well i do follow the routine of running in the engine,but the other day while watching a prog.. on nat geo about the way a ferrari is made the car is run through its paces before delivering it to the customer,yeah i know the ferrari engines are in a differnt league than what engines we comman people can afford but dont you think even these cars are made to run to check everything is fine but not to the extent what a ferrari is put through

[DieselFan]

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.

[raajks]

Originally Posted by grvanand

Me touched 160 in Palio on its second day of purchase and as far as I remember it has been driven in an enthusiastic way throughout. I was of the opinion that cars dont require run in like in the bikes and also the car manual did not specify any run in period. Am I right in this perception or not? Also what is the actual benifit of running in your cars?

Well, I was used to buying second hand cars and modifying it but Palio was my first new CAR.
When I asked the dealer the question on run in, the dealer told me that all FIAT engines are tested and the run in period is done for the engines.

He also told me that these are not bike engines and no run in is required.

But, his suggestion was not to rip the car to the T, till the first service atleast.

My take, enjoy the car but ensure that it is driven gracefully (Gradual accelaration and decelaration, No riding the clutch, Brake soft and Pedal soft) for the first 1000 KMS and then once the car becomes your second skin....it really does nt matter.... YOU WOULD KNOW what needs to be done.