How to decide on break-in / running-in period?

Samurai · 21st April 2005, 16:37

How does one decide on break-in period or running-in period for a car? Is it mentioned in the owner's manual. I never read the manual, so I don't know. Or is it just some ballpark number like 2000KMs go below some rpm and some speed?

Odd thing happened while I bought the Acura TL in late 2000. I asked about the break-in period and the dealer told me just drive normally.

Rtech · 21st April 2005, 16:52

How you break in your car depends on how long you want to keep it

Jokes apart, it will be given in your manual. As a rule of thumb, keep the revs below about 3-4,000 (since you have a Baleno) for the first 2,000km's or so, then gradually increase that limit as you put on the miles.

Jaggu · 21st April 2005, 18:15

i dont agree to this, modern engines are built with very good tolerance level so runnin wont be mentioned/not required.. usually manual would say, max speed to limit in each gear which in turn translates to not revving engines out / hitting rew limiter in the initial few 100 kms..

ideally you should load the engines in all the gears for proper ring seal to happen and while at it, open up a lil further with every 100 kms or so. hence if you are a ok driver, drive normally...

and running in a car without loading n changing rews will make the engine settle down to a particular rpm which might affect its potential when u open up..

my personal exp with a puny lil 800 is, it also got run in doing highways with ac n virtually raping the engine out.. end result was an amazing engine with equally amazing mileage and power... similar with ikon, gues the initial long hauls when i took the car has worked in to its advantage..

again have done 180 kph on speedo on a baleno altura having run 1 k kms and the owner also ran the initial kms only in the hosur rd highway to electronic city..

only 2 suggestions from my side is, run in to get the balance of the new car and make sure to replace the engine oil at the 1 k odo reading and you should be fine

if u r still confused and want to get confused more read this

http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

happy motoring

iceman91 · 21st April 2005, 18:19

hey jaggu you are back!!! no posts in a long time.
well there is no fixed running in duration. once the engine has "freed" up its run in.
running in is required for two things..teh rings and the bearings.
rings set in very very fast.bearings depend on the person who has set it at time of assembly.
i know people who had completed running in 600km for a brand new engine..i.e. rebored redbuilt etc.
while some guys took 5000!!!

Rtech · 21st April 2005, 18:26

Each engine has it's own way to bed in. Certain engines, if not properly run in, can consume oil. I believe the Evo 8 is one such car, that if you don't follow the run in process exactly as specified, it can start using a lot of oil.

RX135 · 21st April 2005, 18:33

Most MPFI cars do not have run-in for engine. Petra does not have run in period mentioned anywhere in the manual. I also checked with dealer and he had no clue about it. He said, run-in is not required for the engine. I believe other than engine, whole transmission system has to lubricate and free up, which would be all set in first 500-1000 Km.

Shan2nu · 21st April 2005, 18:34

I think 1000 kms of normal sedate driving is more than enuf. There is no fixed figure.

Shan2nu

iceman91 · 21st April 2005, 18:35

yes because some of the cars come with pre-run engines

Jaggu · 21st April 2005, 18:35

yup was busy with soe work.. ice there is a defenite diff between factory set engine n re worked and am ONLY REFERRING TO FACTORY SET !!!

yup wild runin whats mentioned on the link i dont suggest (i opeted for a in between run in for my puny ct 100) yeah its all about $$$ he he especially if u urself has paid for the car or bike

but if you read through it there are loads of stuff which is very logical and simple..

warm the engine up, run it-load it (NOT OVER LOAD) and rew it higher n higher till u hit the rew limiter at 1k kms

bearings q is also answered in the link (if i remember correct).. let me check n ill post the other links if its not

and the first para says it all about this topic.. as controversial as it gets..

simran · 21st April 2005, 18:45

This link too talks about similar things: http://www.faqs.org/faqs/autos/toyot...ection-27.html

He also mentions that you need to run-in your brakes as well.

Samurai · 22nd April 2005, 10:19

Ok, now I am thoroughly confused. I am absolutely not sure which running-in method to use. Why can't all car manufacturers provide engines that are pre-run?

Why leave that all important detail in the hands of clueless customers?

iceman91 · 22nd April 2005, 10:26

hey your baleno is a pre-run engine. dont worry follow what jaggu said do not load it initially thats all.else drive peacefully with short bursts once in a while

Jaggu · 22nd April 2005, 11:02

i expected this, DONOT worry, just drive it normal and dont be too gentel or too aggressive with the car

speedsatya · 22nd April 2005, 17:37

the mpfi zen manual says that 100kph should not be exceded in the first 1000kms.and hard braking should be avoided for the first 300kms.

as the baleno does 80kph around 2000rpm,it would do no harm in sticking to 2000-3000rpms for the first 1k-2k kms.

also read this
http://209.15.36.61/rdrc/breakin.html

Samurai · 22nd April 2005, 23:15

The dealer did confirm that the Baleno Engine is pre-run, therefore I don't have much to worry about.

21st April 2005, 16:37	#1
Samurai Team-BHP Support Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Bangalore/Udupi Posts: 26,014 Thanked: 50,162 Times View My Garage	How to decide on break-in / running-in period? How does one decide on break-in period or running-in period for a car? Is it mentioned in the owner's manual. I never read the manual, so I don't know. Or is it just some ballpark number like 2000KMs go below some rpm and some speed? Odd thing happened while I bought the Acura TL in late 2000. I asked about the break-in period and the dealer told me just drive normally.
	() Thanks

21st April 2005, 16:52	#2
Rtech Team-BHP Support Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 5,765 Thanked: 371 Times View My Garage	How you break in your car depends on how long you want to keep it Jokes apart, it will be given in your manual. As a rule of thumb, keep the revs below about 3-4,000 (since you have a Baleno) for the first 2,000km's or so, then gradually increase that limit as you put on the miles.
	() Thanks

21st April 2005, 18:15	#3
Jaggu Team-BHP Support Join Date: May 2004 Location: Bangalore Posts: 20,379 Thanked: 17,320 Times	i dont agree to this, modern engines are built with very good tolerance level so runnin wont be mentioned/not required.. usually manual would say, max speed to limit in each gear which in turn translates to not revving engines out / hitting rew limiter in the initial few 100 kms.. ideally you should load the engines in all the gears for proper ring seal to happen and while at it, open up a lil further with every 100 kms or so. hence if you are a ok driver, drive normally... and running in a car without loading n changing rews will make the engine settle down to a particular rpm which might affect its potential when u open up.. my personal exp with a puny lil 800 is, it also got run in doing highways with ac n virtually raping the engine out.. end result was an amazing engine with equally amazing mileage and power... similar with ikon, gues the initial long hauls when i took the car has worked in to its advantage.. again have done 180 kph on speedo on a baleno altura having run 1 k kms and the owner also ran the initial kms only in the hosur rd highway to electronic city.. only 2 suggestions from my side is, run in to get the balance of the new car and make sure to replace the engine oil at the 1 k odo reading and you should be fine if u r still confused and want to get confused more read this http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm happy motoring
	() Thanks

21st April 2005, 18:19	#4
iceman91 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: melbourne/banga Posts: 1,961 Thanked: 36 Times View My Garage	hey jaggu you are back!!! no posts in a long time. well there is no fixed running in duration. once the engine has "freed" up its run in. running in is required for two things..teh rings and the bearings. rings set in very very fast.bearings depend on the person who has set it at time of assembly. i know people who had completed running in 600km for a brand new engine..i.e. rebored redbuilt etc. while some guys took 5000!!!
	() Thanks

21st April 2005, 18:26	#5
Rtech Team-BHP Support Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 5,765 Thanked: 371 Times View My Garage	Each engine has it's own way to bed in. Certain engines, if not properly run in, can consume oil. I believe the Evo 8 is one such car, that if you don't follow the run in process exactly as specified, it can start using a lot of oil.
	() Thanks

21st April 2005, 18:33	#6
RX135 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: pune Posts: 2,106 Thanked: 77 Times	Most MPFI cars do not have run-in for engine. Petra does not have run in period mentioned anywhere in the manual. I also checked with dealer and he had no clue about it. He said, run-in is not required for the engine. I believe other than engine, whole transmission system has to lubricate and free up, which would be all set in first 500-1000 Km.
	() Thanks

21st April 2005, 18:34	#7
Shan2nu Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Hubli - Karnata Posts: 5,533 Thanked: 127 Times View My Garage	I think 1000 kms of normal sedate driving is more than enuf. There is no fixed figure. Shan2nu
	() Thanks

21st April 2005, 18:35	#8
iceman91 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: melbourne/banga Posts: 1,961 Thanked: 36 Times View My Garage	yes because some of the cars come with pre-run engines
	() Thanks

21st April 2005, 18:45	#10
simran BHPian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Gurgaon Posts: 170 Thanked: 13 Times View My Garage	This link too talks about similar things: http://www.faqs.org/faqs/autos/toyot...ection-27.html He also mentions that you need to run-in your brakes as well.
	() Thanks

22nd April 2005, 10:19	#11
Samurai Team-BHP Support Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Bangalore/Udupi Posts: 26,014 Thanked: 50,162 Times View My Garage	Ok, now I am thoroughly confused. I am absolutely not sure which running-in method to use. Why can't all car manufacturers provide engines that are pre-run? Why leave that all important detail in the hands of clueless customers?
	() Thanks

22nd April 2005, 10:26	#12
iceman91 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: melbourne/banga Posts: 1,961 Thanked: 36 Times View My Garage	hey your baleno is a pre-run engine. dont worry follow what jaggu said do not load it initially thats all.else drive peacefully with short bursts once in a while
	() Thanks

22nd April 2005, 11:02	#13
Jaggu Team-BHP Support Join Date: May 2004 Location: Bangalore Posts: 20,379 Thanked: 17,320 Times	i expected this, DONOT worry, just drive it normal and dont be too gentel or too aggressive with the car
	() Thanks

22nd April 2005, 17:37	#14
speedsatya Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2004 Location: bangalore/manga Posts: 3,167 Thanked: 742 Times View My Garage	the mpfi zen manual says that 100kph should not be exceded in the first 1000kms.and hard braking should be avoided for the first 300kms. as the baleno does 80kph around 2000rpm,it would do no harm in sticking to 2000-3000rpms for the first 1k-2k kms. also read this http://209.15.36.61/rdrc/breakin.html Last edited by speedsatya : 22nd April 2005 at 17:55.
	() Thanks

22nd April 2005, 23:15	#15
Samurai Team-BHP Support Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Bangalore/Udupi Posts: 26,014 Thanked: 50,162 Times View My Garage	The dealer did confirm that the Baleno Engine is pre-run, therefore I don't have much to worry about.
	() Thanks