Tips for breaking in a brand new engine?

[brad]

Its just a Mazda MPS, 2009 model. It stays on for about 3 mins then turns off when the car is warm.. I guess enough. to go?

Our Toyota Avensis Verso had a light like that but the owners manual said something like "It is not neccessary to warm up the engine before starting your journey. While the low water temperature light is illuminated it is recomended that you drive conservatively until the light is extinguished."

[brad]

And you're correct Idle, it doesn't really do them any harm*, but it just doesn't do anything useful either. Hence why for quite some time now, every manufacturer recommends just driving smoothly/lightly until the car has warmed up. This way you're warming up all the required components of the car, rather than just wasting fuel warming up the engine and nothing else.

*long periods of idling does cause some issues which then require more regular servicing, but ask someone else what those issues are cause I'm not a mechanic.

I used to buy diesel engines for generators, jet-start compressors & air-pac compressors. One of the things I started to get programmed into the ECU was an "up-idle" feature for when they were sitting for extended idle periods. It would bring the idle up from 750rpm to 1100rpm so that their was some pressure behind the rings. This would stop carbon build-up, cylinder glazing, diesel plugging & few other nasties.

[WhiteJames]

Warm-up:

I agree that you should give the motor an initial period of time on idle after start-up for oil to reach & lubricate the top of the motor prior to moving away. This should take no more than 20 seconds. A prolonged warm-up involving having the motor sit & idle is not in accordance with the owner’s manual.

An idle warm up would only prolong the cold oil piston ring to bore friction with excess fuel washing away the oil trapped in the cross hones of the cylinder bores. Driving off after 20 seconds would put some load on the cold motor, forcing out the piston rings, creating some friction, but expanding the piston rings to trap more of the oil in the cross hones of the cylinder bore to combat a rich fuel warm up mixture.

Break-in Period for my GTI:

The new GTI has been driven 3500km in 3.5 weeks with 95% of driving outside metro areas. Mainly tourist routes, highway/freeway, country roadways and at least one protracted mountain climb for about 10-20 minutes on each drive day.

The mountain climbs have seen the oil temp as high as 111 degrees on a couple of occasions, aiding in the expansion of the metal to metal in the motor. It’s also important to gradually reduce the motor & oil temps prior to switch off.

The first 2,000km involved strictly keeping the revs between 2,000rpm – 4,000rpm. The rev ceiling was extended by 250rpm every 500km up to 3500rpm (2500km/4250rpm; 3,000km/4500rpm) - followed by 500rpm limit increase every 500km up to 4,000rpm (3,500km/5000rpm; 4000km/5500rpm; then rev to beginning of redline between 4,000km – 5,000km). This was & will be done by using the DSG paddles in manual mode.

In general, the owner’s manual states that the Mark 6 GTI may use up to 500ml of oil per 1,000km; and during break-in period, the oil consumption may be higher than 500ml per 1,000km.

After 3,500km: The GTI has not used any oil at all. Not a drop.

This is a good sign that the break-in process adopted has ensured that there is enough compression in the TSI motor to ensure that the piston rings have consistently expanded against the cylinder bore trapping the oil. This should also ensure a healthy mate between the piston rings and the cylinder bore, making for less oil consumption in the future when going from mineral based oil to synthetic based oil.

The GTI has finished its crucial 20-30 hours of initial operation crucial to the break-in of the TSI motor.

The GTI can now be used for regular peak hour day to day metropolitan trips if need be in addition to being opened up for some higher revs, once properly warmed up.

Cheers
WJ

[Zaul]

Thanks for the tip W.J. I only do about 5 thousand k's a year of mostly city driving so I'm going to have to get out more judging by what you've done!

[Maz]

<SNIP>
Mainly tourist routes, highway/freeway, country roadways and at least one protracted mountain climb for about 10-20 minutes on each drive day.
</SNIP>

Hi WJ - I've noticed through your posts you've done a few loops in/around the ACT - would you mind posting up your run-in loop?

Cheers

[hooba]

The GTI has finished its crucial 20-30 hours of initial operation crucial to the break-in of the TSI motor.

Thank god for the wharfies playing their part in the break in period.

[dave_r]

Thank god for the wharfies playing their part in the break in period.

LOL! Kudos to WJ for being so clinical and restrained.

But not sure I can do it myself. I've always gone with drive it hard from day 1 and never let it sit in the same gear or revs for too long at a time. Never had an issue but don't keep my cars long enough.

[WhiteJames]

Queanbeyan/Canberra:

Around the ACT I think the Canberra to Batemans Bay drive & return is choice. If times permits – Canberra – Batemans Bay – Bega – Canberra – loop would be a good drive for a break in drive. Plenty of ascents & descents for the motor to load & unload with a big hill climb up the Clyde Mountain (or Brown Mountain if including Bega loop).


Sydney:

I did an easy drive through the Royal National Park (RNP) with 60-80kph zones to ensure all the parts get to know each other for the first 150km. Oil temp usually hovers around 96 degrees, indication not much load on the motor at all.

Second drive involves the freeway with higher speeds & high engine loads with a mountain climb up Macquarie Pass to Moss Vale & return to Sydney, either the same way or in a loop through Mittagong to Picton Road, doubling back onto Mount Ousley and just north of Wollongong (Princes Freeway) for the return journey to Sydney. Saw oil temps range from 91 degrees to 109 degrees on last drive from Sydney to Kangaroo Valley – Moss Vale.


Watching oil temps:

Air temperature varying @ 3-5 degrees between drives does not appear not to affect oil temps to any notable degree.


Kangaroo Valley Mountain Climb

1. The first drive up Kangaroo Valley with 220km on the odometer had the oil temp up to 111 degrees from about half-way up to top of mountain range. After this drive, the motor definitely felt looser.

2. Second drive oil temp hit 109 degrees.

3. Third attempt oil temp hit 107 degrees consistently (short spike up to 109 degree for brief period only).


Similar thing with Batemans Bay drive x2:

1. First drive with one occupant had oil temp up to 111 degrees.

2. Second drive with two on board – oil temps hit 109 degrees.



With the oil temps dropping after each drive, it would suggest to me that the motor is slowly loosening up with less heat friction after each mountain climb. Imo it’s better to keep revs to @ 4,000rpm with light throttle applications and climb a mountain for 10-20min than just thrash the TSI motor out in short bursts. Don’t expect fuel economy to really improve until after 15,000km when mineral oil is discarded for full synthetic oil. Run period, I guess, take the full 15,000km – basically the time the motor is running on mineral oil, which is not as slippery as the full synthetic oil. As stated before – my new GTI has not used a drop of oil in 3,500km in this break-in period. When the GTI is in transit pre-sale - the motor is in transit mode, not being able to be revved past 4,000rpm. This 4,000rpm ceiling is lifted by the dealer pre-delivery - prevents any form of abuse pre-sale.

Cheers.
WJ

[G-rig]

After 3,500km: The GTI has not used any oil at all. Not a drop.

This is a good sign that the break-in process adopted has ensured that there is enough compression in the TSI motor to ensure that the piston rings have consistently expanded against the cylinder bore trapping the oil. This should also ensure a healthy mate between the piston rings and the cylinder bore, making for less oil consumption in the future when going from mineral based oil to synthetic based oil.

Mine hasn't used any oil either in about 3,000km WJ. No oil lights or top ups.

[VWR032]

Question on the break in process and chipping...

Would there be any advantage to getting the APR tune done before / whilst breaking in the engine, or would it be better to break then engine in and then get the tune?

I like the break in drives you went through there too WJ. Had something similar planned myself when I pick the R up (Northern Beaches -> Jervis Bay) and now I know the best hills to hit on the way!