Tips for breaking in a brand new engine?

**vdubber1212** · 26-04-2011, 01:02 AM

I've driven my GTI down to Wollongong via Grand Pacific Drive yesterday and was trying to vary the revs a few times with paddle shifters in D for the running in purposes suggested here but I wanted to make sure if using paddle shifters in D at low odo kms is ok. I've checked the engine oil has warmed up to the suggested temp. then. I've also driven up north to Hunter valley in the rain today and tried to vary the revs just with my foot on and off the accelerator - not very effective unless I'm going up/downhill. Is this how we do it? What's the reasoning behind all this highway/freeway driving for running in the engine? I've done about 650km in three days. Did I drive too much? hehe in fact, I want to go out and drive more now. I'm not babying the car but am trying to drive normally between 2000-3200 rpm and the manual says dont run the engine at low revs.

**Corey_R** · 26-04-2011, 10:35 AM

I think that you've misunderstood what some people are saying here. Highway/Freeway driving is BAD for breaking in an engine. So as some people have had to pick up their cars from several hundred (or even a 1000+ km) from home, they've wanted to know how to drive it home via highways and freeways and still break in the engine well....

Also, does the manual really say "don't use low rpm"? Or does it say something more like "vary your RPMs" ?

**markwid** · 26-04-2011, 12:42 PM

Originally Posted by vdubber1212

I'm not babying the car but am trying to drive normally between 2000-3200 rpm

Too late - damage done

. Just kidding - should be fine. Breaking in is less of a factor these days with modern cars.

That said, the general wisdom is (a)warm up engine (b) drive reasonably hard, varying your rpm i.e. give it some load. This is why highway driving at constant rpm is not recommended.

**vdubber1212** · 26-04-2011, 01:23 PM

Originally Posted by Corey_R

I think that you've misunderstood what some people are saying here. Highway/Freeway driving is BAD for breaking in an engine. So as some people have had to pick up their cars from several hundred (or even a 1000+ km) from home, they've wanted to know how to drive it home via highways and freeways and still break in the engine well....

Also, does the manual really say "don't use low rpm"? Or does it say something more like "vary your RPMs" ?

Yeah I've read that part too (worrying about driving from interstate) but a forum member here, I think it was wj who had good results in doing that in his two gtis, might have mentioned something like that. Maybe I still misunderstood as roads suggested were where varying revs are required not just being at constant speeds. The manual says don't drive at low engine speed n I think it also mentions varying speed too.

**vdubber1212** · 26-04-2011, 01:27 PM

Originally Posted by markwid

Too late - damage done

. Just kidding - should be fine. Breaking in is less of a factor these days with modern cars.

That said, the general wisdom is (a)warm up engine (b) drive reasonably hard, varying your rpm i.e. give it some load. This is why highway driving at constant rpm is not recommended.

Yeah I heard it's run in on bench at the factory before being put in the car but manual still mentions briefly about running in the engine for up to 1500km. Now I'm worried..

**vdubber1212** · 26-04-2011, 03:08 PM

Btw by freeway/highway driving I just assumed the long distance drive routes suggested were freeway/highway as I wasn't familiar with places in Nsw n thought those routes required varying revs. Yes the main two things I gathered here were varying engine speeds n oil temp between 95-105 Celsius degrees n not to idle. Btw I wasn't able to drive at constant high speeds due to traffic n rain but then again start/stop is also not good?

**hooba** · 26-04-2011, 09:35 PM

It'll be fine, you're over thinking it. Don't baby it, don't cane it, and just drive it.

**Angryman** · 26-04-2011, 09:59 PM

Agreed. Had my r for 3 months now...just cracked 20000 km and I've driven it as I normally would. Nil issues so far. It's doing 1700km a week at a minimum on the highway and gets the herbs everytime I over take...stop worrying start driving!!!

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**vdubber1212** · 27-04-2011, 12:22 PM

Originally Posted by hooba

It'll be fine, you're over thinking it. Don't baby it, don't cane it, and just drive it.

Thanks. Will do just that.

just wanted to do my best in having trouble free motoring experience as I had some probs with my last Golf.

**vdubber1212** · 27-04-2011, 12:25 PM

Originally Posted by Angryman

Agreed. Had my r for 3 months now...just cracked 20000 km and I've driven it as I normally would. Nil issues so far. It's doing 1700km a week at a minimum on the highway and gets the herbs everytime I over take...stop worrying start driving!!!

Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk

thanks for the information. That makes me feel better now

will just drive it as I normally would.