Running In period!

Ken H

Active Member
Dec 20, 2015
161
8
Cork , Ireland
I'm told I'll receive my C290 in March! Do I need to run the car in before hand or just drive away normally on arrival? What do most people do?
 

MyLeon

Active Member
Jun 3, 2015
349
2
Run it in! Gentle loading of the engine, not too many revs and slowly build up.
Generally follow the guidelines in the handbook.
Ignore those who say engines don't need running in, they are wrong!


2015 Leon ST FR 184 DSG
 

Dan1720v

Active Member
Feb 28, 2010
1,928
2
Street, Somerset
Lots of varied throttle, lots of deceleration, lots of load.

Tbh, the most vital time of an engines life are the first 2 hours/25 miles. After that id bring it back, drop the oil, new filter and drive as normal. The only things you need to run in now are camshafts (on a bucket/follower setup) and piston rings, both of which bed in REALLY quickly.

From experience, the most powerful/fast engines had a hard run in.
 
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Mk3 Se

Active Member
Dec 1, 2015
42
0
Run it in! Gentle loading of the engine, not too many revs and slowly build up.

Do not baby a new engine. Since having my first new car in 1978 I have driven them normally from day one but simply avoided full throttle, max revs constant motorway revs for the first few hundred miles. Never allow an engine to rattle along with no revs so for me that is not an issue but it should also be avoided.

The only difference today is back in the 70's and early 80's my car had to have an oil change after 500 or 1500 miles. Now they don't see a garage until 10,000 miles or a years up.

Generally follow the guidelines in the handbook.

Which does not tell you to run it in gently.

Never had an issue with any engine so I must be doing something right.
 

Aardvark

Active Member
Apr 24, 2014
242
5
Leeds, Yorkshire
I have driven almost 1 million miles and on some cars have done 140,000 from new and passed them back with all original clutch and transmission.

I always bed in cars for 1500 miles, keeping below 3000RPM and not allowing the engine to labour in too low a gear and never more than 50% throttle.
 

andycupra

status subject to change
drive it normally, but with the caveat that you should avoid labouring/running at very low revs and dont run it to the red line for first 1,000 miles. Say not over 4k from new and work up.
I'd say that an oil /filter change after 500 mile isnt a bad idea,
 

Porker3

Active Member
May 17, 2015
83
0
I always do what the hand book recommends, however on top of that I engine break quite a lot, I believe it helps things seat better. I have been informed that running as per manufacturers guides helps with engine longevity, however a firmer hand helps with the performance but not necessarily the best for longevity.
 

POB

Going nowhere slowly...
Feb 12, 2008
117
3
Newtownards, County Down
It only affects late MY16 cars. A bad batch they think. He stated that they should be hard to remove with the tool. I can use my fingers without too much effort!!
 

Seastormer

Cupra Leon VZ2 300/CBF1000
Apr 25, 2014
5,007
693
68
Edinburgh (Scotland)
It only affects late MY16 cars. A bad batch they think. He stated that they should be hard to remove with the tool. I can use my fingers without too much effort!!

What is this to do with running in, did you mean to post in the loose wheel nuts thread, must try harder go to bottom of the class.:lol:
 

kazand

Is powered by Medtronics
Jun 6, 2010
4,138
73
Brum
Depends on two things. 1. Are you planning on keeping it? If so, drive like Miss Daisy on her monthly and comment regularly on the mpg posts and other boring pointless shite on here.. 2. If not, drive it like its meant to be driven. Enjoy the performance. Report back on the fun you've had. The ice caps you've melted. The polar bears you've made homeless. Or not, depending on who you believe. Its your car, your choice. Oh yes, and read the handbook. Probably a pointless exercise but at least then you can say you've done it.
Life. Its short, but not a trial run.
 
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