Latest Running In Procedures
Discussion
I know this something that will have been done to death, but I would be grateful if people would tell me what the latest school of thought is regarding the running in procedure.
I have spoken with3 dealers this week and during conversations with them I have found the advice regarding the running in/warm up procedure to be different.
For Example:
Dealer A told me to start the car and move off, not allowing the engine to go above 3K RPM until everything is warm (approx 20 minutes)
Dealer B told me to start the car and let it idle at rest for 5 minutes, then move off. Again not allowing the engine to go above 3K RPM.
Personally I would prefer to go with Dealer A's advice as we live in an area with houses extremely close by and I don't wish to anoy them with a Speed 6 running outside their window.
The other bit of advice I had was regarding fuel. I was told by 1 dealer not to use Super Unleaded as it makes the ports glaze over. Now is that correct? If it is then that is great news as I don't have to worry about Optimax and it's £1.00+ per litre.
I have spoken with3 dealers this week and during conversations with them I have found the advice regarding the running in/warm up procedure to be different.
For Example:
Dealer A told me to start the car and move off, not allowing the engine to go above 3K RPM until everything is warm (approx 20 minutes)
Dealer B told me to start the car and let it idle at rest for 5 minutes, then move off. Again not allowing the engine to go above 3K RPM.
Personally I would prefer to go with Dealer A's advice as we live in an area with houses extremely close by and I don't wish to anoy them with a Speed 6 running outside their window.
The other bit of advice I had was regarding fuel. I was told by 1 dealer not to use Super Unleaded as it makes the ports glaze over. Now is that correct? If it is then that is great news as I don't have to worry about Optimax and it's £1.00+ per litre.
Listen to EVERYTHING Allan tellls you about running in. I have taken his advice to the letter and when my engine was dismantled for inspection during the week at the 1k service, him and his service guys said everything was in perfect condition and I had a healthy engine. 
>> Edited by kmpowell on Friday 9th September 18:58
>> Edited by kmpowell on Friday 9th September 18:58
kmpowell said:
Listen to EVERYTHING Allan tellls you about running in. I have taken his advice to the letter and when my engine was dismantled for inspection during the week at the 1k service, him and his service guys said everything was in perfect condition and I had a healthy engine.
>> Edited by kmpowell on Friday 9th September 18:58
I should bloody hope so at 1,000 miles!
Definitely don't leave it ticking over - drive off but keep the revs down. Tickover puts a lot of strain on some of the valvetrain compared with 1,500 rpm cruising along.
As for Optimax - thats a new one on me. My car lives on a diet of Optimax. What does 'ports glazing over' mean?
Whilst your running in the car will run fine on normal unleaded, as the engine wont be going over 3k revs anyway so whether the glazing is true or not, just use normal 95ron
Make sure the engine doesnt sit at constant revs for the first 300 miles, say for eg a motorway journey for the first 300 miles at 2.5k Its much better for the engine to bed in altering the revs up and down to 3k max.
Also, and i know its hard especially on hills, dont let the engine labour this will put more strain on it than over revving it.
Make sure the engine doesnt sit at constant revs for the first 300 miles, say for eg a motorway journey for the first 300 miles at 2.5k Its much better for the engine to bed in altering the revs up and down to 3k max.
Also, and i know its hard especially on hills, dont let the engine labour this will put more strain on it than over revving it.
nickfb1 said:
I'll ask my dealer tomorrow about the superunleaded issue. will let you know
Maybe its just no Optimax in the first 1,000 miles. Makes sense in a way since you don't need those extra RON while you're pottering about. I think I had a few tanks of normal in mine during running in (in fact my dealer doesn't have a super pump within 10-15 miles, only std unleaded at the local town petrol station anyway).
My understanding (and I stand to be corrected by someone that knows more) is that you only get the benefit of Optimax or other super unleaded at higher revs, and you won't get any benefit from using it during running in, which of course, involves no use of anything over 3k rpm at any point, oil warm or not, until after the 1k service.
...oh, and £1.04 for Optimax last night
I get very slight pinking at over 6k rpm even with Optimax, and moreso with normal unleaded.
...oh, and £1.04 for Optimax last night
I get very slight pinking at over 6k rpm even with Optimax, and moreso with normal unleaded.
kmpowell said:
and when my engine was dismantled for inspection during the week at the 1k service
>> Edited by kmpowell on Friday 9th September 18:58
see...it is possible to dismantle and put back together in double quick time 
Joking, Joking, Joking!!
Hi Kevin, its good to hear your having a fantastic time and yes! im Baaaaack.
TheHobbit said:
My understanding (and I stand to be corrected by someone that knows more) is that you only get the benefit of Optimax or other super unleaded at higher revs, and you won't get any benefit from using it during running in, which of course, involves no use of anything over 3k rpm at any point, oil warm or not, until after the 1k service.
...oh, and £1.04 for Optimax last night
I get very slight pinking at over 6k rpm even with Optimax, and moreso with normal unleaded.
Eh? Your running in must be different from mine then!
0-500 miles - 3k revs. Thereafter I was told to increase the revs slightly every 200 miles or so. O upped the revs by 500 every 200 miles. I am now on about 1600 miles and at about 6000revs.
from the owners manual, page 11. (T350)
RECOMMENDED RPM DURING THE RUNNING IN PERIOD.
Starting the engine from cold.0-1000miles, rpm should not exceed 2500 rpm until the engine is warm.
1. 0-250 miles, max rpm should not exceed 3500 rpm even when the engine is warm.
2. 250-1000 miles, although it is important to avoid full throttle or over 4000 rpm during the first 1000 miles, occasional bursts (circa 5 seconds) of 75% throttle up to 4000 rpm, will help to bed in piston rings in.
3.DO NOT use full throttle accelerations in low gear for at least 1000 miles and avoid full throttle use in any gear for the first 250 miles.
4. avoid driving at a constant speed within the first 300 miles.
Most importantly, drive fairly normally.Being too gentle with an engine when running in can be as bad as being too rough.
stick to these parameters and you should be ok. the change up lights are very useful at this stage of the cars life.
some people have struggled with the running in period and in spite of the clear procedures in the manuals, still get it wrong.If you are at all unsure, you can always opt for the running in service offered by the factory to any new car owner who wishes to have the first 1000 miles completed(with the 1st service)for them.
As they say in the motor industry-as an absolute last resort,if in doubt RTFM.
Hope this helps
Ed
RECOMMENDED RPM DURING THE RUNNING IN PERIOD.
Starting the engine from cold.0-1000miles, rpm should not exceed 2500 rpm until the engine is warm.
1. 0-250 miles, max rpm should not exceed 3500 rpm even when the engine is warm.
2. 250-1000 miles, although it is important to avoid full throttle or over 4000 rpm during the first 1000 miles, occasional bursts (circa 5 seconds) of 75% throttle up to 4000 rpm, will help to bed in piston rings in.
3.DO NOT use full throttle accelerations in low gear for at least 1000 miles and avoid full throttle use in any gear for the first 250 miles.
4. avoid driving at a constant speed within the first 300 miles.
Most importantly, drive fairly normally.Being too gentle with an engine when running in can be as bad as being too rough.
stick to these parameters and you should be ok. the change up lights are very useful at this stage of the cars life.
some people have struggled with the running in period and in spite of the clear procedures in the manuals, still get it wrong.If you are at all unsure, you can always opt for the running in service offered by the factory to any new car owner who wishes to have the first 1000 miles completed(with the 1st service)for them.
As they say in the motor industry-as an absolute last resort,if in doubt RTFM.
Hope this helps
Ed
We have been to Peninsula today to look at their showroom Tamora and a test drive in a T350 to remind ourselves of what it is like to drive a TVR.
Regarding the Super Unleaded/Optimax question, I didn't ask Allan what he meant by ports glazing (we had too many other questions for him) but I saw with my own eyes the yellow and red label that basically said "Used 95 Ron Unleaded Only"
This was on a 2005 Spec Tamora (Like my own forthcoming car) and had the black top engine.
Regarding the Super Unleaded/Optimax question, I didn't ask Allan what he meant by ports glazing (we had too many other questions for him) but I saw with my own eyes the yellow and red label that basically said "Used 95 Ron Unleaded Only"
This was on a 2005 Spec Tamora (Like my own forthcoming car) and had the black top engine.
TheHobbit said:
My understanding (and I stand to be corrected by someone that knows more) is that you only get the benefit of Optimax or other super unleaded at higher revs, and you won't get any benefit from using it during running in, which of course, involves no use of anything over 3k rpm at any point, oil warm or not, until after the 1k service.
...oh, and £1.04 for Optimax last night
I get very slight pinking at over 6k rpm even with Optimax, and moreso with normal unleaded.
Hi Karl,
You are quite right in the main. Higher octane rated fuels are normally used when an engine operates at a higher compression ratio.higher octane fuels suffer less from pre-detonation(pinking)at higher revs. the only time that we suggest that you must use higher octane fuels is if you are using the car on the track and therefore putting the engine/fuel under higher loads.
the other benefits that you may see in normal driving using higher octane fuels is a slight increase in economy and a feeling of better response(it won't make the engine produce more power though) because the fuel burns at a higher temp so produces more energy so less fuel needed to produce the same explosion in the cylinders as a lower octane fuel(higher calorific value).a small increase in normal operating temp can be observed for the same reason.
If your car is still pinking even when using optimax and similar fuels...maybe have the knock sensor checked. This sensor picks up the vibration produced in the engine when pre-detonation occurs and tells the engine ECU to adjust ignition accordingly but unfortunately the sensor is also "worn" everytime pre-detonation happens-so eventually it will wear out and be incapable of doing what it is designed to do.
There is a little bit more too it but I have tried to keep the explanation as simple as possible and those are the basics.
Ed
tvr1 said:
Hi Karl,
You are quite right in the main. Higher octane rated fuels are normally used when an engine operates at a higher compression ratio.higher octane fuels suffer less from pre-detonation(pinking)at higher revs. the only time that we suggest that you must use higher octane fuels is if you are using the car on the track and therefore putting the engine/fuel under higher loads.
the other benefits that you may see in normal driving using higher octane fuels is a slight increase in economy and a feeling of better response(it won't make the engine produce more power though) because the fuel burns at a higher temp so produces more energy so less fuel needed to produce the same explosion in the cylinders as a lower octane fuel(higher calorific value).a small increase in normal operating temp can be observed for the same reason.
Thanks for the great reply. It says a load of the bits I wasn't sure how to say, and fills in a good few gaps.
I guess you know/get used to your own car, and pick up on the unexplainably slight increase in "willingness" when running on super unleaded.
tvr1 said:
If your car is still pinking even when using optimax and similar fuels...maybe have the knock sensor checked. This sensor picks up the vibration produced in the engine when pre-detonation occurs and tells the engine ECU to adjust ignition accordingly but unfortunately the sensor is also "worn" everytime pre-detonation happens-so eventually it will wear out and be incapable of doing what it is designed to do.
Ah, I'll get the dealer to check that when it next goes back then.
tvr1 said:
There is a little bit more too it but I have tried to keep the explanation as simple as possible and those are the basics.
Ed
Thanks again for your reply
DJC said:
My understanding (and I stand to be corrected by someone that knows more) is that you only get the benefit of Optimax or other super unleaded at higher revs, and you won't get any benefit from using it during running in, which of course, involves no use of anything over 3k rpm at any point, oil warm or not, until after the 1k service.
...oh, and £1.04 for Optimax last night
I get very slight pinking at over 6k rpm even with Optimax, and moreso with normal unleaded.
Eh? Your running in must be different from mine then!
0-500 miles - 3k revs. Thereafter I was told to increase the revs slightly every 200 miles or so. O upped the revs by 500 every 200 miles. I am now on about 1600 miles and at about 6000revs.
You should have read the owners manual... it is quite clear about the running in procedure.
dvpeace said:
TheHobbit said:
My understanding (and I stand to be corrected by someone that knows more) is that you only get the benefit of Optimax or other super unleaded at higher revs, and you won't get any benefit from using it during running in, which of course, involves no use of anything over 3k rpm at any point, oil warm or not, until after the 1k service.
...oh, and £1.04 for Optimax last night
I get very slight pinking at over 6k rpm even with Optimax, and moreso with normal unleaded.
Eh? Your running in must be different from mine then!
0-500 miles - 3k revs. Thereafter I was told to increase the revs slightly every 200 miles or so. O upped the revs by 500 every 200 miles. I am now on about 1600 miles and at about 6000revs.
You should have read the owners manual... it is quite clear about the running in procedure.
Indeed. Ben at DM is also fairly experienced in these sorts of things and gave a few extra hints. Experience also tells that Speed Six is like older sports car engines of the 60's and 70's, that they arent run in properly until about 6000 miles. Indeed users on here are saying that. The manual isnt saying anything specific, but pretty much follows the general rule of running an engine in. Even at 1600 miles I still havent used full throttle in any gear. I have used a mix of Optimax, normal RON and BP Ultimate. The cold running proceedures are the only S6 specific instructions really and then I err on caution. Below 45 and all changes are below 2500rpm and below 55 all changes are below 3k rpm.
I got my car back from the first service last week at 1500 miles (Ben said no need to bring it back in until really 1200 miles have gone) and I asked how the engine looked. If it had bedded in ok. Perfect was the reply.
The Speed Six isnt some mythical, strange beast that requires completely different treatment from any other engine before. Treat it like an old fashioned 60s and 70s sports car engine when running in, use common sense and a delicate touch and you will be just fine.
TheHobbit said:
Hi Karl,
You are quite right in the main. Higher octane rated fuels are normally used when an engine operates at a higher compression ratio.higher octane fuels suffer less from pre-detonation(pinking)at higher revs. the only time that we suggest that you must use higher octane fuels is if you are using the car on the track and therefore putting the engine/fuel under higher loads.
the other benefits that you may see in normal driving using higher octane fuels is a slight increase in economy and a feeling of better response(it won't make the engine produce more power though) because the fuel burns at a higher temp so produces more energy so less fuel needed to produce the same explosion in the cylinders as a lower octane fuel(higher calorific value).a small increase in normal operating temp can be observed for the same reason.
Thanks for the great reply. It says a load of the bits I wasn't sure how to say, and fills in a good few gaps.
I guess you know/get used to your own car, and pick up on the unexplainably slight increase in "willingness" when running on super unleaded.
tvr1 said:
If your car is still pinking even when using optimax and similar fuels...maybe have the knock sensor checked. This sensor picks up the vibration produced in the engine when pre-detonation occurs and tells the engine ECU to adjust ignition accordingly but unfortunately the sensor is also "worn" everytime pre-detonation happens-so eventually it will wear out and be incapable of doing what it is designed to do.
Ah, I'll get the dealer to check that when it next goes back then.
tvr1 said:
There is a little bit more too it but I have tried to keep the explanation as simple as possible and those are the basics.
Ed
Thanks again for your reply
Mine does that too - pinks at about 6k revs. It's just been serviced at Power and was given a clean bill of health (though it did have some other 'consumable' sensors replaced).
It's going back at some point for a sports exhaust (and new chip) so was just going to live with it, and use lower revs until then. However, I filled it with Esso's super-unleaded yesterday (can't remember the brand name) and it seems to have completely cured it.
Had a very enjoyable 200 mile drive yesterday after the fill up
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