New 111R owner - couple of queries please

[schew111r]

Greetings all,

Picked up my 111R last Saturday and am loving it. Its a pre-reg that has done 300miles.
Just wondering if I could get some answers to a couple of queries

1) Running in period - I've been keeping the car under 4500 revs but was reading the manual the other day, and it mentioned something about only using upto half throttle. Haven't been depressing the accelerator to the floor but was wondering how much acceleration I can get upto. Got 500 miles to go till 1000 mile service.

2) Gearbox - my gearstick has a little bit of side to side movement (only max6-7mm, and occasionally is difficult to engage reverse. Read somewhere that the gear cord is tightened in first service and this makes the gear changes sharper. Will the 1000 mile service fix this or should I take her back to be checked out.

3) Brakes - she stops pretty quick, but I seem to remember the 111R I test drove was new 2006 111R dealer test drive car) was that little bit quicker (in stopping) and felt sharper on stopping. Could be that when I test drove the cars brakes had been warmed up by the dealer. Am I worrying over nothing?

4) How often do you wash yours. This is probably rhetorical, cos I live in London and she'll probably get dirtier with the smog?

5) Was looking through the service history book. I got my 111R as a pre-reg dealer car so its actually been registered Oct 2005. There's a page in the service history about free servicing/labour. Its been cut out by the dealer - what does that page refer to (Its past half way in the little maintenance record book on page 16a). My car has 17 mths of warranty left and as far as I'm aware, I only have to pay for parts for the two warrenty services (ie 1000 miles and year 2 service).

Apologies if some of these queries seem a bit daft. I might be worrying about things I'm making up in my head.

Tah for your comments in advance

Cheers

Steve

[Janitor]

Hi Steve Congrats on a fine choice - most of what you ask is pretty normal both in terms of content and concern

I didn't see anything too much in there to be overly concerned about and I've added a few links below to SIMILAR threads I've contributed my point of view on at some point


1) My Dealer said under 4k revs for the first couple of hundred, then slowly start to use it a little more. Of course under no circumstances thrash it, but do start to use it

The theory is that I guess that some feel the engine can feel a little lardy unless used properly and what you said from the manual seems to back that up

Dealer even said they (and others) are trying to get Lotus to update the manual to outline a better running in procedure. The Toyota engine is far less fussy in that respect than the K series - the Toyotas have been bench run to some degree too

I naturally queried the ECU logging and possible warranty implications, but was assured that 'using' the engine would not cause any problems there, but would set the whole thing up to feel rather lively in future

I must add that mine is totally factory fit at present with no Induction or Exhaust mods and I set myself bands like this:

0 - 450 miles : 4k Max
450-550 miles : 4.5k Max
550-650 miles : 5k Max
650-750 miles : 5.5k Max
750-850 miles : 6k Max
850-950 miles : 6.5k Max
950-1000 miles : using full range up to 7.5k absolute Max

I'm not suggesting that 'I know better' or anything, I'm just employing what was recommended to me by the Dealer in the light of new engine types & procedures

The golden rules still applied for me of course - it got used but not abused. The time spent at the respective rev limits were minimal and time spent on full throttle only ever amounted to a split second to 'train' the ECU to read the full fly by wire range


2) Not noticed anything with play or reverse selection personally, but 2nd was very tight from cold - although is easing up now at 3000 miles


3) I have an 06 model and think the brakes are very good straight out of the box. No personal experience of models before that but I know they revised the pedal box 'feel' and usability on the new models, but wouldn't necessarily say that it was performance based


4)www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&t=253485&r=3194455&hm=57540#3194455


5) www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&t=254897

[Davey S2]

There is an article from one of the guys at Lotus about running in the Toyota engined cars on Exiges.com (cant find it though)

Basically after 600 miles you are supposed to use second cam up to about 7000rpm for brief periods. If you dont the pistons wont bed in properly.

Just be sensible and dont rag the ar5e off it but dont treat it too gently either.

[cjfc]

Hi,

I've been v nervous about over doing it in the running in period so have re-read the manual about twenty times (nearly know it off by heart). My 2006 111R / Exige engine manual says the following regarding running in :

“It is important during the car’s early life to limit the workload on the engine and thus control the heat generated within it, which is primarily a function of throttle opening and rpm. However, being to sympathetic on the car will not allow the piston rings to bed in satisfactory, so a balance of spirited and gentle use is required.

For the first 600 miles, use no more than moderate throttle openings (about half of the available accelerator pedal travel) and do not run the engine continuously at engine speeds over 4,500 rpm. Occasional short bursts at wider throttle and higher rpm will be beneficial, as well as constantly changing cruising speed and making full use of the gearbox. Do not allow the engine to labour in too high a gear ratio, but change down and let the engine operate in its natural power band.

... [light gear touch, brakes bed in etc section] ...

After 600 miles have been covered, full throttle and / or maximum rpm may be used for short periods, but not until the ‘After Sales’ service has been carried out should full vehicle performance be exploited.”

In addition to this I was told by B&C to not go over 4.5k rpms in first 300 to 400 miles. After that the occasional burst to 6,000 will help. Then after 600 miles, occasional bursts into the second cam.

I’m trying to be as careful as possible not to over do it so after 400 miles I have taken it to 5,5000 to 6,000 rev once every 30 to 40 miles. Since I passed the 600 miles I have taken it to about 8,000 revs again about once every 30 to 40 miles (this is how I read the manual – I hope that’s right / ok). The manual does say you can take it to maximum revs. Is that circa 9,000 revs?

Christian

[speedyellow]

Running in is always an interesting subject, on the Toyota especially, a friend bought one of the Celica's when they came out with the VVTi engine, the dealer said don't worry about running it in, he's ragged it to death (you need to in the heavy car to get going) and used it up and down the motorway from Southampton to London everyday... now over 80K miles and sweet as a nut...

In an elise with the weight of the car it's under very little real stress on the road however you drive it... actually the worse thing you can do to a high reving engine is let it labour at 2K rpm...

Basically I'd say once it's warm don't worry about it now and just enjoy the car!

[gooby]

Though I would like to agree with Speedyellow, the approach taken by lotus is very different. The oil used for the first 1k miles is very different in order to allow some "lapping" of the surfaces. Modern synthetics give a nearly no wear so a coarse oil is used to actually promote a little wear and "bed in" the engine.

Also at the 1k service a download is taken from the ECU and can be used to deny waranty claims.

Run them in CAREFULLY!

[schew111r]

Thanks guys - all the comments are greatly appreciated.

cjfc - I'm with you about being nervous about the run in period. I've also read the booklet multiple times - sounds as if they haven't changed the content since 2005 as what youve quoted is what I've read as well. I think my worry was that when I picked my car up, it'd done 300 miles (pre reg) and on the first day before fully reading the manual I did 70-100 miles in it (keeping under 5000rpm as the dealer had said). Some of the mileage was on the A40/M40 and I'd been keeping the revs at prob a constant 5000rpm. Got a little worried (re the only use half throttle and don't keep it at 4500 for continued periods) but I take speedyellow's point re low weight of car and unlikelihood of damaging the engine, esp over such ashort distance as that. Think my minds been playing tricks.

Janitor - I never realised there was such an art to washing the car. I'm off to Halfords for the weekend to get my mitts.

Have to say this website and seloc are great for answering questions. Been sent threads for some answers (cheers janitor) and searched for others as well.

Thanks again and happy driving.

Steve