running in, please pass

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Mon 18 Oct 2004 01:13
running in, please pass - Imagos
Amazingly tonight I saw an elderly gentleman in an '04 reg Skoda Fabia with the cardboard sign in the rear window that I haven't seen for years.. 'running in please pass'

Apart from raising a wry smile, the question I ask is is this really neccesary anymore? do you really need to treat a brand new car with kid gloves anymore? Run the engine below 4000 rpm for first 1000 miles and no heavy braking for first 500 so you can bed in the brakes?

Now I drive plenty of new cars with less than 1000 miles on the clock and I treat them the same as any other. I make no provision whatsoever for it being new.

I seem to remember Ford years ago had a 1500 mile first service in order for oil changes to rid engine of swarf that may of occured during bedding in but that's disapeared a long time ago.

So my question again.. is running in neccesary or is it a waste of time?
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Mon 18 Oct 2004 01:30
running in, please pass - PhilW
Have a look at HJ's FAQs nos 10, 13, 15
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Mon 18 Oct 2004 03:23
running in, please pass - Welliesorter
If my memory serves me right, I seem to remember the Fabia manual tells you not to thrash it for the first 1000km, but the sort of revs that it warns you against aren't what most people would do in everyday driving anyway. Other than that, I think the only special precaution needed is to check the oil as it's normal to use more than usual when new. I found this to be the case but a colleague who has had the same engined model from new has never had cause to top his up.
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Mon 18 Oct 2004 09:30
running in, please pass - Cliff Pope
Score 20 points for spotting that one. Another gem I haven't seen for years is the witticism "Running out, please push".
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Mon 18 Oct 2004 10:22
running in, please pass - Imagos
Have a look at HJ's FAQs nos 10, 13, 15


yes read them but just asking is it really neccesary anymore.

The interesting thing about this Fabia is that it was an '04 reg. Maybe new to him but not a brand new car. I suppose it could have had a new engine but unlikely I'd say.
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Mon 18 Oct 2004 10:38
running in, please pass - Truckosaurus
My mate ran his Skoda Fabia in using <3000rpm for the first 1000 miles. Luckily 3000rpm in 6th is 90mpg, so there weren't many opportunitys to be passed.
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Mon 18 Oct 2004 10:57
running in, please pass - NARU
Most motorcycles still have running in instructions - it varies by make from a 6,000 or 8,000 rpm limit to 'no harsh acceleration'.
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Wed 15 Jun 2022 01:43
running in, please pass - edlithgow

IIRC its controversial on MC forums. Some guy has carved out a minor internyet niche for himself by promoting an aggressive running-in regime which is supposed to bed the rings in better, avoiding bore glaze and leading to lower oil consumption in later life.

There's a phrase for it...suppose I'll have to look it up now.

www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

So I THINK its referred to as a Motoman break-in procedure, though I dunno if he really deserves to have it named after him.

Dunno if its true either, or would apply to a lower revving car engine, though I don't see why not.

According to this actual test

www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpoglovyy_8

break in style has no discernable effect on engine parameters, so it doesn't matter, though its only a sample of 1 comparison, as they acknowledge.

Seems valid enough. I'd say they missed a trick by not getting engine oil analysis done, but that'd be background rather than affecting the basic conclusion.

Edited by edlithgow on 15/06/2022 at 03:34

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Fri 22 Oct 2004 00:48
running in, please pass - Mr Tickle
I always thought that the principle purpose for displaying these signs was to advertise the fact that you'd got a new car. Perhaps, now that a car's age is not so obvious from its reg plate, these signs might make a comeback.
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Mon 18 Oct 2004 10:58
running in, please pass - Guppy
IMHO, it is *adviseable* to run a new engine in.

Whilst not as important as a few years ago, due to improved manufacturing techniques, it is still a wise idea. There will still be a certain degree of "bedding in" needed by the rings, valves and bearings.

What would you rather do? Run the risk of premature engine failure and a huge repair bill or simply drive slowly for the first month?

I know what I'd do...The choice is yours..
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Mon 18 Oct 2004 11:03
running in, please pass - henry k
What would you rather do? Run the risk of premature engine
failure and a huge repair bill or simply drive slowly for
the first month?
I know what I'd do...The choice is yours..

>>
I seem to recall that nothing has the performance of a hire car but they survive.
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Mon 18 Oct 2004 11:12
running in, please pass - Guppy
But when the start to get older how badly worn are they?

The only reason they *appear* reliable is because you only get to drive them for a couple of days, a week tops.
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Mon 18 Oct 2004 13:41
running in, please pass - patently
I think the old sign dates from a time when the running in instructions were more severe. Today's new cars can be driven normally without breaking the guidleines, albeit with some restraint required.

The 911's instructions were to keep within 4,000 rpm until 1000 miles - 4,000 in 6th gear is 104 mph [or so I'm told :o) ] so there wasn't a great need for people to pass.
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Mon 18 Oct 2004 13:50
running in, please pass - edisdead {P}
A drinking colleague of mine who belongs to the "buy new, sell after 2.5 years" school of thought isn't at all bothered about running his cars in gently. I feel sorry for whoever picks them up second hand.
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Mon 18 Oct 2004 14:49
running in, please pass - machika
The last time I took any specific notice of running in instructions was when I took delivery of a Peugeot 309 (1300cc) in 1987. It said not to exceed 70 mph in 5th gear, during the running in period (I forget what that was). Hardly a hardship anyhow. As that was nearly 20 years ago, I don't think I would find easing in a new engine much of a restriction.

It is a bit different from the old days of the BL 'A' series engine, when the limitation was 45 mph in top gear, if my memory serves me well.
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Mon 18 Oct 2004 14:51
running in, please pass - Paul Robinson
An old guy who lives in the next road to us also has a homemade 'running in please pass' sign in the back of his car - a 1989 Metro! He just drives very slowly...
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Fri 22 Oct 2004 09:54
running in, please pass - No Do$h
::shakes head::

Oh dear. Still, if he feels he's legitimising his snail-like lack of progress whilst holding up the rest of the world.....

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Tue 14 Jun 2022 21:55
running in, please pass - David Binn
Hmm yes totally agree
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Wed 15 Jun 2022 01:56
running in, please pass - edlithgow
deleted. Misunderstanding

Edited by edlithgow on 15/06/2022 at 01:58

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Tue 14 Jun 2022 23:33
running in, please pass - Metropolis.
Its funny how debates get repeated over the years, I wonder how that gentleman’s Fabia fared.
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Wed 15 Jun 2022 07:53
running in, please pass - kiss (keep it simple)

Go back to the late 50's, early 60's and a simple family car would be working pretty hard at 50mph. That probably equates to 100mph for one today.

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Wed 15 Jun 2022 08:00
running in, please pass - FoxyJukebox
I reckon the owner put it up as a joke?
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Wed 15 Jun 2022 08:46
running in, please pass - John F

I suspect the learners of today do not know how to 'pass' safely. Overtaking on today's single carriageway roads clogged with streams of ever wider passing vehicles has become a rare manoeuvre. It also seems to be increasingly socially unacceptable by some pig headed drivers who think nobody should proceed more quickly than themselves.

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Wed 15 Jun 2022 09:15
running in, please pass - edlithgow

I suspect the learners of today do not know how to 'pass' safely. Overtaking on today's single carriageway roads clogged with streams of ever wider passing vehicles has become a rare manoeuvre. It also seems to be increasingly socially unacceptable by some pig headed drivers who think nobody should proceed more quickly than themselves.

I mostly drive pretty slow, in the interests of safety and fuel economy, and because I'm usually either

(a) in cities where the traffic conditions (and driving standards. You Yookies don't know you're born, as my mother used to say, apart from the Yookies bit, that was me) dictate it, or

(b) I'm in the sticks where there are (other) old people pottering around on scooters keeping average speeds down, which they have a perfect right to do.

I don't use the freeways much because they aren't free, but there is a short exception which is below the charging threshold and is reached by a long single track interchange slip road.

Sho nuff, when I'm on it doing the legal speed limit I nearly always get some dick in a Porsche Cayenne siting on my tail and flashing his lights.

He can wait. I'm not popping my ancient head gasket for some entitled driver who thinks no one should preceed themselves.

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Wed 15 Jun 2022 09:55
running in, please pass - Bolt

He can wait. I'm not popping my ancient head gasket for some entitled driver who thinks no one should preceed themselves.

you should be thankful you only get the odd one, in London it happens all the time, and now we have to give cyclists 1.5 mtrs room overtaking space (which I usually give more than that) it means taking a lot longer to get past a cyclist on our small roads, and none use any cycle lanes available (though I don`t blame them most are like dirt tracks on the pathway...

I mostly drive pretty slow, in the interests of safety and fuel economy,

No one takes any notice of fuel economy that I have seen, even with fuel prices as high as they are, maybe because they are so used to racing around its become natural, and think nothing of it apart from moaning at the price

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Wed 15 Jun 2022 11:24
running in, please pass - focussed

I suspect the learners of today do not know how to 'pass' safely. Overtaking on today's single carriageway roads clogged with streams of ever wider passing vehicles has become a rare manoeuvre. It also seems to be increasingly socially unacceptable by some pig headed drivers who think nobody should proceed more quickly than themselves.

Ex instructor here again!

I can assure you that the procedure for overtaking should be taught as part of the syllabus. The procedure is initially taught on a dual carriageway for safety, then if there are suitable single carriageway roads in the area with good long sight lines, a suitable width, no side turnings, junctions or laybys and minimal traffic, then overtaking can be practised. Suffice to say that opportunities to do this are extremely limited.

As regards the driving test, if an opportunity to overtake safely presents during the test, the candidate is expected to carry it out.

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