I'm on my first 2 diesel cars 1 for me 1 for the wife. I am careful to run them in but i've done nearly 5000 miles and it doesn't feel any different.
People have been on about diesel engines loosening up; what do they mean by this and when can you expect for it to loosen up?
Thanks!
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I've "run in" half a dozen brand new diesels over the last few years, and can honestly say that I've noticed no difference from brand new to 60,000 miles.
Best consumption has invariably been first couple of trips, while I'm treating the car with kid gloves.
Just enjoy them: They don't get any better!
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If you're too careful with it, it won't loosen up for ages. Because the fuel used in a diesel engine is itself a lubricant and because they can do useful work at lower crankshaft speeds, diesels do take longer to run in. Factory fill with fully synthetic oil does not help.
Run it in carefully but allow the engine to stretch its legs (but only when fully warmed up - about 10 miles) then report back when it has done 20k miles.
659.
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Don't know about incrased performance but I have noticed a considerable drop in oil consumption after the first 5,000m.
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let it warm up to operating temperature then put i to work. Realisticly you're not goting to get many modern cars up to anywhere near full load on a road.
Don't hammer it, but babying the motor can cause galzed bores and high oil consumption.
There are many, many heavy duty diesels that as soon as they are delivered just have to get one with what ever they were bought for and that propably involves running with the throttle wide open.
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Diesel engines don't have throttles - one of several reasons why they are more efficient than engines which do.
659.
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Throttle and throttle pedal are synonymous terms - you know what was meant.
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I've driven a diesel with a throttle-it was a long time ago-50/60's-needed it to operate the pneumatic governor.
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Maybe it depends on the type of engine? I have had four diesels in a row in the last few years - VW, Audi, Mercedes and back to VW.
The first two engines appeared to loosen up gradually - particularly in terms of step-off from rest - over the first 10,000 miles. The Mercedes (a B200) started sluggish and stayed that way. The current Golf (a 2.0 TDI) seems very lively from the start, and if there's an even better time coming I'll be delighted.
Perhaps one of the engineers among us will be along in a moment and tell us whether this is real or an illusion.
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I always work on 20k miles for a diesel to fully loosen. Again, it may be what I think rather than actually happening but it has been that on my last 4 diesels.
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My A3 2.0TDi 170 has done almost 5,000 miles. In the last 1,000 I've really noticed a change in it's performance. When new it had a slight flat spot/turbo lag when DSG changed gear under brisk acceleration, this has now gone completely and it picks up very quickly. I have had no reason to add any oil yet. It's still just below max. In that regard it is doing better than the 140 I had.
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At least 10,000 miles in my book (he says hoping his C4 will loosen up more than it has at 8,000).
In 1993 Mum and I both got new ZX 1.9Ds. I ran mine in progressively, uping the revs, giving it full load from time to time when appropriate, etc. I'm sure Mum never did this and her engine always felt much tighter (and still does with 95,000 miles under its wheels - now owned by a friend).
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Had a 2.0 HDi picasso - dealer told me it would take ages to run in and to just drive it normally, but not push it from day 1 rather than gently as it would takes ages to run in.
It started to losen up a bit at about 5K, but was much better by 10K, and then no noticible change for the next 40K. IIRC never used any oil either.
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2.2 D4D 150 Avensis - noticeably less tight by 4k, loosened up still more by 10k, no notable change since that (now on 21k). I followed HJ's diesel running-in tips virtually to the letter.
Note that my comments above are based on how the car drives, and how eager and powerful it feels. In economy terms, I would say that the economy continued to improve. It was at its best during the 'summer' at 15-20k miles. Since the 20k service, and the fitting of new front tyres, a couple of weeks back it seems like the economy has absolutely plummeted. This is the first time that two consecutive tank fulls have required a fill up after less than 500 miles and the trip computer is only recording 45-47 mpg (down from 550-570 miles and 54-56 mpg pre-service on the old tyres). Some of this is accounted for by significant congestion recently on my commutes meaning more queuing and less 'economy cruises' as a direct side effect, but the new tyres do seem to have hit the economy hard. Interesting, I have never noticed this before, but I also have never had a regular long commute and trip computer before.
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I have a performance test I've used for many cars to benchmark performance and ensure it's working as it should. It's a local stretch of dead flat, dead straight dual carriageway with no side roads or junctions for a mile each way.
I do an in-gear 40-60mph acceleration in 4th, one in each direction using a stopwatch.
At 1500 miles, my Passat PD130 Sport gave a mean 4.9 seconds.
At 60,000 miles (last week), it did it in .......... a mean 4.9 seconds.
So it hasn't got any quicker, and economy is much the same. The engine is quieter than when new, however.
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Or maybe it's just your hearing going.
I SAID "MAYBE YOUR HEARING IS GOING!"
half past two
Edited by Pugugly {P} on 24/10/2007 at 00:52
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My Honda stopped using oil by about 25k (used about 4 litres over those miles). It also seems quieter now. Other than that, no appreciable difference (now at 52k).
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