How to run in a new diesel engine?

sdavi3680

I found this on the Honest John website about how to run in a diesel engine when bought from new.

Leave factory fill of oil for the first year or 10,000 miles. For the first 1,000 miles do not exceed 3,000rpm, but make sure you reach 3,000rpm regularly. For the next 1,000 miles (to 2,000 miles) do not exceed 3,500rpm, but make sure you reach 3,500rpm regularly. For the next 1,000 miles (to 3,000 miles) do not exceed 4,000rpm, but make sure you reach 4,000rpm regularly. For the next 1,000 miles (to 4,000 miles) do not exceed 4,500rpm, but make sure you reach 4,500rpm at least a couple of times a week. After that, no limit, but make sure you continue to hit 4,500rpm through the gears several times a week. The benefit of this is it helps to self clean the injectors, it blows any accumulated soot out of the exhaust system and it helps to free off the piston rings, making the engine more efficient and less likely to use engine oil.

Is this right? I didn't even consider doing anything other than normal driving before reading this. Getting it up to 4,500rpm seems a bit much too.

flyingscotno1

sdavi3680 wrote: »

I found this on the Honest John website about how to run in a diesel engine when bought from new.



Is this right? I didn't even consider doing anything other than normal driving before reading this. Getting it up to 4,500rpm seems a bit much too.

I wouldn't think you need to get up to 4,500 on any regular basis.

bosseyed

Yeah I read that bit on Honest John, but 4500 sounds far too high - I've never had to take my Diesel above 3/3.5 absolute maximum, anything more sounds like its going to explode

I was never really aware of having to do anything special to run any car in. I was always under the impression that you weren't supposed to rag the hell out of it for 1000 miles or so then after that do what you want. Mind you the Nissan guy laughed when I asked him about it when we bought our new car and he said that these days you don't have to run a car in. So who knows! Just drive normally and I can't see a problem really.

alleycat`

The "destructions" for my vw (and the previous one too) both have the part about the first 1,000 miles (no more than 3k rpm) in them.

Doesn't saying anything about after that.

It also pretty much tells you it'll use enough oil that you'll need the "spare" they give you in the first few k's miles too.

Both engines only really stopped "using" oil after 10K miles were on the clock.

movilogo

Just follow car's handbook and it will advise how to run in - if it needs any special driving technique.

Not all diesel engines are same, also for automatics, revving engine to required RPM is not easy to achieve. It requires you to drop to 2 or L mode where engine will scream if you go up to that high RPM.

AdrianHi

I know many, including experience design engineers in the motor business, who mostly agree with what Honest John has posted.
To be honest it sounds a bit complicated. Simpler version I know:
Keep it under 3000rpm (actually 3500 for my car) for first 2000km (1250 miles) but regularily visit 3000/3500 rpm.
After that each drive build the revs to higher levels over a few hundred miels until you are getting up to 4500rpm (when engine warm!) on a regular basis. 4300-4500rpm is the limit on most modern diesels.
Mine suddenly swallowed a litre of oil at about 6000 miles but uses only about 1L over 18,000-22,000 miles (the oil service interval) now.

Worst thing you can do (short of blowing the engine up) is drive gently all the time. Better to "drive it like you stole it" than do that.

Hintza

Particulate filters anyone?

All these folk who use a diesel gor pottering around will pay the bill in the long term.

vikingaero

Depends how long you plan to keep the car for.

On my private cars I run them in with kid gloves. On a company car or a private car that might only be kept 3 years then why worry.

Dave101t

in march 2008, i got my new mondeo 2litre diesel, on 60 miles. i drove it 150 miles home, normal driving, certainly got to 3-3500 rpm occasionally (but 6 gears too so that helps).
its now on 75,000 miles due its 6th service, and its never gone wrong.

focae

Just drive it without thrashing it...............modern engines don't really need running in as such....that was something that died out with cars like the Marina, Chevette et al.

Just_Incredible

Modern cars don't need running in

they are ready to be driven normally the moment the keys are handed to you