997 RS running in

[Porsche GT3]

Hey guys,

Sorry to bring this subject up again, I know it has been covered before and I have read most of these posts but it hasn't really made me any wiser.

I will be picking up my RS from the factory in about 3 weeks (can't wait!) and have app. 1000km back home. How would you drive the car on the way back (I know quite a few of you have done factory pick-ups). Also, when do you think it's ok to start tracking the car (with sense)? Say I drive an additional relaxed 500km or so (total app. 1500km), would it be enough?

I know cars nowdays are not really in the need of precise running in, would be great just to have something to go by though. Previously with new cars I have just driven like I usually do, with abit more sense. This however is an RS so you start thinking abit more.

Thanks!

[RS Patrik]

Driving in is 1000 km's. Should be done with variations of rpm. Better to do a "tough" break-in than slow, engine rev's better then.

Good Luck.

[nbetts]

Personally - I would let the engine have access to the whole rev range and particuarly in the first 20-30 miles or so make full use of the throttle. The trick here is to keep it varied and don't keep it all at one speed down the Autobahn. Obviously, don't bounce the car off the limiter and do not labour excessively in a high gear.

Remember, whilst everyone will tell you not to do this/that to the engine - an important part of breaking in is to get the pads bedded down nicely - so try to avoid F1 type brake applications and try to be nice and smooth.

Also, the tyres are covered in the release agent from the manufacturing process so also are not optimal for the first 100km or so.

Enjoy.

[Geneve]

Officially, there is no restriction on revs for the GT3 engine.

I was given two separate sources of advice, one from my OPC and the other from Porsche Germany. In both cases they said that the engine could be revved freely from new, but the tryes and brakes should be bedded in over the first 100km or so.

Common sense says don't labour the engine and vary the revs, but motorway use is fine. For no special reason I didn't go past 8000 rpm until 500 miles and I had a precautionary oil change at 1000 miles (probably completely unnecessary).

[welshchris]

Geneve said:

For no special reason I didn't go past 8000 rpm until 500 miles

Now that sounds like the kind of 'running in' that I could live with - Just made me giggle, that's all!

Chris

[blow dog]

Geneve said:

Officially, there is no restriction on revs for the GT3 engine.

I was given two separate sources of advice, one from my OPC and the other from Porsche Germany. In both cases they said that the engine could be revved freely from new, but the tryes and brakes should be bedded in over the first 100km or so.

Common sense says don't labour the engine and vary the revs, but motorway use is fine. For no special reason I didn't go past 8000 rpm until 500 miles and I had a precautionary oil change at 1000 miles (probably completely unnecessary).

This is the correct answer. I ran my car in like this.

[glenn mcmenamin]

blow dog said:

Geneve said:

Officially, there is no restriction on revs for the GT3 engine.

I was given two separate sources of advice, one from my OPC and the other from Porsche Germany. In both cases they said that the engine could be revved freely from new, but the tryes and brakes should be bedded in over the first 100km or so.

Common sense says don't labour the engine and vary the revs, but motorway use is fine. For no special reason I didn't go past 8000 rpm until 500 miles and I had a precautionary oil change at 1000 miles (probably completely unnecessary).

This is the correct answer. I ran my car in like this.

[Grant3]

This what the handbook says (abridged!):

Despite modern high precision manufacturing methods it cannot be avoided that that the moving parts need to wear in with each other, mainly in the first 3000km/1865 miles

During the first 1865 miles you should:

Try & take longer trips

Avoid frequent cold starts with short distance driving

Not participate in motor racing events, sports driving schools or similar

Avoid high engine speeds, especially when the engine is cold


All very vague, but I did double check with Porsche technical & they said the engines aren't bench run-in only bench tested & as such engine/clutch/gearbox/transmission will need bedding in like all other Pork!

I started at 3k maximum for the first 200 miles then increased it by 1k revs per 100 miles & will now go to 8k (occasionally)at 700 miles.

The BIG problem with this car is it crys out to revved hard from the off, so the temptation is high, I suppose the bottom line is whatever you do it is unlikely to cause major problems, so it just down to your own conscience!!!

[Porsche GT3]

Outstanding, thanks for all your answers!

[lowndes]

One point to bear in mind if you are picking your car up on a Friday, offices close early in Germany on Fridays and so the traffic can be pretty heavy from 2.00pm onwards. Although I had in mind an idealised running in schedule, in practice it was slow moving dense traffic from the factory gate for the first 150km. This makes it difficult to get the cylinder pressures as high as you might otherwise like seal the rings. Doesn't seem to have done much harm though and the overall experience well worth it.

Have a good trip.

[kidhaa]

I asked my dealer the same question

His answer - "It doesn't need running in, just the tyres and brakes need to be bead in. Take it easy for the first 500 miles. After this let the engine warm up before taking it to higher revs"

I also put this forward to the chaps when i went to the porsche driving experience at Millbrook - they said all the new gt3's they have, never get run in. But insisted that the first couple of hundred miles done with not more than 3k revs and also advised on the car being warmed up before taking it to the higher revs.

So now the car has covered 900miles steady miles - time to take it to bedford nxt week

[jackg]

Give it the berries from day 1. Just make sure it is always warmed up before doing so!

[Globulator]

Also being discussed here:
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=48&t=370192&p=2

[Koln-RS]

jackg said:

Give it the berries from day 1. Just make sure it is always warmed up before doing so!

It sounds unsympathetic, but that seems to be the current best advice.

I was chatting to a dyno operator who said that they tend to get the most disapointing results from cars that have had a cosseted early life.

He said that, on new engines, they do a 'flash' test()on the bench, just briefly hitting peak revs, but don't recommend over-revving an unloaded engine. Once in the car it should get through a full heat cycle with plenty of revs early in its life.

[Globulator]

You can be sympathetic - just in the right way.
Be sympathetic on the clutch, brakes and tyres.
Never labour or over-rev (>redline) the engine.
Never run it hard untiul it is warm.
Change the oil after the first 200 miles.
Don't crash your new car.

What you DO NOT want to do is shine up the bores so the rings never bed in - you need mid rev acceleration and deceleration (hard, when warm) to do that properly, and you have only a few miles to get it right.
You also DO NOT want to leave it idling as the camshaft lobes need hardening without grinding.

The only bits of an engine needing run-in are the rings and camshaft, as above. At the factory the car will be dyno run at full power and full revs for several minutes to a) test and b) bed in the rings and camshaft to an acceptable degree, to prevent a soft running in schedule from completely wrecking the engine.

I've heard evidence from the motorbike world that a proper run-in schedule is worth nearly 10% power, all from a healthy cam and a decent bore/ring seal.

[carylwills]

Bedding in brake pads and rotors is well covered here. At the bottom of the page there are links to both standard and racing pad bedding in techniques. Seems there's more to it than first meets the eye.