Hello I am a new member here and just looking for a little advice.

I collect my 55 plate STI today from GMD in Durham, it has 20 miles on the clock so is virtually new.

The salesmen at GMD have told me not to break her in gently but to thrash the engine as this beds it in better and this is what they are designed for...(doesn't sound right.....but what do I know? Surely they are the experts)

I just wanted to check with you scooby knowing people that this is indeed correct.

Thanks and it's nice to be here.

 

DO NOT thrash a new engine! I'm sure it says in the handbook to take it steady for the first 1000miles, gradually increasing the revs and not to keep the revs at the same point for long periods.

 

I thought that was the case, so glad I asked and didn't trust GMD salesman.

Thanks.

 

As Chris says above. Don't listen to the salesman. We're on our 7th Impreza and have run them in gently and had no hassles later on.

I wonder if that's the same salesman who promised to ring me with trade in prices for my 02 WRX PPP - in May 2004. He didn't bother and we bought (again) from SG Petch (Richmond).

 

Im running my new enigine at the moment and scoobyclinic said fluctuate the revs nicely and dont hold speed at one certain point for any length of time so that the engine gets used at all revs....they also set my rev limiter at
4200rpm.........have fun today


Joe.....

 

Just hope the GMD salesman didnt do the first 20 miles

Simon

 

To tell you the truth so do I from what I have read about them on here

There better not be loads more miles on the clock when I pick it up

Thanks for all the helpful replys, any tips for when I pick it up like freebies(I can only try ), what to double check the car for ect...

 

Just to throw a spanner in the works: Here is an article which strongly advocates driving a new engine hard to break it in properly, explains why it's a good idea in technical detail, and presents evidence to back up its recommendation.

When presented with this article, plenty of people come out of the woodwork and say "no, you must do it gently, everyone says so and you'll knacker your engine otherwise", but I've never once heard a good technical explanation as to why that should be. Nobody seems willing to stand up and state exactly which parts of an engine might be damaged and in what way by driving a new engine hard.

It's your engine, of course, but it would be foolish to dismiss what this salesman has told you without really understanding why. He may just be the only one basing his advice on science rather than popular 'wisdom'.

 

hello and welocome STi Lou......

hope you enjoy the wonderful world of scooby ownership.....

 

Sounds like the plank who sold me mine (Paul Laidler) He said exactly the same thing, only obviously I didn't listen to him. As I got into my brand new car, he and another salesman then proceeded to jump into my old car and thrash it up the road It wasn't my car anymore, but even so.

One bit of advise to you though Lou. DON'T GET IT SERVICED AT GMD. The service dept is just unbelievably cr@p. Long story that I can't be @rsed to write about now, but take my word for it. I get mine serviced at SG Petch, Richmond

 

I just use my 'real world' common sense experience, you can sand down a piece of wood quickly if you use a course sandpaper but you get a much better finish if you use a fine one.

And to be honest i dont think its engines that need the running in i think its the Gearbox and brakes that need it really

Simon

 

Stilover- yes it's the same guy....oh dear I'm not as excited now, I hope they haven't been thrashing it in the 6 days(cocked up pick up dates theblamed subaru for not sending log book ) since I agreed to buy it.....

Waiting for the phone call from him now to say "come and get her"


Interesting question I seem to have asked, and theres me thinking it's straight forward....Thanks for all the input and advice.

Cheers for my welcome Scogsywrx

 

If you live in that area i suggest goin to Jennings in teesside for servicing etc (only 30 miles from GMD) as GMD have a poor reputation on here.

edited: or as stilover says sg petch in richmond, also very good rep!

 

It's all in the handbook I believe.

The oil used before the 1st service is running in oil, so its particularly important that you don't thrash the engine.

I think the advice goes someting like

-Rev no higher that 4k rpm
-No harsh acceleration/deceleration
-Don't drive for long periods at the same revs/speed

Ideally you want to give it nice gentle runs up to 4k rpm in all the gears and vary the load on the engine by avoiding doing 30 in 4th everywhere!

Don't forget that after the 1k service, you don't have open season on the red line, I don't think it's sound to baby an engine for 999 miles then cane it at 1001! Increase the rpm limit slowly, say about 500rpm every 200 miles.

Scooby engines quite often don't loosen fully up till 5000 miles or so.

Things to bare in mind, especially after the car is run in. You should always:

-Let the car warm up before extending it (about 10 miles as a rule of tumb, possibly longer when very cold)
-Allow it to cool down before switching it off after a hard drive, driving off boost for the last couple of miles is as good as letting it idle on the driver.

Enjoy it, but respect it!

Ns04

 

Well we picked her up yesterday afternoon and.......OH my god how did I ever live without her?

Pure joy to drive and this is only the beginning of a very long and passionate affair. I just know it.

Thanks for all your input guys!

 

The same place that told me the PPP couldn't be fitted until 5K miles. The same place that removed the engine to change the spark plugs on a friend's WRX (and charged him for every single extra hour). The same place that ring SG Petch and ask for advice on how to tackle service and repair jobs on Subarus...

Get a car serviced there? You've got to be joking. And I pass the place each day on the way to work. I'd rather go out of my way and go to Petch. Never had a problem in 11 yrs 11 months of dealing with them.

Cheers

 

Another vote for Petch's here too. A nice drive to get there aswell.

 

nice1.....

hope you enjoy it.....

scogsywrx.

 

And while your at Richmond, carry on driving through and take the road to Reeth You'll thank me for it

 

An interesting article, there's logic in what he's saying. He doesn't actually say just go ahead and rev the nuts of it, he's advocating a measured "running in" period which includes full throttle acceleration once the engine is thoroughly warm. He's also saying that there is a window of opportunity when the seating of the piston rings is optimum and that the oil should then be changed immediately afterwards.

However I don't know if he's taking into account what car manufacturers do as routine when they build a car. As part of final quality assurance they start the engine, let it warm up and then put it on a rolling road and drive it through each of the gears, testing gearbox and brakes are functioning correctly before leaving the factory. This is in part to seat the piston rings correctly.

I wonder if any of the experienced engine builders on here has a view on this ???

 

Welcome to the land of STI!!! I wonder how long you will last before you go down the route of modifying??? My last scooby had to get a new (re-conditioned engine - from API - excellent) Iwas advised to take it easy for first 1k, then have oil change then progressively build up to WOT (wide open throttle.) You will not be doing any harm to yourself by going slowly to begin with anyway - they are fast cars and deserve to be driven with respect.