Running in period

NewMB

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About to take delivery of new car shortly. As different cars & models are required to be run in differently, my question is: What is the best way to run in a diesel MB???

Thanks.
 

SLinKyjoe

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you should have some instructions in the hand book. best follow them!
 
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NewMB

NewMB

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Yes, I've read the online version (which is the same more or less as printed) and it just says that the first 1500 Km (ie 1000 mls) take it easy.

I think it would be better to have people's opinions who have hands on experience.
 

television

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You cant beat driving down a motorway a few hundred miles. Do not use any form of engine breaking as this is critical, it causes the piston rings to viabrate.

Malcolm
 

angus falconer

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Many manufacturers say you don't need to run cars in these days (I am not suggesting that Merc say this) but in my mind it makes no sense to risk damage to an engine in its early days. I personally take it easy for the first 1000 miles, gradually increasing revs as I get near to the 1000 mark.

I find it frustrating as hell but probably worth it in the long run. It's like skimping on oil - you can save a few quid in the short term but in the long term it can come back to bit you.
 
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NewMB

NewMB

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Thats right.

Thanks for your input.

My dealer paid me a visit at my office today (tried to sell me some A-class's) and basically told me not to rev the car above 3000 rps (as its a diesel), not to use the tip function and no kickdown, the first 1000 miles. After that you can use the tip and rev the engine a little more for every few hundred miles.

More or less the same as in the Volvo, when that was new.
 

SLinKyjoe

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the instruction that were printed on a sticker shoved in my windscreen when my was new were,

dont go above 4500rpm unless in an emergency.
dont go above 85mph.
do not use full throttle,
do not operate the kickdown,
do not accelrate hard,
do not allow engien to labour
do not drive at constant revs for long periods.

once 1500km have been done you may increase the revs, and accelration over the next 1000km to the full use.

i took this as dont hammer the car, you can of course use the tip to change the gear down but not flattening the throttle to activate the kickdown. I didnt drive it at constant revs up or down the motorway but varied my speed.

and it only hit the red line once or twice in the first 1500km.

it didnt have written anywhere to take it easy. but it did say monitor the oil level regularly in the period. its used none.

i took the sticker off at 1045miles and it is now stuck on my service book as a keep sake.
 
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NewMB

NewMB

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Interesting.

Sounds very much in line with my collegues in Germany who all have MB's as company cars. They all say the same, step on it!

One collegue in particular has a A180 Cdi and did 200 km/h the first day and every day since and never a problem. He did the same with the Focus estate diesel he had before that.

To me, it all sounds like you have no respect for cars or engines.

It is also my understanding that when a car is new, it has to be run in, in order for the engine and gearbox to "get to know each other". Running it hard straight after delivery would be like a forced marriage.
 

television

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With out reading too much of the article, the first flaw is that the compression is the same on each stroke, irrispective of engine speed.
the bit that I added earlier about the over run came from an aircraft instructions book.

Malcolm
 

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Running in

The one thing that worries me these days regarding the running in is the fact that the motor makers tell us that you do not have to change the Oil untill 15 thousand miles! To me this seems incredible, I was allways taught that you should change Oil and Filter after 5 hundred miles, definatly before 1 thousand.

Dave
 
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NewMB

NewMB

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Agree!

When I took delivery of the Volvo I was told (very strongly I may ad) by one of the engineers, that there is no need to change oil until the first service at 12000 miles.
 

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