Picking up new 182 tomorrow - run in Q’s

[hardsoulwax]

Im picking up my brand new 182 tomorrow afternoon (black with cup suspension/spolier). Wahey!

* What do you guys recommend as a decent run-in period? I have read that you are meant to keep it below 3.5k revs for the first 1000 miles.

* Is an oil change best done after the first 600-1000 miles? Am I correct in thinking this?

* What type of un-leaded petrol should I use? Is worth paying the extra and going for the premium stuff when I fill up?

* Also, other than the usual once over for marks/scratches, is there anything else I should look out for/check before I leave the dealership?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Leeroy]

According to renault, the new engines dont need running, but the dealer suggested to me 500 miles under 3000rpm. That was on a 1.2 16v, dont know if the same would apply to a 182

 

[hardsoulwax]

Cheers mate - Ive got a 1.2 16V Dyanmique at the moment and the manual said something like stay under 3k rpm for first 500 miles.

Any 182 owners out there have other ideas?

 

[Tom]

give it death

 

[Leeroy]

of course! booting it from the forecourt is such a tempting offer, either way it wont affect the engine that much!

 

[adcooper]

I was told to run my 2003 172 in for 1400 miles! 800 below 3000rpm and the rest below 4! It was a killer, glad i did it thou! Oh and i have always used RON 98.

 

[jonnyboy]

let it warm up first then rag it. All this running in stuff is b****cks, the engines are bench tested at 14000 rpm or somehting before they get fitted

As for 98 ron I personally think its a total waste of money but Im sure many people will disagree with me.

Keep an eye on your oil level as it will use some during run in

 

[Balders]

Hardsoulwax,

In the handbook, it says dont exceed 3000-3500rpm for the first 625 miles. This is what the book says so this is what Im doing. Some on here will say thrash from the start - I wonder what Renault would say if your engine goes bang and they take a look at the ECU logs....? Stick to what Renault suggest - dont exceed 3500rpm. It is a pain in the butt but I guess its worth it in the long run...

Nowhere in the handbook does it say that you should change the oil until the first service (12000 miles) although I will be doing so at around 1000 miles.

As for petrol type, I currently put normal unleaded in. The book says 98 RON recommended (it also says it on the back of the fuel filler flap). The nearest thing to this would be super unleaded/optimax. Once the car is run in, I will be using Optimax. Until then, Im sticking with 95 RON - why pay for the premium petrol when you wont get any benefit out of it... OK, the ECU will have to adjust when I change fuel type but it doesnt take too long.

Check the dash for scratches - especially the silver bits. Someones keyed mine so Im waiting for a replacement part...

By the way, good choice in colour/options - thats exactly what Ive gone for... It looks the biz! Picked it up on Monday and am most pleased with it...

Cheers,

Balders

 

[172mgw]

jonnyboy is right, when i picked up my 172, i looked in the book and then gave it death, all engines r built to withstand this sort of thing! if im wrong im sure benr will put me right or anyone else for that matter!

 

[thestig]

Quote: Originally posted by jonnyboy on 29 April 2004

let it warm up first then rag it. All this running in stuff is b****cks, the engines are bench tested at 14000 rpm or somehting before they get fitted

As for 98 ron I personally think its a total waste of money but Im sure many people will disagree with me.

Keep an eye on your oil level as it will use some during run in

Thats what I heard at Jaguar mate, the new XJ engines are tested to 14,000 RPM on the Bench and dont need running in. Many manufactures are following suit.

 

[dk]

check the cup front splitter is on as mine was missing and had to wait 6 weeks for it! I alsoways use 98 ron (optimax) as that is what the car was designed to run with and theres no point in having a performance car and skimping on the bloody petrol!

as for running it in, for the stated mileage I kept it between 3 and 5k and didnt rag it when cold or red line it.

enjoy

 

[Boz]

Before you pick up the car make sure :

Your front cup splitter is fitted.

The carpet mats are in and luggage net is in the boot.

I get mine on may 10th. Im going for the half way house approach to running in. Always tootle until the engine is warm, then drive normally but dont go over 4.5 to 5 thousand revs until done a 1000 miles. Then drop oil, put a new filter in and jobs a good one, full revs.

Take youre time in it mate, its quite a power hike from a 1.2!

 

[Boz]

Posted at same time as you dave . Great minds think alike!

 

[Funkyjahooner]

I went almost identical with Dave on this one,i tried to stay to about 4000 rpm until the 625 miles but went upto 5000 rpm a few times,its damm hard driving it not going over 3500 rpm.

After the 625 miles i drove as normal like they say.Right or wrong i dont care,in my mind it was right.I dont have it in me to get into a new car and rag the hell out of it !

 

[Trail182]

Same as dave182 ^^^

Occasionally when the engine was warm Id then increase the revs gradually but only to about 5k - 6k and then ease of and let it slow itself down. Most of the time Id keep to the recommended rev limit.

Done 1600 miles in mine now, Im planning to change the oil at 2k.

Everyone goes on about the slow running in period being a pain. Ill admit it is a bit frustrating but going from a 1.2 (as I did) it still alot of fun!

 

[huw182]

I doubt very much any mainstream Renault engines are bench tested at all, let alone to the pie in the sky 14,000rpm!!! BANG!!

Stick to what the manufacturers recommend, even in this day and age engines need to bed their bearings and rings in. If you have any respect for your car you wont give it death for the first few hundres miles.

Mine got put back to May 10th this week to, so Im on the same day as you now BozM!

 

[hardsoulwax]

Thanks for all the really helpful comments guys!! Much appreciated.

I think Im going to go by the book on the running-in period etc. As for petrol type - Im not sure yet. Ill have a look how much it is per litre when I first fill it up and decide then....

BozM - thanks for the tips. Luggage net and front cup spoiler have been added to my check list! I havent forgotten what a power hike this is from my 1.2 so the run-in period will force me to take my time and not go mad.

In any case though, I cant wait for tomorrow!!!

 

[jonnyboy]

f**k me has cliosport been taken over by old men?

There nothing wrong with a hard run in. I would say the majority of people on here with new 172s have done it. I spoke at length about this to the guy that runs RE performance in Bury (rolling road) he tunes racing and rally cars etc so he know his stuff. He said that a hard run in can make a half decent engine out of a crap one and make a good one better

Oh and engines ARE bench tested before they are fitted, its a modern manufacturing technique. Cars dont need running in in 2004 they just dont. The guidelines in the renno handbook are to make renno feel better about the 3 year warranty they have to give on their dogily built cars!

 

[Boz]

Probably mate. Ive read all the rag it for the first 20 miles, drop the oil etc and can see the logic behind it to bed the rings in. As Balders said earlier though renault can look at the ECU logs, and wouldt look good on the warranty front if youd caned it to 7K revs in the first 20 miles and it blew up.

I recon revving to 5K early on will load the rings sufficiently to bed them in, without going too far beyond what the the book says you should.

Each to theyre own.

 

[hardsoulwax]

I see were you are coming from jonnyboy as all this talk does go against what owning a 182 is all about! I just dont want to wreck my little baby!

I think Ill follow what BozM says and tread a line between going balls out and razzing it and what the book states.

 

[edde]

Ok the only emngines reved to 14k from new are motorbike Yamaha and others do it. Noermal car engines would be wrecked revving to that much the vales would hit and youd basically scrap the engine. Bike engines are different so they can rev liek that.

You need to give the car some right stick from new in the first 20 miles you can loose a few % of the performance in the engine as you need the rings to bed in. Just wait till its warmed up.

The rings job is to seal the piston whilst the combustion is taking place and to ensure that no blowby occures around the piston.
The rings need to sort of polish the walls of the engine so by wimping on the bedding in the rings wont polish the cylinder properly and the rings wont sell as best as posssible. So you have more blowby which is lost power and lower mpg plus the engien burns more oil.

 

[matt the cat]

Mate, Im a chartered Engineer and have an opinion on your question:

With the running in issue, indeed all engines are benchtested - this proves they work and have no untoward noises, vibration etc etc

If you are dying to rag it from new then do so - its not going to ruin the engine. If however you intend to look after the car and own it for a long period then I would suggest that you stick with the scheduled running in period.

As you will know all components are machined, cast and turned to exacting tolerences, however being in manufacturing myself, things can fall on the extemes of the tolerence limits. My advice is to take it easy and allow all components to get to know eachother first.

And, after 1000k miles an oil change wont do any harm.

Hope this helps

 

[telford_mike]

I ran mine in the day I got it - just drove to Scotland & back - job done!

 

[LEECE]

Ok I am a lady (oohh leece sounds like little britan man) and i have a few stoopid questions ???



When i go to pick up mine, i wont be going alone but can someone tell me what to look out for before i drive away with the car ..... the splitter is the front bumper (bottom) bit is it not can you help me out with this ha ha i have ordered the cup suspension and spoiler pack. Also i am ordering it through a discount website so its not a main dealer, but i can apparently can get it delivered at a dealer



ALso is a oil change at 1000 miles essentialor not ??? had a new cooper S and never bothered with that


[Edited by LEECE on 30 April 2004 at 9:15am]

 

[matt the cat]

Quote: Originally posted by LEECE on 30 April 2004


Ok I am a lady (oohh leece sounds like little britan man) and i have a few stoopid questions ???



When i go to pick up mine, i wont be going alone but can someone tell me what to look out for before i drive away with the car ..... the splitter is the front bumper (bottom) bit is it not can you help me out with this ha ha i have ordered the cup suspension and spoiler pack. Also i am ordering it through a discount website so its not a main dealer, but i can apparently can get it delivered at a dealer



ALso is a oil change at 1000 miles essentialor not ??? had a new cooper S and never bothered with that


[Edited by LEECE on 30 April 2004 at 9:15am]

Oil change not esential, however when all components are bedding in, the metal that beds in is ground away due to the contacting nature of the engine internals. This metal is then in very fine form and is contained within the oil. Changing the oil after the bedding in will remove this and ensure there is no accelerated wear. This is all theoretical and sounds nastier that it is. Its like cleaning your teeth after each meal - not essential but is a good thing if you like looking after your teeth!

 

[LEECE]

ooohhh thanks for the break down of the oil change

 

[Paul_G]

And, after 1000k miles an oil change wont do any harm.



Thats a long way between oil changes..... 1,000,000 miles, I doubt a BMW engine would go that long let alone a good old Renault

 

[matt the cat]

lol...you know what i meant fu*kpig!!

 

[LEECE]

nice language

 

[Lee]

I ran my 172 in and its now covered 20k and is flying and has never once had an engine problem. *see for sale forum*

I didnt get the oil changed at 1k miles, although I think I will on my new one, but I did get an interim service done at 6k.

What matt says makes sense to me and Ive always believed thats the best thing to do to a new engine.

 

[Paul_G]

Apologies it was a cheap jibe, I knew what you meant hence the winky face!

 

[Chad]

I thrashed mine from new changed the oil for mobile 1 after 1300 miles and so far no probs touch wood...........now on 6,700 miles. only thing Ive knackered is one set of front tyres and my brake pads will need changing soon.