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  View original topic: Should I drive it 30 miles on the highway yet?
RocketBox Wed Oct 29, 2014 9:48 am

this week has been awesome... been driving the vanagon to work every day and everything seems to be going great. Now i'm contemplating the next step ... a 17 mile drive over to my parents house. How long would you guys wait till you felt confident enough to drive that far or would you just do it? so far i haven't seen anything that suggests any running problems. Fluids seem to be keeping level, coolant and engine temp are good, no warning buzzer from oil pressure... is it time for a longer drive? should i change the oil before i do that? The rebuilt engine has maybe 60 - 100 miles on it...

Ahwahnee Wed Oct 29, 2014 10:08 am

17 miles is about right to get everything really up to max operating temps. From what you say - I think you might as well have at it.

After 25 years of driving the Westy I still catch myself thinking about where I would pull off if a problem suddenly came up. Like good pilots on a long flight -- always have an eye out for somewhere to put it down.

hans j Wed Oct 29, 2014 10:22 am

Sure! But if you are still breaking in new rings, keep the RPM varied so don't hold it in one place. Maybe take the long way there.

atomatom Wed Oct 29, 2014 10:23 am

have you put a muffler on it yet? :)

in terms of changing the oil, i don't know if that is needed. you have new rings? i changed the filter only at around that time.

i installed a digital coolant temp and an oil pressure gauge - they are perhaps nearly too accurate. when i see the temp go above 100oC (212F) i start to sweat a bit. it is a good thing mostly.

Terry Kay Wed Oct 29, 2014 10:43 am

When you pull out of a lot with a new car you ask the dealer this kind of question?

Drive it like it's stolen.

The faster you break it in the faster it'll run later on.

Don't baby it.

kalispell365 Wed Oct 29, 2014 11:23 am

hans j wrote: Sure! But if you are still breaking in new rings, keep the RPM varied so don't hold it in one place. Maybe take the long way there.

Correcto!

Lots of downshifting as well, it forces the rings against the piston walls.

Wildthings Wed Oct 29, 2014 11:39 am

Terry Kay wrote: When you pull out of a lot with a new car you ask the dealer this kind of question?

Drive it like it's stolen.

The faster you break it in the faster it'll run later on.

Don't baby it.

2x, the idea of slowly breaking in car engine died back in the sixties. It has always tickled me that people still want to putt around so slowly with a new car. I remember one guy puttering around in a brand new Jimmy pickup back in the late sixties, later he found out his truck had been used to tow another for 800 miles from the factory to the dealer where he bought it, it was probably driven by a 20 something.

My Multivan was delivered to the dealer where I bought it from another dealer 300 miles away, yet the odometer said it only had 30 miles on it at the time of purchase. You can bet it was pushed to the limit during those 300 undocumented miles (plus maybe a lot of others). For me to follow some specific break in procedure would have been a joke.

Terry Kay Wed Oct 29, 2014 12:11 pm

Flog the hell outa it.

Run it like the cops are in hot pursuit. ( what a joke that would be)

geo_tonz Wed Oct 29, 2014 12:25 pm

Terry Kay wrote: Flog the hell outa it.

Run it like the cops are in hot pursuit. ( what a joke that would be)

Could be entertaining...

Terry Kay Wed Oct 29, 2014 12:43 pm

There ya have it.

The blind chasing the blind.

Perfect ---& very funny thought.
The first guy to blow up wins, or loses in this case.

?Waldo? Wed Oct 29, 2014 12:48 pm

Cylinder pressure is what pushes the rings against the cylinder wall and 'machines' them to seal properly due to the the abrasive quality of the cross-hatching. Pushing them hard against the cylinder walls (high load) both seats them faster/better but also gets them VERY hot, VERY quickly. If you get the rings too hot they will lose their temper. No, they won't get mad, they will get lose their springy hardness and no longer seal. Without high load bursts, the rings will not ever seat well. If you stay on the GO pedal too long the rings will overheat, lose their temper and never seat. Short bursts of progressively more power to push the rings against the cylinder walls followed by time off the pedal to cool the rings is where it is at.

Dampcamper Wed Oct 29, 2014 8:29 pm

Andrew A. Libby wrote: If you stay on the GO pedal too long the rings will overheat, lose their temper and never seat. Short bursts of progressively more power to push the rings against the cylinder walls followed by time off the pedal to cool the rings is where it is at.

Subscribing to Mr. Libby's philosophy, I ran mine on County roads and State Highways for the first few thousand miles after rebuild. I figured the stop and go with short sprints between settlements would be about right for breaking in. Besides, you get to see the countryside that way. A few shortish trips on freeways mixed in there, too. Changed the oil and filter a little more often than recommended, especially in the first thousand miles. After 1,000, I went 2,000 and now every 3,000 miles. Maybe I'm wasting money, maybe I'm investing it. We'll know in 100,000 miles, right? I'm at 7,000 now on the rebuild and loving it. Still using Dino Oil but might change to synthetic after 10K. Lordy, there's a lot of opinions on that!

Terry Kay Wed Oct 29, 2014 10:04 pm

If your changing the oil at the latest at 3000 miles, no need to invest in the high dollar synthetic oil.

Andy's theory on rings breaking in was a good way to go back in the 20's-30's when carbon rings were the best you could do.

But now with chromiuim added, and straight chrome rings the old addage of breaking them in slow is pretty much a thing of the past.
Too many new oils, too many new types of materials in the ring manufacturing process are available today to dismiss the break in "take it easy idea".

Old tech---put the hammer down so it does break in.

?Waldo? Wed Oct 29, 2014 10:14 pm

I never said to break it in slow or to drive it easy during break-in. I actually take a fairly aggressive and very intentional approach to ring seating. I just said to not hold the pedal down too long at one time and give some time for the rings to cool between bursts of power.

RocketBox Thu Oct 30, 2014 9:27 pm

I gotta say - thanks to all the responses. I think I've been nursing it, afraid to lay it down hard and see what this son of a bitch will do. Its time to throw down the pedal and break her in proper. In really appreciate the feedback. There is no way I would have made it this far without all the feedback of the dedicated samba members and all the time and effort that sonmany have put in. Atom - your feedback has been invaluable. Ben, the guidance you provide and knowledge you bestow is awesome and cant be appreciated enough. Thanks to everyone. I hope that my experience can lead others to knowing that what seems like an impossible task can be accomplished!

Terry Kay Thu Oct 30, 2014 10:06 pm

Don't nurse it--drive it as you would normally do.
You don't have to flog it--just drive it as would any other time.
It'll be fine.

RocketBox Thu Oct 30, 2014 10:19 pm

Sounds like a plan. Ive been overly concerned especially without my alternator. Now thst that issue is resolved - its time to break her in.

RocketBox Mon Nov 17, 2014 1:43 pm

Drive it 20 freeway miles there, 20 back - no problemo - except my heater blower motor dies.... at 9 degrees outside that sucked, but at least nothing blew up. i think i was probably going about 55 the majority of the time...



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