Waiting for the GT3
01-24-2015, 05:36 PM
#61
Rennlist Member
Your drive sounds just great! I have yet to truly give the car the beans up to 9k! I'm staggered at its sound at 6500-7k... your post makes me want to call it a day at 1200 miles on my car for the breakin.
01-24-2015, 06:08 PM
#62
Three Wheelin'
Thread Starter
My break in was first 500 miles were 4,200 or less. Every 100 miles thereafter was a 1,000 rpm increase until I got to 9K rpm at 1,000 miles. Oil change after break in. This was based upon the following thoughts:
Last year I had the pleasure of meeting Andreas Preuninger, head of GT car development at Porsche. This was at the 997 RS 4.0 litre preview in the UK.
A few of us asked about running in. He said the following:
- For the first couple of hundred miles drive the car gently; no high revs and don't let the engine labour. The main thing here is bedding in tyres and brakes.
- Up to around 500 miles, vary engine load and speed. Use perhaps 2/3rd of the rev range (when warm of course). No full throttle.
- Between 500 and 1,000 miles start to use more of the revs, and larger (occasional full) throttle openings. (I tend to up my rev limit 1,000 rpm per 100 miles.)
- Beyond 1,000 miles drive the car as you wish.
He confirmed that most GT engines develop their full potential around 10,000 miles - most 3.8 RS engines were over 460hp (10 up on OEM figures) at this mileage.
I've pretty much used AP's technique for years now - most notably on a 996 GT3 Gen 2 that has now done 60,000 miles, half on track. The engine uses no oil, and still develops 430 hp (it has a Manthey map and exhaust).
Anyhow, thought I'd share.
Cheers
A few of us asked about running in. He said the following:
- For the first couple of hundred miles drive the car gently; no high revs and don't let the engine labour. The main thing here is bedding in tyres and brakes.
- Up to around 500 miles, vary engine load and speed. Use perhaps 2/3rd of the rev range (when warm of course). No full throttle.
- Between 500 and 1,000 miles start to use more of the revs, and larger (occasional full) throttle openings. (I tend to up my rev limit 1,000 rpm per 100 miles.)
- Beyond 1,000 miles drive the car as you wish.
He confirmed that most GT engines develop their full potential around 10,000 miles - most 3.8 RS engines were over 460hp (10 up on OEM figures) at this mileage.
I've pretty much used AP's technique for years now - most notably on a 996 GT3 Gen 2 that has now done 60,000 miles, half on track. The engine uses no oil, and still develops 430 hp (it has a Manthey map and exhaust).
Anyhow, thought I'd share.
Cheers
Run it easy for the first 500, step up revs incrementally over the next 500, at 1000 you're pretty much ready to go for any street driving but I wait 500 more miles before tracking. None of my Porsches have ever smoked or used oil.
Maybe other methods work as well or better, but this has always worked for me. Besides, with regard to running it hard right out of the box, the engine isn't the only mechanical piece in the car that can benefit from run in.
As I've said before, I've yet to see anyone produce a scientifically valid study that proves the best way to break in a new engine with an eye toward long term reliability. If it's all anecdotal, I'd just as soon stick with my own anecdotes.
Maybe other methods work as well or better, but this has always worked for me. Besides, with regard to running it hard right out of the box, the engine isn't the only mechanical piece in the car that can benefit from run in.
As I've said before, I've yet to see anyone produce a scientifically valid study that proves the best way to break in a new engine with an eye toward long term reliability. If it's all anecdotal, I'd just as soon stick with my own anecdotes.
I have a friend on the 991 GT3 development team that I asked about this a couple of months back. Since there are no secrets involved, I don't think he would mind if I reprinted his response here:
Funny as it seems, but I was talking to AP about breaking in just last week. Let's put it this way : even if a manual might not say anything about breaking in, every engine is going to be thankful if you give him time to "wake up".
I agreed with AP that you shouldn't rev over 7000rpm for the first maybe 400 miles and then step up slowly and (sure you do that anyway) always give the oil a chance to get proper temperature.
By experience I can tell you that the complete car might need up to 800 miles until everything is "broken in" right and the ride feels like it should. Picked one up in Zuffenhausen the week before last with 15km on the clock, changed half an hour later to the EM 3800 with over 20k km and it felt like a different world in the "older" car. Hope this answers you question at least a little bit.
Funny as it seems, but I was talking to AP about breaking in just last week. Let's put it this way : even if a manual might not say anything about breaking in, every engine is going to be thankful if you give him time to "wake up".
I agreed with AP that you shouldn't rev over 7000rpm for the first maybe 400 miles and then step up slowly and (sure you do that anyway) always give the oil a chance to get proper temperature.
By experience I can tell you that the complete car might need up to 800 miles until everything is "broken in" right and the ride feels like it should. Picked one up in Zuffenhausen the week before last with 15km on the clock, changed half an hour later to the EM 3800 with over 20k km and it felt like a different world in the "older" car. Hope this answers you question at least a little bit.
Dan (kept his sanity by finding a happy middle ground)
01-24-2015, 09:54 PM
#63
RL Community Team
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
A perfect day in SoCal for a drive like this.
Well done.
Well done.