BMW 2 Series - Running in and premium grade petrol

Honest John Back Room » Technical matters
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Sat 23 May 2015 17:18
BMW 2 Series - Running in and premium grade petrol - billdog
Will the extra lubricity of premium grade fuel (e.g. Shell V-power) be detrimental to the bedding in of moving parts in a new engine?

Would initially using the standard be better initially?
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Sat 23 May 2015 18:10
BMW 2 Series - Running in and premium grade petrol - Wackyracer

I doubt it will make any difference at all. Engines are now so well engineered that 'running in' is a thing of the past.

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Sat 23 May 2015 19:32
BMW 2 Series - Running in and premium grade petrol - RobJP

I doubt it will make any difference at all. Engines are now so well engineered that 'running in' is a thing of the past.

I'd disagree with part of what you say. BMW do suggest a running-in 'regime', and HJ seems to reckon a lot of the VAG TSI/TFSI engines (the ones with massive oil use problems), it's been at least partly due to running-in problems, or the oil that the engines were filled with on leaving the factory.

So yes, then engine does need running in. But I'll agree with Wackyracer too, and doubt if the fuel grade would make any difference.

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Sat 23 May 2015 20:44
BMW 2 Series - Running in and premium grade petrol - Wackyracer

Your quite right RobJP. I should have said that running in now is much different to the past.

When I bought my car the suggested procedure was not to accelerate too harsh, not to use more than 2/3rd of the full rev range and not to drive for long periods of time at a fixed road speed. All of which is a far cry from the days of using special running in oils and cars being driven no faster than 40mph.

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Sat 23 May 2015 23:06
BMW 2 Series - Running in and premium grade petrol - craig-pd130

The important thing is not to baby the engine from new: give it some work to do immediately, on the drive home from the dealers, or at least in the first 30 miles or so.

By this, I do NOT mean full throttle / redline through the gears, but instead give it around half throttle for brisk acceleration from, say 2,500 - 4,500 rpm in 3rd and 4th gear a few times (petrol engine) or 2,000 - 3,000rpm in 3rd and 4th gear (diesel). This really helps to bed in the piston rings.

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Sun 24 May 2015 11:51
BMW 2 Series - Running in and premium grade petrol - billdog
Thanks for all your responses.
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