Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Classic Morgans (pre-CX) 4/4 Running in tips/advice?

Hi,
Collecting my new 4/4 soon and was wondering what the consensus is regarding running in? Light throttle/gentle fed in power without "lugging" or labouring the engine with lots of varying revs ( which is what i imagine is correct) or not worry at all as its a modern ford 1600 or rev it like a hire car? Any-one recall what the Morgan handbook recommends?

There will be all sorts coming along and probably saying things like drive it like you stole it..etc. For me, I wouldn't over do it but then I'm old school and would do as you say in using light and variable throttle, keep revs down while it's cold, don't labour it and change oils at 1000..

I know many say it's not necessary on modern engineers stuff but I still do it.

Phil at Allon White told me not to labour it and to keep it below 4000 revs (IIRC) for the first 1000 miles and to increase steadily thereafter.

More than anything - use it and get some miles on it so that you can get any little niggles sorted at the first (free) 1000 mile / three month (working from memory here - I think it was 3 months) service - it would be very sad to get to the time driven version of the service with only 3-400 miles on the clock and then to find some niggles later that force a special trip to your dealer.

And remember part of running in is for bedding in the brakes, suspension and curing the tyres.

My dealer changed my oil at 1000 miles and despite being told that a "running in "period was not required with the Sigma..I took it easy and drove it as you mentioned and as the mileage rose it came alive.

I took the chance to learn the characteristics of the 4/4 during this period.
After 5000 miles the Sigma loosens up and becomes a willing driving machine.

regards

When I collected the +4 last year the recommendation was to keep it below 3000 rpm for the first 1000 miles, then build it up gradually. Don't let it labour, particularly when cold.

Modern engines don't really need running in. I'd just drive it as you would normally and just avoid slogging it at low revs.

Tell us more. What is the spec on it, where did you get it and how long was the wait?

Sport ivory with dark blue leather piped cream. Body colour dash, clock, extra leather trim bits, sunvisors, stainless check straps, over-riders, stainless steel wheels incl spare, dark blue wing piping and blue pvc weather equip, stainless mesh grill.

I got lucky re the waiting time as i was looking to p/x my 2015 M3W and happened to call Allon white. Some unfortunate chap had pulled out of his order at the eleventh hour and Allon whites had his car just entering build. I was able to spec it fully as i wanted ( well upto my budget anyway!) , as build ws already in process when i placed the order the wait will be a matter of weeks only. Popped upto Malvern to see it being built and it was actally just finished in the pdi parking waiting for its transporter. Looked great to my mind and am itching for collection day to come.

This. It's better to use more rather than fewer revs in any circumstance - and this is always true, regardless of whether the engine is being run in or not. Far too many engines spend far too much of their time in too high a gear at 1500 - 2500rpm.

Exercise your new engine throughout its rev range, trying not to spend too much time at any one speed/rev combination for the first few hundred miles. You don't have to worry about over-revving it, the ECU will stop that for you.