after changing soooo many parts on the s1 (will post the entire story with the pics tomora hopefully...) finally got it started! but the mechanic said let the engine run in just to be on the safe side because the previous guy said he had the bottom end done.

so how do you know if your engine needs running in or not?? basically the engine runs and have been told it needs 1000 miles to run it in....but have no idea if it has really been rebuilt or not...

if i floor the car will the sound change or anything?? well i foolishly did in 1st and 2nd gear and there was a loudish knocking noise coming from the engine...so worryingly quickly rang the mechanic who said that it could be the piston or somin that needs running in to the oil and it shoulf stop in a while....so 5 minutes later it stopped..and i havnt driven the car since...any ideas what that could have been??

i also need to know if the car has a low comp bottom end...apart from opening the engine up...what if i do a compression test??

also the car is running a bit rough whats the best thing to get it running nice with the fuelling etc.?? i was thinking of getting it crypto tuned but will this check the timing and fuelling etc? or is it better to get it tuned by a proper rs specialist?? anyone know one around birmingham? what do they charge?? also is it better to do this after running an engine in..?

cheers

 

i wouldnt of floored the car in first and second gear after its just been run in!,
I think a compression test will confirm if its a low comp bottom end, and i would take the car to a specialist coz a normal garage will only set it to standard specs, then u could run lean and blow up!

 

yeah too rite, dependin on the noise it could even have been a loose or damaged mount sumthin not fitted right or anything really, if it were the engines internals then it wont be a 'good' noise, big ends, mains maybe or maybe the pistons were slappin from block bein bored but pistons not bein quite right size
to run in a lump lots of ppl say different things, i'd be happy with sensible driving for a 1000 miles and then start to increase the leathering i'd give it, u wanna run it at different revs over time, tho, so some long driving and some higher revs drivin too, seems to be the best way to run a lump in, mind u ive also know ppl to thrash a car from brand new (not turbo cars tho) and they are quicker cars, the lumps wont last as long tho, weird innit

 

be on the safe side, run it in 1000miles, DO NOT floor it, dont rev it past 3K if possible, try not to boost often although its ok to put the engine under a bit of load now and then after about 500miles, after the 1000 miles get it set up, prob better to do a compression test to find out if it is low comp!!

 

yeh i will definitley get it set up but now im worried what that noise was...i will let it run in but what if the engine is damaged or not built right?? is it possible that it could have been that the piston wasnt covered with oil just yet and that caused the noise???

i am looking to get a chip for the car aswell??? whats the best one to put into it?? and what boost to get it set to??

 

can someone state what actually needs 'running in' in the bottom end of an RST...
there is VERY little which will require any sort of running in at all.. the bearing shells etc are ready for full use straight away.. and with the exception of a few types of rings then you can litteraly go for full power immediately...
Having said this.. 1000 miles is a fair 'run-in' period... all you will be doing in this time is to check that nothing is knocking or banging and that the car generally drives as it should and there are no problems.. overfueling, boost leaks, niggly problems you may get.

Seeing as you dont actually know what you have in your engine... you may as well take it apart and see for yourself.. there is ABSOLUTELY NO POINT trying to modify this engine without knowing exactly what you have to begin with.. for all you knwo the engine may have been to the moon and back!
It may be running standard compression, it may have forged pistons.. it may have a standard head.. it might not.. hell you may even have a fuck off crack in the bore wall!
My point is without knowing the technical spec of the engine you have a tuner is just going to say what i have above.. that there no point modifying it till you know what youve got.

there is also no way of telling the compression ratio without measuring the camber volume, or by 'guessing' with the height of the piston. both of which will require the removal of the head. While this is off you can inspect the bore walls, and removal of the sump and one main bearing and one big end will give you an indication as to the condition of the crank.
A good mechanic could prob do all that in about 4 hrs max.
You would then be left with a complete list of things that need fixing and things that are ok.
CheeRS
Phil