A NEW CAR

Ellesmere Guardian, Volume XLVI, Issue 3221, 22 May 1928, Page 2

A NEW CAR

BREAKING-IN PROCESS

AN ORIGINAL VIEW.

Speaking before a number of engineers in America recently, Dr. R. E. 'Wilson, of the Standard r Oil Company, gave it as his opinion that the instructions usually given to the owner of a new car to drive it at only 20 miles per hour or so for the first 500 miles are entirely wrong. He stated that at this low speed the bearings are always completely separated from the journals by thick oil films, so that the surfaces undergo no running-in or smoothing effect; consequently, according to Dr. Wilson, the owner who proceeds to Tun his car "all-out" at the completion of 500 miles covered at low speeds is just as likely to cause bearing seizure as if he had run all out at the start. Dr. Wilson's advice is that the owner of a new car should indulge in short bursts of all-throttle1' high speed running not long enough to cause risk of a seize, so as to load the bearings temporarily to smooth the surfaces. He also expressed the opinion that the run-ning-in period should no longer be left to the owner's responsibility in any but low-priced cars. The short periods of high-speed running have also the advantages of flinging copious supplies of oil up on to the cylinder' walls, so assisting piston lubrication. ':

Drivers might be well advised to await expert testimony on the points raised before changing from the time honoured method.