Being a dyed-in-the-wool old stuffshirt and (mostly) rejecting modern
conventions, I fail to see what benefits anyone can gain from busting a gut
to break in an engine by revving the hell out of it in first gear. In fact,
I can't see why anyone with a newly rebuilt engine of any make would want to
get the break-in period completed so soon.
Surely, the objective of spending so much time and money in restoring an old
car - of which an engine/gearbox rebuild is only a part (and old technology
to boot) - is to be able to enjoy using the damned thing, trouble-free for
as long as possible? With that in view, I still opine towards the techique
we used at Standard-Triumph and this was to drive the car under light loads
for at least 500 miles - and 1000 miles if at all possible. You don't use a
heavy right foot, you don't rev it to the redline - or beyond and you just
let it run happily under light load between 2500-3500rpm. Taking the car on
a long journey with more or less constant running at varying road and engine
speeds gets every thing good and hot, so it beds in gradually. Everything
will still be fairly *tight* even after 5000 miles - but at least the job
will have been done properly.
Thrashing the living daylights out of your Triumph, MG, Sunbeam, Jaguar or
whatever it is, IMHO is an abdication of responsible ownership and a
complete waste of all the effort you've put in to concluding your project.
Rant off. I'm going back into my 'hole' as I've an important appointment
with a plate of delicious French cheeses and a bottle of outstanding
Burgundy that won't wait any longer.
Jonmac
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