Cunningham Highway?

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Originally Posted by DiscoMick

Do new vehicles still need running in? Mazda said just to drive our 2 like normal when we bought it new, and just did an early oil change.
Aren't the tolerances so fine now that running in doesn't achieve much, plus I thought it was good for them to use the whole rev range.
Besides, 2500-3000 is right in the middle of the torque range for a Puma, so if he uses the gears it should be fine, just don't lug it in 6th - change down.

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You still need to bed rings in, although most of that is done in the first few km if you know what you are doing.
Mostly ran race engines in on the dyno, road engines (once the cam was run in on a flat tappet engine, not needed here) you'd find a hill, use a high gear, e.g. 4th, drop the revs and several WOT runs really loaning the engine up to force the rings into the bore, then drive normally until the first oil change, just never keeping constant revs anywhere, sideways up and down the Rev range and try and vary the load.
Cruising on a freeway is probably the worst thing you can do.
City driving probably the best.

And there will still be material left from the machining processes, even when things like plateau honing (I believe I was one of the first builders in Oz to use this process in 1993? Factories and NASCAR had well established this practice by then) Won't get all the machining debris out of the bore, but cleanliness and tolerances these days are far, far better than it was prior to the 80's.

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Originally Posted by V8Ian

Motorway to south of Ballina, then 80kph for an hour, still shorter and quicker than going all the way west through bandit country.

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100%

I live near Ballina these days.
Once upon a time I lived on the New England and its the only way I'd go north and south, but the Pacific is so good these days other than between here and Grafton, I only go inland to visit family.

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Originally Posted by rick130

100%

I live near Ballina these days.
Once upon a time I lived on the New England and its the only way I'd go north and south, but the Pacific is so good these days other than between here and Grafton, I only go inland to visit family.

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How do you figure?

West to Goondiwindi and down the inland is 27 km further - good roads, minimal traffic.

Through Goondiwindi takes you down the Newell Hwy, not the New England.

Coastal may be shorter ( all of 27 km) but you have the nightmare M1 to the NSW border, the diabolical roadworks for 100 km south of Ballina, then more roadworks north of Sydney!

i went down the inland and back up the coast in September - can’t imagine much has changed !

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Originally Posted by W&KO

Thats only just over GVM isn’t it? Although I didn’t realize modern motors needed running in after a rebuild.

Tuck in behind a B-Double crawling up the range, you’ll only be doing walking pace.

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Not if it's a Scania 730 pulling pillows. Ask me how I know.

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Originally Posted by V8Ian

It'd easily save half an hour in a truck, maybe twenty minutes in a car. It's nowhere near as steep as the tollbar, a steady climb coming out at Charlton, so not climbing to the altitude of Rangeview.
I've come down in the Disco, locked in 3rd and didnhave to touch the brakes to maintain the speed limit.
If you try it before Christmas, it's toll free, but watch out for the average speed cameras and flash for cash.

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I always preferred the Toowoomba Range, even before the upgrade. I only went through Warwick if I had to go to Wichams, or if I was using the New England.

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Originally Posted by Barraman

Indeed! From Townsville I generally go Charters Towers, Clermont, Emerald, Springsure, Injune, Roma, Toowoomba, Warwick ............

........but the OP said he wanted to go to Tewantin first ! [biggrin]

Having just re-read the OP, he wants to go via Goondinwindi, so

From Tewantin go down the motorway, over the Gateway Bridge, onto the Ipswich/Toowoomba road, up the new Toowoomba range road, then via Millmeran to Gundi!

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Yep to all of that.

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Originally Posted by Barraman

How do you figure?

West to Goondiwindi and down the inland is 27 km further - good roads, minimal traffic.

Through Goondiwindi takes you down the Newell Hwy, not the New England.

Coastal may be shorter ( all of 27 km) but you have the nightmare M1 to the NSW border, the diabolical roadworks for 100 km south of Ballina, then more roadworks north of Sydney!

i went down the inland and back up the coast in September - can’t imagine much has changed !

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Hadn't considered going that far inland. Is it really only 27km shorter?
The New England isn't in the same condition it was 20 years ago, the state of the road and the traffic volume is pretty ordinary.
The roadworks south from here aren't diabolical, just what they are, 80km/h between here and Grafton.

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Originally Posted by rick130

The roadworks south from here aren't diabolical, just what they are

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For me, 100+ km of roadworks with 80 kph or less speed limits, lots of truck, and no hope of passing anything is ...............Diabolical ! [bigsmile]

It will be great when its finished but ATM, what a pain in the butt!

We did Sydney-Brisbane in a day earlier this year, towing the camper, cruising at 95-100, got 950 kilometres out of a single 120 litre tank of fuel, couple of stops to stretch the legs, easy motoring.
Have also done it in the Mazda 2, using only 5 l/100 kms, easy.
Ballina to Grafton is roadworks, but it's not a real problem, just think like a grey nomad for an hour.
[emoji41]

That road to Goondiwindi is not fun at all.

I would much rather go down the coast way.
Sure there are road works around Ballina,but they are not that bad.
The HWY is fantastic,two lanes most of the way,and 110 in a lot of areas.
South of Sydney along the coast is a nightmare,but To canberra,inland from Sydney would be the go i presume.
Pick your time and it will be fine.

Three weeks ago i did a run to Arrawarra up and back at night,both ways,easy as ,way better run than that road to Goondiwindi,then South from there.