Funny problem...Just for your comments!

[DRC]

First I thought this should well go into the street experiences, but for its true technical nature , I thhought let me put here. Mods, please move this thread if you feel it better belong there.
One day during Diwali, I got a call from my friend who said " I am stuck in the middle of nowhere some where near(?) Pune. I am driving a Indigo and it is refusingg to start. can you please help?" This guy is not a car savvy guy like us all., I tried my usual tricks and tried to guide him through the phone to bleed the fuel line of any trapped air. But unfortunately, being new to the car (he has a Palio here, and never had seen a diesel engine bay) could not locate the diesel pump.

Finally I throw up my hands and ask him to get local help. When the mechanic arrived, he did exactly the same thing, bled the air out of the fuel line and engine was back in life. but only for a few KMs. Lated teh problem was diagnosed to the fuel Tank. They found that the problem started after he drove over a big stone enroute. It had hit the fuel tank and caused a dent. That dent had happened exactly below the fuel filter inside the tank and blocked the flow. The mech removed the filter temporarily and they were able to reach Pune.

It is quite wierd of a problem isn't it. Was just wondering how to get prepared for such incedents pn road!

[theMAG]

Was just wondering how to get prepared for such incedents pn road!

Put monster-truck tyres on the cars?!

Seriously, I dont think much can be done. Its difficult to go out epxecting a dented fuel tank, of all things

[sreenivass]

Interesting situation ! Is it unique to indica or possible with other cars too ? My friend had trouble with overheating on Honda Civic and found it had started leaking after a stone hit.

[danlalan]

well my esteem also got its tank hit by a brick on the road...its got a dent there..but its still working fine..no pump problems.....well if you want to be perpared for something like this its very difficult....cause ANY THING CAN HAPPEN when your on the HIGHWAY FROM HELL!!!!(indian roads)

[DRC]

I do understand this is a one off problem, got sorted out only with a dent and stalled engine. But the tank being at so vulnerable place can also cause fire hazards. I also saw the underbelly of my car and realized is open to risk here too.

I also remember having read that Honda City has its fuel tank below the drivers seat unlike under rear seats in other cars. It is one of thier safety features. Does anyone know if it is protected too?

[mobike008]

Originally Posted by DRC

I also remember having read that Honda City has its fuel tank below the drivers seat unlike under rear seats in other cars. It is one of thier safety features. Does anyone know if it is protected too?

I drove an old honda city through some trecherous road en route to goa during this monsoon, took 4 hours of continous driving to cover 25km, so imagine the kind of road ( probably driving on moon would have been better), the car took all kind of battering, super deep potholes, mountounous speed breakers and the ground kept hitting the underside every 30 secs, i though the axle will break or fuel tank will come apart, but nothing happened and we came out of it alive and unscathed including the car

[Sush]

My friend's honda city's bottom got rubbed against a rock.

After sometime (i think a day or two) the enjine seized. Actually that rock had dented a nut of the oil supply mechanism and this blocked the oil supply to the enjine.

The cost of repairs were around 70K.

[esteem_lover]

Originally Posted by Sush

My friend's honda city's bottom got rubbed against a rock.

After sometime (i think a day or two) the enjine seized. Actually that rock had dented a nut of the oil supply mechanism and this blocked the oil supply to the enjine.

The cost of repairs were around 70K.

thats one hell of an expensive rub, pal. It is always safe to have an under chassis inspection of the car as soon as possible after the bottom hits something.

[manaa45]

the same thing had happened with my accent, one fine day the car woudlnt start at all, husband came over and just opened the fuel lid of the car , thumped the car a few times and the car started, but then after more investigations, it was found that there was a dent on the fuel tank due to excessive hitting on the bumps, the fuel tank was then taken off, cleaned, the dent removed and refitted again.

the problem solved.

but now that we have brought a nhc also, i find that it hits more bumps then the accent. and i feel that it might have a more dented petrol tank then other cars.

[rpanicker]

I guess being stuck is better than being set afire. I too had a narrow escape recently. As I was parking my Accord at Hypercity, the attendant was gesticulating frantically. I thought he was asking me to park elsewhere, when I realized that there was a 4-inch wide trail of fuel behind the car. I must've leaked close to 20 litres of fuel before I saw it and it was caused by the bad roads in aamchi mumbai fracturing the fuel filter. I shudder to think what would've happened if someone had accidentaly thrown a butt or something. Fortunately, one of the valet guys at Hypercity turned out to be a good mechanic and replaced the filter. Only issue was that I'd to go all the way to Lamington Road (30 kms away) to buy the filter! But seriously, knowing the conditions of the roads in India, the manufacturers should eliminate such potentially risky designs.

[Boom Shiva]

Couple of years ago my Indigo hit a shovel that was lying in the middle of the road. Ended up with a power steering fluid leak. The mechanic told me it was a common problem with the car's design since the tank was so close to the front.

[iraghava]

Originally Posted by manaa45

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but now that we have brought a nhc also, i find that it hits more bumps then the accent. and i feel that it might have a more dented petrol tank then other cars.

Manaa - If I remember correctly the NHC has its fuel tank positioned under one of the seats and thus is less susceptible to hits from stones/potholes. I don't think you need to worry about it that much.

[ajayclicks]

Last year, during divali, I decided to drive from Velankani to Rameshwaram not via the national highway, but in a fit of madness some off beaten path via nimisal, puddukotai etc. Good roads, but non existant. By the time i reached rameshwaram, engine oil indicator started glowing. Simply topped it, and on returning to bangalore took it to the dealer. Apparently due to the deep potholes and hitting against the rocks, there was a minor leak somewhere....