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Weekend Getaway to Wayanad:

Objective was drive and relax. And, for relaxing, we found a perfect place in Blooms Green Farm. Thanks to team bhpian dhanushmenon, for the pointer, http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...chi-coorg.html.

It’s a well maintained farm with spacious villas and an indoor games complex(Badminton, TT, Carom, Chess, Gym equipments etc.). They serve authentic Kerala veg/non-veg cuisine. So, if you have a taste for it, this is a good place to go. The staff is very courteous and we enjoyed the tour around the farm. We were allowed to pet the animals in the farm. So, the kids had a blast petting the bunnies and goats. Total area of this farm is around 20 acres. We don't have anything to complain about this home stay facility.

Here are few pics,
On the Way, with my friend and his family in his XUV500.



Here is the cottage/villa where we stayed, with our rides parked along.



Few random shots,











Linea:

During the onward journey, at around 5 Kms from home on the NICE road, car emitted heavy smoke at 2000-2500 RPM may be for 4-5 seconds. I noticed this on the IRVM and also my friend who was behind me noticed it. And this was the only time it happened during this journey.

After this I started facing a power loss during 2000-2500 RPM intermittently. I regain the power within 2-3 seconds and I feel a thrust from behind when this happens. This happened multiple times during the onward journey. In Wayanad while going towards Kuruva Island, I took the car to 3500 RPM multiple times on the second and third gear(advised by few in Fiat forum) and now it looks like this issue has disappeared. I am still monitoring it and will ask the FASS to look in to it during my next visit. If anyone has any suggestion on this, then please let me know.

Trip Details from MID:

Total Kms: 618.7
FE: 15.7
Avg Speed: 40Kmh
Duration: 15H 20M

Drop in FE could be because of some spirited driving and Mysore City driving, Steep winding roads in wayanad etc.

Something for others to note down:

I always make sure to carry all the car related documents in my car. Before this trip, while cleaning the car, I took all the documents out and missed to keep the insurance document back. During the return journey, while exiting wayanad, Kerala traffic police stopped me and asked for all the documents. Since I was not having the insurance document they asked me to pay a fine of Rs 1000. I was willing to show the insurance copy from my email but they didn't agree. And then after I started insisting for a receipt for the fine they asked me to pay Rs. 300. A good lesson for me as well.

Here are the documents which they requested,
- Driving License
- RTO document/card
- Emission Certificate
- Insurance document.

Overall it was a fun filled trip.

And the 26K mark :)

Nice pictures and well maintained Linea!

Now you are just driving and driving! :D We all quality for Meru Cabs!

Anurag.

Absolutely no reasons to worry as regards to this exhaust issue.

Ever wondered, they say diesel engines always form heavy carbon deposits.

Ok. Sure. But, where the hell does it go?

Simple. In the fashion you mentioned. Sudden, unexpected bursts of smoke. And of course, lack of immediate power. The thrust experienced is caused due to excess pressure exerted onto the injection systems et cetera when you had pressed the accelerator, in vain, for a couple of seconds, though.

So, no reasons to worry. Your car is just a bit cleaner now. Now you see? Why do highway driven cars last long? Over consistent driving at specific higher tan average RPM's allows them to get rid of their carbon deposits.

A similar case had happened to a 1983 W123 240D, with 2,00,000+ KM on the odo. Only difference was, since the carbon was out after a long time, the car immediately began showing slightly different characteristics.

It began revving freely. (Quite an achievement for a slow an archaic Diesel Merc, no? :D)

Quite an achievement indeed! The car was properly pulling, after a very very long time.

Lastly, in your case, since the power loss did'nt immediately take place after the exhaust incident, I would really classify it as a slight, rather as a non-issue. Such things should be considered normal with these ECU powered cars. With N/A engines, nothinng ever happened. However, just ask the FASS about the second issue.

You know. Just in case.

Hey, great little travelogue & pictures! Thanks.

I'd recommend you to visit FASS as soon as possible for this issue. Similar symptoms have been reported by multiple Punto and some Linea owners in the past on TBHP as well as other forums. What you experienced has been one of the symptoms before the timing chain causing problems and some have event resulted in engine replacements due to heavy damage to the cylinder heads, combustion chambers or even camshafts. It may simply be what @FINTAIL has said. But its not a certainty at all. My advise - do visit FASS and get the engine thoroughly checked. Insist on a full check. It may be a one-time hassle which is certainly worth compared to a super costly engine replacement later.

Oh No! It is just sooth that is coming out of that pipe! Nothing to get worried to go to FASS. They'll ruin the car diagnosing nothing!

Black smoke is normal during heavy acceleration.




Relax. There is nothing to worry!

Anurag.

Thanks Anurag!
Yeah we have a job in hand :D


Thanks FINTAIL and Reinhard!

I am planning to visit FASS for a rattling issue, I will bring this to their notice as well.

Yes, looks to be a non-issue as it is not occurring any more. But still I will update FASS on this.

Is it like the accelerator goes dead for some seconds and feels like some resistance power is acting from behind? I have faced this issue in my i20 at few instances earlier. The issue disappears as soon as I downshift. Service center guys diagnosed and couldn't find out anything. Unfortunately the issue never gets reproduced during the TD by service chaps. Even I'm not seeing this issue from past few weeks.

Hi Vinay, Yes its the same issue. However after doing >3500 RPMs for few seconds on second and third gear, I have not noticed this issue. I am still monitoring though.

I also faced the same issue while i was driving from Bangalore to Bhubaneswar.
I infact immediately found a nearby MASS and got the car checked as i had close 2.5k KMs more to drive.
They checked everything, but could not find the cause of it .So they suspected it could be because of adulterated fuel. You may also want to check the state of the air filter.

Cheers

Not sure if this is a coincidence, but just 7-8Kms before this incident, I filled the tank at BP. But this is the regular bunk for me for the past 4 years.

As mentioned before, after the high RPM runs, I have not faced this issue at least till now, around 600Kms.

Were you at Mysore today? Think I saw your car parked somewhere near KRS Road

Hey...Yes, I was in mysore today. Maybe, you saw my car when it was parked in front of a hotel when we had gone for lunch.
I missed to meet your yellow beauty.

Last week, I started seeing the air pressure going down slowly from the front left tyre. So, I suspected a puncture and took it to Madhus as the Wheel Alignment/Balancing was also pending. And, they found a sharp nail pierced inside.



Here is the culprit, this is the third puncture.



Here is the suggestion from Road force equipment for tyre rotation.



I misplaced the alignment report and hence couldn't attach it here.

And another 1K to the ODO, now it stands @27000.



Took the car to Vecto Motors(FASS) yesterday to check the brake pad life as it is still the stock pads, and they said it should go for another 2K-3K without any issues.

Bangalore-Hyderabad-Chennai-Nagercoil trip update:



Day1: Bangalore to Hyderabad (584Kms)
Day2: Stay in Hyderabad
Day3: Hyderabad to Trichy (985Kms) - Via Chennai
Day4: Trichy to Nagercoil (388Kms)

Overall distance including city drives in hyderabad: 2049.6 Kms
Overall FE including the City drives in hyderabad: 17.92 (Tankfull method).
AC was ON 100% and Book was loaded full with no space left.

FE from MID:

Bangalore to Hyderabad: 18.8
Hyderabad to Nagercoil: 19.3

About Roads:

Bangalore - Hyderabad : Awesome stretch minus few speed breakers
Hyderabad - Chennai : Not in great shape with 4L not completed in few places and 6L work going on in the Ongole - Chennai stretch. Hence lot of diversions and in few places, the diversion stretch is in a very bad state.
Chennai - Nagercoil: Another awesome stretch minus Madurai bypass which is a narrow 2L, but its an interesting stretch for overtakes.

Toll:
Here are the tolls paid, its around 1 rupee per Km.



About Linea:

As usual, it took us home safely with no issues.

• Kids (7Y and 2Y) didn't have any complaints, especially the Hyderabad-Trichy stretch of 985Kms which was done in one stretch. They enjoyed it, with my elder one(7Y) counting the number trains that passed us by and he was in charge of the toll money disbursement as well :). Total duration was around 15 hours.

• No complaints regarding the seat comfort as well. All fine.

• We actually decided to do the Hyderabad - Nagercoil stretch (1373 Kms) in one go, but decided to halt at Trichy after request from our parents.

• Couple of hard braking situations and it held its line perfectly. Excellent braking I should say.
• I love the highway drives for its excellent stability at high speeds.
• I am happy with the FE as well. AC was 100% ON and Linea was fully loaded.

Here are some random pics,











Current ODO @ 29700

30K Service Update:

And my Linea has hit the 30K mark today in 326 days/10 months and 23 days.



Here is the 30K servicing details which was done in advance due to my long drive schedule.

I have just mentioned the major items here,

Brake Pad: 3290/-
Fuel Filter: 2059/-
Engine Oil: 1980/-
Wheel Alignment/Balancing: 1035/-
Consumables: 750/-
Wind Shield Shampoo: 450/-
Oil Filter: 411/-
Filtering Element: 410/-
Air Filter: 210/-

Total Bill: 11089/- (Including the brake pad change).

Regarding the bill, does the wind shield shampoo cost 450/-? I missed this before paying as I mistook it for the amount mentioned in the next
row which was for a different item and much lesser in amount.

I didn't want to do the Wheel Alignment/Balancing but they informed me that not doing the WA/WB means I am risking the Warranty.

Also,I reported the thick smoke/power loss(@2000RPM) issue which I faced during the Wayanad trip, they checked the turbo and updated me that all is well with the turbo.

The black strip/beading below the front wind screen was replaced under warranty as it was loosing its shape and colour.

My experience with Vecto was AVERAGE this time for the following reasons,

1) I wanted the Oil change and brake pad change done in my presence, but it didn't happen.(I clearly informed the SA that I have some work outside and will be back in couple of hours and they can do the Brake pad change and oil replacement then, he agreed but by the time I came back they had changed both the items.)

2) Couple of rattling issues, but they were not attended. During the test drive SA was maintaining that those sounds are from mud hitting the mud pad. :Frustrati

3) Provided the feedback to them when I received the feedback call but I didn't receive any call back.

Probably, I will send an email to them which is more effective, I feel.

Here is the pics of the stock brake pad which was changed at 27500 Kms, any idea how much more KMs this would have lasted? FASS said its good for another 1500Kms, but I changed it due to the long drive schedule.





And here are few pics captured yesterday after a quick water wash.