[Chillout]

Hi vnabhi, hope you will excuse me for anwering the below question.

Vijay, What you stated is absolutely correct. Without AC the Fiesta 1.6 is a beast, the engine is free, rev friendly and smoother. I have been wanting to ask this question myself, but glad that I came across this.

BTW my battery after 5 yrs 6 mths, finally died today. I am yet to change the tires as it still has a lot of thread left at 35000 kms. I have decided to buy the OEM battery itself.

Originally Posted by intothewild

Hi vnabhi,

What is your take on the effect of AC loading on the Fiesta 1.6? Do you feel a significant difference? I feel that without the AC, the Fiesta is a lot more easy to drive in bumper to bumper traffic without the need for too much downshifting and clutch riding. With the AC on, it is very difficult to keep moving in the 2nd gear without riding the cluth (I hate to ride the clutch). The first gear on the Fiesta 1.6 is so short that the slightest tap on the A-pedal hits 2000 rpm. So, you cannot simply move in first gear to avoid riding the clutch. This is a major irritant while driving in bumper to bumper traffic. It is the same case when going over those plastic speed bumps within the office/mall driveways. Also, the car feels much more agile without the AC on (maybe a difference of 20-25%). Do you feel the same? How do you tackle bumper-bumper traffics?

Vijay

[vnabhi]

Originally Posted by intothewild

Hi vnabhi,

What is your take on the effect of AC loading on the Fiesta 1.6? Do you feel a significant difference? I feel that without the AC, the Fiesta is a lot more easy to drive in bumper to bumper traffic without the need for too much downshifting and clutch riding. With the AC on, it is very difficult to keep moving in the 2nd gear without riding the cluth (I hate to ride the clutch). The first gear on the Fiesta 1.6 is so short that the slightest tap on the A-pedal hits 2000 rpm. So, you cannot simply move in first gear to avoid riding the clutch. This is a major irritant while driving in bumper to bumper traffic. It is the same case when going over those plastic speed bumps within the office/mall driveways. Also, the car feels much more agile without the AC on (maybe a difference of 20-25%). Do you feel the same? How do you tackle bumper-bumper traffics?

Vijay

Originally Posted by Chillout

Hi vnabhi, hope you will excuse me for anwering the below question.

Vijay, What you stated is absolutely correct. Without AC the Fiesta 1.6 is a beast, the engine is free, rev friendly and smoother. I have been wanting to ask this question myself, but glad that I came across this.

BTW my battery after 5 yrs 6 mths, finally died today. I am yet to change the tires as it still has a lot of thread left at 35000 kms. I have decided to buy the OEM battery itself.

Sorry, I missed both posts (surprisingly I did not get a notification).

I differ with both of you. I find no effect in b-to-b traffic, AC or no AC. In fact, switching the AC on does not even reflect on the car's performance, unlike the WagonR that I have, in which there is nearly a 30% drop in pulling power.

The only time when the AC causes a drop in performance in 2nd gear is when I try to climb a slope from near zero speed. All other times, no effect.

The only thing that poses an issue to me is the heavy clutch, especially in heavy traffic. Surprisingly, the diesel Figo has a lighter clutch. My left knee muscles are stronger now!

By the way, do you press the clutch when going on those metal/ plastic speed-breakers? In most cases I don't, unless it is very large. And I believe the 'anti-stall' feature takes care of the car not stalling at low speeds in 2nd gear.

[a4anurag]

Originally Posted by vnabhi

By the way, do you press the clutch when going on those metal/ plastic speed-breakers? In most cases I don't, unless it is very large. And I believe the 'anti-stall' feature takes care of the car not stalling at low speeds in 2nd gear.

I guess the clutch is required to be disengaged if the speeds fall below 10 kmph else the torque produced takes care of the engine preventing it from stalling.

Anurag.

[vnabhi]

Originally Posted by a4anurag

I guess the clutch is required to be disengaged if the speeds fall below 10 kmph else the torque produced takes care of the engine preventing it from stalling.

Anurag.

Not sure what you mean. My question is what happens if you do not disengage the clutch when speeds fall below 10 kmph?

[a4anurag]

Originally Posted by vnabhi

Not sure what you mean. My question is what happens if you do not disengage the clutch when speeds fall below 10 kmph?

Sorry Venu sir. Will put it correctly now.

If the speeds are above 10 kmph then the engine has enough torque to keep it running but below 10 kmph it would be difficult and you may have to disengage the clutch + downshift to 1st gear for crossing the speed breaker.

Anurag.

[paragsachania]

Wouldn't that all depend on the Idle RPMs of your car? You can carefully release the clutch in 1st gear with zero throttle input and start moving and keep shifting. Most of the cars will easily gain speeds of more than 30kmph (Petrol) in 4th gear with zero throttle input.

Generally, with the AC on (And the compressor working) the Idle RPM is increased by 100RPM and you would often notice that moving in 2nd gear with the AC on feels better than with the AC off (or with the AC On but compressor cut off).

In Diesel its a different game altogether as the torque itself is good enough to gain faster momentum in comparison to Petrol.

Regarding the power loss with AC, I have driven the Fiesta 1.6 SXi from Bangalore to Mumbai once and I agree with vnabhi that the AC has no effect whatsoever on the power delivery. In fact in May 2012, there were numerous diversions on this route which made us follow trucks at snail's pace in 2nd gear and we felt there was no difference turning the AC on/off.

[mobike008]

Originally Posted by vnabhi

Not sure what you mean. My question is what happens if you do not disengage the clutch when speeds fall below 10 kmph?

If you do not engage/disengage a clutch when speeds are at 10kmph, the car obviously will stall ( especially if its a petrol car) but, for diesel cars, iam not really sure if it will stall at 10kmph in 2nd gear ( maybe it does in some cars and maybe not in better torque producing cars at lower rpms in other cars like a Beat for example)

Btw, whats an Anti Stall Feature? Does the Fiesta have it?

[a4anurag]

Originally Posted by mobike008

Btw, whats an Anti Stall Feature? Does the Fiesta have it?

It doesn't let the engine go OFF when the car is in 1st gear with the clutch engaged and NO throttle input. The ECU maintains this continuously.

Seen in all modern diesels. Engage the 1st gear and slowly release the clutch the car will move and keep at that speeds. If the engine doesn't stall then the Anti-stall feature is there for that car.

Correct me If I'm wrong.

Anurag.

[mobike008]

Originally Posted by a4anurag

It doesn't let the engine go OFF when the car is in 1st gear with the clutch engaged and NO throttle input. The ECU maintains this continuously.Seen in all modern diesels. Engage the 1st gear and slowly release the clutch the car will move and keep at that speeds. If the engine doesn't stall then the Anti-stall feature is there for that car.

Oh, you mean that. Its part of the engine technology and not a separate feature and as you rightly said its there in all modern diesel engined cars.

[vnabhi]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

Generally, with the AC on (And the compressor working) the Idle RPM is increased by 100RPM and you would often notice that moving in 2nd gear with the AC on feels better than with the AC off (or with the AC On but compressor cut off).

In Diesel its a different game altogether as the torque itself is good enough to gain faster momentum in comparison to Petrol.

Well said. The idle RPM of a warmed up 1.6 duratec is 750 r.p.m. and it increases by around 100 when the AC is switched on.

You are right regarding diesels: the torque is more than adequate to cause the car to lurch forward in second gear after crossing a speed breaker, with no throttle input. And yes, even the WagonR maintains a certain speed in each gear with zero throttle input.

I have never stalled the Fiesta so far, but when I drove a friend's SX4, it did stall in 2nd gear. My Maruti 800 also used to stall in 2nd gear.

Originally Posted by mobike008

If you do not engage/disengage a clutch when speeds are at 10kmph, the car obviously will stall ( especially if its a petrol car) but, for diesel cars, iam not really sure if it will stall at 10kmph in 2nd gear ( maybe it does in some cars and maybe not in better torque producing cars at lower rpms in other cars like a Beat for example)

Btw, whats an Anti Stall Feature? Does the Fiesta have it?

Yes, it happens in most petrol cars, but some cars listed above do not stall. I remember that this was one of the distinctions between the 1.6 and 1.4 Duratec Fiestas, as told to me by the salesman (The 1.4 was discontinued in 2008)

Originally Posted by a4anurag

It doesn't let the engine go OFF when the car is in 1st gear with the clutch engaged and NO throttle input. The ECU maintains this continuously.

Seen in all modern diesels. Engage the 1st gear and slowly release the clutch the car will move and keep at that speeds. If the engine doesn't stall then the Anti-stall feature is there for that car.

Correct me If I'm wrong.

Anurag.

You are right. Happens in 2nd gear too in some cars.

Originally Posted by mobike008

Oh, you mean that. Its part of the engine technology and not a separate feature and as you rightly said its there in all modern diesel engined cars.

Yes for all diesels, not all for petrols.

[a4anurag]

Originally Posted by vnabhi

You are right. Happens in 2nd gear too in some cars.

Enroute work I just checked for stalling but it did not happen. 1st gear and 2nd gear without any throttle input it is moving smoothly.

1st gear = 10 kmph and
2nd gear = 15 kmph.

Was bored driving like that for a minute so didn't feel like checking at 3rd gear.

Anurag.

[vnabhi]

Originally Posted by a4anurag

Enroute work I just checked for stalling but it did not happen. 1st gear and 2nd gear without any throttle input it is moving smoothly.

1st gear = 10 kmph and
2nd gear = 15 kmph.

Was bored driving like that for a minute so didn't feel like checking at 3rd gear.

Anurag.

You can take it for granted on diesel cars that they will not stall in such situations. But in petrol cars, some cannot be taken for granted. My experience is limited to only M800, WagonR, Alto and Fiesta. Not to forget the SX4 that I drove once or twice.

[a4anurag]

Originally Posted by vnabhi

You can take it for granted on diesel cars that they will not stall in such situations. But in petrol cars, some cannot be taken for granted. My experience is limited to only M800, WagonR, Alto and Fiesta. Not to forget the SX4 that I drove once or twice.

It works nicely in Diesel due to the torque's the engine produces which is not the case for petrol engines.

My dad drives a SX4 VXI but I tried the same and it didn't stall in 1 st gear but it did stall when I tried on 2nd gear.

Anurag.

[mashmash]

My Esteem used to pull easily on first start of the day as engine used to be at an rpm higher than1000. But after it warmed up and idle rpm fell to around 750-800, chances of stalling with no accelerator input were high. Clutch had the be released very delicately.

I managed to stall my diesel Figo twice on second gear :(.

MaSh

[a4anurag]

Originally Posted by mashmash

I managed to stall my diesel Figo twice on second gear

Since you are new to diesels out will happen tool you get hold of the nac of driving it.

Once you get the trick then I bet you won't stall the engine in any gear.

Anurag.