[stormerider]

Originally Posted by condor

Crossed the 50k mark in 3 yrs.

Get it checked for hardness. May need some repalcements.

Congratulations condor. My clutch had also had become hard around 60k n got it replaced around 65k.
Post the replacement had got another issue of difficulty in slotting in 1 and R, which was rectified by at 75k when the service center replaced the clutch again.
Thereafter everything's good.

On a side note I crossed 100k mark a month back in 39 months.

[condor]

Originally Posted by stormerider

On a side note I crossed 100k mark a month back in 39 months.

Congrats, Stormerider ! Happy to see that you have crossed that mark

[subraiyr]

Hey all. I just finished a trip to conoor. The vehicle was fully loaded about 500kilos including passengers and luggage. On the uphill jouney through the famous 36 bends , the vehicle found itself straining in a few of them. Mind you it dint stall, but it sounded as if it would. I had to disengage the clutch, rev and release at a fairly high rpm 3.5k. Is this normal or do i need to get the gearbox and drive train checked ?

[AutoIndian]

Originally Posted by subraiyr

Hey all. I just finished a trip to conoor. The vehicle was fully loaded about 500kilos including passengers and luggage. On the uphill jouney through the famous 36 bends , the vehicle found itself straining in a few of them. Mind you it dint stall, but it sounded as if it would. I had to disengage the clutch, rev and release at a fairly high rpm 3.5k. Is this normal or do i need to get the gearbox and drive train checked ?

Although 500 kilos seems to be on the higher side, I am sure it would still be within the limits of the maximum payload carrying capacity of the Storme. Rather than questioning the gearbox or drive train, I would suggest you to ponder on how you were driving in the ghats. Were you coming to dead stop on the inclines needing to rev the engine to a high rpm of 3.5K? If yes then I can understand, but if you were revving it this hard while the car was still moving then it seems you were upshifting too early. Its very tricky to upshift when you are climbing steep ghat roads. Always try to maintain the momentum and try to be in same gear as far as possible. Maintaining the engine rpm range in maximum torque band helps pull the car without much efforts. If your rpm starts dropping down and falls below the max torque band, then you car will struggle. In such a situation immediately downshift and ensure you get back into the max torque rpm band.

Even after following above mentioned driving approach, if you still face the issue, then you can take a second opinion and get the gearbox/ drivetrain checked, but I highly doubt it would have any issues.

Edit: Few months back I made a trip to Varandha ghat. People from Maharashtra would know about this ghat, its steep slopes and hair pin bends. We were eight of us in our TUV (6 adults and 2 kids), approx. 400 kilos of payload. I could easily climb the ghat in 2nd and 3rd gear (maintaining the rpm between 2k to 2.5K). These were the only two gears that I used for a majority of the ascend. Fortunately I did not come to a dead stop while climbing, otherwise it would have been tricky.

[apachelongbow]

Originally Posted by subraiyr

Hey all. I just finished a trip to conoor. The vehicle was fully loaded about 500kilos including passengers and luggage. On the uphill jouney through the famous 36 bends , the vehicle found itself straining in a few of them. Mind you it dint stall, but it sounded as if it would. I had to disengage the clutch, rev and release at a fairly high rpm 3.5k. Is this normal or do i need to get the gearbox and drive train checked ?

The trick is to be above 1700 rpm in any gear. Post 1700rpm there is sufficient torque to easily power the monster up those hairpin bends. I too observed that the gearing of my Storme has been revised with respect to a Dicor, in the Dicor I could easily manage to keep it in 2/3rd gear on the climb, but in the Storme 2nd gear would bog the car down and shifting to 1st and climbing would result in involuntary wheel-spin during climb because the rpm crossed 2000.

[condor]

Originally Posted by subraiyr

Hey all. I just finished a trip to conoor. The vehicle was fully loaded about 500kilos including passengers and luggage. .... I had to disengage the clutch, rev and release at a fairly high rpm 3.5k. Is this normal or ...

500 kg's is the rated payload, so that's ok

Question:
1) Was the a/c running during the climb ?
2) Any smell of burning (clutch) ?
3) what is the air pressure of the tyres ?

[sasi405]

Here's my 72000km update.
1. The rear ac unit has started making a horrible whistling, hooting kind of sound that make you feel that there's Casper and all his family in the car. The culprit seems to be the expansion valve within the rear ac unit. It has also started making some kind of gurgling sound after the car and ac is switched off. Apparently, the entire unit will have to be changed under warranty. If your'e out of warranty, then only the expansion valve needs to be changed. Anyone else faced this problem?
2. The AC blower has started to make a faint high pitched whirring noise, which can be distinctly heard when you switch off the blower (as the speed decreases, you can hear the whirring stop). The noise, though not audible for people who are not in the car regularly, becomes quite an irritant to the driver who's in the car all the time (me, that is). Anyone faced this problem?
3. The rear bushes seem to have worn out, making the vehicle lunge forwards and backwards each time you accelerate or leave the pedal. This becomes more pronounced when the AC is on, as the additional load of the compressor gets transmitted through the engine into the drivetrain. Anyone faced this problem?
4. Some "flexion" noises have started to appear inside the car, especially from the dashboard area and the glass. These are minor and expected in a car that has run 72K km. Usually, such "flexion" noises are first heard around the doors in most cars, but surprisingly in my Storme, the doors are not making any noise (except the famous TATA tailgate, of course!).

Except for the above, the vehicle is running well and has been trouble free. I am getting and overall FE in the region of 12.5 to 13 kmpl. The best I got recently was 15.73 kmpl on the Delhi - Moradabad - Kathgodam section.

[subraiyr]

Originally Posted by condor

500 kg's is the rated payload, so that's ok

Question:
1) Was the a/c running during the climb ? yes it was and non eco mode. So twin a/c pumps
2) Any smell of burning (clutch) ? on one there was a burning smell. but i attributed it to burning diesel faster
3) what is the air pressure of the tyres ?

i put it at 33psi with nitrogen in all 4 tyres.

Even after following above mentioned driving approach, if you still face the issue, then you can take a second opinion and get the gearbox/ drivetrain checked, but I highly doubt it would have any issues.

I agree with your observations AutoIndian. I dont usually do a deadstop at the begining of the turn into the hairpin. I let the momentum carry the vehicle, but downshift as soon as it hits about 15% into the incline. I am not comfortable stopping and then starting up the incline as i feel it will tax the engine much more.

[condor]

OK. Air pressure is fine.
What about the a/c ?

[subraiyr]

Originally Posted by condor

OK. Air pressure is fine.
What about the a/c ?

@Condor

A/c was on in regular mode. Twin pumps working
There was a burning smell at one hairpin. But i did rev harder here and therefore attribute it to diesel burning

[condor]

Originally Posted by subraiyr

A/c was on in regular mode. Twin pumps working

This is the likely reason. When going up-hill, it is suggested to switch off the a/c, so that load on engine reduces. You are going up to a hill-station. Open those windows and enjoy the breeze & the clean fresh air.

[subraiyr]

Ok. I need to take the truck to the service station for sure. Some minor issues which i need to get it rectified

1. Clutch is hard definitely. Need to get it checked
2. A/C not chill as before and outside smell coming into the cabin even with the recirc in on position
3. Left side drag. Need to get the wheel alignment and balancing done.
4. Rear door nut a bit loose and therefore the boot door doesnt swing open as it is supposed to
5. The wiper spray is now not aligned properly and is spraying partially on window and outside window as well

Last time i went to Emm Emm motors and the experience was not great. Maybe my yardstick is different. But with my Ford Fusion, the SA would spend time listening to the niggles, putting it in the job card and providing continuous feedback. A test drive was also mandatory for certain issues. At Emm Emm this did not happen even after speaking to Stalin. Have they lost focus on service ?

Which is a better place to give your vehicle for service in Bangalore. I would prefer either North Bangalore or Koramangala side.

I also plan to do WB/WA at Madhu's before giving it for servicing. Is this better or should i reverse the sequence.

Please let me know

[rkg]

Originally Posted by subraiyr

Which is a better place to give your vehicle for service in Bangalore. I would prefer either North Bangalore or Koramangala side.

I also plan to do WB/WA at Madhu's before giving it for servicing. Is this better or should i reverse the sequence.
Please let me know

Go to concorde opposite Christ college.

[smsrini]

Originally Posted by rkg

Go to concorde opposite Christ college.

Concorde does not do safari/sumo here. You need to goto Kudlu Gate. SA - ASAF.

If you give your car to EMM EMM Motors on a Mon/Tue they are much more receptive. Weekend they are flooded with Taxis. There is a SA - Sridhar, who is good. Else Venkatesh. Stalin if i am not mistaken is their workshop supervisor, who is generally non communicative.

cheers.

[rkg]

Originally Posted by smsrini

Concorde does not do safari/sumo here. You need to goto Kudlu Gate.

No, they do service Strome and Aria at Concorde, Opp Chirst college. My ARIA is serviced there only for the past two years