[shivag]

Hi folks,

I have a question for the experts here, which has been bothering me for quite sometime ( I searched and couldn't find answer in the earlier posts hence the new thread).

I own a 2004 Fiat Petra diesel which has done some 35k kms so far and fairly agile.....now that my usage of the vehicle has come down drastically but is needed at crucial times say once or twice a week for 80 - 100 kms altogether.

All I wanted to know whether such limited usage of a diesel engine do any harm to the engine itself or any other depedant component say the battery or anything else. I am told that deisel is idle only if you clock higher kms on a daily basis orelse petrol should do ..but I love this car and own it now ...so that doesn;t hold good now.

Please clarify and also share your thoughts on any special care that I should follow while maintaining my car under such limited usage...

Yours thoughts are very much appreciated !

P.S I am also told that I should atleast start the car (keep it idling) for atleast 5 mins daily ?

[cooldude1988765]

I dont think you need to idle the car for 5 mins everyday.. Those were for older cars i guess

Diesel is ideal for people who drive a lot as they can recover the extra money spent on the diesel variant as compared to the petrol ones... Since you already have the car i see no reason to sell it now ....

[Steeroid]

You dont need to idle for 5 minutes or any such exact stretch of time. Idle till you feel the engine settling down - noise levels would go down, even if marginally, and the rpm will drop a wee bit.

Petrol or diesel, I still idle my vehicles the first time every day till I feel the engine has settled down - unless I'm in a hurry. Maybe I'm old-fashioned.

[cooldude1988765]

Originally Posted by Steeroid

You dont need to idle for 5 minutes or any such exact stretch of time. Idle till you feel the engine settling down - noise levels would go down, even if marginally, and the rpm will drop a wee bit.

Petrol or diesel, I still idle my vehicles the first time every day till I feel the engine has settled down - unless I'm in a hurry. Maybe I'm old-fashioned.

Steeroid i think what he meant was whether or not to just start the car and keep it idle for 5 min even though he is not driving the car ...

Correct me if i am wrong

[shivag]

Cooldude! you are right ......I wanted to know whether starting the diesel engine daily is mandatory since the usage is limited?

[tsk1979]

It is not needed. Long term parking of the order of month or more can cause problems sometimes, but now a few days.

[arif_t01]

actually, i think the reason is very simple as everyone knows.......its for keeping your car battery in good condition!......if you dont start your car for a prolonged period of time, the battery will be dead......hence, start your car once in a while, may be once a day........but its always ideal that you let your car idle for 5 min every morn or in other words "cold starting"

[filcord]

If your battery is good, and you run it 100 km every few days, no problem. You do not need to start the car every day.

[tsk1979]

Disconnect the battery before leaving the car parked, it will not discharge before 4-5 months atleast(experience).
without disconnection, it does not discharge before 40 days atleast(experience again)

[shivag]

Thank you so much gentlemen for all your inputs ..thanks a lot

[Rover]

The max I have left my diesel Indica undriven was for about 20 days. My job would take me out of town at regular intervals for 7/8 days and no one would drive the car during these times.

Even after such non-usage the car would always start at the first crank.

I guess, you can rest easy.

[gd1418]

My friend who owns a Qualis had left his vehicle with me for about 6 months while he was away. I parked it in my garage and disconnected the Battery. Two days before he was to return to claim his Qualis I connected the terminals and tried starting it. The batery was quite low. hence put a jumper from my Safari and then cranked the Qualis engine. It fired in in the second attempt and then settled down to a nice purr.

The I drove the Qualis for about 42 Kms and the battery topped up. No issues whatsoever. You may like to draw your own conclusion of this..!!

Originally Posted by Rover

The max I have left my diesel Indica undriven was for about 20 days. My job would take me out of town at regular intervals for 7/8 days and no one would drive the car during these times.

Even after such non-usage the car would always start at the first crank.

I guess, you can rest easy.

[jinojohnt]

Originally Posted by arif_t01

actually, i think the reason is very simple as everyone knows.......its for keeping your car battery in good condition!......if you dont start your car for a prolonged period of time, the battery will be dead......hence, start your car once in a while, may be once a day........but its always ideal that you let your car idle for 5 min every morn or in other words "cold starting"

If you can connect a switch just outside the negative terminal of the battery, you could switch off (disconnect) the negative terminal when the car is not in use for prolonged periods.

[Hashim]

Originally Posted by jinojohnt

If you can connect a switch just outside the negative terminal of the battery, you could switch off (disconnect) the negative terminal when the car is not in use for prolonged periods.

Never recommended, contact will not be that good even if you get such heavy duty switch, keeping negative terminal is recommended because it saves car body from rusting.

[Eddy]

Old thread fellows. Closing it.