Driving with your engine turned off (good or bad)

kph · 13th March 2007, 16:15

Let me add the missing Disclaimer...

Never attempt this at home or anywhere else.

santosh.s · 13th March 2007, 16:24

I feel for bikes it may not matter because they don't have power brakes or steering.

Jomz · 13th March 2007, 16:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by tsk1979

When you go downhill with engine off, you need to use brakes to slow down, this will fade your brakes. The same way as you would go down in neutral gear.
Thats why they say use engine braking.
Doing this for a long time could cause brake failure.

Other issue of booster brakes, atleast in Indica it does not matter. As long as your are coasting above 20kmph, there is no lack of "booster". I think the reason is that the alternator belt is still spinning when the car is coasting, and indica has one belt for Alternator, Power steering and brakes.

Excuse me Senior.. How does the alternator belt Spin When coasting above 20kph.. with the Engine Off in an Indica. The Belt connected to the wheels Or the Engine???

santosh.s · 13th March 2007, 17:08

That makes me ask this serious doubt, never thought about it before-

It is obvious that when the engine is not running, brakes or steering are not going to get any boosting (assuming non-electric mechanisms like vacuum or hydraulic). But when it is 'running' it should provide boosting regardless of whether it is driven by fuel or engine-braking, right?? What I mean is, as long as you don't put the transmission in neutral while rolling down with engine off (I mean ignition off), you should not loose any mechanical boosting. Is that true?

Sush · 13th March 2007, 17:35

But once I had to rely on this kind of driving style on my way back from Khajiyar (I hope its correctly spelled). Actually the only petrol pump there was shut and I had to urgently drive back to Dalhousie. But rather than turning the engine off, I drove in neutral while driving down hill. So I did save fuel and reached my destination without getting stranded.

Driving with engine off is a strict No No

iraghava · 13th March 2007, 20:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sush

But rather than turning the engine off, I drove in neutral while driving down hill. So I did save fuel and reached my destination without getting stranded.

Driving with engine off is a strict No No

And so is driving in Neutral because you're again going to over-strain the brakes if you do it excessively and that can again lead to a brake failure.

sreenivass · 13th March 2007, 21:57

MPFI cars are not supposed to be pushed (no or minimum dhakka). I think the situation is no different here. I am sure it is not mere braking, it may damage the engine. The fiat workshop keeps telling me do not get the car pushed if it stalls, can any knowledgeable guy throw some light on hows and whys ?

rks · 13th March 2007, 22:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by sreenivass

MPFI cars are not supposed to be pushed (no or minimum dhakka). I think the situation is no different here. I am sure it is not mere braking, it may damage the engine. The fiat workshop keeps telling me do not get the car pushed if it stalls, can any knowledgeable guy throw some light on hows and whys ?

As far as I know MPFI cars are not supposed to be push-started. This is what my Santro manual says too, and the reason given is that the catalytic converter can be damaged. I think any MT car can be merely pushed, as opposed to push-started. I don't know about AT cars, though.

manikjeet · 14th March 2007, 15:07

i to checked with my mechanic he said no to push start any of my car its not good for the car

And i get it i did a foolish thing but it was fun and guess what the person sittin next to me doesn't believe that the car had no engine power while coming down hehehe

iraghava · 14th March 2007, 15:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by manikjeet

guess what the person sittin next to me doesn't believe that the car had no engine power while coming down hehehe

Good, and I guess he won't believe you when you tell him you have no brake power either, will he?

manikjeet · 14th March 2007, 15:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by iraghava

Good, and I guess he won't believe you when you tell him you have no brake power either, will he?

if i tell her she would freak out and probably kill me

but the breaks were working properly only they were hard and the reason she isn't believing is that i over took few cars on the way

santosh.s · 14th March 2007, 15:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by manikjeet

if i tell her she would freak out and probably kill me

humm... so it was "she"... then frankly, I wouldn't be surprised at all

karty_83 · 7th July 2010, 18:55

When the car is turned off and i apply brakes the brake pedal does not depress completely. In case i am on an incline then the car drifts backwards(if hand brake is not engaged) in spite of having my foot pressed on the pedal. As soon as i start the car,the brake pads start working again. Is this normal ?

PS: This happens occasionally.

paragsachania · 7th July 2010, 19:01

This is completely normal and it is dangerous to drive with the engine turned off.
Since the brakes are a hydraulic system, they function only when the ignition is turned on.

electricheart · 7th July 2010, 19:09

IMO this has to be cause of the booster assisted braking system (self adjusting drums). These brakes derive their power from the engine and hence using them with ignition turned off could result in brake locking. More read here.

13th March 2007, 16:15	#31
kph BHPian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Manali Posts: 156 Thanked: 13 Times	Let me add the missing Disclaimer... Never attempt this at home or anywhere else.
	() Thanks

13th March 2007, 16:24	#32
santosh.s Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,077 Thanked: 70 Times View My Garage	I feel for bikes it may not matter because they don't have power brakes or steering.
	() Thanks

13th March 2007, 17:08	#34
santosh.s Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,077 Thanked: 70 Times View My Garage	That makes me ask this serious doubt, never thought about it before- It is obvious that when the engine is not running, brakes or steering are not going to get any boosting (assuming non-electric mechanisms like vacuum or hydraulic). But when it is 'running' it should provide boosting regardless of whether it is driven by fuel or engine-braking, right?? What I mean is, as long as you don't put the transmission in neutral while rolling down with engine off (I mean ignition off), you should not loose any mechanical boosting. Is that true?
	() Thanks

13th March 2007, 17:35	#35
Sush BHPian Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Noida, New York Posts: 308 Thanked: 2 Times	But once I had to rely on this kind of driving style on my way back from Khajiyar (I hope its correctly spelled). Actually the only petrol pump there was shut and I had to urgently drive back to Dalhousie. But rather than turning the engine off, I drove in neutral while driving down hill. So I did save fuel and reached my destination without getting stranded. Driving with engine off is a strict No No
	() Thanks

13th March 2007, 21:57	#37
sreenivass BHPian Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Bangalore India Posts: 932 Thanked: 44 Times View My Garage	MPFI cars are not supposed to be pushed (no or minimum dhakka). I think the situation is no different here. I am sure it is not mere braking, it may damage the engine. The fiat workshop keeps telling me do not get the car pushed if it stalls, can any knowledgeable guy throw some light on hows and whys ?
	() Thanks

14th March 2007, 15:07	#39
manikjeet Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: chandigarh Posts: 1,618 Thanked: 295 Times View My Garage	i to checked with my mechanic he said no to push start any of my car its not good for the car And i get it i did a foolish thing but it was fun and guess what the person sittin next to me doesn't believe that the car had no engine power while coming down hehehe
	() Thanks

7th July 2010, 18:55	#43
karty_83 BHPian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 399 Thanked: 166 Times	Brake issue in Spark When the car is turned off and i apply brakes the brake pedal does not depress completely. In case i am on an incline then the car drifts backwards(if hand brake is not engaged) in spite of having my foot pressed on the pedal. As soon as i start the car,the brake pads start working again. Is this normal ? PS: This happens occasionally. Last edited by Jaggu : 7th July 2010 at 19:22. Reason: Please use Search before opening a new thread. Thanks
	() Thanks

7th July 2010, 19:01	#44
paragsachania Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Belur/Bangalore Posts: 7,148 Thanked: 27,140 Times	This is completely normal and it is dangerous to drive with the engine turned off. Since the brakes are a hydraulic system, they function only when the ignition is turned on.
	() Thanks

7th July 2010, 19:09	#45
electricheart BHPian Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Bangalore Posts: 40 Thanked: Once	IMO this has to be cause of the booster assisted braking system (self adjusting drums). These brakes derive their power from the engine and hence using them with ignition turned off could result in brake locking. More read here.
	() Thanks