[vina]

Originally Posted by ilangop

@ Vina - Please check your PM as well.
...

4) 10 seconds is way too long. Even owners manual might warn the user on cranking the engine this long. The usual recommendation is to give a pause after 2 or 3 sec of cranking and then restart.

5) The battery warning lamp goes off even at idle, right? Which means that the battery is getting charged. The lamp works on the simple principle that lamp glows when there is no current generated from the alternator.

I don't have a PM, did you send email?

I wrote 10seconds more as a worst case for a normal car in normal conditions - just trying to estimate the worst discharge possible on account of cranking. My Figo starts in about a second.

My point is - the amount of current that the starter takes is large, but the duration is so short that charging the battery back should not take longer than a few minutes.

Then why did people comment that battery will not be charged back up by normal stroll of a few minutes (this post and the few above and below it: http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/techni...ml#post2479974)

[Vipin Kumar]

I have to park my Ford Fiesta 1.4 TDCI without any use for exactly 1 month and 10 days, from 21 December onwards. As it is a diesel engine, I am a bit worried about it. But as soon as I am back, on 31 January 2012, my second free service is due. The car has done 5700 kms now. I hope it will be 6000 by the time I keep it for long parking.

Other than tyre pressure, 'no-hand-brake', and cover, should I take any particular precaution? Can any one provide me with some info about it? What could be ideally the quantity of diesel that I must keep in it?

Thanks
Vipin.

[dhanushs]

Originally Posted by Vipin Kumar

I have to park my Ford Fiesta 1.4 TDCI without any use for exactly 1 month and 10 days...

... Other than tyre pressure, 'no-hand-brake', and cover, should I take any particular precaution? Can any one provide me with some info about it? What could be ideally the quantity of diesel that I must keep in it?

1 month is nothing for a Fiesta 1.4 TDCi. Even if its a diesel. You can go and come with peace of mind.

Just a quick thought. You might wanna keep the air circulation in 're-circulation' mode. Keep some dehydrating Silica gels inside the car. Make sure the diesel is not less, and you are good to go!.

[Vipin Kumar]

Thanks a lot Mr. dhanushs! Did you mean air-circulation in 're-circulation' once I start it for use, after the gap? I really could not follow the point about 'dehydrating'.
And the parking is going to be in very cold weather.

[vina]

Originally Posted by Vipin Kumar

Thanks a lot Mr. dhanushs! Did you mean air-circulation in 're-circulation' once I start it for use, after the gap? I really could not follow the point about 'dehydrating'.
And the parking is going to be in very cold weather.

Air-circulation should be kept in re-circulation during storage, to prevent outside moisture, bugs etc. from getting in. Silica gel is also to prevent moisture from causing growth of fungus and the bad odor.

Diesel should be kept at slightly less than full tank - to prevent rusting of the tank.

[askids]

I have a Feb 11 model Figo Diesel which has run around 15k km. I wont be using the car for the next 10-12 months as I will be traveling abroad. My dad already has another car(2007 Santro) and does not want to use the Figo as the existing car itself is used very sparingly(200-250km/month). Will it be a good idea to to keep it parked for such a long duration? Any drawbacks? Even if my father agrees to use it, it will be very minimum as he will have to juggle between the 2..might be 100-125km/month for each. Which is a better option?
a) Leave the car parked (either in Manipal or Bangalore)
b) Use it to bare minimum on both the cars.

Please let me know.

Thanks
askids

[libranof1987]

Originally Posted by askids

b) Use it to bare minimum on both the cars.

This is the best option.

Keeping the car standstill for a year will be a major hassle with all the precautions and the servicings after you are back.

It's best that you have your dad use the car occasionally. As long as the car is started and run minimally (at least a few kms so that all the mechanicals are working) twice a week, everything will be fine.

125 kms/month is quite good; though it just be spread out.

[Max]

left my honda city parked in august 11 for about 25 days in open car parking in my building. Inflated Tyre pressure to 42 psi. After I came back everything was normal, car still had tyre pressure of 38psi and it started in one crank, however green fungus had captured car upholstery, may be because it was rainy season and car was parked in open parking. Any way to ovoid that?

[n.devdath]

Originally Posted by Max

however green fungus had captured car upholstery, may be because it was rainy season and car was parked in open parking. Any way to avoid that?

Placing silica gel would have helped. Apart from that a dry wipe of your dashboard if you stay is humid areas too prevents fungus formation. By the way, it is not harmful in any way, wipe it off and you are good to go.

[powerwidFE]

Hi All,

This is my first post on Team-BHP. I had been an avid reader of various posts on this forum since last year when we decided to buy a car. Based on the excellent reviews,ownership reports,etc. I am now the proud owner(actually my father is) of a Wagon-R Lxi Petrol(the blue-eyed boy,with K10B engine).

Now, the problem nobody except me in my family knows driving , and I myself am a newbie driver(and therefore, not so confident). Add to that I am a B.Tech student and get very little time during the weekdays to take the car out.So, I usually take the car out only on weekends , and that too on not-so-long drives. Consequently, the car has done ~300 KM in 4 months.

Now,I have been hearing from my friends and neighbours(experienced drivers) that if I use the car so sparingly, it can lead to various problems like flat battery(can a battery really become flat in a week of non-usage),increased run-in period,etc. I asked this from the M.A.S.S guys and he gave me a strange look and told me there is nothing like that and the car will behave fine even with usage lower than mine.

But I'm still quite worried!

Want advice from the "gurus" there on this matter.

[libranof1987]

Originally Posted by powerwidFE

So, I usually take the car out only on weekends , and that too on not-so-long drives. Consequently, the car has done ~300 KM in 4 months.

A battery which gets an opportunity to get charged only once/twice a week will definitely drain faster than one that is used regularly. You will notice this soon but over a long period of time.

I'd suggest you use the car every 2-3 days, even if it is for a 5-10kms drive. Having said this, don't just start the car, idle it for 5-10min and shut it down as that will do more harm than good.

Not just the battery, regularly using the car ensures all the oils are in good condition, there isn't any rusting etc.

PS : You can either be a BTech student or not have any time on weekdays; not both Most of us are engineers here so we know exactly how free you can be if the need be. (To be taken in an exceptionally light vein)

[bluevolt]

Originally Posted by powerwidFE

But I'm still quite worried!

Want advice from the "gurus" there on this matter.

Well petrol cars are meant to be sparingly used considering the prices of the fuel here in Delhi/NCR.

Jokes apart I don't think that you are doing anything wrong with your car, many cars are sparingly used including my i10. But I make sure that it runs for at least 50+ KMs once a week so that the battery remains fully charged and all mechanicals in perfect condition.

Why don't you take the car to your college once or twice a week? This will saves your time commuting to the college and you will be a Happier Student + a little showoff too!. (This is a serious advise).

[powerwidFE]

Greetings!fellow T-BHPians,

The place where I usually park my car has a backward slope. I usually don't drive my car for 5-6 days at a stretch.
Though I know the best way to park on a backward slope would be to slot 1st gear and keep the handbrake engaged,I am not able to do so because my gear lock(U-shape) locks in reverse gear.So,I park the car in reverse gear with handbrakes engaged.Does this cause unnecessary load on the handbrakes?

Would it be better for the handbrakes if I park my car facing in the other direction, so that it would be on a forward slope and reverse would be the correct gear to engage?(Note that the primary reason I don't do this is because in this position it is inconvenient as I have to back out of the parking space ,and also I had read somewhere on T-BHP that a cold engine in reverse gear burns too much fuel and causes too much pollution.)

Also,(& this may be a fragment of my imagination),can this type of parking (on a slope, that is) for a prolonged period cause the engine oil to drain out from the components faster?

[thoma]

Originally Posted by powerwidFE

So,I park the car in reverse gear with handbrakes engaged.Does this cause unnecessary load on the handbrakes?

Would it be better for the handbrakes if I park my car facing in the other direction, so that it would be on a forward slope and reverse would be the correct gear to engage?

Also,(& this may be a fragment of my imagination),can this type of parking (on a slope, that is) for a prolonged period cause the engine oil to drain out from the components faster?

A natural doubt. I would recommend not to worry about the hand brake much, as it is designed to hold the car on parking. Moreover, it is better to put the hand brake first and then slot the lowest gear opposite to the slope. By this way, the transmission parts is relieved of stress, which is more complicated and costly to work upon, than the brakes. The other way round, you are stressing the gears as well as the parking brake mechanism.

The oil won't be drained out unless the slope is too much. Don't know how much is too much and should vary for individual cars. But I doubt whether upon starting the vehicle in slope, if the oil is pumped properly.

Originally Posted by libranof1987

If you're so worried about the transmission/brakes; you could have a stone against the tyres and let that be the primary thing stopping the car.

True. Or even finding a level parking place if possible. More read which might be useful on correct parking technique is available at http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/techni...incline-7.html

[libranof1987]

Originally Posted by powerwidFE

Greetings!fellow T-BHPians,

The place where I usually park my car has a backward slope. I usually don't drive my car for 5-6 days at a stretch.
Though I know the best way to park on a backward slope would be to slot 1st gear and keep the handbrake engaged,I am not able to do so because my gear lock(U-shape) locks in reverse gear.So,I park the car in reverse gear with handbrakes engaged.Does this cause unnecessary load on the handbrakes?

If you're so worried about the transmission/brakes; you could have a stone against the tyres and let that be the primary thing stopping the car.