Guide: How To Drive and Maintain a Diesel Car?

[jihu123]

Understeer is hitting the wall with your front end. Oversteer is hitting the wall with your back end.
Horsepower is how fast you hit the wall. Torque is how far you push the wall.

Buddy. This signature is quite educative.
Understeer, oversteer, horsepower and torque, all explained well!!!!

Thanks. I got it from somewhere else! So credit goes to the creator whoever it is.

Buddy you believe it or not but I was always confused in these terms and was never able to understand them clearly but then one day I read your signature and got it noted down(copyright issue it may be now)and form the verys ame day I have understood the concept quite well.

Even I was confused before until I read this. Simple definition!

Okay. My humble two cents on the idling part:

your humble 2 cents was worth more than 2 cents.
Thanks for explaining!

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So, I have a question regarding the revving of engine. I heard that revving the car before switching off is not good for the engine as revving releases a lot of fluid causing it a wastage or something. is it true?
I guess I heard this thing from TAI itself.

 

[Sam Dinkar]

So, I have a question regarding the revving of engine. I heard that revving the car before switching off is not good for the engine as revving releases a lot of fluid causing it a wastage or something. is it true?
I guess I heard this thing from TAI itself.

Let's put an end to this doubt. NO MODERN ENGINE NEEDS TO BE REVVED BEFORE BEING SWITCHED OFF. Its a waste of fuel and is definitely not good for the engine innards. Period.

 

[jihu123]

I seem to get more confused

Check out these statements by brandoo. Can help us if its a true fact!
1 - Maruti Suzuki Ertiga ZDi Bought: Ownership Review
2 - Maruti Suzuki Ertiga ZDi Bought: Ownership Review - Check the DIY line

 

[Sam Dinkar]

I seem to get more confused

Check out these statements by brandoo. Can help us if its a true fact!
1 - Maruti Suzuki Ertiga ZDi Bought: Ownership Review
2 - Maruti Suzuki Ertiga ZDi Bought: Ownership Review - Check the DIY line

I dont see anything in the first thread. Or am I missing something?

Regarding what brandoo has said in the second thread :

DIY: Switch off engine immediately after the hard drive (AC and Music system should be off to hear this) you will hear turbo kill (grunting sound) because turbo will be running with engine off with no lubrication, this will shorten the life of turbo

He is absolutely correct. Read the sentence carefully. He is not suggesting to switch off the engine immediately after a hard drive. He is only saying that do it (switch off the engine immediately after a hard drive) once to get a feel of how the turbo gets starved of lubrication if the correct procedure (idling the engine for sometime before switching it off) is not followed.

Hope there is no more confusion now.

 

[TSIVipul]

Although I have been doing this practice for my Corolla,but i used to idle it for just 10-15 seconds and then switch it off.
About turbo:On a 500 kms long trip I think maximum 3-4 kilometers passes where my turbo remains silent else to drive Corolla one has to rely on the turbo only.
So form today on wards I'll increase the idling time.Thanks a lot guys..

Well,I never used to idle my TSI before switching it off but my chauffy do it(what an irony,a Corolla D-4d is owner driven and TSI is chauffer driven).The car has done about 63k kms and is still doing good,out of which about 16-17k kms done by me.

So,does the turbo petrols need idling more than turbo diesels?If yes,then how much?

 

[Markiv]

Vipul, 63k on your odo in less than 2 years...wow! Full paisa vasool. No wonder , you made a wise decision. Fuels bills compared to your TSI must be jaw dropping.

 

[TSIVipul]

Vipul, 63k on your odo in less than 2 years...wow! Full paisa vasool. No wonder , you made a wise decision. Fuels bills compared to your TSI must be jaw dropping.

Our cars run this way only.
About fuel bills...its the TSI only which has done 63k kms(will be sold out as it touches one lac-our own rule),Corolla has done only 32k till date.

But point is,now I'll start idling TSI too.

 

[Markiv]

Vipul, Anyways, 32k on your d4d in about 10-11 months is also too good. T20 seems to be the flavor of the season. And ur cars seem to be on the same vein. Even you personally are in top gear, I can say. What with, just the other day, you were busy celebrating your 1000th post with Raj and S class , now u are somewhere near 1500 posts. Great going, keep it up!

350z, better watch out, there is a tsi who shall catch up with your number of posts.

 

[Architect]

You must have seen the ads shown in public interest on TV suggesting switch off your car on signal to save fuel
In view of all the posts above, is it really advisable to do that?

 

[Sam Dinkar]

You must have seen the ads shown in public interest on TV suggesting switch off your car on signal to save fuel
In view of all the posts above, is it really advisable to do that?

As I have said in an earlier post, idling is advisable only if the turbo has been spooling till the time the car has come to a halt. In case of driving within the city, keep your revs below the tubo kicking in threshold and there shall be no need of idling before switching off your engine. I am quoting the undermentioned paragraph form the Tata Safari 2.2 VTT Dicor Service Manual:

"Before switching off the engine, eun the engine idle for at least 30 seconds and then switch off. This willl allow the engine oil to lubricate the turbocharger,till its speed is fully reduced and also allow the unit to cool down. This precaution will ensure satisfactory life and performance from the turbocharge.r"

 

[viju]

Hello friends,

How are you doing all.

As this is my first post here. This is Vijay saying hi to all the members here. Driving is my hobby and like to read about cars. And would like to thanks to the forum owner for making me part of TheAutoMotiveIndia .

Ok enough about me. I know I am posting a wrong question here. I own a WagonR Lxi petrol. And will be switching to diesel in few months. I have already short listed my new car and that's Maruti Ritz VDI. I wanted to know should I join a driving class to learn to drive a diesel car. Because I know there is significant between pertol and diesel car and that is "TORQUE". I am really waiting to know how to make use of torque and get the feel of power of diesel car.

 

[Superbad]

Hello friends,

How are you doing all.

As this is my first post here. This is Vijay saying hi to all the members here. Driving is my hobby and like to read about cars. And would like to thanks to the forum owner for making me part of TheAutoMotiveIndia .

Ok enough about me. I know I am posting a wrong question here. I own a WagonR Lxi petrol. And will be switching to diesel in few months. I have already short listed my new car and that's Maruti Ritz VDI. I wanted to know should I join a driving class to learn to drive a diesel car. Because I know there is significant between pertol and diesel car and that is "TORQUE". I am really waiting to know how to make use of torque and get the feel of power of diesel car.

if you have been driving a car then you do not need to learn driving a car once again.
Regarding diesels the only thing you should keep in mind is the low end torque which is enough to pull your car in low gears from standstill without any input from the accelerator.
Other things include the revving characteristics which you will get acquainted with driving your car along time.

 

[TSIVipul]

Let me try to solve this query my way:-
When diesel cars move,petrol cars bog down...when diesel cars move faster,petrol cars move... and when diesel cars move out of breath,PETROL CARS FLY..

Simple it is,the low end of diesels and top end of petrols are strong.In the city the diesel cars are easier to drive,especially in slower-than-snail traffic.While on open highways,the petrol cars have no match and same is on good hilly roads too.There also the wider rev range and linear power delivery of petrol cars make them a lot fun to drive.
Rest,there is nothing in the diesel cars which make them that different or special that one may need any training to drive them.In the low revs they are lethargic enough that you may need to learn to be a bit patient before the turbo comes to life rest everything is okay.

 

[viju]

Thanks Superbad and TSIVipul for your expert advice. Truly appreciate it.

I think now I got the point rather than start raving the car I should be little patient and stop hitting the throttle while driving diesel car. In other worlds wait for the turbo and save money.

I will keep all these things in mind once I actually start to drive diesel car soon.

Just one last question. This may sound stupid but I can't stop my excitement to know things with diesel. Once I put first gear in diesel to start the car, at what RPM should I shift to second. Correct me if I am wrong the turbo gets active in 1500 to 3000 RPM and the first gear in diesel is short. But still wanted to know.

 

[mukeshus]

Thanks Superbad and TSIVipul for your expert advice. Truly appreciate it.

I think now I got the point rather than start raving the car I should be little patient and stop hitting the throttle while driving diesel car. In other worlds wait for the turbo and save money.

I will keep all these things in mind once I actually start to drive diesel car soon.

Just one last question. This may sound stupid but I can't stop my excitement to know things with diesel. Once I put first gear in diesel to start the car, at what RPM should I shift to second. Correct me if I am wrong the turbo gets active in 1500 to 3000 RPM and the first gear in diesel is short. But still wanted to know.

In diesel 1st gear is short, so turbo shoots well in 2nd gear after @ 2000 Rpm and above.
3rd gear is good for you to use the turbo.

Have a TD of a vehicle and let us know your experience.