Secrets to DERV Longevity
Discussion
Yes, another diesel thread. If you don't like it, there's a 'back' button at the top of your browser...
DERV drivers/fleet operators: What do you believe you can do in terms of maintanance, tricks of the trade, driving styles etc to get the best service life out of a modern turbo-diesel, common rail, DMF-equipped engine? I ask because mine is approaching the age where it should probably start throwing up big bills. I'm talking specifically about the powertrain here. My car is a 2003 Mondeo TDCI, is approaching 130,000 miles and is used for 14k miles a year, 3k of which towing a 900kg trailer.
I already:
-use a single source of fuel (shell)
-avoid labouring in high gears and usually keep revs above 1,500RPM
-regularly give it an Italian tune-up to clear out particulates
-service the engine at recommended intervals or shorter
-blanked off EGR valve to stop particulates getting into inlet
-pause briefly at the end of the journey before switching off the engine
-pre-heat the engine twice on cold days
-start and stop the engine with the clutch depressed
What else could I be doing? I plan to run the car into the ground but would like to prolong it's useful life as far as possible. The way I see it, Injectors, fuel pumps, the turbo and the DMF are all things that might just be expensive enough to write it off.
DERV drivers/fleet operators: What do you believe you can do in terms of maintanance, tricks of the trade, driving styles etc to get the best service life out of a modern turbo-diesel, common rail, DMF-equipped engine? I ask because mine is approaching the age where it should probably start throwing up big bills. I'm talking specifically about the powertrain here. My car is a 2003 Mondeo TDCI, is approaching 130,000 miles and is used for 14k miles a year, 3k of which towing a 900kg trailer.
I already:
-use a single source of fuel (shell)
-avoid labouring in high gears and usually keep revs above 1,500RPM
-regularly give it an Italian tune-up to clear out particulates
-service the engine at recommended intervals or shorter
-blanked off EGR valve to stop particulates getting into inlet
-pause briefly at the end of the journey before switching off the engine
-pre-heat the engine twice on cold days
-start and stop the engine with the clutch depressed
What else could I be doing? I plan to run the car into the ground but would like to prolong it's useful life as far as possible. The way I see it, Injectors, fuel pumps, the turbo and the DMF are all things that might just be expensive enough to write it off.
lost in espace said:
Disengage the gearbox clutch and flywheel hence reducing drag, and making starting easier on the engine.
And putting lots of pressure onto the crank thrusts. The increase in frictional losses from this almost certainly outweigh any drag from the gearbox (which is absolutely minuscule at cranking speeds). It also doesn't explain why you would do this when shutting the engine off. OP, have you tried parking you car on a Ley line, and putting a small pyramid on top of the engine?
doogz said:
Could be i guess.
I've always been told not to do that, pressing the clutch pedal puts a small amount of pressure onto the flywheel, and when you then turn over the engine, the bearings that have been say, not coated in oil, that are currently dry, can spin on their pins due to the crank adjacent to the pin bearing on the end of the con rod.
I've not described that very well, but do you get what i mean?
My Volvo S40 will not even turn over without pressing the clutch pedal. It has a 'safety' interlock.I've always been told not to do that, pressing the clutch pedal puts a small amount of pressure onto the flywheel, and when you then turn over the engine, the bearings that have been say, not coated in oil, that are currently dry, can spin on their pins due to the crank adjacent to the pin bearing on the end of the con rod.
I've not described that very well, but do you get what i mean?
lost in espace said:
Disengage the gearbox clutch and flywheel hence reducing drag, and making starting easier on the engine. And if your wife left it in gear you will not drive straight through the garage wall.
It actually says to do this (on very cold days) in our Land Rover's handbook.Depress the clutch pedal that is - not drive through the wall!
re: the clutch when starting/stopping- It probably makes no difference. It's a habit I picked up whe I worked at a body shop and was moving 100+ cars a day, some of which were left in gear etc... I have continued to do it because it somehow 'feels' more sympathetic than having the gearbox input shaft dealing with the jarring action of the cold, high compression engine overcoming it's compression on each stroke and the abrupt delivery of torque when it fires.
This thread is going to be a very subjective discussion, and some ideas are going to be old wife's tales etc... I just want to hear what ideas everyone else has.
pre-heating twice- yes, the car continues to pre-heat after the light is off, but I'm convinced that the car settles to a smooth idle faster if I do it twice on cold days.
This thread is going to be a very subjective discussion, and some ideas are going to be old wife's tales etc... I just want to hear what ideas everyone else has.
pre-heating twice- yes, the car continues to pre-heat after the light is off, but I'm convinced that the car settles to a smooth idle faster if I do it twice on cold days.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff