Poor Design (I think anyway)
Discussion
On the A249 Sheppey crossing southbound going uphill.I was following a BMW last night as it came to a stop.Anyone who knows this road also knows that it is currently coned off down to one lane due to some major roadworks.It turns out that this model has an engine cut out linked to the oil level sensor which will cut in even if the car is on the move which in this case could have caused a major hold up.Most of the cars were able to drive round via the coned off area but not the lorry.To her credit the driver knew what to do but this was after dark and she had her 8 year old son with her who was scared out of his mind.I get why the system is there but to my mind it would be better if it would not let the car restart after coming to a stop and the engine has been turned off.
oldagepensioner said:
On the A249 Sheppey crossing southbound going uphill.I was following a BMW last night as it came to a stop.
Anyone who knows this road also knows that it is currently coned off down to one lane due to some major roadworks.
It turns out that this model has an engine cut out linked to the oil level sensor which will cut in even if the car is on the move which in this case could have caused a major hold up.
Most of the cars were able to drive round via the coned off area but not the lorry.To her credit the driver knew what to do but this was after dark and she had her 8 year old son with her who was scared out of his mind.
I get why the system is there but to my mind it would be better if it would not let the car restart after coming to a stop and the engine has been turned off.
Bit easier on the eye.Anyone who knows this road also knows that it is currently coned off down to one lane due to some major roadworks.
It turns out that this model has an engine cut out linked to the oil level sensor which will cut in even if the car is on the move which in this case could have caused a major hold up.
Most of the cars were able to drive round via the coned off area but not the lorry.To her credit the driver knew what to do but this was after dark and she had her 8 year old son with her who was scared out of his mind.
I get why the system is there but to my mind it would be better if it would not let the car restart after coming to a stop and the engine has been turned off.
Unfortunately in engine terms there's no waiting if oil pressure is low. Its a case of fit a protection system like this, or not bother at all and just rely on a warning light (mostly useless).
Hopefully the system allows a shift to neutral for coasting and there's some guidance in the owner's manual for such a scenario.
Hopefully the system allows a shift to neutral for coasting and there's some guidance in the owner's manual for such a scenario.
Many, many years ago I purchased a 306 GTi-6 privately, then proceeded to drive it 200 mile home. Midway through the journey, during torrential rain, in the outside lane of the motorway the oil light flashed on, by the time I got to the hard shoulder the engine had seized. Having the engine shut off before seizing would have been fantastic, rather than having it recovered, sourcing a replacement engine and fitting it. For anyone interested, sump plug fell out, hadn't been torqued correctly during previous service, so it all got resolved in the end. Whether you're driving along with no oil and the engine seizes, or the engine shuts off because it detects low oil, you're still in difficulty.
zedx19 said:
Many, many years ago I purchased a 306 GTi-6 privately, then proceeded to drive it 200 mile home. Midway through the journey, during torrential rain, in the outside lane of the motorway the oil light flashed on, by the time I got to the hard shoulder the engine had seized. Having the engine shut off before seizing would have been fantastic, rather than having it recovered, sourcing a replacement engine and fitting it. For anyone interested, sump plug fell out, hadn't been torqued correctly during previous service, so it all got resolved in the end. Whether you're driving along with no oil and the engine seizes, or the engine shuts off because it detects low oil, you're still in difficulty.
Glad it's not just me that saw the flaw in the original post.The car is going to stop without oil (pressure). Might as well have it stop before catastrophic engine failure. How would having the engine seize be any more preferable to it switching itself off?
zedx19 said:
Many, many years ago I purchased a 306 GTi-6 privately, then proceeded to drive it 200 mile home. Midway through the journey, during torrential rain, in the outside lane of the motorway the oil light flashed on, by the time I got to the hard shoulder the engine had seized. Having the engine shut off before seizing would have been fantastic, rather than having it recovered, sourcing a replacement engine and fitting it. For anyone interested, sump plug fell out, hadn't been torqued correctly during previous service, so it all got resolved in the end. Whether you're driving along with no oil and the engine seizes, or the engine shuts off because it detects low oil, you're still in difficulty.
I bet that made the outside lane interesting for the people behind!brillomaster said:
i think id rather be on the hard shoulder with a grenaded engine than have a cut out, but not seized engine, but be stuck in L3 of a busy motorway.
engines are replaceable, lives are not.
In both scenarios the engine stops unexpectedly and you will be relying on whatever momentum you had to get to the hard shoulder, if there is one.engines are replaceable, lives are not.
On who's authority are we saying this is a feature of their engine protection control strategy?
Simply that oil pressure goes below a threshold and it shuts off? Who's tested that this is the case?
To the point about safety - removing torque availability when there's potential for catastrophic damage (or worse) is standard practice in the industry and considered Failing Safe (i.e. there are other examples like dual clutch transmission issues where they will go open-clutch if certain things happen - this is considered safe in all scenarios).
Simply that oil pressure goes below a threshold and it shuts off? Who's tested that this is the case?
To the point about safety - removing torque availability when there's potential for catastrophic damage (or worse) is standard practice in the industry and considered Failing Safe (i.e. there are other examples like dual clutch transmission issues where they will go open-clutch if certain things happen - this is considered safe in all scenarios).
Hereward said:
oldagepensioner said:
...this model has an engine cut out linked to the oil level sensor which will cut in even if the car is on the move...
Is this really true? So the car could switch itself off in the outside lane of a motorway? That court case could be interesting.Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff