Whoops, humble apologis |Gemma, no insult intended, (I tried to PM you, couldnt get it to go thru, now the site is different) Are in in another country I wonder, as you put Automotive technician, a lot of people are a bit weird about me saying Vehicle technican, they say "Oh, hes a mechanic", or worse a "fitter".Running engine 15 pointless you need to go for a run.
No need to apologize my comment was directed at those that totally ignored my post and continued the scaremongering that the whats-it-thingy was bound to go wrong if a car was not used for a week. It has just come from the press scaremongering which is what they love to do.
It would be much better if the press gave practical advice such as advising people invest in a small home booster pack, which will start a car with a flat battery and your neighbours cars too if they need it.
I ran into the same problems back in the day, by the end of my career I had a Masters degree in Aerospace Engineering, people still think that means I fitted bits to aircraft. (Not that I can't wield a spanner, I worked as a mechanic in motorcycle shops for years while I studied, as you know there is a little bit more to it all to reach the level of technician)
Agree that running 15 minutes static is not ideal, it could lead to greater problems, including excessive condensation in the exhaust system. Far better to take it for a short run where the engine is under load, brakes are used etc.
What is a short run? How far do you have to go to get more charge back in the battery than you've taken out by starting the car and having radio/air con etc on? Does that differ by petrol/diesel as well? I thought I'd heard that diesels took more out of the battery on start up.
The trip I do to the SM is no more than 2 miles each way - so that includes two start ups. For the past two weeks, I have taken the 'scenic' route back and do probably 12-15 miles on the return trip (on faster bypass roads - so about 15 minutes run time). Is that just taking more out of the battery, or is it long enough to keep it topped up?
And for others who may have a more modern diesel than mine that does have a DPF - is the advice the same?
You are kidding that a 15 mile trip is taking more out of the battery? A modern car alternator is capable of producing more than enough to charge the battery at idle.
We have a car that never does more than 3 miles to the supermarket and 3 miles back. That is two starts, 6 miles, no problem at all. For 12 years now.
The issues will always get confused. Somebody will say their battery went flat after the car stood for 2 weeks. We are still having cold nights and a sulphated battery will lose charge in those conditions, in other words, they already had an issue with the battery.
It has already been explained on this thread that if you are not using the car, the DPF is not affected. You do not need to run the car to 'preserve' it. If you are only doing short journeys, it is not ideal as it may not be sufficient for it to reach full operating temperature. We are not talking years of such journeys here though are we? We are talking weeks perhaps months, where there is hardly any soot build up to be concerned about any way, because it is hardly being used. It is just overthinking the issue to be worried about it if the car will return to normal use in a few months.
Revving the engine higher will do nothing on a modern car in terms of battery charge. Good advice if you drive a standard MK 1 Escort, not required with a modern charging system, it is already producing way more current than required at idle.
Revving the engine higher will do nothing on a modern car in terms of battery charge. Good advice if you drive a standard MK 1 Escort, not required with a modern charging system, it is already producing way more current than required at idle.
Many moons ago I had a chance to buy a Mk1 Escort Mexico at a reasonable price - wish I had now.
Would cost an arm and both legs now. My son did a bit of junior rally driving in a car I built for him, best thing about it was all the MK 1's that would turn up to events, I had no idea so many are still around on the rally scene.
I wasn't kidding - I was asking. I know nothing about cars. So how far is a 'short run' - 1 mile....2 miles...3 miles...20 miles? And is that 'short run' per start - ie if I go somewhere, stop and come back - what distance/time do I have to do? I haven't a clue. I don't have a battery charge indicator on my dash.
Did you ONLY use your car to go to the SM then in that 12 years? And has the car got an alarm, air con blah...blah and so don't they then have any real effect on draining the battery?
As for the DPF - fine - as I found out, I don't have one on my diesel - but others may. And what I had 'read' (when I thought mine did have a DPF) is that 'short runs' can then cause a problem with the DPF. So you seem to agree that that is correct. https://blog.greenflag.com/2014/diesel-drivers-need-know-dpf/
implies that short runs can be an issue - but again doesn't quantify what they mean by short runs (although they do mention driving at 40mph+ for 10 minutes+ to regenerate) - ie what is short run is and how many times you need to do it to potentially cause an issue. And others may not be doing my level of driving (ie they may be doing more 'short runs' per week). So what is the threshold - 5 short runs a week? 10? 20? Over what period - 1 week? 2 weeks? 6 weeks? I again haven't a clue.
I'm not trying to scare monger in the slightest - just asking questions so that I feel ok about what I'm doing with my car - basically the same as when I ask questions about my garden - which I also know nothing about.
I read the suggestion recently of running the car on idle, once a week or so, until the engine is up to temperature. That is enough to ensure the battery is charged. That said, I took my wife's car out for the first time in a month and it started first time. I just drove round the roads of our estate for about 10 minutes.
I wasn't kidding - I was asking. I know nothing about cars. So how far is a 'short run' - 1 mile....2 miles...3 miles...20 miles? And is that 'short run' per start - ie if I go somewhere, stop and come back - what distance/time do I have to do? I haven't a clue. I don't have a battery charge indicator on my dash.
Did you ONLY use your car to go to the SM then in that 12 years? And has the car got an alarm, air con blah...blah and so don't they then have any real effect on draining the battery?
As for the DPF - fine - as I found out, I don't have one on my diesel - but others may. And what I had 'read' (when I thought mine did have a DPF) is that 'short runs' can then cause a problem with the DPF. So you seem to agree that that is correct. https://blog.greenflag.com/2014/diesel-drivers-need-know-dpf/
implies that short runs can be an issue - but again doesn't quantify what they mean by short runs (although they do mention driving at 40mph+ for 10 minutes+ to regenerate) - ie what is short run is and how many times you need to do it to potentially cause an issue. And others may not be doing my level of driving (ie they may be doing more 'short runs' per week). So what is the threshold - 5 short runs a week? 10? 20? Over what period - 1 week? 2 weeks? 6 weeks? I again haven't a clue.
I'm not trying to scare monger in the slightest - just asking questions so that I feel ok about what I'm doing with my car - basically the same as when I ask questions about my garden - which I also know nothing about.
How long is a piece of string? Which model? What is the mileage? What is the service history? How was it used in the past?
Yes we only use our Rover 25 to go to the supermarket for the past 12 years. Not every week either, sometimes my landy goes, now my son is doing the shopping as both me and my OH need to isolate, so it has not moved for 3-4 weeks. I know full well if I go out now and put the key in the ignition, the Rover will start first time. Yes it has an alarm. The drain in minuscule and will not affect a battery in good condition. I also own classic vehicles that are regularly laid up for 6 months or more. No problems.
What you need to understand here is that a person who buys a modern diesel and only uses it for short runs, daily, is likely to run into far greater issues than you are, having a diesel that is temporarily only being used for short runs occasionally but previously it saw good mileages.
I said the press was scaremongering btw. These questions have been all over the internet for a few weeks now. I saw some of the articles myself that got people worrying.
It is worry about nothing at all. IF worried about the battery, buy a home booster pack, it will start the car instantly without the need of an overnight charge and is much easier than 'jumping' from another vehicle.
Stop worrying that a diesel that is only used once a week on a short journeys temporarily is going to instantly run into issues. My Landy goes from hammering motorways at times, to being practically laid up with just the odd 3 mile trip to Wickes once a month. Runs fine either way. You really do not need to do extra miles unnecessarily at the moment or worry about anything.
It's probably been mentioned but check your car's manual before doing anything with the battery. For example my wife's car has a deep cycle AGM battery and an 'intelligent power management system' so you can't just slap a standard battery charger on and assume it will be ok. I don't even know where the battery is on that bl**dy car, there's just 2 terminals under the bonnet with - and + on them.
If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
Gemma are you in this country, putting bits on planes, haha, all jokes aprt Hubby (being a bloke) loves everything to do with planes, he would have loved to have joined the RAF and become an engineer. Apartely just as he moved with his first wife he was offered a job on the trains, which he would have loved but the hours and commute wouldnt have worked. I also wouldnt have met him (after his marriage had ended) in a breakdown garage.
Posts
It would be much better if the press gave practical advice such as advising people invest in a small home booster pack, which will start a car with a flat battery and your neighbours cars too if they need it.
I ran into the same problems back in the day, by the end of my career I had a Masters degree in Aerospace Engineering, people still think that means I fitted bits to aircraft.
Agree that running 15 minutes static is not ideal, it could lead to greater problems, including excessive condensation in the exhaust system. Far better to take it for a short run where the engine is under load, brakes are used etc.
We have a car that never does more than 3 miles to the supermarket and 3 miles back. That is two starts, 6 miles, no problem at all. For 12 years now.
The issues will always get confused. Somebody will say their battery went flat after the car stood for 2 weeks. We are still having cold nights and a sulphated battery will lose charge in those conditions, in other words, they already had an issue with the battery.
It has already been explained on this thread that if you are not using the car, the DPF is not affected. You do not need to run the car to 'preserve' it. If you are only doing short journeys, it is not ideal as it may not be sufficient for it to reach full operating temperature. We are not talking years of such journeys here though are we? We are talking weeks perhaps months, where there is hardly any soot build up to be concerned about any way, because it is hardly being used. It is just overthinking the issue to be worried about it if the car will return to normal use in a few months.
How long is a piece of string? Which model? What is the mileage? What is the service history? How was it used in the past?
Yes we only use our Rover 25 to go to the supermarket for the past 12 years. Not every week either, sometimes my landy goes, now my son is doing the shopping as both me and my OH need to isolate, so it has not moved for 3-4 weeks. I know full well if I go out now and put the key in the ignition, the Rover will start first time. Yes it has an alarm. The drain in minuscule and will not affect a battery in good condition. I also own classic vehicles that are regularly laid up for 6 months or more. No problems.
What you need to understand here is that a person who buys a modern diesel and only uses it for short runs, daily, is likely to run into far greater issues than you are, having a diesel that is temporarily only being used for short runs occasionally but previously it saw good mileages.
I said the press was scaremongering btw. These questions have been all over the internet for a few weeks now. I saw some of the articles myself that got people worrying.
It is worry about nothing at all. IF worried about the battery, buy a home booster pack, it will start the car instantly without the need of an overnight charge and is much easier than 'jumping' from another vehicle.
Stop worrying that a diesel that is only used once a week on a short journeys temporarily is going to instantly run into issues. My Landy goes from hammering motorways at times, to being practically laid up with just the odd 3 mile trip to Wickes once a month. Runs fine either way. You really do not need to do extra miles unnecessarily at the moment or worry about anything.