Not using your car for a long period of time

[Biggs]

For a CRDi, say you'll not be using it for 5 months, is it still necessary to "idle" and warm-up the engine every week? Or is it better to just leave it alone?

[KBR]

mods, pls. delete my first post. thanks.

[KBR]

For a CRDi, say you'll not be using it for 5 months, is it still necessary to "idle" and warm-up the engine every week? Or is it better to just leave it alone?

hey man, it would be better if you try to at least start the car once a week, or even once every two weeks. that way, you wont let the Battery drain. or if you dont have time to start the car every two weeks, then just disconnect the Battery.

also, by the time your going to start using the car, try to prime the engine first. let the engine crank for a few seconds, before the initial start-up.


aite, peace.

[suysuy]

once a week paandarin ma gas man or diesel. kasi ma drain battery mo nyan.

[sboogie]

at least once a week warm up your engine to avoid stuck up. well oiled engine internals last longer than engines that are used seldom.

[CVT]

For a CRDi, say you'll not be using it for 5 months, is it still necessary to "idle" and warm-up the engine every week? Or is it better to just leave it alone?

Itakbo mo iyan bro.,,,,, magkakaroon ng epekto sa gulong kung nakaparada lang iyan for 5 months.....

5303:burp:

[cardo]

I had a problem after I did not use my car(gas, mazda3) for two weeks. Battery died good thing I had the mazda emergency assistance ek ek. One phone call and somebody came and jumpstarted my car.

The other problem I had experienced(although this was several years ago with a lancer), after a week of not being used, the car vibrated considerably when I started it for the first time. after a few minutes, it went back to normal.

[Biggs]

hey man, it would be better if you try to at least start the car once a week, or even once every two weeks. that way, you wont let the Battery drain. or if you dont have time to start the car every two weeks, then just disconnect the Battery.

also, by the time your going to start using the car, try to prime the engine first. let the engine crank for a few seconds, before the initial start-up.


aite, peace.

Ok, pero sabi sa kabilang thread masama daw ang cold idling sa makina. Saka kung papaandarin lang ng mga 5 minuto tapos patay agad (i.e. every week), wala pa sa proper operating temp yung makina kaya masama din.

Mas maganda nga siguro kung idiskonekta na lang yung baterya. After 5 months, may charge pa kaya yung baterya nuon? Also, how do you "crank" the engine for a few seconds before starting?

[pup2]

1 week pa lang drained na ang baterya? Hindi kaya mahina na talaga yun? Am not sure about the idling pero I'd suggest you also up the tire pressure of your tires para huwag ma oblong -- going to the recommended pressure of the TIRE rather than the CAR.

[KBR]

Ok, pero sabi sa kabilang thread masama daw ang cold idling sa makina. Saka kung papaandarin lang ng mga 5 minuto tapos patay agad (i.e. every week), wala pa sa proper operating temp yung makina kaya masama din.

Mas maganda nga siguro kung idiskonekta na lang yung baterya. After 5 months, may charge pa kaya yung baterya nuon? Also, how do you "crank" the engine for a few seconds before starting?

well, hindi naman talaga masama mag idle ng at least 5-10 mins. pag mga 30 mins to 1 hr, oo masama. pero I doubt that even 10-15 mins of ilding would affect the engine severly. (imagine nalang pag stuck ka sa traffic ng at least 10-15 mins, diba?) ang mas masama sa makina ay yung yung itatakbo mo ka-agad ang oto right after na ini-start mo.

also, to crank the engine w/out completely starting it up, all you have to do is to disconnect the EFI fuse *specially on EFI gasoline engines* or the Fuel Pump fuse (or relay) *either on EFI engines or Diesel engines*. and pag old skool carb engine, i-disconnect lang Ignition Coil wire sa Dist. Cap.


aite, peace.

[Walter]

It should not only be the engine and battery that you should be concerned about, other parts need lubrication also. It's better to drive the car around the block one a week if possible.

[Biggs]

I'd suggest you also up the tire pressure of your tires para huwag ma oblong -- going to the recommended pressure of the TIRE rather than the CAR.

Eh kung palagyan ko na lang ng nitrogen yung mga gulong ko para mabagal ang pagsingaw?

[mazingerZ]

Why not disconnect the negative from the battery terminal? I do this when I fly to manila for a week para di madiskarga ang battery.

[totoybato]

sa actual experience ko, 3 months na hindi nagalaw ( as in para siyang naka impound lang) yung CRDI na sasakyan ko, wala namang naging problema nung gamitin ko ulit.

[Biggs]

Bale alin ang "lesser evil", disconnect the battery o paandarin at idle lang (for 5 to 10 mins) weekly/bi-weekly?

[wonderloo]

Hay...
We had bad experiences when it comes to NOT USING THE CAR FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.

1) Lancer MX 2000
- Was not used for 2 weeks, the speedometer got busted. The gauge hands don't work na. When you start the engine, walang gumagalaw sa mga gauges, parang patay na yun makina. Needed to change the speedometer, 10k damage. Gauges did not work, but engine will start pa rin naman.

2) Audi A4 2000 A/T
- Worse. Was not used for 3 weeks, the immobilizer got busted. Car starts, car wont. Car starts again. Car wont. You go out of your home, park at the mall, go back, BAM! Car won't start na. Call the towing (because hindi pde i-series or whatever). Damage 2k blah blah... Change the immobilizer (with the speedometer, kasama kasi yun eh) BAM! 48k! (or more ata yun, hindi ko na inaalala, sakit sa bulsa eh) Down the drain!

All prayers, no more #3.

What we do, warm the engine.
Payo ko sa yo. Warm your engine. Don't leave it there alone. Lalo na Diesel ata yan.

Just sharing.

[pup2]

Eh kung palagyan ko na lang ng nitrogen yung mga gulong ko para mabagal ang pagsingaw?

You're really after the shape nung gulong -- hindi (lang) po ang pagsingaw. Kung hindi kasi titigasan ng konti, yung steel belts niya might remain in the oblong position.

I'd suggest normal air lang na dagdagan ng psi depende sa recommendation ng gulong (imbes na ng kotse) and fix any leaks from holes and valves.

[niky]

It should not only be the engine and battery that you should be concerned about, other parts need lubrication also. It's better to drive the car around the block one a week if possible.

This is the best one.

The Mazda3's battery went flat because of the integrated immobilizer. A lot of new security systems and ECUs will trickle-drain the battery over time... you can disconnect the battery, but you should also start the car every now and then to charge up the battery.

And you should drive it around... let it get up to operating temperature and let the lubricants circulate fully.

But if you're going to be away and can't drive it, and no one will be there to do it for you, you might want to invest in jack-stands to take the load off the tires, or over-inflate them for the storage period.

[Biggs]

Ok, I will follow your advise and try to get someone to drive the car around the block at least once a week. In addition, the tires will be filled with nitrogen to greatly minimize pressure loss.

After the 5 months has elapsed, would it be necessary for an immediate oil change (regardless of the mileage reading) before putting the car back into regular use?

[kevinpunzalan]

Hay...
We had bad experiences when it comes to NOT USING THE CAR FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.

1) Lancer MX 2000
- Was not used for 2 weeks, the speedometer got busted. The gauge hands don't work na. When you start the engine, walang gumagalaw sa mga gauges, parang patay na yun makina. Needed to change the speedometer, 10k damage. Gauges did not work, but engine will start pa rin naman.

2) Audi A4 2000 A/T
- Worse. Was not used for 3 weeks, the immobilizer got busted. Car starts, car wont. Car starts again. Car wont. You go out of your home, park at the mall, go back, BAM! Car won't start na. Call the towing (because hindi pde i-series or whatever). Damage 2k blah blah... Change the immobilizer (with the speedometer, kasama kasi yun eh) BAM! 48k! (or more ata yun, hindi ko na inaalala, sakit sa bulsa eh) Down the drain!

All prayers, no more #3.

What we do, warm the engine.
Payo ko sa yo. Warm your engine. Don't leave it there alone. Lalo na Diesel ata yan.

Just sharing.

Also have an Audi A4. My immobilizer also acts up sometimes but the problem was the key reader, not the immobilizer itself. I replaced it and the car starts fine now.

If you ever need Audi parts, PM me.