If I do short trips with my diesel after a while the particulate light comes on and I have to drive it over 70km/hr for several k's to clear it.
I think diesels need a good run every couple of weeks.Not the short trips causing the problems just the lack of a good old burn out.
mcscottwgtn,
Jun 25, 4:12am
Think of all the old timers buying superminis with diesel donks - and only go to the local shop. So how short are your short trips!
merrigj,
Jun 25, 4:21am
I can go a couple of weeks without going further than 2-3k's each way.
thewomble1,
Jun 25, 4:45am
Petrol cars also benefit a longish run every now and then if used for short runs only.
gman35,
Jun 25, 5:02am
Ok - so I understood "in the old days" that it was bad for a diesel engine if not doing long hot-running trips mostly.So what is the deal with modern diesels which may not do any open-road stuff for many older town owners ! Does the "common-rail / direct-injection" etc (which I don't understand, but would appreciate any reasonably easy to understand info) mean the diesel ownership "requirements" of old are no longer applicable !
mugenb20b,
Jun 25, 5:23am
Common rail diesel is very much like multi point petrol injection (ie, electronically controlled injector with fuel up its bum, rather than the mechanically operated injectors in non common rail diesels). The only difference is (to put it simply), the diesel has a much higher fuel pressure in its rail and there's no spark plugs, obviously.
mugenb20b,
Jun 25, 5:28am
The injector sits directly above the piston rather than pre comb. chamber (if diesel). A lot of "older" diesels had injectors firing inside the pre combustion chamber in order to reduce noise (and a few other things).
If you are talking petrol, same thing, injector sits above the piston, rather than behind the intake valve in the manifold.
msigg,
Jun 25, 6:14am
Not good for the VW is it.
sr2,
Jun 25, 6:25am
I'd be a little wary of reading too much into "honest John's" car advice, modern comon rail diesels are fine with short trips.
mm12345,
Jun 25, 6:38am
Except for the problem identified - which isn't to do with common rail as such, but particulate filter.Could be that the customer didn't regenerate the filter quickly enough after the warning light came on (likely IMO), could also be an issue with that model - there's not enough information in the article to know. The $64k question though is why would anybody pay a premium for a diesel - when they're only ever doing short runs!If that was the issue (it's not explained that way in the letter from the customer) then "Honest John" is right - the customer would be better off with a small economical petrol car.
sr2,
Jun 25, 7:35am
Good points there mate. I have to admit that for myself the idea of of driving a "small economical petrol car" holds little appeal.
unbeatabull,
Jun 25, 7:42am
We've had a couple of the latest Mondeo's come in with this fault - the latest ones have a Particulate filter as well. Basically they need to get hot enough to burn all the crap off them otherwise they will throw a code on the dash. There should be a procedure to go through the computer that cleans the particulate filter, otherwise a good long drive could do the same job. I know the Mondeo's actually have a small injector in the filter and when doing the cleaning cycle it directly injects this fluid (urea! I think it is) into it to clean it out.
intrade,
Jun 25, 9:07am
no fuel driven car will thank you for short trips. I recon short trip vehicle will be fully electric and hibryds in the next 10 years.
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