|
|
Post by Hofmeister on Jan 22, 2017 10:48:26 GMT
The other week, I pulled into a Shell garage and, as I often do, treated it to a fill of Nitro diesel, at great expense I hasten to add. The next morning, -2c, it was a bugger to start, churning away firing on three for a while till it finally smoothed out. The previous morning (-3c) it had been fine. Starting in the mornings during this cold spell and tank of muck got worse, till one attempt the auto starting sequence gave up and timed out when it hadn't fired. (it fired up fine next attempt)
So yesterday I filled with cheap tesco diesel, and lo and behold this morning, -4c, it fired up instantly. I've used Shell Nitro before, from the same garage, its been fine in the past, just this one fill seems to have been a bad ''un.
Musing over, back to your brunch people.
|
|
|
|
Post by Hofmeister on Jan 22, 2017 11:08:00 GMT
Oh and, mentioning the cold mornings.......
Near me a new multi story car park has sprung up, to support an as yet not finished shopping complex. Its a cheap as chips kit like lego/meccano construction, and the top deck (the decks are laid with pre tarmaced sections) is open to the skies, and has, what looks to me like flimsy mesh walls between the structural girders to prevent one over the side. I am firmly convinced they would do nothing to stop two tons of wheeled viking longboat taking a dive.
Anyway, as there is no shopping centre yet, its empty. It was minus 3, the top was pristine unmarked permafrost. Well you would wouldn't you? I did. Hooning around at the top, I discovered, (no not discovered lets say confirmed because it wasn't unexpected), several things.
1/ Electronic parking brakes are useless in the fun stakes.
2/ A shed load of torque and AWD provide surprisingly sure and rapid acceleration on ice.
3/ Two tons of motor is rather unwieldy on ice, given the uselessness of the EPB
4/ ALB is useless on ice, worse given the ability to accelerate rapidly on it.
5/ I cant confirm that the flimsy mesh walls prevent anyone going over the side, I can confirm they bend quite easily.
6/ Poo stains are very easy to clean off leather seats.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 22, 2017 12:01:14 GMT
What kills EPB for fun on a loose surface is it works on all four wheels activating the ABS (if needed) when the car is moving, it only works as a parking brake when the vehicle is at standstill. I know this after taking a C4 GP down a gravel track at 60 and pulling on the park brake. It does a grand job of keeping everything going in the same direction though with this kind of abuse.
Those five cylinder diesel Volvo engines are not usually so picky over what they burn. I put 20 litres of Shell premium petrol in mine 2 years ago, the engine only complained a bit when starting again when hot, cold starts you wouldn't know it had petrol in it. I did have the tank drained after three hundred miles, the car has since covered 20,000 miles without issue. I still give it a dose of Millers every three months.
|
|
|
|
Post by Hofmeister on Jan 22, 2017 13:12:32 GMT
What kills EPB for fun on a loose surface is it works on all four wheels activating the ABS (if needed) when the car is moving, it only works as a parking brake when the vehicle is at standstill. I know this after taking a C4 GP down a gravel track at 60 and pulling on the park brake. It does a grand job of keeping everything going in the same direction though with this kind of abuse. The Volvo is not that sophisticated. The EPB is merely a servo motor that winds out and clamps the rear pads only. I would have more sophistication and control with an engineers vice. |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 22, 2017 14:06:24 GMT
You learn something new everyday. According to the XC70 manual for 2012:
• In an emergency the parking brake can
be applied when the vehicle is moving
by holding in the control. Braking will be
interrupted when the accelerator pedal
is depressed or the control is released.
• An audible signal will sound during this
procedure if the vehicle is moving at
speeds above 6 mph (10 km/h).
No mention of four wheel braking.
The manual for my own 2011 S60 says:
If the car is stationary when the parking brake is applied then it only acts on the rear wheels. If it is applied when the car is moving then the normal foot brake is used, i.e. the brake acts on all four wheels. Brake function changes over to the rear wheels when the car is almost stationary.
Looks like Volvo have two flavours of EPB.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 23, 2017 10:37:21 GMT
I discovered the problem with 4WD and ABS when my Subaru slid down my driveway (its very steep on ends on a main arterial route into Manchester!). 4WD can get you up the hill, but as all cars have four wheel braking and mostly ABS, a 4WD is no better than any car at braking on snow.
I managed the slide twice, once into the side wall and once (at low speed) into a car passing by......
|
|
|
|
Post by Hofmeister on Jan 23, 2017 11:32:32 GMT
I discovered the problem with 4WD and ABS when my Subaru slid down my driveway (its very steep on ends on a main arterial route into Manchester!). 4WD can get you up the hill, but as all cars have four wheel braking and mostly ABS, a 4WD is no better than any car at braking on snow. I managed the slide twice, once into the side wall and once (at low speed) into a car passing by...... To be fair, the hill descent control on the long boat worked a treat on the icy down ramp. Maintaining a steady 10mph you could feel and hear each wheel being braked individually to control max speed, even direction. Rumour mill says the system was stolen from LR when they were all in the Ford stable together. |
|
|
|
Post by bromptonaut on Jan 24, 2017 16:48:54 GMT
BAck on subject I had a similar experience with duff diesel in early November. Usual source, Sainsbury's at Fosse Park playing fuel light bingo when visiting my Mother. 'Cos reasons fuel is always 2-3p/litre cheaper than in Northampton. Mileage on my 14mile round trip commute, per the car's computer, promptly dropped from around 40mpg to low thirties. Admittedly partly in a cold spell and when I was full time for 6 weeks but latter, while relevant to brim/brim wouldn't change daily reading on arrival at work.
After next fill, another Sainsbury but on outskirts of Oxford, it reverted to normal and has been so since.
Had it just over a year now and around 11k miles. Average consumption according to phone app is 48.7.
|
|
