How to Start a Petrol Engine?!


Joined
Dec 24, 2011
Messages
119
Likes
26
Location
Thiruvanathapuram
I believe the depressing of clutch is mandated while starting in the new cars mainly to avoid the risk of car moving forward when we crank. Similar safety features can be seen in the scooters also where we have electric start. We need to hold the brakes so that even of the throttle is used while starting, the vehicle wont move forward suddenly and cause any loss of balance.

Anyways, technically there will be a minimal wear and tear when we depress the clutch if engine is running. This may be applicable for the clutch depressed when the car is started also.
 
Joined
Sep 4, 2011
Messages
3,669
Likes
315
Location
Mumbai MH01/MH46
i never used to depress the clutch while starting in my previous car, just shift into neutral and crank. stock clutch needed replacement at around 85k km or so. no issues with the starter as yet and the car has clocked 1.37l mms till now. However since my new car needs the clutch to be depressed before cranking the engine it has become a habit for me to do the same in my previous car. However i find no difference while cranking the car with or without clutch being depressed.
There may be some idiots like me where instead of the car requiring the clutch depressed before cranking may still leave the car in gear and leave the clutch causing the car to jump forward, in my case bang the boundary wall.
 
Joined
Dec 16, 2011
Messages
89
Likes
8
Location
Pearlcity(HYD)/Brasscity(MBD)
What I have known over the years is that even if you put the gear in neutral, there still are some parts in the gearbox which keep rolling(spinning).

Let me try to explain, when we try to put in a gear, the gear shaft and the gearbox motor's tensioner engage with each other. If you put it in neutral, they are just disengaged but the gearbox tensioner still keeps spinning. This takes a little load from the engine hence it is recommended to press the clutch fully before cranking the engine as this cuts out the supply to the gearbox from the engine...totally !! Applies to both P & D !!

Example: Ever tried(accidently) to change the gear without pressing the clutch fully while the car is running ?? A big cranky sound will be the result !! This is because the holding joints of the gear shaft and the gearbox tensioner are trying to come out of each other's hold but the gearbox tensioner is still spinning !! Keep doing this and your gearbox will start becoming very loose because of the wear and tear and eventually will go for a six !!

When the clutch is pressed fully, the tensioner stops spinning and hence makes the way for the shaft's arm to come out of the hold.

Hope this makes sense, could not find any pictures to demonstrate !! [frustration]
 
Thread Starter #24
Joined
Dec 26, 2011
Messages
380
Likes
57
Location
Sails unfurled ...
I had noticed that the speed shown by my speedometer and the speed as shown by the gps has an error of upto 7 kmph. This error is as low as 3-5 kmph at lower speed or speeds upto 60-70 kmph and when my speedo shows 100 kmph the gps shows 93 kmph. Is it normal to have an error like this or can we do something to reduce or eliminate this error ?
TAIn's please help.
 
Joined
Nov 4, 2011
Messages
437
Likes
18
Location
Trivandrum
I am also of the opinion and practice of starting the car with clutch depressed. I do it because of two reasons. One is that I have read in some articles that depressing clutch would decrease the load. The second thing is safety. Mainly our parking spaces are very congested and a jerk while starting the car would cause dent on the other[:D].
 
Joined
May 25, 2012
Messages
155
Likes
8
Location
NAGAUR
I had noticed that the speed shown by my speedometer and the speed as shown by the gps has an error of upto 7 kmph. This error is as low as 3-5 kmph at lower speed or speeds upto 60-70 kmph and when my speedo shows 100 kmph the gps shows 93 kmph. Is it normal to have an error like this or can we do something to reduce or eliminate this error ?
TAIn's please help.
Me too noticed this thing,no ideas about this being normal or abnormal.we really need an expert to explain this.
 
Joined
Aug 6, 2011
Messages
6,206
Likes
4,220
Location
Meerut, U. P.
I had noticed that the speed shown by my speedometer and the speed as shown by the gps has an error of upto 7 kmph. This error is as low as 3-5 kmph at lower speed or speeds upto 60-70 kmph and when my speedo shows 100 kmph the gps shows 93 kmph. Is it normal to have an error like this or can we do something to reduce or eliminate this error ?
TAIn's please help.
Me too noticed this thing,no ideas about this being normal or abnormal.we really need an expert to explain this.
Guys you both have observed something which is called 'speedo error'.

Actually no speedometer is perfect and has some error in its calibration.

Take it this way:
For example:A speedo is having 5% error,then at 50 kph on speedo the true speed is 47.5 kph and same way at 100kph on speedo the true speed is 95 kph.

Even my Corolla is also having it,we once checked it.The GPS showed 169 kph and needle was about to touch 190.

I hope you guys have got it.
 
Thread Starter #28
Joined
Dec 26, 2011
Messages
380
Likes
57
Location
Sails unfurled ...
@ TSIVIPUL !!! Thanks for the info !!!
So speedo error is there everywhere !! But what about the digital speedometer's ! As seen in civic, do they too have the same problem.
 

350Z

Core Team
Joined
Aug 10, 2009
Messages
21,193
Likes
7,835
Location
New Delhi
Pressing the clutch disconnects the gearbox from the engine and therefore disengages the flywheel and so reduces the stress on the starter motor. In some cars, this mechanism is put in place as a safety feature (so that the car wont lurch ahead on cranking the engine if it is in gear and the clutch is not depressed).
Sam, I’m habitual of turning on the ignition with clutch depressed. However, I observed that sometimes none my car starts in a single crank (Both Petrol – Maruti 800 and Ford Fiesta). Earlier I thought it might be an issue with 800 but after purchasing Fiesta, I found a little odd that it is happening with it too. I just decided to avoid depressing the clutch while turning on the car for a few days. Voila. No issues then. I’m wondering what could be reason behind it?

Drive Safe,
350Z
 

Top Bottom