Car Batteries

[Kalee20]

I think the difference between electric starting and bump must be the impulsive nature of the latter.

Peter

If I bump start a car, I try to select a high gear, where the engine will be spun at a few hundred RPM - no faster - for this reason. Avoids transmission shock. Makes it easier for the people pushing, too!

Of course, if the engine is spun at below idling speed, you have to de-clutch quick as the engine fires, or it will labour trying to accelerate the vehicle in the high gear, which doesn't do anything any good, either.

[Mark Hennessy]

Yes, 3rd gear and "tickle" rather than "dump" the clutch. Usually smoother than using the starter motor. As you say, de-clutch ASAP.

Having said that, I probably wouldn't risk it on these engines given the reported experiences out there (even if it was from people with less than subtle clutch control - perhaps?). When they started telling me my battery was getting old, I'd bump-start my Focus at every opportunity, but then, it's a petrol engine with a belt rather than a chain. Reminded me of my early days of driving in ancient cars with knackered everything

The other problem with a dead battery is how to recover from a stall? Happens to the best of us. Especially my wife's Fiesta, which is mostly impossible to stall, but very occasionally it stalls if you look at it. No idle control valve - it's fly-by-wire - so presumably this is software acting up.

I remember when I was thinking of replacing the Focus when it was still worth something (perhaps back in 2006, give or take, probably not long after our first child arrived and I started to realise how much stuff you need to lug about!), a diesel Mondeo estate was top of my list. Back then my mileage was higher, but probably not really high enough for diesel if I'm honest. I can't remember for sure why I decided against it in the end. I did find a few horror stories about the engine (which you can obviously do for just about any car out there), and it would have been really awkward fitting it on the drive. I was really taken with the next generation version as well - I drove about 300 miles in an automatic diesel hire car about 8 years back, and it really sold the concept of auto gearboxes in large cars to me. Especially when you use cruise control

Of course, no option to bump-start with an auto - a torque-converter type, at least. And no doubt the button (rather than key) starting makes all this difficult as well. Good news for the breakdown companies

[ppppenguin]

I've driven automatics for about 25 years now. I won't willingly go back to manual. In town, who wants a clutch. On the motorway it makes no difference. That leaves country roads where the automatic box may get the wrong gear, likewise steep downhill. Though my last couple of cars with VW group DSG boxes have got it right almost all the time.

Under horrible slippy conditions such as ice it's nice when pulling away with a manual to engage 2nd and dump the clutch occasionally but moden traction control looks after that situation almost as well.

Electrics usually have no gearbox and hybrids are automatic by their nature.

[Kalee20]

I've always had manual gearboxes until my current car, Dec 2016 - only available in auto - and towing vehicle (LR Discovery 4, auto). I was keen on the idea of automatic for towing, as reversing slowly, sometimes uphill, with a horsebox is a killer on a friction clutch.

Keeping relatively OT, not being able to bump-start is a slight concern. No starting handle (not compatible with high-performance, small flywheel diesels anyway). And, not being able to wind the vehicle along on the starter in case of dead engine, is a drawback too - something I have had to do twice in 35 years motoring.