Bitten the hybrid bullet!

[Avocet]

Not a full explanation, but from the Motul datasheet (attached) ...

Thanks. as you say though, not a full explanation, more of a "claim". It talks about being able to run at high engine speeds sooner. I wonder if that's what makes them feel able to claim a faster warm-up time? So, not really a property of the oil, directly, but indirectly, it lets the engine fire-up cold and go to higher revs instantly, without damaging itself - which it might with more conventional oils until they'd thinned-out enough to work properly? Many years ago (more than 50!) I think it was a problem for Reliant, who sold their engines to companies making fire pumps. The poor little things would be expected to fire up and just straight to 4500-odd revs (pretty much max power) instantly, from cold and run there constantly. They had problems with "cold seizures" but if they increased running tolerances, they just drank oil and smoked like chimneys!

@Burnerman - what engine speed does yours go to, on startup? Does it vary?

 

[Avocet]

If it's the engine bearings that are loose, I don't see how it will.

I think it's mainly the fit of the pistons in the bores, that's the problem? The bores are pretty much always ferrous and the pistons, aluminium, so the pistons expand faster and further than the bores do, from cold.

 

[Burnerman]

I'm afraid I don't know what the revs are at tick over - or anything else - as there is no rev counter, you see.
The rev counter is replaced by a clock gauge that says 'Power', 'Eco' and 'Charge' and naturally enough the more power you use, the higher up the scale the needle goes.
The tick over speed doesn't seem to alter at all - no rise in speed in the cold or when the engine is warm.
Every day is a learning day with this thing!
John
No room for a space saver spare though......OK for the other models but not the AWD which mine is The AWD motor sits on the top of the rear axle (somewhere!)
J.

 

[JohnD]

From memory, I have an idea its 4200

Can't remember where I saw it.

 

[norseman]

58.4 down from 57.1 OMG !
My two return an average of 24 & 17 respectively, but neither burns/uses engine oil

 

[Avocet]

From memory, I have an idea its 4200

Can't remember where I saw it.

Gosh! That's higher than I'd have guessed! Peak torque, maybe? No wonder they want the oil to get round it quickly!

 

[JohnD]

Mine is actually a RAV4 AWD so not the same. I found this vid about the transmission very informative. I think this is also the one where he shows the map of torque/bhp/economy/rpm of the petrol engine.

 

[Mottie]

Interesting. I always thought regenerative power was produced by motors on the wheels.

 

[JohnD]

The back axle has a motor generator on the diff. The back motor runs (sometimes) on acceleration, or if the FWD is (about to?) slip. It generates on overrun, and if (e.g. going down hill) you put the gearlever into one of the "engine braking" positions, which also uses the main MG to add drag and push power to the batt. There is no propshaft to the back axle, it is all electric.

 

[JohnD]

I'm afraid I don't know what the revs are at tick over

P.s.

It doesn't exactly tick over.

If power is required for traction or charging the main battery, the engine runs. If not, it turns off. Your hearing may be better than mine, but although I hear and feel the engine start and stop when stationary, I don't notice it when driving. There is no starter motor.

The engine does not run to charge the 12v battery or the lights, heating etc.

The 12v system is charged by an inverter or something off the big battery, all the time the car is in "ready" state, regardless of the engine state. The engine will cut in when the car considers it necessary to keep the big battery charged.

It is possible for the 12v battery to run down if left standing, even though the big battery is full, as it runs the immobilser and wireless locking systems. As there is no 12v starter motor it does not need much charge to start, but it must not be dead. There is a starting connection stud in a fusebox under the bonnet, I think it is smart as it does not take much power, it just lights up the management systems so the big battery can take over. It happened to me, and I noticed it drew (only) 3A for quite a short time.

 

[Mottie]

I can't comment on the oil spec (yet) but the engine will have VVT.
The service interval for these is one year or 10k miles - which isn't really very much these days (about right for me though) and maybe this is done to avoid cold running / turbo issues....I've no idea.
MPG though is computed to be 58.4 up to lunchtime today, but a neighbour used it to cover around 50 miles this afternoon and I do know she tends to boot it along a bit. That's now gone down to 57.1.
John

I was talking to my brother in law yesterday - he is a manager in Ford - and he was driving a ST Kuga 2.5 petrol hybrid. He says he is regularly getting 60 mpg +. That has a modern Atkinson engine in it. I might be interested in getting one myself when we next change cars. He is allowed 2 cars of his choice (one for him, one for his partner) every 4 months/4,000 miles and he normally specs them with just about everything going. When the 4 month/4,000 miles are up he must hand them back and get a new one. The ones he has to hand back go for sale and can be bought by family at around 30-40% off the new price so not a bad deal if you are looking for one. He's always said that if any of us want to get one, tell him what model/colour/spec you want and he'll order it up and we can have it after 4 months and he promises not to thrash it!

 

[morqthana]

My two are 24 & 35 years old, both like a drink, but I don't do many miles a year.
I can buy a lot of petrol for the price of new/nearly new replacements, which will take years of use to justify the energy/emissions used in their production.

One, and 14 years, but ditto to everything else.

 

[morqthana]

The ones he has to hand back go for sale and can be bought by family at around 30-40% off the new price so not a bad deal if you are looking for one. He's always said that if any of us want to get one, tell him what model/colour/spec you want and he'll order it up and we can have it after 4 months and he promises not to thrash it!

Could you adopt me, please, and get me a Ford GT.

 

[Brigadier]

One hoot.....
After switching off, it tells me to 'Check the back seat'.
Apparently this is to ensure that you haven't left any children there when you leave the car
I assume this is for the benefit of our American friends
Have a good day, everyone
John

Mine does this: it is a safety feature, as the driver's seat slides backwards when you "turn off the ignition" (to give you more room to get out, and back in next time).
I usually crush my shopping / laptop

 

[Burnerman]

My seat doesn't move, so the car must be without this vital 'accessory'.
It does however, make one hell of a racket if you try to reverse when there is an obstruction in the vicinity.......so bad in fact that I've jumped out to see what it is I have hit!
I've no idea what produces the noise.
It also yells at me to check the tyre pressures, but when I do this they are all within 2 psi of recommended so I guess it's just a bit prickly on a cold morning.
Anyhoo, 60.4 MPG so I'm happy enough with that.
Regards
John