Automobiles: What will happen if we press electric start button in running engine condition of a bike..?

Question by Ram: 

What happens if we pressed an electric start button for a vehicle which is already started?
I pressed my bikes electric start button while riding my bike....!! does it harms bike??

Best Answer by Harish Jharia: Chosen by Asker

Electric start system has an electric motor that turns the engine shaft at a rate of RPM (revolution per minute) sufficient for starting the engine of your bike. 

In fact electric start is a substitute to mechanical start feature known as 'Kick'...
If you push the electric start button / key in running engine... it will result in a condition similar to that you push the kick in the same condition...

Practically it will not harm the vehicle... nevertheless, it is not desirable and you should not do it intentionally... 

Read more...
http://www.discovery-of-life.com/2009/10/how-to-start-car-with-weak-battery.html
Sources
http://www.discovery-of-life.com/ 

See the interaction on Yahoo answers:

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
npad

Design Development for Automobiles: Develop Corner-Lights on Cars for Safe Night-Driving At Turnings under Poor Visibility

                      

© Harish Jharia

Driving cars in India is a real troublesome job because of the bad condition of roads, crowded traffic, inadequate street lighting and poor traffic sense among drivers and pedestrians. It becomes dangerous and even fatal when we need to drive in pitch dark nights in a congested locality and turn the car at 90 degree angles.

Deficiency in the Present Design:

On turnings at right or left in pitch-dark nights we need to almost stop the car at the turnings because our headlights illuminate the road straight in the front. We are not able to see the road, beyond the turning, where we are about to turn. There are possibilities of some pedestrian walking on the dark road. There might also be a bicycle rider or a rickshaw moving on the dark road. There might be anything beyond our imagination and something against which you may bang your car if you keep driving carelessly.

Design Development Suggestion:

I think we should have some additional corner lights at both the right and left front corners in addition to the present headlights. Corner-lights may have specifications approximately as suggested in the following points, subject to suitability to the overall design of the automobile:

1. The corner-lights may be installed as parts of the headlights or be installed separately at the outer sides of the headlights or right under them.
2. The corner-lights may also be installed in place of the fog-lights, replacing them.
3. The axis of the corner-lights may be kept somewhere between 15 to 30 degrees outwards from that of the respective headlights.
4. The luminosity of corner-lights should be sufficient to illuminate about 25 feet in the direction of its axis.
5. The reflector of corner-lights may be designed in order to achieve its requirements
6. The corner-lights are also required to be at the ‘low beam’ angle
7. In standing position and during straight driving the corner-lights will remain switched-off.
8. While turning the vehicle at right or left, the respective corner-light may be operated with the help of the side-indicator lever.
9. The particular corner-light will be turned-on when the side-indicator lever is turned towards that side.
10. Eventually, the side-indicator and the respective corner-light will glow together.

Alternate designs already in vogue:

               Xenon Adaptive Headlight

An alternate system called Adaptive headlights is already being used on some specific models of super-luxury cars like BMW and Audi. Nevertheless, their technology is too advanced for Indian cars manufacturers to adapt and exorbitantly expensive for the customers to afford.

Click here:

How Adaptive Headlights Work: 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

npad 

Noise Pollution: Acoustic Noise Barriers for Residential Areas along High Traffic Roads in the USA

                    Click on image to magnify 

© Harish Jharia

The above photo was clicked while going on-road from Ashburn to Denville in September 2011.  This is a photograph of one of the acoustic walls constructed along the high traffic roads for protecting residents against noise pollution.

                    Click on the image to magnify 

What are Acoustic Noise Barriers?

Noise barriers are solid obstructions built between the roads and the residential houses along highways. They do not completely block noises; nevertheless, they reduce overall noise levels. Ideal noise barriers may reduce noise levels by 5 to 10 decibels (dB), reducing the loudness of traffic noise by almost half. For example, a barrier designed for a 10-dB reduction can reduce sound level of a typical tractor trailer equivalent to an automobile like car or SUV.

Acoustic noise barriers are made of different materials viz cement, wood or specific synthetic materials. Their thickness (usually 6-8 in) and height (usually 15 ft) are designed according to the traffic and geo-environmental conditions.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
npad

Review Automobiles: Ford Fiesta 1.6 Duratec EXI (Limited Edition*)

          Ford Fiesta 1600cc Petrol (Limited Edition)

© Harish Jharia                                                              

Ford Fiesta 1.6 Duratec EXI (Limited Edition*) is a 4-Door Sedan huge luxury car with all the modern facilities supported with the latest state of the art technology. It is the most dependable car I have ever seen in my life. I am using the limited edition of Ford Fiesta 1600cc for the last more than a year and have faced no problems what-so-ever. 

I would like to mention here that my car met an accident when another car hit at it head-on at the co-drivers door. Yet, the co-driver sitting on his seat at the front, escaped unhurt. The side beams and the inner strong framework on its body withstood the impact and the car became as good as a new-one after repairs in the Ford service center at Noida, Delhi. 

Distance to empty (DTE) display Tachometer: 
It was amazing for me to find digital display of the distance that could be driven with the petrol filled in the fuel tank of the car. When for the first filling I went to the petrol pump (gas filling station) I had a real surprise on watching "Kilometers left for the petrol pump" displayed on the dash board. 

Ford Fiesta 1600cc has a newly designed Power Control Module PCM for improved refinement, lower fuel consumption and reduced emissions, in spite of the huge size of 1600cc engine. 

The more stunning feature on this American Sedan is Generic Electronic Module GEC that is an on-board computer that controls engine diagnostics. Nevertheless, you will have a lot of limitations for getting it repaired. You will have to contact the ford service center for repairs rather than showing it to some roadside motor mechanic or small automobile workshops.  

Key Factors:

The combination of the following four key factors makes Ford Fiestas drive-dynamics the leader in its segment:

1. Handling- You will find cornering ability, predictability and straight running of the car.
2. Steering- Simply on holding the steering you will enjoy the feel, response and precision. A small turning radius of 4.9 meters helps in maneuverability in tight traffic conditions specifically found in Indian roads.
3. Ride quality- Enjoy the quiet interiors with no vibrations, no harshness and body motion of the car (petrol model).
4. Directional stability and car control during braking- The 4 channel Anti Lock Braking System (ABS) with EBD further complements this element of the Fiesta. this will provide added safety and reliability while applying breaks on muddy ground under heavy rains. 

Overview:
1600cc Duratec Petrol engine
101 PS @ 6500 RPM power
146 NM @ 3400 RPM torque
Acceleration: 0-100km in 11.43 seconds

Exteriors:
Black surround crystal barrel headlamp
Black Radiator Grill
Black driver and passenger mirrors
175 / 65 R14 Tyres (Tubeless)
14” steel wheels (35.6 cms)
Black tailgate handle finish

Interiors:
Two tone colour coordinated interiors (Ebony & camel)
Seats covered in quality fabric
Color coordinated finish on the central console

Comfort and Convenience:
Air conditioning with electric re-circulation and Heater
Power steering with tilt adjust steering
Front and rear power windows
Electric boot release

Instrumentation: 
Distance to empty (DTE) display
Tachometer
Headlamp on warning (when key off)
Door ajar indicator
Low fuel warning lamp

Safety and Security: 
Collapsible steering column
Central locking
Dual rear fog lamps (inbuilt in lamp cluster)
Fuel cut-off inertia switch
PATS (Passive Anti-Theft system) 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Limited Edition= A model of a car specially launched in the market with extra facilities and features without charging any price for them. This is a marketing strategy of the company to create customer base by accelerating sale of their brands. 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
npad

Car Driving: How to Drive Safely and Perfectly on Steep Slops

We know, how difficult is to drive away a stationery car on an upward-slope

© Harish Jharia

When I was a small kid, I could not understand why the drivers of cars, buses and trucks used to put stones as stoppers when the vehicles failed or stopped on gradients- upward-slops and downward- slopes. I slowly understood the reasons for this when I learnt driving myself.

All of us know how difficult is to drive away a stationery car on an upward-slope. It is so because for the simple reason that a stationery car is usually put in a gear and handbrake applied and if you attempt to release the gear and hand break the automobile will uncontrollably roll-bake on the downward slop.

Now for driving away you have to press the break paddle, release the hand break, press the clutch paddle, bring it back to 1st gear, and drive away. We usually follow this procedure. But unfortunately, your automobile rolls back on the down-gradient and you might hit some other car at your back. This 5 stage exercise is so complex that almost 80% drivers fail to avoid the rollback of their cars before driving away. Here is the proper procedure for avoiding the disastrous rollback.    

Let me list it out stage wise:

Conditions: a car stopped on a steep upward-slop and is in the reverse gear and handbrakes fully applied.

Most of us usually drive away a car from such position as follows:

1. Press brake-pedal
2. Release hand-brake (keeping brakes applied)
3. Press clutch-pedal (keeping brakes applied)
4. Apply neutral gear (keeping brakes applied)
5. Start the engine (keeping brakes applied)
6. Apply 1^st gear (keeping brakes applied)
7. Do 3-actions simultaneously: release brake-pedal… press accelerator… release clutch-pedal…

Result: The car will first rollback a bit and then will move forward. This rolling-back of the car is an error in driving. For correcting this error, we may change our action at the 7^th stage. Let us revise the above stages with corrected 7^th stage.

We should drive away a car from this position in the corrected way as follows:

1. Press brake-pedal
2. Release hand-brake (keeping brakes applied)
3. Press clutch-pedal (keeping brakes applied)
4. Apply neutral gear (keeping brakes applied)
5. Start the engine (keeping brakes applied)
6. Apply 1^st gear (keeping brakes applied)
7. Do 2 actions together: release brake-pedal and release clutch-lever… 
8. Take both these actions simultaneously, successively and slowly… in order to let the engine drive away the vehicle with the default throttle of the fuel and ignition setting.
9. Continue this action until the vehicle comes in motion from the stationary position.
10. Shift your foot from the brake to the accelerator
11. Remove your foot from the clutch
12. Press the accelerator and drive away as usual

Result: By following the corrected way, the cars will not rollback, before moving forward, when attempted to drive away from stationary position on an up-gradient road.

This is the way a perfect driver drives in adverse conditions.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Disclaimer: 

This article is written based on my personal observations. My intention for publishing the same is to provide healthy reading and intellectual entertainment and not for educating the visitors. No literature or authentic books have been referred for writing the contents of this article. The visitors are advised not to refer the contents of this article for any research or testimony on scientific, geographical, political, civic or legal purposes. The visitors are further advised to consult relevant experts before adapting any information from this article. The author or the website are not responsible for any errors, mistakes, or omissions there in.
- Harish Jharia 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Car Driving Maintenance and Repair: How to Start Car with a Weak Battery?

© Harish Jharia

Driving car is a passion rather than a basic requirement of our daily life. When we board a car, we would always like to be on the driver’s seat, as occupying the drivers seat is a real pleasure in our life. We dream about a life where our first desire would to be an owner of a car. Car gives us comfort, luxury and status in the eyes of the onlookers.

We approach our car press button on the remote occupy the driver’s seat and drive away to our destination. We need not wait for the bus. We do not make ourselves a part of the crowd rushing to occupy a seat in local trains and metros. We feel ourselves the luckiest family having a prize possession that is a Car.

In spite of all the above we sometimes become targets of peculiar gaze of the onlookers when our car breaks down or we become a traffic-stopper and vehicles on our rear blare and honk on us. We sometimes land in a trouble because of minor faults in our car or due to our poor expertise in driving.

Let us discuss a common problem that we face with our cars and the probable ways to address it without taking help of some trained Motor Mechanic:

 Jump-start a car with the help of other car 

If our car battery is older than 18 months then its capacity for recharging and in turn providing adequate power supply to the self-starter to start the car, is considerably reduced. In such cases, the automobile workshops advise us to replace the battery with new ones. Yet, during the intervening periods, we need to know the ways to start the car.

We face similar problem when we keep our car unused for prolonged periods and the battery is discharged on its own.

1.    Push Start: 

There are two ways to start a car with a weak battery. The first one is our age-old system of ‘Push Start’. The user’s guide provided by the car-manufacturers along with the vehicles do not recommend this way of starting the car. Yet, we have to resort to this way if the car stops in a remote place where there is no other way to move vehicle and reach out for a safer place.

First, make adequate arrangements for moving the car manually. Here are the ways to move the car manually for ‘push start’. Place your car on a down gradient and let the car roll down for picking-up adequate speed for moving it in 2nd gear. The other way is to take help of someone to push the car from the rear for achieving a desired speed.

Now, before moving the car you need to occupy driver’s seat and take the following actions in proper sequence:

Move the gear lever to ‘2nd gear’; press the clutch paddle full; press the accelerator a little; insert the ignition key and twist it to ‘switch-on’ position; Now ask someone to push the car as described in the proceeding paragraph. Wait for the car to achieve the desired speed.  Then release the clutch until the engine starts. Your car engine will start running.

Push the clutch again and bring the gear lever to ‘neutral gear’.  Now either you run the engine in idle condition or else drive away to your destination.

2. Jump Start: 

The recommended way to start a car is by ‘jump start’ system. For this you need to have a well-charged battery or else you may use any other battery fitted on a car.  Now you need to have a pair of two-meter long thick electric cables strong enough to withstand 30amp load. There should be crocodile clips properly attached to both the ends of the cables.  Patented ready-made ‘Jump Start’ cables are also available in the market and it is advisable to have one pair of cables in our car for crisis management.

The ‘Jump Start’ procedure is simple. Bring the other car near to your car; connect the red cable to the Positive Ports (marked +) of batteries of both the cars; connect the black cable to Negative Ports (marked -) of both the batteries. By doing this you have connected the well-charged battery of the other car to your car. In other words, you are now using the battery of the other car for your own car.

Now occupy the driver’s seat; bring the gear lever to ‘neutral gear’; push clutch paddle full; insert ignition key in its slot and start your car as usual. For keeping the engine running apply hand break; let the car be in ‘neutral gear’; let the ignition key remain in its slot; open the window glass of driver’s door and come out of your car leaving the engine in ‘idle running’.

Remove the cables and keep them in your trunk. Shift the other car to its original place. Now you should drive away for recharging your car battery. Go for a long drive at least for 5 – 10 km possibly at lower gears and essentially without putting-on your AC.

In this way your battery will be recharged for your normal use.  In some types of batteries, you need to check the acid-level in the battery. If the level has gone down you may pour some distilled water by opening the caps with the help of a coin.

In general, Battery-life is specified between 18 – 24 months if your battery has crossed its 18-month life, then you have to be vigilant about your battery, as it would not recharge well and supply inadequate power output required by the self-starter to start your car-engine. Eventually, you should change the battery at right time. There are good exchange-offers in the market, so that you may exchange your old battery with a new one at a lower rate even before it is completely drained-out.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Disclaimer:

This article is written based on my personal observations. My intention for publishing the same is to provide healthy reading and intellectual entertainment and not for educating the visitors. No literature or authentic books have been referred for writing the contents of this article. The visitors are advised not to refer the contents of this article for any research or testimony on scientific, geographical, political, civic or legal purposes. The visitors are further advised to consult relevant experts before adapting any information from this article. The author or the website are not responsible for any errors, mistakes, or omissions there in.
- Harish Jharia 

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Please leave your comments about this post by clicking below on ‘Comments’ button at the bottom of this article:

Road Crimes: The Fatal Road Rage

© Harish Jharia

Everyone forcefully condemns the fatal irritation of road rage. Nevertheless, each one of us gets captivated with the unpredictable outburst of temper while driving on the roads. The road rage makes inroads in our mind so abruptly that we are usually caught unawares and realize the situation; only when we find ourselves totally gripped in it. Sometimes we happen to encounter the worst consequences like loss of lives and property. This all happens in spite of the fact that, in most of the cases, the control over the fatal road rage is right in our own hands. However, some times it happens due to the mistakes committed by others. As such, the factors responsible for road rage are in multiples. However, we may classify them as follows:

1. The first person, that is the self
2. The second person, that is the other person who himself or whose vehicle gets involved
3. The third person, that is any person, thing or entity that provokes the road rage other than the above two

The first person:

The moment we mount over the driver’s seat we should make ourselves cautious against inflicting any harm to other road users by committing mistakes in our driving. At the same time, for our own safety, we have to be watchful against reckless driving by other road users. Moreover, extra care should be taken against the movement of innocent men, women and children who happen to be unaware of the traffic rules and some of them suffering from anxiety or other disabilities.

It looks quite easy to advise others about precautions. Nevertheless, it is just not possible to fulfill all the requirements for being an ideal driver. An accident is called an accident as it happens unexpectedly, right from the blues, leaving the victims as well as the driver himself, helpless. Anyways, it is not possible to achieve absolute perfection. However, we can always try our best to follow as many precautions as possible and reduce as many mistakes as one can afford to. The following are the do(s) and don’t(s) that may be tried to achieve better and safe driving:

What should you do?

1. As soon as you mount the drivers seat and hold the steering wheel, make sure that you are all set to hold the responsibility for the safety of the occupants of your vehicle and that of the other road users out there
2. Keep an eye at the dashboard and other controls and concentrate at them as you would be going to use them simultaneously in various combinations, remembering well that, for this complex activity, your mind need to be totally at the disposal of the controls
3. Before you switch on the ignition key adjust the position of your seat, enabling yourself to reach out for full control over the Clutch and brake, by moving it front & back. Sit upright, buckle up your seat belt and adjust all the three rear viewing mirrors to have the widest field of view achievable with the least movement of your eyes and head
4. This is the time when you should ward-off all the worries and stresses, out of your mind, by trying to flash a smile on your face and switching on the music system, playing a piece of your choice
5. A counter-check for stress free mind can be conducted by checking the physical symptoms of the mental-stresses that are clutched lips, stiff face-muscles, grinding jaws, tensed eyebrows, wide-open eyelids, drooping shoulders and any thing that is abnormal. As you ensure everything normal, you are fit to drive off
6. Now drive smooth, so smooth that an occupant of your vehicle can carry a glassful of water while you drive. However you shouldn’t hesitate to apply instant brakes, bringing the vehicle to a screech halt, in case you are required to save a life
7. You should maintain the speed specified by the authorities and orient it depending on requirements. Keep in your mind that 99% of accidents are met at high speeds. It is believed that speed between 40 km/h and 60 km/h is considered as safe on Indian roads. However, on straight highways speed up to 80 km/h is also considered not too dangerous in daytime. But in the nights, firstly intercity drives should be avoided and if at all taken up, the speed, in any case, should not exceed 60 km/h
8. The most dangerous road user is a drunken driver. Driving is totally forbidden after heavy drinks as the alcohol takes away your presence of mind, quick reflexes and patience, making you totally unfit to hold any responsibilities
9. On following the above guide lines you are left with only to follow the normal traffic rules like keeping your side, being in your lane, flashing indicators before changing your lane and the course of drive, honoring traffic signals and of course obeying the orders of the cop.

What should you not do?

1. You should not do any thing that goes against the precautions described above. Apart from that let us discuss the other don’t(s) in the succeeding lines
2. On having over-taken, don’t identify the speeding vehicle, and indulge in a car race with its driver
3. In an avoidable dispute with any other moving car’s driver, it is better to give up, rather than indulging in an interactive fight via gestures, with your foot on the accelerator and eyes kept away from the front wind screen
4. About 5% of the morning office goers in Delhi (India) are found taking their breakfast while driving. Better take your breakfast at home rather than eating on the steering wheel, while driving-alone, to your workplace
5. Do not use mobile phones on the driver’s seat as law in India forbids using cell phones while driving. In USA it is not so because the traffic on American roads is not as congested as in India
6. Do not try to focus your eyes, while driving, to identify any attractive face or attempt to read any text painted on walls or hoardings
7. An Ideal driver device a drill right from the very first activity of mounting the driver’s seat to the concluding function of switching off the ignition key and follows it so consistently that it transforms into his natural instinct

The second person:

1. While on a move, so many individuals encounter you and create obstructions against your normal smooth drive. This second person may be a pedestrian, another driver or even a cop. He may create problems while you drive reverse. He may abruptly appear right in front of you from nowhere. He may hit your vehicle at the rear or honk from behind eventually picking up a fight with you.
2. In fact, you don’t have any control over this second person. You can only take precautionary measures against such entities lest you may lend in troubles. Sometimes a cop, for a mistake committed by the second person, may book you. Therefore, here are certain precautionary measures suggested for you:
3. Never park your vehicle at a ‘no parking’ zone and make it sure that parking fee is paid in time with a proof in your hand
4. At the time of parking-in or parking-off, you must be extremely careful against inflicting damage to other vehicles or civil structures
5. Be careful while driving past a road having by-lane openings and vehicles or pedestrians is expected to appear on the road all of a sudden. Extra care should be taken in such situations during night
6. Do not get provoked with abnormal behavior of other vehicle drivers, pedestrians or bicycle riders. Keep prepared to tolerate such situations and maintain your cool as your reciprocation may prove disastrous
7. Always give way to a VIP convoy, ambulance or police van, flashing blinkers and blowing sirens, lest you may land in troubles

The Third Person:

1. Other than the 1st and the 2nd person there are many more entities that influence your concentration while driving. They are the following:
2. It may be a third vehicle that abruptly appears right in front of you while you are trying to tackle with some other vehicle or road user on move
3. While you are driving past a vehicle parked on the side of the road, there is every possibility of sudden appearance of some human being or a vehicle from the front of the parked vehicle
4. Be highly cautious while you are driving past any school
5. Control your religious sentiments while you drive through a religious place or hear a religious discourse or song played on loudspeakers
6. Follow adequate precautions and protection while driving against the sun in daytime or against a bright hi-beam headlight at night, dazzling right on your eyes from the front wind shield
7. Be careful against any vehicle moving along with its head lights or side indicators non-functional
8. Just imagine about the victim, the photograph of whose mutilated body appears on the newspapers. This photograph may be of any body moving on the roads, out there. The road rage resulting in a death, does not affect the person alone who dies in the accident. Nevertheless, there is a long list of the affected people, victimised, with the loss of that single life. People never keep in their mind that they alone are not the sole owner of their life. Their dependents have the inherent right of ownership on the life of their householder.
9. Do have patience and keep your cool intact. It is never late to reach the destination. Even if you are going to miss a flight or a train, miss it, but make sure that you are safe and so are others, out on the road. So flash a smile on your face, switch on the music system, set on your smooth drive, and enjoy the rhythm in the movement of your vehicle.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
npad