Americas Observations re: "Limey"

[nuclearbeef]

Still looking for a name that sticks for the Gren.
Thought of "Limey" yesterday as suitable for a green British vehicle.
I hope it's not too offensive to Brits. I guess it's usually used as a pejorative, but I'm not using it as such. More a term of endearment.
I liked "The Fever" for "La Fee Verte" (The Green Fairy); but my daughter didn't like it. (yes, I like absinthe)

Anyway, a few observations I've not heard from anyone else:

Anyone else notice the cruise control +/- buttons change speed in increments of kph?
Takes 16 clicks to change speed 10mph.

I haven't heard anyone else mention the automatic braking when slowing to a stop. This one actually irritates me considerably.
When trying to ease to a stop very gradually; below a very slow speed, the car applies the brake and brings the vehicle to a jerky stop. Can't make a smooth gradual stop.
Also, if I try to very gently creep forward gradually, the car remains stopped as I slowly release the brake until a certain point at which the car releases its hold on the binders and movement starts.
If you try to smoothly creep very slowly forward, it's impossible. You enter a cycle of jerking forward an jerking to a stop instead. I tried it with the handbrake instead of footbrake with the same results.

The recirculation button resets to off (fresh air) with each ignition cycle.

The starter won't engage until the car has booted up past a certain point.
If I follow my normal vehicle starting procedure of inserting the key and rotating it immediately all the way clockwise, it won't start.
I have to deliberately hesitate before twisting all the way to the start position.

I'll think of some more later.

 

[255/85]

Just stumbled onto your older post...

I think you're commenting on the hill hold control which leaves the brakes applied for a few seconds as you shift your right foot from the brake pedal to the accelerator. If you're a two-footer you'll have a bit of a lag before moving from a stop.

My starting routine is as follows:

1) Jump in, put key in ignition and turn to "on" to allow for the car to wake up.

2) Adjust seat and adjust mirrors (if needed) while the tell-tale lights blink out one by one. There are only three or four that remain on.

3) I can then turn the key to start and it fires right up.

I connect the belt after it starts and turn off auto start/stop. That way the oil pressure is up and, on warmer days, the fast idle has settled down a bit before I pull away. The cylinder head temp has started to come up a bit by then as well.

I like "Green Fairy" very much but maybe the fairy needs a first name to satisfy your daughter? A word of warning: Fairies can be quite mischievous in my limited experience.

 

[nuclearbeef]

Just stumbled onto your older post...

I think you're commenting on the hill hold control which leaves the brakes applied for a few seconds as you shift your right foot from the brake pedal to the accelerator. If you're a two-footer you'll have a bit of a lag before moving from a stop.

My starting routine is as follows:

1) Jump in, put key in ignition and turn to "on" to allow for the car to wake up.

2) Adjust seat and adjust mirrors (if needed) while the tell-tale lights blink out one by one. There are only three or four that remain on.

3) I can then turn the key to start and it fires right up.

I connect the belt after it starts and turn off auto start/stop. That way the oil pressure is up and, on warmer days, the fast idle has settled down a bit before I pull away. The cylinder head temp has started to come up a bit by then as well.

I like "Green Fairy" very much but maybe the fairy needs a first name to satisfy your daughter? A word of warning: Fairies can be quite mischievous in my limited experience.

Since this post, I have paid more attention and have decided that it isn't brakes being applied. With the car in drive and foot on brake, the transmission disconnects the torque converter from the gearbox.
This makes it very annoying to try to creep forward (especially when cold and the engine in high-idle).
Try stopping on an incline while in drive. Let off the brake, and the vehicle will roll backwards a bit before the torque converter engages and you move forward.

 

[255/85]

Since this post, I have paid more attention and have decided that it isn't brakes being applied. With the car in drive and foot on brake, the transmission disconnects the torque converter from the gearbox.
This makes it very annoying to try to creep forward (especially when cold and the engine in high-idle).
Try stopping on an incline while in drive. Let off the brake, and the vehicle will roll backwards a bit before the torque converter engages and you move forward.

Sorry for the delay. I ran right out and tested our Grenadier but was waylaid by the neighbor asking me to diagnose her anti-lock braking system on my way in...

I wouldn't assert that I know how things works under the bonnets of these vehicles but I'll stand by my original statement that it's most likely the comp-controlled braking system holding the vehicle stationary after coming to a stop.

The two second delay you have after coming to a stop - particularly on a hill - behaves as a braking system hack and not a torque converter function or disconnect. I'm just going by feel. I used a 12º slope to test my theory.

Modern vehicles are certainly much more complex than my tiny brain can comprehend. While torque converters are generally controlled by a fluid connection (to multiply torque) and some sort of electro-mechanical connection to provide a direct one-to-one "lock up" I've not heard of a a TC providing a braking effect other than in hybrid vehicles. It wouldn't be the first time I've had to learn something new.

 

[G-Man]

Since this post, I have paid more attention and have decided that it isn't brakes being applied. With the car in drive and foot on brake, the transmission disconnects the torque converter from the gearbox.
This makes it very annoying to try to creep forward (especially when cold and the engine in high-idle).
Try stopping on an incline while in drive. Let off the brake, and the vehicle will roll backwards a bit before the torque converter engages and you move forward.

I have this but I thought it was a poorly calibrated 'Hill Hold' feature. If you stomp on the brake pedal the hill hold does its thing, but if you come to a rolling stop with just gentle brake pressure it confuses the system and you roll back as a result

 

[nuclearbeef]

Went out and experimented again. It is not hill hold. Not brakes.
On an incline and in drive and at a stop with foot on brake, when releasing the brake, the vehicle rolls back slightly before going forward (uphill) under its own power.
This is without touching the accelerator.
If the vehicle has enough "thrust" at idle to climb the incline, it would be impossible for it to roll back unless the engine was disconnected from the wheels.
It is definitely disconnecting the engine from the wheels.
How it accomplishes this, I don't know. It could shift into neutral, but I figure it makes more sense for it to just disconnect the torque converter. (or severely decrease its friction)

 

[255/85]

Yeah, computers. Who knows what they've programmed into these rigs.

I have only noticed it on steeper inclines where it holds for approximately two seconds and then will roll back unless I depress the accelerator. I've been too chicken to see if the vehicle will eventually catch itself and start moving forward.

EDIT: On all but the slightest of slopes the vehicle holds in place for approx. two seconds and then rolls backward...and keeps rolling. On very shallow inclines it will stay in place after the 2 sec. pause but you can feel the torque converter slipping (not locking up) as the vehicle tries to move forward. It will start moving forward on level ground like most auto trans equipped vehicles I've driven. Maybe ours is busted.