Thread: D4 Abuse

I have observed an older petrol auto tow started.

It took a lot more speed (enough to force the converter to drag enough to turn the engine.

And if you can lock the torque converter manually it will work.

I seriously doubt a modern unit would start though.

Tombie,

I would love to see someone tow start a D4. It is so clever it probably wouldn't allow anything to work without the engine running and would probably not even go into a gear that could be used to start it, even if the electronic protection systems allowed the engine to run. Old mechanical auto transmissions may have some chance, at the risk of damaging the transmission.

I don't think there is any longevity problem with the starter motor. Hopefully mine was just bad luck (or good luck that it didn't happen two weeks earlier on the old telegraph track). Barbagallos couldn't find any reason for the starter to burn out and didn't think it was related to the trip, although someone else also posted some time ago about a starter motor failure after a trip to Cape York.

Bob

My old Morris 1300 auto could be push started (not tow started). It is the only auto (along with the Mini auto - same gearbox) that I know of that could be push started.

Older autos could be tow started.

Why doesn't someone start on the top of a big hill in their D4 and roll down the hill to see if it does start?

Garry

I'm guessing the tough bit is the electronic integration.
The ECU is expecting a signal from the start button to kick everything going.
I'm hypothesizing that the starter would need the wire disconnected and the test performed!
Not too keen to explore this option!

However any modern car will not start with a flat battery even manuals.

Originally Posted by CaverD3

However any modern car will not start with a flat battery even manuals.

Correct!

Originally Posted by CaverD3

However any modern car will not start with a flat battery even manuals.

More precisely any car with an alternator will not start with a flat battery but even with just a little left in the battery this will be enough to excite the alt coils to allow starting if the starter is not used. Not sure about computers etc though.

Garry

Err.............coils whats that?

(on any modern car)