how do we know we are at the correct temperature??
the in car heater is warm to hot in temperature, the coolant fan is working to cool engine down
the exhaust emissions change from light fog to clear

I know but i meant in the conventional sense

My fans are hardly ever on, even after a long run, and that included the Shogun, the Rav4 yep on quite a lot.

Just because it indicates warm does'nt mean it is, or after a period of warm do we have hot, then very hot, then uh oh!

80 degrees was considered the temp for oil on the mot test

if you were concerned engine not getting to temperature while engine switched off
remove the oil filling top and if something like mayonnaise is there you right it isn't getting hot enough, don't for get to replace the top after looking

I think there might be some confusion regarding what is meant by 'hot' in terms of a diesel engine. When an engine is warm so that the heater fan starts to blow the heat from the water cooling system around our feet should not be taken as an indication that the 'system' is hot enough to burn off the products of combustion which takes places after, or combined with, the exhaust manifold. This is where the heat needs to be maintained.

There's a reasonably good video here which explains the process of 'regeneration'. I use the word 'reasonable' because the speakers American voice got on my tit a bit but if you can stay with it there are some interesting points made and he also refers to the VW TDI engine so, Roger, pay attention.

Also, I've been considering replacing the Touran with a Mazda CX-5 later in the year but I've read many Internet posts about owners having dashboard warning lights coming on relating to the engine oil. What essentially has been happening is that the alarm is being raised as a result of not enough lubrication taking place (things are getting hot) as a result of a lower engine viscosity. Of course owners wouldn't necessarily know this and would assume that an engine oil alarm signified low levels of oil but instead when they raised the bonnet and checked they found more oil than they'd started with. Well of course it wasn't all oil but oil mixed with diesel that was blown back through the system.

8th post down. After reading, get your overalls on and get out there and have a play with the Touran LOL. http://www.google.de/imgres?imgurl=http:...ved=0CCgQ9QEwAA

Happy days - like 2Cvs- repairable by the local 'Blacksmith" !

So how's it going then, Roger. Got it all back together up to the point of wondering where the last bolt goes LOL?

Thinking back to that video a couple of thoughts have come to mind. First off - the result of all this clean air business and the use of DPF in diesel engines actually reduces any potential mpg that a vehicle could attain therebye involving additional refuelling stops. As oil is a non renewable energy source.........................you know where this is going don't you?

Secondly, whilst attending an exhibition recently one manufacturer had their latest hybrid car on show. Can't remember which manufacturer it was now, but never mind. The point being, however, that their hybrid was a combination of petrol and electric going across the grain of diesel and electric. The reason behind this was that with the continuous change-over from diesel to electric the result is that the engine never actually gets hot enough in order for the DPF to do it's job properly resulting in it eventually going bust and requiring an expensive replacement.

We drive a 2 litre, 170BHP Audi A3 with an automatic box and a diesel engine. The car goes like the clappers all by itself : foot down and it really takes off. This performance can be augmented by selecting the sports option which I never do as control is effected via paddles under the steering wheel. These paddles move around with the wheel and I never feel safe doing this, having been taught in my early student days when we did chauffeuring for a car-hire company to pass the wheel through the hands rather than the opposite. The car is a good match for our EribaTouring 430 and returns good economy. We are light-footed drivers and manage 100 km. on 5.4 litres, higher consumption when towing. I do however give the car a good blast every so often just to satisfy myself that everything is functioning as it should. Other than that, we let the auto box do it all and usually chunter down the autoroutes at about 90kph which always seems to get us there in plenty good time.

Do not know if this is of interest, but maybe of use as a comparison?

Needed to charge the battery on mine today after not using it much for a while, all sorts of gizmo's in there working all the time running it down.

Took a while to find it eventually tracked it down under a big plastic cover................the only clue being a + and - signs moulded into the plastic ...........after a struggle I got the cover off and the c tec is doing its job.

they hide everything these days,
wonder how much more fuel economy you could gain by removing all the covers,
interesting wonder how much time /cost are charged over the life of car for removing just covers during service.
no doubt a small fortune.