Cruising through Coffee County

Why I consider Coorg the perfect driving holiday destination!

For those who live and breathe cars as I do, a driving holiday, as opposed to reaching your holiday destination by other means of transport, is the best way to spend a vacation. While some people complain that driving can take away the whole point of relaxing during a holiday, I strongly disagree. Driving to a new destination, is a totally different experience then the daily driving to and fro from work, can do wonders for the mind and soul.

Since we live in Pondicherry, a wonderful old French colony, known for its beautiful beaches, romantic architecture and delectable French cuisine, but also infamous for the scorching hot summers, we generally prefer heading to the hills. Our ‘driving hoilday’ was Kodagu (Coorg is the anglicized version), the birthplace of the River Kaveri and the largest coffee producing region in India.

It’s a two day trip to Coorg!

Coorg lay at a distance of 580 km, and being avid travelers who enjoy the journey as much as the destination, our game plan was to break journey by spending the night in Bangalore. We left Pondicherry after breakfast and hit the road to Bangalore that lies along the NH 66 via the Tindivanam – Thiruvanamalai - Krishnagiri – Hosur route. Our journey till Krishnagiri was quite slow and bumpy due to the pot-holed filled roads, but from then we quickly picked up speed and reached Bangalore. Unfortunately, we reached Bangalore during the evening peak hour traffic and again, this slowed us down a bit.

After a refreshing night at our relatives place, we headed out early next morning on our way to Coorg. The most direct route from Bangalore to Coorg lies along two well maintained state highways, namely the SH17 and SH88 that connects Bangalore with Coorg via Mysore. The roads were perfect and the drive was smooth, and we very quickly passed the small towns of Bidadi, Ramanagaram, Chennapatna, Maddur, Mandya and Srirangapatna that lay on the Banggalore –Mysore highway. We made only two quick stops. A 30-minute breakfast stop at Chennapatna, where we savored the unique Modae iddlies, which is a specialty of this South Karnataka town and a 10-minute stop at Café Coffee Day for a java recharge.

Since we had already visited Mysore on an earlier trip, we decided to skip Mysore and take the bypass road to Hunsur, which comes right after Srirangapatna. We encountered a little trouble locating the right junction where we had to make the turn, but a helpful policeman came to our rescue and pointed us towards the right track. From there on we had absolutely no delays as it was one straight road through paddy and sugarcane field that took us through Hunsur – Kempalapura – Piriyapatna –Bylakuppe – Kushalnagara – Suntikoppa till Madikeri, the capital of Coorg District.

Reaching Madekeri around lunch time, we first decided to check into the Homestay which we had booked earlier via the Internet. We were in for a pleasant surprise to find our Homestay “Misty Meadows”, located in the midst of a lush coffee plantation. Mr. and Mrs. Bollu Nanaiah, our hosts, welcomed us with a hot traditional Coorgi meal, which was totally scrumptious. All we needed now was a quick nap, to refresh ourselves before we started exploring the lovely Coorg countryside.

Coorg- the best place for a driving holiday!

Coorg is beautiful hill station that has surprisingly good roads, which makes it a motorist’s paradise and a great destination for a driving holiday. Filled with a serene and picturesque coffee plantations and the usual number of tourist attractions, there is a lot to do for both the enthusiastic tourist and the laid-back traveler.

We decided to take on the role of the ‘enthusiastic tourist’ and take in as many sights as we could during our four-day mini vacation. On the first afternoon, we spent time exploring Madikeri. Madikeri, is a beautiful hill town, which was the seat of many famous kings, including Tipu Sultan. The Madikeri Fort is a beautiful old structure, whose main attraction is two life size masonry elephants and a beautiful church which has been converted into a museum.

Raja Seat, also in Madikeri, offers a panoramic and beautiful view of the surrounding hillside. This spot, favorite of the Rajas of Madikeri, (hence the name), offers the perfect photo op for your family portrait or Facebook profile pic. Kids can have fun in the surrounding park which has a lovely toy train and a musical fountain.

The next day we decided to make the 50 km trip to Talacauvery, the birthplace of the River Cauvery. The drive to Talacauvery was filled with breathtaking sights of beautiful scenery that is too difficult to put down in words. The Talacauvery temple marks the exact spot of the origin of the mighty Cauvery River which provides water for more than half of South India. Driving downhill we stopped by Abby falls, which lies around 8 kms from Madekeri. The enormous roar of water gushing from the falls is truly a spectacular sight to behold.

Our itinerary for next day was to go downhill and explore the various sights recommended by our hostess, Mrs. Nanaiah. We first stopped at Dubare Elephant Camp, where you get to see the elephants’ morning ritual- bathing and eating the specially prepared food. For an extra fee, our daughter enjoyed bathing and feeding a cute little baby elephant. After our elephant ride around the camp, we went to Nisargadama, an island formed by the river Cauvery. Nisargadama, reminiscent of a bamboo forest, boasts of many interesting activities including pedal-boating, elephant rides, deer feeding etc. We spent a few wonderful hours at Nisargadama, enjoying the many activities it offered us.

After lunch we headed to Bylakuppe, near Piriyapatna, which one of the largest and oldest Tibetan settlements in India. We were amazed by the beautiful Tibetian Golden Temple, Namdroling Nyingmapa Monastery and the Sera Monastic University (one of the largest Buddhist universities in the world), all located within the settlement.

On the third day we made the day-long trip to Nagarhole Wildlife Santuary also known as the Rajiv Gandhi National Park, situated around 90 kms from Madikeri. Driving through dense forests and lot of coffee plantations, we stopped enroute at Irupu falls, a scenic unpolluted waterfall, where we had a good time playing in its fresh cool waters. At Nagarhole, we took the jungle safari and managed to photograph a herd of elephants, the Indian bison and lots deer (both the Samba and Spotted varieties). However, we didn’t spot the elusive Indian Tiger for which the National Park is famous for.

The End of an Unforgettable Trip

On the morn of the fourth day, with hearts heavy but refreshed, we said goodbye to our lovely hosts and started back home. Packed along with our luggage were packets of estate coffee, boxes of spices, bottles of forest honey and loads of cherished memories that occupied 16GB of camera space. Driving down to Coorg was a truly enjoyable and unforgettable experience and I urge you to give it a try.

Tips to enjoy a stress- free driving holiday

1.     Always ensure that your vehicle is serviced, and all necessary parts changed before a long road trip. (Check out my previous blog for detailed tips).

2.     Do take along sufficient packaged food that doesn’t spoil easily (like biscuits, nuts, chips, etc.), even if you plan to eat outside. This is even more important if travelling with kids, because one can’t ensure availability of good restaurants in unknown destinations. Mealtimes, can get delayed, so be prepared.

3.     Carry sufficient bottled water with you at all times. You will often find fake products in tourist destinations, which may be harmful and carry contagious bacteria. Once we came across a vendor selling a bottled water which looked exactly like the “Aquafina” brand, however on close inspection we realized it was “Aquabina”, with a “b” and not “f”. Same is the case with aerated drinks.

4.     If travelling with kids, plan fun activities. Take along colouring books, music CD’s, portable video games/DVD players, to keep kids occupied and stop them from squabbling with their siblings. Encourage teens to participate by asking them to navigate, and provide directions using their digital devices.

5.     Carry a small cushion/pillow and blanket, in case someone needs to take rest.

Have a Nice holiday with your family !

Chennai Pondy Heritage rally

While Pondicherry is a great place to explore and love if you are a tourist, it can become a tad dull for the long-term residents.

 However, just as the sky is occasionally brightened with a lovely rainbow, there are some occasions when living in Pondicherry becomes worth  while. One such occasion is the annual The Hindu Chennai-Pondy Heritage Car Rally, which is must-attend event for a motoring buff as myself.

This year (2015), saw an amazing line-up of cars. Jostling amongst the crowds (yes, there was an amazing turnout at the Promenade where the cars were parked for the night!), I managed to catch a good look and capture quite a few of the old beauties on my camera. I am proud to say that almost 90% of the cars (and the few motorbikes and scooters) were maintained in extremely good condition, with shiny exteriors and almost good as new interiors! 

There were quite a few really old models, including a great line-up of Mercedes, Chevrolets, Dodge’s and Buicks, Heralds, Studebakers, Plymouths, Fiats and the old Ambassadors (1959) some of us still use it. Among the line-up, I was really surprised to see a first generation Maruti 800 (1984 model). 

Being 31 years old is considered heritage. 

Thank God this doesn’t apply to us humans.

The best part of the event was that I was able to spot a few cars that hit a personal chord- like my grandfather’s Morris Minor and my other grandpa’s Hindustan 12. 

My favourite picks of the line-up were the Fiats (the Fiat Elegant, the Buck Fiat open roof and Fiat 1100 Estate left hand drive-a rare edition), the two Mini Coopers, a Citroen (the first edition with a front wheel drive), the well-maintained Chevy and Peugeot, and the Buick with wooden doors.

 To a motoring enthusiast, cars -whether old or new- can get the adrenalin going and the 2015 Chennai-Pondy Heritage Car Rally was a sight worth waiting for indeed!

Scroll down to see the pics of the old beauties!

How to increase the life of your vehicle’s tyres Plus everything you ever wished to know about tyres

How to increase the life of your vehicle’s tyres

Plus everything you ever wished to know about tyres

Tyres are an important element in a vehicle, as it is the only contact between the road and your vehicle. It is the friction from the rubber tyres that offers the grip between the vehicle and the road. In the following blogpost, I will be discussing some of the aspects that are needed to be looked into.

Tips to get maximum Tyre life from your existing set of tyres:

1.Wheel alignment & Balancing: To get the best out of your tyres , it is always necessary to do the wheel alignment and wheel balancing regularly. Even “1” mm out of alignment will wear out your tyres faster. Also, if there is any defect in your suspension system, kindly replace the defective component before going for alignment.

Misaligned wheels will make the tyre wear out faster, plus the vehicle will not be able to perform at its optimum level. It will also pull the vehicle to one side.

Unbalanced wheels will give judder (vibrations) in the steering wheel for speeds above 80Km/hr.

Also check for wheel shake and roughness from the wheel bearing. If you find any of these defects, please replace the complete set of bearings on that respective side.

2.Less maneuvering: Gone are the days when almost all vehicle used to have manual steering boxes. Nowadays most of the cars /SUV’s are equipped with power steering.

Advantage

It is easy to steer the vehicle. It is also easy to park the vehicle and easy to drive.

Disadvantages:

a. Many of us tend to steer the vehicle unnecessarily. Especially while the vehicle is standing, we keep turning the steering wheel, often without our knowledge.

 b. When you are crawling in the city traffic we tend to look for gaps and tend to dart by moving either to the left or right.

Such kind of activities tends to wear out the tyres earlier than usual. It also wears out the ball joints in your suspension. Hence we need to consciously control our movements.It is best is to turn the wheel while moving and not turn while the vehicle is standing.

3. Under inflation: This happens when your tyres are under inflated or when people forget to regularly inflate their tyres.

In both the cases, the tyres wear out faster. If you carefully notice the wear pattern of such tyres (ones which are regularly run but under inflated), you can see both of the outer edges of the tyres wearing out faster. The trick is to inflate correctly at regular intervals- the ideal being weekly once.

4. Over Inflation:Some of us tend to over inflate the tyres thinking they will get better mileage. Some overinflate for the reason that they can overload their vehicles (This can be seen in some SUV Taxi’s and Commercial vehicles). If you regularly overinflate the tyres you will be clearly able to see the symptoms, where the centre of the tyre would be more worn out than the edges. This causes the vehicle to have a hard ride when going over bumps, potholes and the vehicle tends to be skittish when under braking and cornering. So it is always better to stick to the manufacturers recommended pressure.

5. Highway Driving:  When you are travelling for long distances on the highways and especially over broken patches of tarmac, it is good to increase your tyre pressure by 2 to 3 psi, as this will give a little bit of resistance towards acquiring punctures. Basically this trick makes the tyre harder, so any sharp objects that come across get bounced. If the tyre is softer it tends to attract sharper objects. On the plus side is also gives better mileage.

Caution:  Do not do this regularly on a day to day basis, otherwise it will spoil the tyre.

6.Tube type tyres:  Some cars /SUV’s still use Tube type tyres even though majority of them have shifted to Tubeless tyres.

Butyl tubes: Many reputed manufacturers make tubes which are of butyl type.It is always better to go for such tubes.(Look for the butyl stamp on the side of the tubes). The advantage of such types of tubes is that it will retain tyre pressure for a longer period. It is also lighter in construction, hence less of balancing weights.

Natural tubes: Such tubes are made by many small time manufacturers .The first thing that you will notice is that it will be heavier than the Butyl tubes. Normally such type of tubes will start losing air within air 2 to 3 days’ time. You will have to pump air every week.

 Caution: Never buy this type tubes unless it is an emergency situation.

7.Nitrogen:  If possible always  fill your tyres with nitrogen, instead of natural air.

Advantage: Nitrogen helps in retaining the tyre pressure for a longer time. It helps to run the tyre at a cooler temperature, preventing the increase in tyre pressure when running long distance (Normal air tends to expands due to heat buildup). This in turn avoids blowouts on highways.

8. Avoid jerky movements: While driving always try to drive smoothly. Avoid jerky movements like constant turning of steering wheels, sudden braking and sudden acceleration. By avoiding all these it will directly increase your tyre life.

Tips to be kept in mind while replacing old tyres:

9. Age of tyres:  Sometimes the car/SUV would have covered very less mileage              (Kms) and still there will be lot of tyre tread left in the tyre. But take time to notice carefully on the sidewalls of the tyre if you can observe any tiny cracks or chip marks on the tyre. This is usually found on tyres that are more than 3 years old. It is better to replace such kind of tyres in the interest of safety and especially if you travel a lot on the highways.

Caution: Always go for good brands with available with warranty. A list of commonly available good brands in India: 1.Goodyear 2.MRF 3. Bridgestone 5.Apollo 6.JK Tyres, etc. If possible, avoid going for Chinese tyres without warranty and rebuilt tyres.

10.Upgradingyour old tyres: When you replace your old tyre try to stick to manufacturer recommended sizes .

Some people go for upsize tyres. Some manufacturers recommend particular size of tyre for upgrade.

The common mistake that most people make is to go for the fattest tyres possible and lower  sidewall height.

When you do so, please also check whether the width of the car tyre is fouling with the body.

Caution: When you go for a lower sidewall tyre (smaller side wall height), you will usually encounter a harsher ride, especially, when you are going over bumps or potholes at a high speed. It will cause damage to your tyre and also to your rims, especially if it is fitted with alloy rims. Alloy rims will get chipped and metal one’s will get bent.

Lower side walls are preferable only for racing and for good roads with no potholes. In India, we often encounter bad roads and so it will be prudent to choose tyres with higher sidewall height.

Wish you a happy motoring experience !

My Sipani D1 Car Project

The Sipani - D1 Car Project

The Diesel Cars of the early 90’s in the hatchback segment

In the early 90’s there used to be shortage of good quality Diesel cars in the small car segment. Only 2 cars came with a diesel engine-one car was the good old Amby with a Trekker engine and the other was Premier Padmini ( a la Fiat 1100) with a V.M. Motori derived engine called 137 D. The new entrant in the market was Sipani Motors of Bangalore. Sipani Motors was assembling Rover Montego cars apart from manufacturing Sipani-D1 cars. These Sipani cars bodyshell was derived from Daihatsu charade and the Diesel engine was borrowed from Autoland engines. The engine was made in India under the collaboration from British Leyland. This engine was primarily used in Tractors and Trawlers (Boats) in those days.

About Sipani Motors

Sipani Motors started its life by manufacturing 3 wheelers with glass fibre body car called Badal and was primarily sold only in Bangalore. In the early 80’s they went into collaboration with a British company called Reliant motors. The car they made was the ‘Reliant kitten’ and in India it was called “Dolphin”. This particular car was a Fibre bodied model with 2 doors, and had an 850cc petrol engine. It weighed only 530 kgs. The whole engine and gear box was made in aluminum and the differential crown was in aluminum too. It had a tremendous power to weight ration advantage. It gave good mileage plus it was very peppy. This car was the undisputed king in the small car category (850cc) & dominated the Sholavaram races, with many races won by Mr. Jayaram of Coimbatore and Dr Saboo of Chennai. It also won many rallies, particularly the South India rally and the Karnataka rally in the hands of Vicky Chandhok (father of Karun Chandhok – former F1 Indian driver).

‘Dolphin’ was primarily a 2 door car, so Sipani modified the car to a 4 door configuration called ‘Montana’. This car sold more numbers than Dolphin, so they went slightly upmarket by manufacturing the Sipani-D1.The car’s body was derived from ‘Daihatsu Charade’ with the engine from Autoland and a slightly modified gearbox from Dolphin cars.

Advantage of these cars:

1. Great looks in those days.

2. Peppy engine.

3. Rust proof FRP body panels.

4. Wider body and more leg room than the present day Tata Indica.

My experience with this car

I bought this car during the 90’s and used it. When it had covered a little more than 10,000kms of running, it started giving one problem after the other. The engineer in me started thinking of sorting out the problem. Since this car came with a chassis and a bolt on body and a with North South engine configuration, it is easy to modify.

The various issues that I tackled- and won!

1^st issue- Gear box: The first main problem was the gearbox. Although, there was nothing specifically wrong with the gear box, it was not meant for the 1500cc Diesel engine. So it kept failing frequently. In those days the straight swap was the Amby Gearbox. There was no major modification needed, because the bell housing was the same. The only modification needed was the gear lever to be converted from column shift to floor shift. Since it was popularly assumed that the Amby’s trekker engine was a copy of Autoland engine, (which is a British Leyland engine) most of the parts were the same for both the engines. This gearbox was not an all synchromesh Gearbox as the original gear box of the Sipani and hence it was arm wrenching to change the gears. Any way the gearbox was changed to an Amby. gearbox.

2^nd issue- Brakes:  Braking was another issue with this car. Once while I was driving, I banged my car into the car in front, due to poor braking efficiency. I ended up repairing both cars. I had to change the bumper, radiator, A/c condenser etc. I knew from experience that the car used a Maruti 800 front and rear brake cylinder assembly. So I started to hunt for something in the Maruti range. I got a Maruti Esteem Master cylinder with brake booster assembly. I had to alter the lines to suit the new Master cylinder assembly.

                      The next hurdle I faced was getting the vacuum from the engine. I tried getting vacuum from the suction manifold of the engine, but it was not enough. Next, I tried fitting an extra vacuum pump, but it was not possible, since there was no provision on the engine block. To solve this issue I bought an Alternator with vacuum pump assy (Tata Sierra unit).To get the vacuum pump running I needed to get an oil line, and luckily I found a dummy in the engine block from which I found oil supply to the alternator. For the return line I could not drain it in the crankcase since it was flooding faster, so the return line was rerouted to the rocker assembly cover from where the oil drained back to the sump.

                    Now the brakes were working fine and it was way better than before. Now I could brake harder, unfortunately the extra brake torque broke my Lower ‘A” arm. Again I had to hunt in the market for an extra strong lower arm. But even then it was not enough, so I had to do some extra reinforcement to make stronger. After this modification, the brakes held perfectly well.

3^rdissue-Ride height:  When the car was marketed it came with Maruti 800  12” inch wheels. The ride height was very low and it was scrapping the speed breakers. When I checked for the PCD ( pitch circle dia) it was the same as Maruti Esteem , so I went for direct swap of 13” inch wheels from Maruti Esteem. I found that the wheels were fouling with the body, so I had to raise the suspension height to stop it from fouling. This sorted out the problem.

4^th issue- A/c Alteration: I fitted a Sanden A/c unit for the car. Unfortunately it was overheating the engine, so I had to make a custom made radiator which was of the 3 core layer type. I also added an electric fan for the a/c condenser unit.

5^th issue- H/L Alteration:  The original headlight was of poor quality and it was getting rusted. I replaced it with a Maruti Esteem headlight unit.

6^th isuue- the Gear box issue continues: Apart from the Gear box being very stubborn to change gears, the release bearing was getting worn out very fast-within 15,000kms. The simple reason being it was made of carbon type release bearing and not the latest roller bearing type. Every time you have to change this release bearing you would have to bring down the gear box from the engine and it was becoming a nuisance. Plus, it used to cost Rs 1500/- each time to do the job. I decided to change the gearbox with a 5 speed unit. I got a Contessa Isuzu 5 speed gearbox. The outside of the bell housing was fine, but the inside of the bell housing was fouling with the flywheel. We had to grind the Gear box casing a little bit but we couldn’t do more because the wall thickness might get affected, since it is made up of Aluminum. The next step was to shave of the flywheel and we shaved about 3 to 4 mm from the flywheel.

                      The next hurdle we faced was that the old ring gear could not be fixed. I had to hunt for a suitable ring gear and I found it in the form of the Matador F 307 engine Ring gear. Another problem was the old starter motor was not engaging with the new Ring Gear. The Matador starter was big and it was fouling with the Engine block. Then we found another match in an Isuzu starter motor. We had to alter the Engine block back plate for all the components to be aligned properly. Now this job was completed properly.

7^th issue-Propellershaft: The old propeller could not be used for 2 reasons. 1^st issue was it was longer. 2^nd issue was the new one was a free floating type and coupled only in the differential side. I got hold of a Contessa propeller and sliced it to fit the length. The mounting points were all altered to fit the new unit. The car was ready for a trial run.

8^th issue-Speedometer: The car was peppy to drive and the vibrations in the car also were considerably reduced. We encountered one more problem in the speedometer. The speedo needle was lazy to climb and we found the reason to be the difference in the differential ratio, even though both Contessa & Sipani –D1 were  running on 13 inch wheels.  After many trials and errors, we found the approximate difference. We took the car to the meter shop and again after lot of trial and error we more or less found a correct match. We had to order a specifically made Speedo cable for this operation. We found the car was peppy and it gave a decent mileage of 14 km/Ltr inside city and 18 to 19Km/Ltr outside city limits.

9^th issue-Electricals: After all these modifications, we found that the car’s electricals were pathetic. We had to completely rewire the car and install a 100 AH battery, since the Alternator was of the Tata Sierra type.

Car Display

We found the car was working perfectly, so we decided to take the car to the factory in Hosur. The management was happy to see these kinds of modifications in the car. Unfortunately the company had shifted their priorities. They were now more interested in making ‘Rover Montego Cars’. They were also busy preparing for the launch of their new vehicle called ‘Arjun’, which is still plying in many parts of rural India with a Single cylinder Greaves Lambardini Diesel Engine.

Conclusion

 I drove this car for around 77,000kms during the 5 years when it belonged to me. Then I sold it for Rs. 72,000/-. I really enjoyed altering the car. Some people might question whether it was worth it all. In my opinion this car allowed me to test my skills to the max and to test the maximum extent of technical boundaries that I could push in that period of time (late 90’s). In some areas I had to take lot of risk during the project, if there was any miscalculation during the project the whole car would have become a scrap.

  Any way I had a good time with that car!

My sincere thanks to the people who helped me in the project:

1. Mr. Krishnamurthy

2. Mr. Gisulal

3. Mr. Raja

4. Mr. Rocky

5. Mr. Jamsheed

4. M/s Amman Auto Works, Chennai

5 .M/s Annai Lathe Works, Chennai

6. M/s Angel Meter Works, Chennai

7. M/s J. J. Auto Spares, Chennai

Top 10 Precautions to be taken during Wet Weather Driving

              Top 10 Precautions to be taken during Wet Weather Driving

    1.  The first thing to keep in mind before the wet season starts is to check your brakes, especially if it is grabby or hard or if you experience delayed braking or any other faults. Get your brakes serviced with a trusted mechanic.

Common faults to be aware of
a. Pedal going inside: Replace Master cylinder.
b.Grabby feel (inconsistent braking) : Overhaul front caliper assembly & replace your rear wheel cylinders.
c. Pedal staying on top: check your Power brake booster & Vacuum lines.

2.     Get your wiper blades changed. Old wiper blades tend to cause & smears in glass during wet weather, reducing visibility. If you are confronted with reduced visibility due to heavy downpour and/or because of a broken down wiper, a layman’s solution is to wipe your windscreen using dried tobacco leaves. It will reduce the rain droplets remaining on the windscreen. (Available in all petty shops throughout India).

3.     During wet weather driving, smooth driving should be the top priority. Avoid hard moves such as sudden braking, acceleration and turning sharply.

4.     Give more space to the vehicle in front than you usually do in normal dry weather. It gives additional space for braking. The stopping distance will increase while braking in the wet.

5.     Always brake gently and do not brake harshly.

6.     When you are driving in lightly flooded roads (water level coming up to brake drum level or ankle level). When you come out of the flooded water, always tap your brakes and dry it before trying any emergency stopping. (Keep your foot on the brake lightly without stopping, left foot on the brakes & right foot on the accelerator).

7.     When the flooded water is up to bumper level (Knee height) think twice before driving in these roads. If it is absolutely essential to drive in such conditions, make sure that water does not enter your exhaust tail pipe. If the water enters the tail pipe the engine will stall & stop.
           An important trick is to keep the engine RPM steady. To get this thing done, select 2^nd gear and slowly enter the flooded road (Make sure water level does not go above bumper level). Always control your Car/SUV speed through the Clutch & not via Accelerator (Applicable only in flooded roads/wet weather). Keep the engine RPM @ 200 to 300 rpm above engine idle speed & hold the accelerator steady. Do not take your foot of the accelerator at any cost. Control your speed through clutch and hand brake.

8.     When the water level is above bumper level (Think 10 times before entering the water). Chances of water getting into electrical components is more, hence leading to more chance of a breakdown.

a. Petrol cars:  Chances of water getting sprayed into electrical system, spark plug, ECU’s etc., is more. Even if you drive carefully chances of stalling the engine is high.

b. Diesel cars: See to that water level does not get above intake manifold, exhaust manifold, Alternator, Electrical fans and ECU’s etc.

9.  Causeways/ culverts: Do not enter such unknown waters. Even if you see some buses or trucks crossing the channel do not attempt to cross it. Remember your family is more important than crossing such wild waters (flash floods).


10.  Here’s what to do if you have been forced to drive in flood water. Start your car the next day and drive it to dry out the brakes. Remove any remaining water in the clutch casing. Take your vehicle to the mechanic and check your engine oil, Gear box & Differential for water mixing in the oil. If you find any trace of water in any of these areas, immediately drain the oil &replace it with fresh oil. Check your alternator & starter for water ingress.
       As far as water entering the cabin and soaking up the carpet. Keep the car in sunlight & open your windows and doors. Allow it to dry thoroughly otherwise you will get a stale smell in the car/ SUV.

Have a safe journey!

 photo courtesy: www.commons.wikimedia.org

Top 10 Hill Driving Techniques

Top 10 Hill Driving Techniques

(Especially applicable to the Indian Ghat sections)

The driving etiquette of the hills is to always give preference to upcoming vehicles.

1.     Precautions to be taken for both the vehicle & the driver before  going on a hill trip.

o   Always check the vehicle’s brakes before on going on hill journey.

o   Check your vehicle for overheating issues and if present make sure that you get your radiator overhauled.

o   Check your vehicle’s electricals and if there is an issue, ensure that it is sorted out. (Cars/SUV’s equipped with electric fan and its circuit).

o   Remember to change your wiper blades before starting. (Old wiper blades, which turn hard with time, can cause smudge marks or scratches, thereby reducing visibility- a priority in hill driving).

o   See to it that your vehicle is equipped with good footwear (Tyres with good buttons).

o   Take good rest before starting on a journey.

o   In case you feel sleepy on the way, stop for a short nap to refresh yourself.

o   Take a break after every 1 ½  hours to 2 hours  of continuous driving. If drowsy have a cup of tea.

o   Stretch yours arms and legs while taking a break.

o   Know both your vehicles strength, and your strength and capabilities, before starting on a journey. Do not push your vehicle or yourself beyond that point.

o   In case you find yourself frequently yawning, it either signifies fatigue or an excessive buildup of Carbon Monoxide. In case of the later, open your windows and let fresh air in for 10 minutes. If you still continue to yawn, stop your vehicle immediately.

2.     When you are starting your climb always go in a steady speed and preferably use the 2^nd or 3^rd gear depending on the slope.

3.     Remember to always follow the hill rule of giving way to vehicles which are climbing uphill. People who drive on the hills regularly always follow this rule. (If a vehicle stops with the intention to let you pass, give a honk- it means ‘thank you’ in hill driving language)

4.     Try to avoid using the A/C while climbing uphill. This prevents overheating issues & additional power is also available from the engine for climbing. (You further benefit from the fresh mountain air).

5.     When you stop your vehicle while climbing always use the handbrake. Remember to put your vehicle on some gear if you are shutting down the engine especially if it is manual transmission. Keep a stone or a wooden block behind the rear tyre, which prevents the vehicle from moving backwards. (For Auto transmission put it in park mode).

6.     If you discover a burnt smell (the first sign of overheating), stop your vehicle immediately & pull over to the corner. Do not shut down the engine on any account. Just keep the engine running a little above idling speed and wait till the engine cools down. Wait till the temperature is within normal operating range before shutting down.

7.     In case your vehicle is boiling (if you see steam coming out of your vehicle), stop your vehicle & pull over to the corner of the road. Do not open the radiator cap immediately. Wait for the engine to cool down first. Hold a thick cloth in your hand & open the cap slowly. Do not open the cap immediately or take away your hand from it. Press down the cap tightly with your hand & slowly remove the excess pressure & steam from the system. Only after making sure that all the steam is gone, open the cap completely. Top up the water in the radiator as required.

8.     Always maintain a steady rhythm while driving. Do not make abrupt changes in direction or speed by sudden slowing, braking or accelerating. Keep to the left in countries where keep to the left rule is followed & never overspeed while climbing. The trick to hill driving is smooth driving. (Rash driving in the hills is also a contributing factor in motion sickness (vomiting). Sucking on a toffee or chewing on a piece of gum will provide some relief).

9.     Always honk while approaching a corner which warns the driver coming in the opposite direction.

10.   Get your vehicle fitted with real fog lamps (Dark yellow coloured ones).The idea behind using these specially coloured lights, is that it will penetrate the fog in the mountains. Ordinary lights which the manufacturers provide in their cars will not penetrate the fog.

(Remember in the mountains, if the temperature is right & if it starts raining fog will appear immediately)

Down hill driving:

1.     While coming down the hill always use the 2^nd gear for coming down. Even if it is too slow it does not matter. You will be using engine braking rather than regular brakes .Continuous usage of brakes will lead to overheating of the brakes.

(Remember safety of family comes first).

2.     Do not drive with your leg on the brakes all the time. This will lead to overheating of brakes and can lead to brake failure.

(Example: The Kalhatti Ghat section between Ooty and Mudumalai Wild Life Sanctuary is very steep. A police man is always seen standing there and warning all passing vehicles to use only the 2^nd gear while climbing down, but many do not follow it. This results in quite a lot of accidents happening in this section with brake failures being the main reason).

Bon Voyage! Enjoy your sojourn in the hills and be sure to leave your comments in the box below.