Morning All, I hope you are all keeping Covid free and safe?
I have a predicament with my L405 3litre diesel V6.
It's not getting driven at all at the moment as I have no valid reason to go anywhere.
I don't want to abandon the car but if I do as previously mentioned, which is start it up and leave it idling, it gets the oil circulating round the engine but surely the DPF is getting sooted up and causing more of a problem?
What would you do? Just leave a trickle charger (Ctech MXS 5) connected or start the engine every now and then? Or both?
Thanks for any advice

I am sure lots of us are in exactly the same quandary.
B.B. has been stood in my garage since Christmas Day, when I last took it out for a decent run.
The green lamp on stage 7 of my Ctek 5 is glowing, showing fully charged, but it is stoned cold, so obviously not drawing any charging current, so at least for the present I am just leaving it connected.
Mike. G reg 2.5VM Vogue Portofino red 1991- 1999
V reg 2.5td P38 Rioja red 1999- 2006
53 reg td6 Vogue Oslo blue 2006- 2015
11 reg 4.4 TdV8 Vogue SE. Baltic blue 2015- date.
https://www.fullfatrr.com/forum/topic56162...tty+affair

There is a school of though that suggests just letting a car idle, doesn't stress the engine enough to properly attain working temperature and therefore can create more problems than it protects agains.

My M3 sits in the garage from October to spring with the CTEK left on...... and I never start it until its ready for a proper run and I've had the car 6 years. Current FF Westminster 4.4 V8

Noco is a good alternative to a ctek but cheaper. I swapped when my ctek gave up the ghost

The lockdown won't be that long so just leave on trickle charger, it won't do it any harm. Occasionally starting and not driving will create condensation and then corrosion internally over time.
If you do start it make sure you go for a decent run out.

Leave it alone, leave it plugged in. Not doing any harm sitting. Repeatedly starting and not allowing the engine to come up to temp fully will cause more problems.

As above my M3 had been sat in my garage since November, not moved or started it it’s just plugged into the ctek There is nothing that can't be fixed with a hammer😜😜
FFRR 4.4 SDV8 Autobiography Santorini Black.
Fiat 500x 1.4 multiair Lounge 2015
2010 LR D4 Commercial 2.7 TDV6

Ctek it. Job done.
Do mine weekly via towing socket adaptor off the shop Superb piece of kit  2011 4.4 TDV8 Vogue SE Buckingham Blue with Ivory and clear glass = "Rory"
New Defender D300 90 on order so "Rory" will be going to a new home....!
1974 Series 3 Lightweight = "Millie"
My preferred specialist: www.glenrands.co.uk
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As I don't have tow electrics, is it possible to connect my ctek to the accessory socket in the boot?

Or should I connect it to the main battery cable that comes into the RH rear cubby? 2017 4.4 SDV8 Autobiography
2012 4.4 TDV8 Westminster - Gone, but not forgotten

The noco charger I have had an odb2 socket adapter, works great for the time I need to charge it.

I just connect my charger directly to the battery in the boot using the ctek adaptor. The charger sits on top of the spare wheel and the extension lead cable passes through the tailgate lids quite comfortably.

Gr4h4m wrote:

The noco charger I have had an odb2 socket adapter, works great for the time I need to charge it.

Rob99,
You can’t use the accessories socket in the boot because it shuts down as the car goes to sleep.

I connect my Ctek to the main battery feed in the boot and that works well for me.

Click image to enlarge

We are just swopping our cars around as my other half is still going to work, but as above leaving it say for a few weeks feels better than starting without going for a good run! Sold - Bell a 2015 MY16 Loire Blue Autobiography 4.4 SDV8
Previously George a 2007 MY07 Java Black VSE 3.6 TDV8
Previously a 04 MY04 Defender 90

@Baltic Blue - Where would I find the main battery feed in the boot? 2011 TDV8 Vogue SE

Dennij,

Just a couple of seconds to remove the drivers side cubby hole cover and all is revealed