tajabaho1

is pressing the brakes not good enough for you?

ask Atilla what happens when u do it

staticlag

Pressing the clutch in puts load on your clutch throwout bearing and the clutch cover forks.

As per the service manual, it is not good to subject these to constant load (section on adjusting the clutch piston play).

So I would assume that its probably not good to subject them to unnecessary temporary load as well.

Think of the clutch pedal and the shifter as hot rocks. Touch each for the minimum amount of time necessary to complete the shift.

SideOfBacon

those talking about a clutch.. read the title.. says auto...

Renesis07

iTrader: (1)

d stands for drive so use that when your moving. N is ok when you're stopped but I wouldn't do the whole drive to neutral at 40 mph thing, can't be good for the car

zerobio

This is what I have always thought. If you are not switching gears, I didn't think it wore on the clutch. If I am at a stop light, I'll keep it in first with foot on the brake. If I'm waiting for a train to pass or a really long light, I'll put it in neutral. But if just sitting there with the clutch all the way in DOES wear it a bit, I'll change my practices.

JunJTan

don't need to do it at all. but if you really wanna do it, it maybe only relax your feet.

Spinning Sushi

iTrader: (21)

Basically, if you're on a hill and you're using the clutch to not move back, you're basically wearing the clutch out by alot. The reason to this is because the clutch is not making full contact with the surface. This causes alot of friction while it's scraping each others thus causes it to wear out alot faster.
Also, when you keep your foot on the clutch pedal, over time, the throw out bearing gets loose and starts making a noise on the 8 for some reason.

Renesis07

iTrader: (1)

:my quick rant:
Why do people keep trying to drive/maintain/etc these vehicles in ways unintended by the manufacturers? I mean the owners manual says 5w20 oil only yet people use 5w30 synthetic, all you need is to put the vehicle in D to drive but some people argue putting it in neutral will save .5 gallons of gas. Im not trying to criticize people who do the small alterations with maintenence but why? I mean are the benefits honestly worth the risk of harming components of the vehicle? and thats an honest question, not just a smartass comment.

tajabaho1

I +1

SilverStreak

Agree with not riding the clutch on a hill that is why I use the brake as well. Hadn't thought about the pressure on the throwout bearing but I still have had long lasting clutches.

Back to our regularly scheduled post question....sounds like ATs are fine left in drive.

daisuke

forget danger and legality, if you're worried about gas mileage then remember that putting any car in neutral when going down a hill is going to burn more gas than if you left it in gear because any car in gear decelerating down a hill is using NO gas, if you put it neutral you're using as much fuel as you are when idling and then a bit more because it will idle at more than normal idle speed (usually 1200 rpm in almost every car)

Aside from fuel consumption, having an auto box in neutral while moving is bad for your tranny, all car makers tell you never to tow an automatic on it's driven axle, even if it's in neutral. I don't remember the reason but there is a maximum distance you can tow an automatic in case you absolutely have to, I remember it was 80 miles max on the old thunderbird I used to have. (slushbox.. never again)

putting an auto box into neutral at a stoplight doesn't make sense, sure you're not dragging the slushbox a bit by having the engine out of gear and saving just a bit of gas, but that's called being really stingy, it's not going to make a difference

DOMINION

Yeah but I tryed every Co. under the Sun. No one makes a Torque Converter for our Car

tajabaho1

yea they do dom, the one that comes factory, aftermarket is a different story, we hopeless yo!

nonconfrontational

Okay I'm off-topic here, but I've heard you shouldn't get an SUV or truck with an MT. Doesn't it kill your clutch when you have to tow something? (Please don't make fun, I really don't know and this is what I've heard.)

SilverStreak

It really depends on how well you drive with a clutch and the weight of what you are towing. If you aren't very good with a clutch, then yes you could wear a clutch towing, but realize that many of the tractor-trailers are manuals (at least they used to be). As far as towing with an SUV, I've done it with mine with no ill effects. But if I had something like a travel trailer or heavier boat that I trailed around a lot, I'd probably go auto just for the convenience.

tajabaho1

76k on original clutch? wtf I cant even go 10k on it, well, I drive my car like a crazed maniac

nycgps

iTrader: (1)

Someone didnt read the OP's post

Ross_Dawg

iTrader: (2)

lol considering that the only reason the clutch wears out is when its halfway engaged, not fully engaged like at stops.

RotaryP7

I had 3-4 people complain about this.. I'm not rolling down a hill going 30-40 mph and just riding it on N.. I meant, I sometimes leave it in neutral when there's a hill, but I switch it to drive right after, why would I leave it on N and ride myself down?

And yes, it's retarded, I rarely do it. Not saying I haven't. But on a regular road, if I know the light just turned red or if I know I'll be waiting a while, putting it on N is my best friend.

the stig

LOL funny SHI*




just do what ever is easy for you, doesnt hurt to put it in D or N. if you want to be cool and rev your car in N then put it in N.

for manual cars, i leave it in N when i come to a stop. i don't think either way is bad.

kersh4w

iTrader: (3)

i call bs on this statement.

as far as im concerned, the higher the rpms, the more gas is being used. if i roll down a hill at 1k rpm in neutral im using less gas than if roll down the hill at 2.5k rpm in gear. how can you say the car is using no gas? thats an out right fallacy. first, all the electronics are being powered by the alternator, which is powered by the motor. so taking everything else out of the equation, you are still using gas.

please explain to me, how a higher rpm in gear uses less gas than a lower rpm in neutral?

the stig

+1

when your car is ON you are using gas. doesnt matter what gear you are in you are using gas. and N does use less gas than when you are going down hill in low gear and going up like 3k or 4k rpm. lower the RPM lower gas consuming

badmojo

Which requires more throttle? Going up a hill at 3000 rpm or going down a hill at 3000 rpm? You're at the same rpm either way, but going up is obviously going to burn more gas.

When you go down the hill in gear, gravity turns your wheels, which turn the engine. If you shift into neutral you disconnect the wheels from the engine, so it has to inject enough fuel to maintain idle revs.