Anything I can do to cause minimum wear on my transmission?

[overst33r]

I just got my first car (2000 toyota corolla 75K) and i think im doing fine for a first timer, i havent stalled yet...

When i approach a red light, i usually slow down with the engine to conserve the brakes. Should i stop doing that?

Also, my shift pattern while driving relaxed is 1st- 10, 2nd- 25, 3rd- 35, 4th- 45, 5th 55+

I dont have an RPM meter in the car so i just do it by ear.

Any tips?

 

[arcenite]

Originally posted by: mariok2006
I just got my first car (2000 toyota corolla 75K) and i think im doing fine for a first timer, i havent stalled yet...

When i approach a red light, i usually slow down with the engine to conserve the brakes. Should i stop doing that?

Also, my shift pattern while driving relaxed is 1st- 10, 2nd- 25, 3rd- 35, 4th- 45, 5th 55+

I dont have an RPM meter in the car so i just do it by ear.

Any tips?

a manual transmission is pretty well protected against wear and tear... just don't grind gears and it'll last you forever.

 

[mugs]

Shifting at those speeds is pretty typical for non-aggressive acceleration based on the cars I've driven.

I don't bother with engine braking usually. Brakes are cheap.

Edit: People with an "RPM meter" (tachometer ) don't look at it while they're driving usually, they're watching the road. I do it by ear too.

Edit 2: I do engine brake while going down hills, especially the big-ass hills in West Virginia on I-70/470.

 

[wasssup]

i'd rather wear out my pads than my tranny..that being said i usually downshift once or twice while approaching a red light and then clutch in when rev's drop too low for 3rd or 4th (or whatever it's in)...i gotta stop doing this.

 

[ironcrotch]

keep your foot on the clutch, all teh time

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: ironcrotch
keep your foot on the clutch, all teh time

Don't rest your foot on the clutch ever.

 

[jlee]

Originally posted by: wasssup
i'd rather wear out my pads than my tranny..that being said i usually downshift once or twice while approaching a red light and then clutch in when rev's drop too low for 3rd or 4th (or whatever it's in)...i gotta stop doing this.

You're not going to hurt your transmission. I had a Corolla that's getting close to 180,000 miles now..my truck has over 170,000 (both 1998 models)..yours is hardly broken in yet.

Edit: Toyota's maximum recommended shifting speeds for 98-02 Corollas:
1-2: 33mph
2-3: 55mph
3-4: 80mph
4-5: n/a

You /can/ hit about 35mph in first, close to 60 in second, 84-85 in 3rd, and the limiter in 4th.

 

[sniperruff]

just redline it to 9k like you'd do to an NSX-R on GT4

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

Don't downshift every gear to save wear on the brakes - look at how much more you're using the clutch, just hit the brakes and go into neutral once the rpm drops to something like 1500 rpm or whatever feels comfortable. Clutch costs much more than brake pads so try and save the clutch.

Other than that, don't try to shift very fast or race through the gears flooring it just yet, get comfortable with how it works first. If you build a bad habit and then drive hard on the car with the bad habit it'll be very bad for the tranny.

 

[jlee]

Originally posted by: AgaBoogaBoo
Don't downshift every gear to save wear on the brakes - look at how much more you're using the clutch, just hit the brakes and go into neutral once the rpm drops to something like 1500 rpm or whatever feels comfortable. Clutch costs much more than brake pads so try and save the clutch.

Other than that, don't try to shift very fast or race through the gears flooring it just yet, get comfortable with how it works first. If you build a bad habit and then drive hard on the car with the bad habit it'll be very bad for the tranny.

Personally, I prefer to stay in gear - control is a good thing.

 

[overst33r]

Originally posted by: mugs

Originally posted by: ironcrotch
keep your foot on the clutch, all teh time

Don't rest your foot on the clutch ever.

i make sure not to do that

 

[MikeMike]

your style of engine brakeing is very common, and done properly does minimal wear and tear.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: CadetLee

Personally, I prefer to stay in gear - control is a good thing.

I hear that all the time, that you're not supposed to take it out of gear. But never in my 7 years of driving have I been in a situation where I was slowing down and needed to suddenly accelerate to avoid an accident. Not that takeing it out of gear is better, it isn't... I just don't want to bother with downshifting once I hit the point where I can't stay in the gear I was driving in.

 

[MasterAndCommander]

Sounds like you are doing good.

 

[thedarkwolf]

PLEASE GOD NOT ANOTHER ENGINE BRAKING VS BRAKES THREAD FOR GODS SAKE I WILL KILL EVERY ONE OF YOU.

 

[natto fire]

Originally posted by: thedarkwolf
PLEASE GOD NOT ANOTHER ENGINE BRAKING VS BRAKES THREAD FOR GODS SAKE I WILL KILL EVERY ONE OF YOU.

ROFL. Post of the night :thumbsup:

 

[diapickle]

Originally posted by: mariok2006
Also, my shift pattern while driving relaxed is 1st- 10, 2nd- 25, 3rd- 35, 4th- 45, 5th 55+

You seriously look at the speedometer to shift? If you don't have a tachometer just shift by ear.

 

[DainBramaged]

Originally posted by: thedarkwolf
PLEASE GOD NOT ANOTHER ENGINE BRAKING VS BRAKES THREAD FOR GODS SAKE I WILL KILL EVERY ONE OF YOU.

lol

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

Brake pads are cheaper than a new tranny. so go figure.

 

[MazerRackham]

I usually rev to 8k RPM and start in 6th gear in my RSX-S.

 

[garkon]

Originally posted by: thedarkwolf
PLEASE GOD NOT ANOTHER ENGINE BRAKING VS BRAKES THREAD FOR GODS SAKE I WILL KILL EVERY ONE OF YOU.

Great.

 

[WolverineGator]

Double Clutch. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_declutch

 

[PeeluckyDuckee]

What about starting the vehicle in 2nd gear instead of 1st?

 

[jlee]

Originally posted by: DLeRium
Brake pads are cheaper than a new tranny. so go figure.

<-- wonders how many people actually drive cars with manual trannies

Originally posted by: PeeluckyDuckee
What about starting the vehicle in 2nd gear instead of 1st?

No need to. It is /possible/ to start in even in third, but definitely not a good thing to do.

 

[overst33r]

Originally posted by: diapickle

Originally posted by: mariok2006
Also, my shift pattern while driving relaxed is 1st- 10, 2nd- 25, 3rd- 35, 4th- 45, 5th 55+

You seriously look at the speedometer to shift? If you don't have a tachometer just shift by ear.

yes when i first started driving, but after a couple of days, i learned to use my ear.