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RichieZ

Diamond Member
Jun 1, 2000
6,551
40
91
Originally posted by: schizoid77
Neutral, I usually coast up to red lights, no need to waste gas just to come to a stop.

supposedly this actually uses more gas, as the engine has to use gas to keep the engine idling. if you are in gear the momentum continues to keep the engine turning.

anyways back to the OP's question, I put it in neutral.
 

Zenmervolt

Elite member
Oct 22, 2000
24,514
44
91
Originally posted by: jhu
Originally posted by: Zenmervolt

I have to question the accuracy of the car using more gasoline with the clutch depressed vs being in neutral. When the transmission is in neutral, the engine is spinning the transmission shafts and incurring the additional resistance of the transmission fluid. I have a difficult time believing that the throwout bearing has more resistance than the transmission. (Even in neutral, the input shaft and layshaft are both still spinning and having to overcome the resistance of the gear lube.)

ZV

you can question it, but that's what my scangauge 2 tells me: +0.05-0.07 gph above baseline when the clutch peddle is pressed down. that's on a 2008 jetta.

I fully understand that's how you got the number. I still question it. It doesn't make sense on the surface. If there are other pieces in the equation (different ECU profile when it detects the clutch is pressed, increase in RPM when the clutch is pressed, etc), then it starts to make some sense, but even then that difference is within the margin of error for those sorts of tools.

ZV
 

Zenmervolt

Elite member
Oct 22, 2000
24,514
44
91
Originally posted by: Vic
I always shift into neutral, clutch out.

Heat is the enemy of clutches. And the only time clutches suffer heat fatigue is when they are being asked to dispel energy, i.e. anytime your foot is on the pedal. The less of that, the better.

Look, if you want no hassle, buy an auto.

If a clutch cannot handle idling with the pedal fully to the floor, it's defective. Period. The clutch isn't dissipating energy when the pedal is fully pressed, the clutch is free of the flywheel and not encountering any appreciable friction. This falls into the same category as saving the throwout bearing; it just plain doesn't make a difference in the real world.

ZV
 

schizoid77

Senior member
Mar 4, 2008
357
0
0
Originally posted by: RichieZ
Originally posted by: schizoid77
Neutral, I usually coast up to red lights, no need to waste gas just to come to a stop.

supposedly this actually uses more gas, as the engine has to use gas to keep the engine idling. if you are in gear the momentum continues to keep the engine turning.

anyways back to the OP's question, I put it in neutral.


I did not know this. You use more gas coasting up to a light in neutral than accelerating just to slam on your brakes at a light?

I swear I gain at least 40 more miles a tank when I focus on not accelerating down hills and speeding up to stop lights (or speeding around in traffic just to come to a complete stop behind the car in front of me every 15 seconds). But if I'm wrong, I'm wrong - learn something new every day.

Cheers.
 

Howard

Lifer
Oct 14, 1999
47,982
11
81
Originally posted by: schizoid77
Originally posted by: RichieZ
Originally posted by: schizoid77
Neutral, I usually coast up to red lights, no need to waste gas just to come to a stop.

supposedly this actually uses more gas, as the engine has to use gas to keep the engine idling. if you are in gear the momentum continues to keep the engine turning.

anyways back to the OP's question, I put it in neutral.


I did not know this. You use more gas coasting up to a light in neutral than accelerating just to slam on your brakes at a light?

I swear I gain at least 40 more miles a tank when I focus on not accelerating down hills and speeding up to stop lights (or speeding around in traffic just to come to a complete stop behind the car in front of me every 15 seconds). But if I'm wrong, I'm wrong - learn something new every day.

Cheers.
Of course you don't accelerate, you coast in gear.
 

Kelvrick

Lifer
Feb 14, 2001
18,422
5
81
Originally posted by: Howard
Originally posted by: schizoid77
Originally posted by: RichieZ
Originally posted by: schizoid77
Neutral, I usually coast up to red lights, no need to waste gas just to come to a stop.

supposedly this actually uses more gas, as the engine has to use gas to keep the engine idling. if you are in gear the momentum continues to keep the engine turning.

anyways back to the OP's question, I put it in neutral.


I did not know this. You use more gas coasting up to a light in neutral than accelerating just to slam on your brakes at a light?

I swear I gain at least 40 more miles a tank when I focus on not accelerating down hills and speeding up to stop lights (or speeding around in traffic just to come to a complete stop behind the car in front of me every 15 seconds). But if I'm wrong, I'm wrong - learn something new every day.

Cheers.
Of course you don't accelerate, you coast in gear.

Yep, instead of shifting to N and starting the brake, you leave it in gear and start to brake. That, or push clutch, blip throttle to match rpm's to a lower gear, unclutch, brake until RPM's fall below 1k, then push clutch, shift to neutral, coast to stop.
 

Howard

Lifer
Oct 14, 1999
47,982
11
81
Originally posted by: Kelvrick
Originally posted by: Howard
Originally posted by: schizoid77
Originally posted by: RichieZ
Originally posted by: schizoid77
Neutral, I usually coast up to red lights, no need to waste gas just to come to a stop.

supposedly this actually uses more gas, as the engine has to use gas to keep the engine idling. if you are in gear the momentum continues to keep the engine turning.

anyways back to the OP's question, I put it in neutral.


I did not know this. You use more gas coasting up to a light in neutral than accelerating just to slam on your brakes at a light?

I swear I gain at least 40 more miles a tank when I focus on not accelerating down hills and speeding up to stop lights (or speeding around in traffic just to come to a complete stop behind the car in front of me every 15 seconds). But if I'm wrong, I'm wrong - learn something new every day.

Cheers.
Of course you don't accelerate, you coast in gear.

Yep, instead of shifting to N and starting the brake, you leave it in gear and start to brake. That, or push clutch, blip throttle to match rpm's to a lower gear, unclutch, brake until RPM's fall below 1k, then push clutch, shift to neutral, coast to stop.
I don't like doing that because it feels like I'm wasting my clutch material.
 

jhu

Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
11,918
9
81
Originally posted by: Howard
Originally posted by: schizoid77
Originally posted by: RichieZ
Originally posted by: schizoid77
Neutral, I usually coast up to red lights, no need to waste gas just to come to a stop.

supposedly this actually uses more gas, as the engine has to use gas to keep the engine idling. if you are in gear the momentum continues to keep the engine turning.

anyways back to the OP's question, I put it in neutral.


I did not know this. You use more gas coasting up to a light in neutral than accelerating just to slam on your brakes at a light?

I swear I gain at least 40 more miles a tank when I focus on not accelerating down hills and speeding up to stop lights (or speeding around in traffic just to come to a complete stop behind the car in front of me every 15 seconds). But if I'm wrong, I'm wrong - learn something new every day.

Cheers.
Of course you don't accelerate, you coast in gear.

depends on the car really. if your car has deceleration fuel cut off (as all cars made this century should have) then it might be a good idea to do that. however, the problem is that you need to find out what rpm/speed this happens. most cars don't give you this kind of feed back.

for example, in my car i find that coasting in neutral saves more gas than coasting to a stop in gear because my car idles at 0.3 gph whereas coasting in gear uses at least twice that (until rpm drops below 1k at least). although my car has deceleration fuel cut off, i'm never quite able to get it to engage consistently.

 

jhu

Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
11,918
9
81
Originally posted by: schizoid77
Makes sense to me, my mileage per tank goes up quite a bit when I coast a lot.

it goes up a lot more if you coast with the engine off and bump start the engine when you need it.
 

schizoid77

Senior member
Mar 4, 2008
357
0
0
That's what I mean when I say "coast", fyi. I rarely even hit the ignition anymore.

Call me Fred.
 

crosshairs

Golden Member
Jan 25, 2007
1,078
0
76
Originally posted by: Elstupido


Why is it so difficult to just keep the fucking car in gear at a light? I suppose you just go thru life and make everyone else miserable just because you can't keep your foot on the clutch for more than 10 seconds?
or you could always go thru life pissed off at people for causing you to wait another 5 seconds at a light..I mean really, do they think they are more important than you?..how dare them...

 

Elstupido

Senior member
Jan 28, 2008
643
0
0
crosshairs, let me repeat this......"I could easily turn this thread into a personal flame fest. But I won't, nobody needs it."
 

woodie1

Diamond Member
Mar 7, 2000
5,947
0
0
Originally posted by: Elstupido
...."I could easily turn this thread into a personal flame fest. But I won't, nobody needs it."

Based on the replies so far I doubt you'd win.
 

melchoir

Senior member
Nov 3, 2002
761
1
0
I throw mine into neutral all the time, with complete disregard for the asshole behind me who can't wait that 1.00 seconds it takes to shift from neutral into first.
 

Elstupido

Senior member
Jan 28, 2008
643
0
0
woodie1, describe "win", I am not out to "win" anything. PM me if you want to keep going with this crap. Please don't continue this here.
 

Raduque

Lifer
Aug 22, 2004
13,140
138
106
Originally posted by: BlackTigers
I put my automatic in neutral. :p

And set the parking brake. :D

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
but if someone as out of shape as I am can hold the pedal down I can't help but think that those who claim their clutches are too stiff are being a trifle disingenuous unless they're driving cars with 400+ hp.

ZV

ZV, my old truck had a REAAAAAL stiff clutch - it was an '83 with a I6 and had nowhere NEAR 400+ hp. It had a real mechanical linkage - do any cars use those these days anymore? My mom's eclipse GT and a few other cars I've been in were all hydraulic clutches.

My Accord has a nice clutch. Not too stiff, not too soft, and you can feel the clutch "bite" just perfectly. EDIT: It's cable-actuated.
 

BlackTigers

Diamond Member
Jan 15, 2006
4,491
2
71
Originally posted by: Raduque
Originally posted by: BlackTigers
I put my automatic in neutral. :p

And set the parking brake. :D

No actually, I set my automatic in neutral at stoplights haha. My car idles really rough and it bugs me, so I drop it into neutral and the issue goes away.
 

JulesMaximus

No Lifer
Jul 3, 2003
74,580
982
126
I like to put my car in reverse at red lights. It let's people know that I'm unpredictable and that they should think twice about riding up close or honking at me.
 

finite automaton

Golden Member
Apr 30, 2008
1,226
0
0
I make a habit of trying to stay in gear for the reasoning that ZV mentioned... I like knowing I can react that much faster if I have to.

 

DivideBYZero

Lifer
May 18, 2001
24,117
2
0
Rolling up to a light, keep in gear until almost at stall RPM, enter neutral, put into first for a short light or neutral again for a long one and wait. It takes no time to put a car into first and if the guy behind me doesn't like it he can go and suck a nut.