Stopped at a red light with a MT car. 1st gear clutch in or neutral?

[alphatarget1]

Vote!

I put it in neutral.

Edit for clarification on "intersection".

 

[brblx]

neutral is the only answer if you know how to drive a manual.

unless you just like replacing throwout bearings for fun.

edit: assuming 'intersection' means 'red light.'

 

[jlee]

Neutral if I'm going to be there for a while. First gear, clutch in if I'm moving in a couple seconds.

 

[Zenmervolt]

neutral is the only answer if you know how to drive a manual.

unless you just like replacing throwout bearings for fun.

edit: assuming 'intersection' means 'red light.'

I have never once seen a throw-out bearing fail from someone holding the clutch down at a stop light. It just plain doesn't happen. The throw-out bearing is designed to be replaced when the clutch is replaced and the only times I've seen throw-out bearings fail have been when someone tried to cheap out on a clutch job and re-use an old throw-out bearing, or failed to lubricate the input shaft splines properly which put extra strain on the bearing, or when there was some mechanical defect either in the bearing itself or the release lever that caused excess strain.

The idea that you'll wear out the throw-out bearing by leaving the clutch pedal pushed down at stoplights is nothing more than an old wive's tale. I often wonder how people who worry about their throw-out bearing ever get up the courage to start and drive their cars at all. I mean, running the engine causes the crankshaft bearings to wear and driving causes the wheel bearings to wear...

ZV

 

[KentState]

I always put it into neutral and then shifted into gear once the light going the other way turned yellow.

 

[exdeath]

TOB can fail early if the pedal is adjusted incorrectly such that the TOB is riding the pressure plate all the time and not just when the pedal is pressed. But holding it down at a light is considered normal use and normal wear and tear.

I keep it in neutral usually just because I have a very heavy clutch and your leg will turn into a noodle if you keep holding it down like that.

 

[jlee]

TOB can fail early if the pedal is adjusted incorrectly such that the TOB is riding the pressure plate all the time and not just when the pedal is pressed. But holding it down at a light is considered normal use and normal wear and tear.

I keep it in neutral usually just because I have a very heavy clutch and your leg will turn into a noodle if you keep holding it down like that.

Haha I had a massage a couple weeks back and the woman was like 'your left calf is really tight...' I think you might be onto something there.

 

[brblx]

I have never once seen a throw-out bearing fail from someone holding the clutch down at a stop light. It just plain doesn't happen. The throw-out bearing is designed to be replaced when the clutch is replaced and the only times I've seen throw-out bearings fail have been when someone tried to cheap out on a clutch job and re-use an old throw-out bearing, or failed to lubricate the input shaft splines properly which put extra strain on the bearing, or when there was some mechanical defect either in the bearing itself or the release lever that caused excess strain.

The idea that you'll wear out the throw-out bearing by leaving the clutch pedal pushed down at stoplights is nothing more than an old wive's tale. I often wonder how people who worry about their throw-out bearing ever get up the courage to start and drive their cars at all. I mean, running the engine causes the crankshaft bearings to wear and driving causes the wheel bearings to wear...

ZV

uh, throwout bearings have an average lifespan. the bearing is only going to survive being loaded for a certain amount of time (on average). saying that you've 'never once seen a throw-out bearing fail from someone holding the clutch down at a stop light' makes no sense. do you honestly think i'm implying that the bearing is going to fail and shatter to pieces while you're stopped at the light with the clutch depressed? the more the bearing is used, the less time it will last, period. hey, you might as well ride your brakes down hills, you're gonna have to replace them anyway.

your argument is akin to saying a wheel bearing that lasts a certain period of time on a 3000lb vehicle will last the same amount of time on a 5000lb vehicle. that just makes no sense whatsoever.

perhaps what you're trying to say is that bearings are made well enough these days that no matter how much you abuse it, the throwout will outlast the clutch....perhaps, but why the hell would you gamble with it?

if you've just plain never seen a throwout bearing fail on a car with a factory clutch, i question your automotive experience.

 

[Tempered81]

I'm usually already in neutral before i begin decelerating to the stop.

 

[punjabiplaya]

I keep it in gear until the revs are too low to keep the engine going. Saves gas with the engine fuel cutoff stuff rather than putting it into neutral.

 

[Hyperlite]

neutral is the only answer if you know how to drive a manual.

unless you just like replacing throwout bearings for fun.

edit: assuming 'intersection' means 'red light.'

Any way you cut it, you're never going to be able to compare the lifespan. If i'm going to be there for a while and there is someone stopped behind me, i nock it into neutral. If there isn't anyone behind me, i almost always leave it in gear.

 

[EightySix Four]

You're supposed to put it in first and clutch in. If you were to be hit from behind and you're in neutral your foot will likely come off the brake and you will be pushed into the intersection and possibly be in a much worse situation. if you are in first with clutch down, your foot comes off the clutch but the car dies from the sudden release and is not pushed as easily or as far.

 

[l0cke]

Haha I had a massage a couple weeks back and the woman was like 'your left calf is really tight...' I think you might be onto something there.

Driving a car with broken power steering (harder than non-power steering) is quite an arm workout.

I always put in in neutral.

 

[Stefan Payne]

I have never once seen a throw-out bearing fail from someone holding the clutch down at a stop light. It just plain doesn't happen.

Well, it does happen, but it takes time, a long time.

So go to neutral and take the foot of the clutch is the best way to not be driving.

 

[ecom]

You're supposed to put it in first and clutch in. If you were to be hit from behind and you're in neutral your foot will likely come off the brake and you will be pushed into the intersection and possibly be in a much worse situation. if you are in first with clutch down, your foot comes off the clutch but the car dies from the sudden release and is not pushed as easily or as far.

Hah...if you get hit hard enough that it knocks your foot off the brake you probably have enough speed to not kill the engine and you'll just idle into cross traffic instead.

 

[brblx]

Hah...if you get hit hard enough that it knocks your foot off the brake you probably have enough speed to not kill the engine and you'll just idle into cross traffic instead.

i was going to say that if it moves your foot it's probably enough to overcome the traction of your tires and send you skidding into the intersection, anyway

but yeah, that's a silly reason to stay in gear.

 

[yh125d]

You're supposed to put it in first and clutch in. If you were to be hit from behind and you're in neutral your foot will likely come off the brake and you will be pushed into the intersection and possibly be in a much worse situation. if you are in first with clutch down, your foot comes off the clutch but the car dies from the sudden release and is not pushed as easily or as far.

My old car wouldnt stall in that situation. In first OR second







As for the OP, it would be either 2nd+clutch or neu. In which case I would use neu

 

[EightySix Four]

i was going to say that if it moves your foot it's probably enough to overcome the traction of your tires and send you skidding into the intersection, anyway

but yeah, that's a silly reason to stay in gear.

How much farther are you going to skid fighting friction from locked tires vs. the car in neutral. Just what I was taught in drivers ed, I don't really think there is a wrong or right in this situation, but it makes sense to me.

 

[exdeath]

Just wow... are we really playing more "what if what if what if what if we all die" games and arguing over having a .00000001% chance of having one less bruise if your feet are on the right pedals? What about people who weigh 100 lbs more and have more inertia so they don't go sliding as far... I think I'll put a few bags of concrete in my trunk so I stay safer.

/facepalm

Get out and enjoy life and quit being a bunch of worry nannies.

 

[PsiStar]

If the throw out bearing wears out before the clutch, then you name is "grandma" to somebody.

I have a stiff as hell performance clutch also ... go to the friggin' gym.

Clutch in & 1st gear, unless it is a very long light, to avoid the pandemonium of "OMG! The light is green!"

 

[skyking]

I'm a "kick it into neutral" as I roll up, in a car. In a truck, I rarely used the clutch at all if I can avoid it.

 

[Zenmervolt]

uh, throwout bearings have an average lifespan. the bearing is only going to survive being loaded for a certain amount of time (on average). saying that you've 'never once seen a throw-out bearing fail from someone holding the clutch down at a stop light' makes no sense. do you honestly think i'm implying that the bearing is going to fail and shatter to pieces while you're stopped at the light with the clutch depressed? the more the bearing is used, the less time it will last, period. hey, you might as well ride your brakes down hills, you're gonna have to replace them anyway.

your argument is akin to saying a wheel bearing that lasts a certain period of time on a 3000lb vehicle will last the same amount of time on a 5000lb vehicle. that just makes no sense whatsoever.

perhaps what you're trying to say is that bearings are made well enough these days that no matter how much you abuse it, the throwout will outlast the clutch....perhaps, but why the hell would you gamble with it?

if you've just plain never seen a throwout bearing fail on a car with a factory clutch, i question your automotive experience.

No, my argument is that even if you keep the clutch pedal held down during every single stop for the entire life of the clutch, you will still not come close to exceeding the service life of the throw-out bearing unless something else is wrong with the car. There is absolutely no reason to believe that you will wear out the bearing from holding the clutch pedal down at a stop light.

Also, I have seen throw-out bearings fail. I never said that I didn't. What I did say (which you'd have understood, had you paid attention) was that I'd never once seen such a failure that could be attributed to the driver holding the clutch down at stop lights. I've seen failures for many other reasons, but none for that reason. Sometimes parts just fail. Like the occasional failure of a wheel bearing at only 25,000 miles with no abuse.

ZV

 

[Dr. Detroit]

I've driven a manual trans car my entire life - I've never burnt out a clutch and never had a TOB fail.

Unless its a very long light (railroad crossing) I keep the clutch in and the trans in 1st gear.


TOB's fail from people who ride there clutch. Clutch all in or all out - no wear.

 

[Colt45]

clutch in, unless it's a known long-ass light, or a train, etc.

 

[Gillbot]

Neutral if I'm going to be there for a while. First gear, clutch in if I'm moving in a couple seconds.

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