YACT: When stopped in traffic, shift your AUTO tranny into neutral.

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M

MercenaryForHire

Lifer
Jan 31, 2002
40,819
2
0
Assuming you're at a dead stop with your foot off the gas, you're not putting excessive wear on your transmission by going D->N->D - you are shifting more than necessary though. Also, if you have to move ahead quickly for some reason - eg, you've got Bubba in a two-foot-lifted pickup behind you unable to stop in time, one of these situations will be a LOT quicker to get off the line.

Edit - BTW, AAMCO are all ricers for recommending this in an AT. :p

- M4H
 
Demon-Xanth

Demon-Xanth

Lifer
Feb 15, 2000
20,551
2
81
Putting an automatic into neutral won't damage it. It's much like putting it in park. Leaving it in drive increases the heat because the torque converter has to absorb the power the engine is creating to stay at idle.
 
S

skace

Lifer
Jan 23, 2001
14,488
7
81
Sounds like doing this would defeat the whole damn purpose you'd ever want to buy auto (stop and go traffic).
 
R

RagingBITCH

Lifer
Sep 27, 2003
17,618
2
76
I don't get it.....why not just shift into Park? It's saying for "Extended periods of time" and not in normal everyday traffic where you might be stopped for 1-2 minutes in rush hour traffic.
 
StageLeft

StageLeft

No Lifer
Sep 29, 2000
70,150
5
0
I wouldn't bother. You save a bit of gas, but put wear on changing the gears of the tranny.
 
JulesMaximus

JulesMaximus

No Lifer
Jul 3, 2003
74,586
986
126
I've never done this with any auto transmission car I've owned. Never had a problem with any of them either. There was a long debate on this a while back if I remember correctly and I think if you are hauling a heavy load or towing up and down steep grades it would be beneficial to shift into neutral when stopped at a light but normal everyday driving I would say no way it's a waste of time. Just sit there with your foot on the brake and you will be fine.
 
DougK62

DougK62

Diamond Member
Mar 28, 2001
8,035
6
81
Originally posted by: Skoorb
I wouldn't bother. You save a bit of gas, but put wear on changing the gears of the tranny.
Click to expand...

Exactly. You shouldn't be messing with the shifter at all in an automatic car when you're driving. Just P->D when you start and D->P when you want to park it. Even stopped at train tracks, in the drive-through line at McD's, etc -- leave the car in Drive.

 
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samgau

Platinum Member
Oct 11, 1999
2,403
0
0
If I have to stop for an extended time, ie Fast Food drive up, Bank Drive through, etc... then I'll put it in neutral.... I prefer a manual tranny over auto... unfortunately the last 4 cars I'v driven have all been auto... oh well...
 
A

Actaeon

Diamond Member
Dec 28, 2000
8,657
20
76
Actually, I do put the car in neutral if I'm at someplace for a while. At a red light, no. Stop and go traffic, no. Stopped by a train, yes. Drive thru bank, yes. Sometimes at a restraunt drive thru if they are really slow.

My foot gets tired of holding on to the brake. Put it in N, and have the handbrake up. While waiting.
 
S

Savij

Diamond Member
Nov 12, 2001
4,233
0
71
If you click the link, it clearly says that this recommendation is only for when you are stuck in traffic for an extended period of time and is not recommended for stop and go traffic.
 
amdskip

amdskip

Lifer
Jan 6, 2001
22,530
13
81
Heck yes if I'm going to be sitting there for a little while. This way I can also rev the motor as idling is hard on it too.
 
DougK62

DougK62

Diamond Member
Mar 28, 2001
8,035
6
81
Originally posted by: amdskip
Heck yes if I'm going to be sitting there for a little while. This way I can also rev the motor as idling is hard on it too.
Click to expand...

Idling is in no way harmful to an engine.


 
J

jjones

Lifer
Oct 9, 2001
15,424
2
0
Automatic transmission? Must be one of those new-fangled things. An au-to-matic. Who'd of thunk it. I'll have to keep an eye out for one of those if they pass my way. :p
 
E

Eli

Super Moderator | Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
50,419
8
81
Originally posted by: silverpig
Try it, you'll see the engine runs a little easier at idle in neutral than in drive.
Click to expand...
Yep..

My dad puts it into neutral. Shrug.

I don't think it saves gas, though. It's probably a little easier on the engine, however. When in Drive sitting at a light, it idles around 800RPM.. shakes a bit, too. In Neutral, it idles at about 1100RPM.
 
S

skace

Lifer
Jan 23, 2001
14,488
7
81
Weird, I've never been stopped in traffic for extended periods of time longer than what I would consider "stop and go" traffic.
 
T

thomsbrain

Lifer
Dec 4, 2001
18,148
1
0
Originally posted by: DougK62
Originally posted by: amdskip

Heck yes if I'm going to be sitting there for a little while. This way I can also rev the motor as idling is hard on it too.
Click to expand...



Idling is in no way harmful to an engine.
Click to expand...

there's some stories of oil pumps in BMW's not pumping hard enough at idle, but honestly, if your car can't idle without tearing itself to bits, you need a different car.
 
N

notfred

Lifer
Feb 12, 2001
38,241
4
0
Originally posted by: Skoorb
I wouldn't bother. You save a bit of gas, but put wear on changing the gears of the tranny.
Click to expand...

It's an automatic, it doesn't really have gears. I mean, it has a couple gears, but they don't move when you shift it.
 
S

SoylentGreen

Diamond Member
Oct 17, 2002
4,698
1
0
There's some left turn lights around here that you wait almost 5 minutes.

I have done it in those instances when I just miss the darn light.
 
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