I've found myself recently resting my foot on the clutch when sitting at a light in neutral (bad habit I know). And was wondering if you can damage the clutch when out of gear?

My first throught is that w/o a gear connecting the engine to the tranny, the clutch just spins freely w/ no harm. But then again, even the slight friction of having the plate semi-disengagemd could be damaging it.

regardless I'm trying to stop, but for peace of mind.

 

i don't think it would effect the gears

however the springs in the clutch will be work overtime i think..

 

The main wear will be on the throw bearing in the clutch plate. Not a major issue but try to break the habit.

 

So do I. I usually watch for a glimmer of the amber light on the cross-street and then shift into first gear. I do believe that waiting until the light turns green to clutch and shift into gear may cause damage to my rear bumper and trunk from the drumthwackett in the Escalade behind me!

Anyway, I've been doing this on my Volvo for close to 150,000 miles, and the clutch and throwout bearing are still the original ones. (Knock-on-wood!)

 

You should normally experience higher-than-normal wear, for the simple reason that riding the clutch induces friction. Also, with friction comes increased temperature, and with higher temperature comes increased possibility of slippage, so more wear.

You'd be much better off just not riding the clutch, IMHO.

 

Yup, what biker said. The throw-out bearing is a cheap part but it requires dropping the tran to replace. You will know it when it's wearing out by the increasing noise everytime you step on the clutch.

 

It's not so bad in neutral. When you're in a gear, you're slipping with power applied and against the drag of the wheels/car moving. When you're in neutral, it's just the layshaft that's connected to the engine and the slippage is against the friction trying to make the layshaft stop. Not very serious at all.


But it's still a bad habit! :P

 

c'mon man the foot rest isn't there for no reason!!!!! on another note how many of you guys pop the shiter in neutral without using the clutch? i do it all the time i wonder if its bad for my tranny, i am only popping it into neutral i am not shifting gears

 

If you pop into neutral under no load you should be fine but pulling on it under load is putting unnecessary load on the linkages.

 

Right. You'll feel it if you pop it under load, you'll feel resistance, and then if you insist, "THOMP". Anytime you hear a "THOMP" you know it can't be really good.

 

ic thanx guys for the advice. If it doesn't slide in don't force it in, only if kobe knew