Airplay

Hey guys question for the pros,

I am one of those fakers that likes to shifting to neutral when ever i am sitting at a light, at a drive thru window or just when ever I am waiting to move.

I was just reading an article that said it is bad for automatic transmission to frequently go from drive to neutral and back.

We already have pretty weak tranies so am i screwing it up more???? [/FONT]

ccannizz11

Mike_McCready

Dunno, but i like to shift to neutral too, but only when im going down a big hill, saves gas

Time For Sleeep

It.. doensn't save gas to pop it into neutral while going down a hill.

mattg

why would you do that?

RaviNJCLs

iTrader: (4)

Please tell me you are kidding. Is your car rough when it it idles?

Shawn S

Shifting into neutral going down a hill in an auto or stick car will actually WASTE GAS because the engine calls for fuel to keep running instead of just spinning on the momentum of the downgrade.
Stick it in D, R or P, that’s all you need for your daily drive.
Sportshift is a joke too, but that’s a whole other argument.

CL-S Girl

Next time just get the 6 speed

falabarce

Um...no offense but are you wanting to kill yourself and the people riding with you?

Putting a car in neutral kills any chance you have at being able to control the car if you run into anything. By running on brakes alone, you stand less of a chance at controlling any turns and run a higher risk of spinning and just losing the car completely. Let the car do it's thing...fuel efficiency at a neutral idle is a non-existent thing compared to a gear engaged. Not to mention the fact that kicking in the gear from neutral to whatever gear needed at the speed you are moving will definitely kill the tranny easier.

andre

i too like to put my car in neutral at red lights. the red lights in miami
take f o r e v e r and i get tired of holding the brake pedal.

can doing this cause tranny issues?

mrsteve

iTrader: (1)

drewJ32A2

its not so bad to shift from drive to nuetral to drive when not moving but why would u pretend? to pretend you have a manual?

andre

me?

i dont "pretend" to have a manual transmission.

i just hate to hold the brake pedal for 3-4 minutes at a time...

NiteQwill

You're asking for an accident....

03 CL TypeS

It's not bad for the tranny, for as long as you rev it to 7K in neutral and then pop it in D.

m&b6speed

i was always told idling wastes more gas, so that theory is wrong, but more importantly, thats just plain dumb. if you put it in a lower gear, you'll be safer and slower down the hill

erishe69

If holding the brake petal down for a couple mins takes to much out of you, go buy a Corolla you pansy. How friggin lazy are kids these days?

Mike_McCready

I agree i do lose some control but i do save some gas. What I didn't say was that I would be on the gas pedal at 2000RPMs on this particular hill to keep the same speed as popping it in neutral for 1000RPMs. You can call it stupid, but it gives a cool rollercoaster effect on this particular hill, that might i add, is very isolated so I'm not worried about hitting anyone..

andre

are you kidding me?

pansy?

i'm not lazy. i have a bad knee and it really bothers when i just HOLD the brake for 3-4 minutes at a time.

what's a corolla have to do with this topic?

NiteQwill

pimpcls said this and spun out his car...

amazing what you think is right isn't right....

headersplus

VB87

How is it bad? Isn't it just like shifting from park to drive?

Time For Sleeep

Basically.. the first and main argument is..

you're goin' down a hill and you decide to pop it into neutral to "save gas," then throw it back into drive when you need to roll off.

1. you won't save any gas.
2. running only on brakes will probably get you to spin out or worse.
3. you're gonna hurt the transmission even more than it probably is already being burned.

Here's a question that's kind of in line...
Engine braking w/ the sport shift to stop alil' quicker... does that put stress mainly on the transmission? or the engine itself?

Just having it in D5 and braking alil' heavier you can feel the engine braking.

Airplay

I don’t care about the safety I go to neutral at a full stop on level ground, and I too have bad knees and go to neutral for comfort not gas economy. If there is anyone who knows the specs of a working auto transmission, the question is simple: “am I hurting my transmission by shifting from drive to neutral and back again during my few long stops in my daily drive?"

falabarce

I do that quite a bit...mainly because I love the feel and sound of an engine downshifting. Yes, it's not a true manual where you can control how the gear is engaged but still pretty nice.

I don't think it's an issue because you're only shifting. The only undue stress that you cause from doing this though is that the front engine mount (located at the passenger side of the car below the ABS unit) will have a lot of stress put onto it and crack very easily. There are other forums discussing how weak they are. But...for $67 for the mount and doing it myself, I won't stop doing this. =P

btsilver

wow

Shawn S

How can your knees be so weak that you can’t hold the pedal in for a few seconds at a light, yet you still feel safe driving?
What happens if someone cuts you off and you have to make an emergency stop?
And you still have to keep your foot on the brake in N to keep the car from rolling…..is it really that much easier?

I still say going from D to N more then normal is a waste of gas and DOES cause extra wear.
Every time you go back to D from idle, it “loads up” the momentum of the spinning engine on the Tranny.

Lord Helmet

Idiot.

Airplay

And is your brain so weak, to were you can't answer a simple question with out putting my driving and physical condition in to question? Yet you still feel safe been a moderator. Did I say anything about my knees being weak ... no. Next time read the post, think, ask relevant questions even ... before you offend someone else. Your 2 cents usually isn't worth more than 2 pennies. However thanks for the last sentence in your post, which was actually worth something.

mystikk

Seems to me you did.

Airplay

On the east coast "bad" is just a . little different than "weak" friend.

n00dleboy

If you have weak knees, leave the car in D, and just pull the handbrake or push the ebrake.

going down a hill in neutral in either auto or MANUAL is dumb. when you're moving your car shuold ALWAYS be in gear. If you don't believe me then go take a professional driving course. better yet, you should never be in neutral unless you need to push your car.

say you're at a stop light in neutral, some car comes flying behind you at a fast rate, it's quick to release brake and add gas to move the car, than shift the car into gear and then release brake and add gas. This goes same for stick shifts. Should always be in gear.

and my pet peeves are ricers that stick it in neutral and back to D and back to neutral thinking they're stick. :ghey: :gheyhug:

rezurex

going down hill in N is super retarded.

the only time you should be in N is when you're pushing the car because you ran out of gas or something of that nature. that is the only reason why N is in automatic transmissions, not because its meant to be used in everyday driving.

Airplay

Now i don't even want to know the answer anymore, it is incredible how you guys can't focus on a simple question - this whole thread has gone into left field.

kevin79925

what if i was at a rest stop for like 2 hours.. the car is in neutral and i got my e brake up and the ac blasting? ( i was tired and had to sleep along the 11 hour drive)

Shawn S

If I was sleeping at a rest stop with the engine running for 2-hours, I think I’d want it to be in PARK.
If it’s a stick shift, you really don’t have a choice, do you?

rezurex

he has a six speed. neutral with ebrake up is park for him

kevin79925

yup... hehe

RandyMax

I was in China once, riding in a chartered van. There was this long downhill, a slight grade. This minin van driver put the car in neutral, and then SHUT OFF THE ENGINE to coast down the hill!!

One of the scariest moment in my life. No more chartered van in China for me...

kevin79925

^^