Does putting automatic car in neutral for long idling periods relieve any engine/transmission stress?

[CharlesInCharge]

There are some times that I find myself idling for extended periods, such as food drive throughs, known extremely long stop lights at intersections (3+ minutes), rush hour traffic sitting nearly stationary for 5 minute periods, for whatever reason waiting for something but needing to leave the vehicle running, etc. etc.

I sometimes shift my automatic from D to N, and feel the engine RPMs change a little, and the engine smooths out. Is this normal? For lack of a better term it feels like loads and stress have been removed from the engine and transmission, and the ICE "relaxes" a bit. Maybe this does absolutely nothing. But in my mind, I'm removing stress from a vehicle, and maybe that's 10 minutes cumulative on a drive. Tell me this is nonsense. Or is this doing anything beneficial.

Oh, I should add, for safety I have my hand on the gear shift and can be in gear and moved instantly if needed. I would not do this in a situation where there's potential need to maneuver, or coast or whatever.

 

[xgmad]

Yes of course you are reliving stress from the engine and transmission.

When you select neutral or park it disengages the clutch packz and puts little to no stress on the torque convertor when you do

The torque converter is the only thing stopping the engine from stalling when you brake and idle, you are doing both components a favor.

yes use neutral!

 

[CharlesInCharge]

Yes of course you are reliving stress from the engine and transmission.

When you select neutral or park it disengages the clutch packz and puts little to no stress on the torque convertor when you do

The torque converter is the only thing stopping the engine from stalling when you brake and idle, you are doing both components a favor.

yes use neutral!

Good explanation, thank you!

 

[Falcon_LS]

Certainly does; I've been doing this for years. No point keeping it in drive when you're at the lights for an extended period of time and not going anywhere.

 

[carviewsonic]

I used to do that, but I no longer believe that putting it in neutral where possible makes any difference to a modern drivetrain. I prefer the convenience of leaving it in drive. Less wear on the shift cable or shift solenoid(s) too, which might be a problem after thousands of extra shifts.

 

[Doc8404]

I used to do that, but I no longer believe that putting it in neutral where possible makes any difference to a modern drivetrain. I prefer the convenience of leaving it in drive. Less wear on the shift cable or shift solenoid(s) too, which might be a problem after thousands of extra shifts.

and if necessary, you can immediately maneuver the vehicle if needed.

 

[vavavroom]

Wasn't there something about the forward clutch wearing while in Neutral or Parking?

 

[Motu]

Not to mention shortening the life of the brakelight bulbs...they are on all the time your foot is on the brake !

 

[BlueOvalFitter]

I have been doing this for years (putting trans in neutral when stopped for short periods of time).

 

[adams355]

Uses less fuel in my car in neutral from the current use readout

 

[demarpaint]

Wasn't there something about the forward clutch wearing while in Neutral or Parking?

Constant engagement and disengagement of transmission components causes wear as well. There's no free lunch. The torque converter was designed to allow the transmission to stay in drive at lights. If I'm stopped at a train track and it's going to be a while, I'll pop it into neutral. In well over 40 years of driving I haven't lost a transmission. Opinions vary. I'd love to hear @Trav or @clinebarger views on this.

 

[supton]

It probably reduces stress, but the stress at idle likely doesn’t compare to the stress of motoring down the road—let alone the stress of accelerating. I’m dubious it does that much to help the cause. I’d be more concerned about wearing out shifter cable(s) and u-joints/cv’s due to the on/off usage (but again, they see usage in regular case so…).

Maybe monitor fuel consumption, via scanguage, and see if fuel used drops significantly (or not) when the load is removed.

 

[atikovi]

Jeez, why not just turn the engine off if you're stopped that long? Oh wait! Most "modern" cars ALREADY do that. Whoda thunk?

 

[wpod]

You move the linkage and the F / low clutch gets more wear.

 

[adams355]

Jeez, why not just turn the engine off if you're stopped that long? Oh wait! Most "modern" cars ALREADY do that. Whoda thunk?

So are you yes or no...

 

[NitroM3]

I have NEVER seen any real data that has shown regarding any wear from any commonly known automatics (not the latest ones of the last 5-8 years I have no information on) even the the ones as far back as the 60's leaving the transmission in gear. *It will raise the temperature of the fluid up to a point and then stabilize but not go into critical temperatures in most example.

Me personally I will shift up/down into neutral I think more for the fun then any technical concern


On a hot day my ATX temperature around town driving is about the same as the coolant. Coolant temperatures, AC on will be with 100-110F range ambient hold about 195-204F with ATX 175F-195FIf I get stuck in a long light the only real thing that changes is the AC vent temperatures that raise slightly. Now I can't remember and say for sure if I asway clicked it into neutral but these are my observed temperatures both with the OBDII info and a manual sensor and analog gauge.

The posts about the Torque converter are not exactly accurate ballooning would not really be a normal condition leaving the transmission in drive for long periods of time but a slight raise in transmission oil temperature could be seen. However it may be more from the lack of airflow into the engine compart and less because of leaving the transmission in drive for long periods of time.

 

[OppositeLocK]

To me this makes no sense in an automatic. I only do this with manuals. There is probably more wear on shifting it between park/neutral/drive than letting the torque converter spin.

Driving an auto like a manual makes no sense.

 

[RateNate]

In my community College, my ASE certified Master tech that specializes in transmissions specifically automatic told us that your just wearing out other shifting parts more by doing this. He said there's no real damage done by having it in drive and pressing the brakes, but when shifting from neutral to drive everytime this does cause wear on those parts possibly linkages and so forth. I haven't put my tranny in neutral since, alas if your towing with a truck this is a different scenario since it may aid in cooling down the fluid.

 

[RateNate]

Constant engagement and disengagement of transmission components causes wear as well. There's no free lunch. The torque converter was designed to allow the transmission to stay in drive at lights. If I'm stopped at a train track and it's going to be a while, I'll pop it into neutral. In well over 40 years of driving I haven't lost a transmission. Opinions vary. I'd love to hear @Trav or @clinebarger views on this.

My ase master tech prof 2nds this lolol

 

[SeaJay]

Shouldn't matter much one way or the other.