Shifting into neutral

[Spazdog]

Originally Posted By: motor_oil_madman
I would leave it in drive. If you put it in neutral and set the parking brake then you probably don't have your foot on the brake so people aren't going to see your brake lights and could cause you to be rearended due to the fact that they might think you are starting to move when you are really just sitting there.


If I'm in a drive-thru, (ie:bank commercial teller lane) I would hope they would not be relying on my brakelights to tell whether or not I'm stopped.

There are people that stupid though.

 

[ltslimjim]

Originally Posted By: 440Magnum
Originally Posted By: Falcon_LS
I have a habit of shifting into neutral and applying the parking brake whenever I stop at a traffic light. I also shift into neutral if I'm stuck in a traffic jam for a good couple of minutes. I do this to reduce load on the engine, and let it idle more freely.

Somebody was telling me the other day that this is hard on the transmission - not shifting into neutral, but shifting into drive from neutral. Just wondering if there is there any truth to this, and is it better to just apply the brakes in drive?

Thanks!


I like your reasoning here. The point of the ATF being put under strain, especially during the summer, while idling in regard to the Torque Converter is why I added LubeGard red to my recent ATF service.


When you shift into drive, clutches apply and so there's definitely a little burst of wear. When you idle in gear, nothing is actually wearing but the fluid in the torque convertor is being sheared and heated. The transmission cooling system can usually get rid of that heat just fine, though.

If it were me, I'd do different things based on time. Idling at a traffic light for 30 to 45 seconds- leave it in gear. Idling in the bank drive-through for 3-4 minutes- put it in neutral, especially in hot weather. Any stop longer than 5 minutes- shut the engine off completely unless its so hot the A/C is mandatory in order to stay in the car.

 

[kender]

Man!! You guys OVER THINK everything!!

 

[Wilhelm_D]

Originally Posted By: Falcon_LS
I have a habit of shifting into neutral and applying the parking brake whenever I stop at a traffic light. I also shift into neutral if I'm stuck in a traffic jam for a good couple of minutes. I do this to reduce load on the engine, and let it idle more freely.

Somebody was telling me the other day that this is hard on the transmission - not shifting into neutral, but shifting into drive from neutral. Just wondering if there is there any truth to this, and is it better to just apply the brakes in drive?


Manual transmission:

Holding the clutch in loads the throwout bearing and can also loads the pilot bushing.

Neither is good for the clutch or throwout bearing. Shift to neutral.

Automatic transmission:

In general the shift from neutral into drive does little or nothing if you're not racing the engine.

Putting it in neutral does reduce the chance of accidentally moving when stopped.

It doesn't reduce any wear or save any gas, however.