minimizing drivetrain wear (manual transmission)

[CELICA_XX]

Does keeping your foot on the clutch at a stoplight prematurely wear out the throw-out bearing?

Here is the scenario...

Approaching a stoplight at 45 mph in 5th gear... I never down shift, I just let the car naturally slow down to about 20 mph where I am forced to press in the clutch (to prevent the car from stalling).

Should I :

1) stay on the clutch and go to 1st gear, or

2) shift to neutral, and wait with no clutch

Option 2 seems ideal but it causes an additional "clutch in - clutch out"

Which case would cause less wear ?

 

[SLCraig]

I always clutch in and put it in neutral. I wouldn't want to put pressure on the bearing and the pressure plate the whole time. I have changed a clutch on a car before where the friction material was not worn but the bearing and pressure plate were. I assume whoever owned the car sat at lights and such with their foot on the clutch.

Any car's I've had with less miles on them or ones I've owned new, I have never had a problem with the clutch as long as I have owned the cars. I feel less time on the pressure plate = win.

 

[mcrn]

I am interested in the answer to this as well.....what SL said makes sense.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: CELICA_XX

2) shift to neutral, and wait with no clutch

This is what I do. Been driving for 23 years. Haven't had to replace a clutch due to this yet.

 

[yesthatsteve]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: CELICA_XX

2) shift to neutral, and wait with no clutch

This is what I do. Been driving for 23 years. Haven't had to replace a clutch due to this yet.



+1

I've driven manuals for 26 of the 31 years I've been driving, always bought used, and never replaced a clutch.

 

[widman]

neutral is better, especially if you have a classic with a solid throwout bearing (like my Renault).

 

[Tegger]

Originally Posted By: CELICA_XX
2) shift to neutral, and wait with no clutch

This is the correct procedure.

Dip pedal, push lever to neutral, release pedal. Wait for light to change.

The clutch mechanism is very robust, and will outlast the car. It's the friction lining that wears out, and that is unaffected by "2)", above.

And, keeping your foot on the pedal at lights (or at any other time when you don't absolutely need to have your foot on the pedal) will wear out your release bearing very quickly, so don't do it! Your foot should be on the clutch for as little time as possible, all the time, but without lugging the engine (and 5th at 20mph sounds a lot like lugging...).

 

[Rick in PA]

Don't even rest your foot on the clutch pedal. Any pressure on the clutch pedal causes the throwout bearing to spin. Take your foot off the clutch pedal, period.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: Tegger
and 5th at 20mph sounds a lot like lugging...).

Not if he's decelerating.

 

[d00df00d]

Originally Posted By: CELICA_XX
Does keeping your foot on the clutch at a stoplight prematurely wear out the throw-out bearing?

Yes. Makes sense if you think about it.


Originally Posted By: CELICA_XX
Here is the scenario...

Approaching a stoplight at 45 mph in 5th gear... I never down shift, I just let the car naturally slow down to about 20 mph where I am forced to press in the clutch (to prevent the car from stalling).

Should I :

1) stay on the clutch and go to 1st gear, or

2) shift to neutral, and wait with no clutch

Option 2 seems ideal but it causes an additional "clutch in - clutch out"

Which case would cause less wear ?

Well, you could always just pop it out of gear without pressing the clutch pedal.

On a more serious note, Option 2 definitely causes less wear. There's nothing you could do in two clutch in/clutch out events that would come close to the effect of staying on the clutch the whole time you're stopped.

 

[simple_gifts]

I do #2 (the choice not the bodily function)

340K on the original clutch in my !echo!; I'm also a downshifter. 170K on one set of brakes, which I had to change when the caliper froze.

A 2100lb car has its advantages.

 

[Mr Nice]

Put in neutral and pump brakes.

252K miles on original 1998 Civic clutch, PP & TOB.

 

[gregk24]

Take this for what it is worth. My X had a manual in her car, used to sit on the clutch at a stoplight....told her that wasn't the best idea....clutch failed at 40K miles.

 

[aquariuscsm]

Keeping the clutch depressed causes more clutch wear. Owners manuals on both my Z and 3000GT said to never sit with the pedal depressed. Throwout bearing will definitely take a beating.

 

[Chris142]

the more the throw out spins the sooner it will wear out. i do the neutral foot off the pedal till the light is green or almost green

 

[ecotourist]

Originally Posted By: Tegger

2) The clutch mechanism is very robust, and will outlast the car. It's the friction lining that wears out, and that is unaffected by "2)", above.


I agree with 2) above. But clutch mechanisms can fail.

I've replaced only one clutch in 50 years of driving cars but that was due to a clutch mechanism failure. My Volvo 740 Turbo clutch mechanism failed (it broke actually) at about 180,000 km (110,000 miles) and it had to be towed to the garage. The friction lining was still fairly good but we replaced it "while we were in there anyway".

Ecotourist

 

[1kickbuttranger]

Don't keep pressure on the clutch at a stop, saves the slave cylinder as well.

 

[gregoron]

I also do option 2, which is to not ride the clutch and put in neutral. I only step on the clutch when I need to shift. The exception is when I'm on an incline and the car in front is very slow moving forward. I'll ride it for a second or two at most. Here I use the ebrake to prevent car from rolling back and release when I start moving.

 

[garlicbreadman]

if i see a red light ahead and know it will not change green, i will just let it coast in neutral (gearbox neutral) to the light

 

[supton]

You can also "burp" the motor and shift to neutral instead of using the clutch--once the motor starts to go from "accel" to "decel" the trans gets unloaded and it will shift effortless into neutral. I do that sometimes too.