shifting into neutral , bad ?

[DJmuggs]

just wondering but is it bad to shift into neutral without putting down the clutch?

[James-NZ]

Why not just push the clutch?

[Rhinop21]

Idk ive done it a few times on accident.

[fikes]

would not say its BAD just pointless.

[B518T]

use your clutch

[lukepl]

would not say its BAD just pointless.

I always went in to neutral without using the clutch especially down hills or when i knew a light was coming up. The car will coast much better.

[flynnr]

why would it make it coast better?

[Poopie]

lol i do it a lot. i don't think it makes a difference.

[lifwanian]

Yeah I actually dont use the clutch at all... I just ignore it.
Works great too, just have to replace the transmission few times a year.

[DJmuggs]

can someone give me a serious response on wheather its bad for my clutch/tranny, i only do it sometimes because iam a delivery boy in a overcrowded suburban area and i switch through gears nonstop, so sometimes i get lazy and just push it into N, i notice that it shifts really smoothly when the RPMs are up, but if i shift it while its around 1500 the car like staddurs

[01audia4]

A clutch was installed for a reason. Use it

[le91688]

can someone give me a serious response on wheather its bad for my clutch/tranny, i only do it sometimes because iam a delivery boy in a overcrowded suburban area and i switch through gears nonstop, so sometimes i get lazy and just push it into N, i notice that it shifts really smoothly when the RPMs are up, but if i shift it while its around 1500 the car like staddurs

yeah its not hard to push your clutch in.

[ghost6303]

if there is no difference in power between the engine and the wheels, meaning you are not on the gas and your not engine brakeing, i dont see anything wrong with it. you are simply seperating the gears.

now if there is power on one side of the clutch or the other, and it takes a little effort to pull it out, (say your in 3rd) and you pull too hard and go too far and push it into the synchros of 4th, that will cause extra wear over time. however if you just tap it out of gear and let it spring to neutral there should be nothing wrong with that.

[Poopie]

nothing wrong in my eyes about sliding out of gear. There really isn't any noticable difference in resistences going out to gear into neutral with or with out the clutch.

[J Ozzie]

Pointless, why would you wana coast in N. Use you Engine to help slow you down less wear on the brakes.

[James-NZ]

I always went in to neutral without using the clutch especially down hills or when i knew a light was coming up. The car will coast much better.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!

That is one of the funniest posts I have ever read!!!!! Thank you, I have tears running down my face, HAHAHAHA, I can't stop!!!!!


For the OP, use the clutch, seriously, use the clutch. It is that simple. The mere fact that you are asking this question means you have doubt on side effects from not using it. Just use it, the load factors are not easy to explain, when you press the clutch pedal the load comes off the gearbox and allows for smooth shifts and synchros to line up.

Use the clutch.

[ThirdStrike]

For the OP, use the clutch, seriously, use the clutch. It is that simple. The mere fact that you are asking this question means you have doubt on side effects from not using it. Just use it, the load factors are not easy to explain, when you press the clutch pedal the load comes off the gearbox and allows for smooth shifts and synchros to line up.

Use the clutch.

hes not talking about down shifting.. which is where the syncros come in.
not using your clutch to go to neutral is no big deal. bottom line

oh and keeping a car with a return fuel system in gear while in deceleration uses way less gas than going to neutral.

[maxspeed]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!

That is one of the funniest posts I have ever read!!!!! Thank you, I have tears running down my face, HAHAHAHA, I can't stop!!!!!


For the OP, use the clutch, seriously, use the clutch. It is that simple. The mere fact that you are asking this question means you have doubt on side effects from not using it. Just use it, the load factors are not easy to explain, when you press the clutch pedal the load comes off the gearbox and allows for smooth shifts and synchros to line up.

Use the clutch.

it wasnt that funny... what the hell do they put in the food down there?

[onemoremile]

It doesn't matter. If anything, it saves wear on the throwout bearing.

[EuRoSp1c]

Pointless, why would you wana coast in N. Use you Engine to help slow you down less wear on the brakes.

i disagree with this.... i rather use my breaks more then downshifting through gears.. less use of clutch more of brakes... brakes are a tiny bit less inexpensive then a clutch...

u dont have to use the clucth to take it out of gear, but im so use to it i just do it... i mean sometimes i dont but just do it.. like nike

[Poopie]

i disagree with this.... i rather use my breaks more then downshifting through gears.. less use of clutch more of brakes... brakes are a tiny bit less inexpensive then a clutch...

u dont have to use the clucth to take it out of gear, but im so use to it i just do it... i mean sometimes i dont but just do it.. like nike

if you are rev matching to downshift you should not be wearing out the clutch at all. decel in gear is more fuel efficient as well.

[arorem]

When i had my jetta i put in N without using the clutch often, never noticed a difference. Putting it in gear (or trying) without using the clutch, now that, might be bad.

[MOtown A4]

Yeah I actually dont use the clutch at all... I just ignore it.
Works great too, just have to replace the transmission few times a year.

hahahahahahahaha!


yah....use your clutch, thats kind of why they put it there!

[Rhinop21]

You can't get help on a forum any more. Its all a bunch of ignorant fools. Even if they have no idea they still give stupid advice. Assuming there is no load, or gas, putting a car in nuetral from any gear is fine without depressing the clutch. If you have no idea what you're talking about don't talk. Its not like he's shifting without the clutch, some of you are so dumb.

[HOFFY11]

Pointless, why would you wana coast in N. Use you Engine to help slow you down less wear on the brakes.

well, you would be using clutch to slow you down, or brakes..and pads are cheaper than clutch so id say brakes..and honestly i would just push the clutch in because i dont feel it is worth finding out you should have in the long run

[petermca4]

just wondering but is it bad to shift into neutral without putting down the clutch?

No

[Poopie]

well, you would be using clutch to slow you down, or brakes..and pads are cheaper than clutch so id say brakes..and honestly i would just push the clutch in because i dont feel it is worth finding out you should have in the long run

sooooo wrong

[SpoolinPelican]

All the important things have already been stated.

If there is no power flowing either way through the transmission it will do no extra harm.(Pretty simple to tell...if there is no power coming through it will slide out of gear like butter, but if you are forcing it the least bit then there is a little bit of strain on the gears.) Leaving it in gear while losing speed is more fuel efficient.(You dont have to downshift through every gear, if you plan ahead, you can stay in the same gear you were already in for the most part).

The point everyone really missed. How do you drive when "getting on it/spirited driving"? Do you slam gears? If so, during those few shifts here and there you are doing way more damage/wear than anything you are conscious of.

Do you really need to ask an online board of D bags(Not directed at people that actually give answers instead of useless critisism) how YOU should drive YOUR car?

[HOFFY11]

sooooo wrong

explain? when you downshift with planning on slowing down via the clutch, you notice a jerk, causing you to wear your clutch..unless you are rpm matching or something while down shifting, your causing harm to your cluth while using it to slow you down..unless i have this all wrong? explain your side

[James-NZ]

You can't get help on a forum any more. Its all a bunch of ignorant fools. Even if they have no idea they still give stupid advice. Assuming there is no load, or gas, putting a car in nuetral from any gear is fine without depressing the clutch. If you have no idea what you're talking about don't talk. Its not like he's shifting without the clutch, some of you are so dumb.

You just gave a set of parameters that the OP did not provide. This changes the question.

Be polite, you have no idea who is reading what you write.

[legionvr6]

im going to get flamed. (puting flame suit on)

poping into N with no clutch as long as you feel no resistence if fine dont worry

(flame part )---> you can also up shift and down shift with out using the clutch as long as you learn to rev match and you shouldn't do any damage. (unless you mess up a shift) (reason for the flame suit) --> i did this some times on my old jetta VR6 that had 240,000 miles and had no problems with the tranny. i also drive my a4 with out the clutch when i hurt my left foot at work or other places. the key is rev matching and feeling it all out.

[SpoolinPelican]

explain? when you downshift with planning on slowing down via the clutch, you notice a jerk, causing you to wear your clutch..unless you are rpm matching or something while down shifting, your causing harm to your cluth while using it to slow you down..unless i have this all wrong? explain your side

That jerk would be your motor moving. Learn how to drive smoother/get new mounts.

You just gave a set of parameters that the OP did not provide. This changes the question.

Be polite, you have no idea who is reading what you write.

Pretty sure he answered the question

im going to get flamed. (puting flame suit on)

poping into N with no clutch as long as you feel no resistence if fine dont worry

(flame part )---> you can also up shift and down shift with out using the clutch as long as you learn to rev match and you shouldn't do any damage. (unless you mess up a shift) (reason for the flame suit) --> i did this some times on my old jetta VR6 that had 240,000 miles and had no problems with the tranny. i also drive my a4 with out the clutch when i hurt my left foot at work or other places. the key is rev matching and feeling it all out.

Agreed. Go old school and rev match. Those fancy syncros werent always there.

[Poopie]

explain? when you downshift with planning on slowing down via the clutch, you notice a jerk, causing you to wear your clutch..unless you are rpm matching or something while down shifting, your causing harm to your cluth while using it to slow you down..unless i have this all wrong? explain your side

rev match and you don't be using the clutch at all. the jerking you feel is from bad mounts or you suck at driving or take too long to downshift. the stock clutches take a lot of abuse and stop and go traffic is MUCH MUCH more taxing on the clutch then down shifting.

[Rhinop21]

You just gave a set of parameters that the OP did not provide. This changes the question.

Be polite, you have no idea who is reading what you write.

Ive been polite for far too long. Im a defender of bullshit. Just like when there was a craze about bov's ruining our engines. I will defend against ignorant idiots. Because i get the same respect from those douche bags.

[HOFFY11]

rev match and you don't be using the clutch at all. the jerking you feel is from bad mounts or you suck at driving or take too long to downshift. the stock clutches take a lot of abuse and stop and go traffic is MUCH MUCH more taxing on the clutch then down shifting.

just to let everyone know i dont drive manual lol..im not referring to myself sucking at driving..so what im trying to get out of this...everyone is saying that if you use down shifting to slow down, your not wearing your clutch

[ghost6303]

if any of you have an air/fuel gauge, you will notice that when you are engine braking, the gauge pegs at full lean, meaning you are using so little fuel it doesnt register.

if you shift into neutral not only do you use more of your brake pads, but the idle controler holds your car at stoich at 850RPMs. thats alot more gas then full lean. and since your clutch is already closed its not wearing it any more or less (im not talking about down shifting to slow yourself, just coasting).

edit: shifting to neutral in an AUTOMATIC is NOT a good thing to do all the time. its called an automatic because you put it in D and forget about it. and to answer your question hoffy- if you downshift and correctly rev match the gear (with a manual), you will not cause any clutch wear because both sides will be spinning at almost the same speed. if you just shift and dump the clutch thats not good.

[J Ozzie]

I always Blip the gas b4 a shift, I hate the jerk slowdown motion. But back to what this was all about you want to shuv it into N then go for it man.

Oh and for the wana be racers, honnestly dont just try n revmatch your car i dont care what you say. You do not dive a 700hp car where that much of a second matters on the 1/4 mile. You have a clutch for a reason. SHIFT! dont try n bam the gears... end of story.. this was brought up another time on this forum and its FLAME Product!

THANKKKKKKKKKK You. Lol

[Poopie]

I always Blip the gas b4 a shift, I hate the jerk slowdown motion. But back to what this was all about you want to shuv it into N then go for it man.

Oh and for the wana be racers, honnestly dont just try n revmatch your car i dont care what you say. You do not dive a 700hp car where that much of a second matters on the 1/4 mile. You have a clutch for a reason. SHIFT! dont try n bam the gears... end of story.. this was brought up another time on this forum and its FLAME Product!

THANKKKKKKKKKK You. Lol

are you currently under the influence? hahahaha

[DJmuggs]

okay thank you guys, i think i got my answer...

so its OKAY for me to shift into N when my rpms are high enough that it wouldnt cause my car to jerk when i do it.

for those of you who keep saying "just use the clutch!", try driving for 6-8 hours straight doing deliveries (not highway hours). stop-and-go traffic, stop signs every 30 seconds, red lights and cross walks.... anytime i have the chance not to use my clutch i take it, leg cramps... leg cramps.... leg cramps...

[SpoolinPelican]

I always Blip the gas b4 a shift, I hate the jerk slowdown motion. But back to what this was all about you want to shuv it into N then go for it man.

Oh and for the wana be racers, honnestly dont just try n revmatch your car i dont care what you say. You do not dive a 700hp car where that much of a second matters on the 1/4 mile. You have a clutch for a reason. SHIFT! dont try n bam the gears... end of story.. this was brought up another time on this forum and its FLAME Product!

THANKKKKKKKKKK You. Lol

Rev-match downshifting not upshifting genius. Not sure about everyone else but when i rev-match I do use the clutch.

Granny shiftin not double clutchin like ya should! Sorry i had to......fail