Car goes for journey on its own - SMASH :(

Captain_Slick · 1 Aug 2009 at 00:17

SoundsGood said:
Why not?

I've never been taught to anything like this either. Why would you leave the car in gear? Means you have to put the clutch in before you turn the ignition. That's just unnecessary work.

I don't live near any hills though.

Firestar_3x · 1 Aug 2009 at 00:20

They don't teach people to leave cars in gear, why the heck not?

Get in car knock it out of gear and start the thing, not exactly taxing and will help stop your car from rolling down a hill and causing £600 worth of damage, no brainer imho.

Captain_Slick · 1 Aug 2009 at 00:21

Well, yeah, but how does putting it in gear stop the wheels from rolling backwards?

Gaygle · 1 Aug 2009 at 00:21

Captain_Slick said:
Means you have to put the clutch in before you turn the ignition. That's just unnecessary work.

A good driver will always disengage the clutch, when starting a car, without thinking.

Vigoro · 1 Aug 2009 at 00:21

My driving instructor taught me to leave a car in gear when parking on an incline that is noticeable, and it does help as sometimes i dont trust the handbrake enough

Gaygle · 1 Aug 2009 at 00:22

Captain_Slick said:
Well, yeah, but how does putting it in gear stop the wheels from rolling backwards?

because the wheels.....won't move....

Firestar_3x · 1 Aug 2009 at 00:22

Captain_Slick said:
Well, yeah, but how does putting it in gear stop the wheels from rolling backwards?

Means the hill now has to turn the engine over to move the car, this isn't easy to do.

Captain_Slick · 1 Aug 2009 at 00:23

Gaygle said:
A good driver will always disengage the clutch, when starting a car, without thinking.

Err. No. They'll disengage the clutch when setting off. You don't just sit in the car with the clutch pressed in if you're just warming the car up or waiting for someone. Waste of energy.

Captain_Slick · 1 Aug 2009 at 00:24

Firestar_3x said:
Means the hill now has to turn the engine over to move the car, this isn't easy to do.

Right. Okay. I get it now.

Firestar_3x · 1 Aug 2009 at 00:24

I think you're missing several key mechanical and physical driving points ere.

He's talking about putting the clutch in when starting to decrease the mass the starter motor has to turn over

Captain_Slick · 1 Aug 2009 at 00:25

Firestar_3x said:
I think you're missing several key mechanical and physical driving points ere.

Yeah, I was thinking that when you turn the engine off, the clutch... ceases to be connected to the wheels.

I'm such a thicko.

Captain_Slick · 1 Aug 2009 at 00:26

Firestar_3x said:
He's talking about putting the clutch in when starting to decrease the mass the starter motor has to turn over

Even in neutral?

BigglesPiP · 1 Aug 2009 at 00:27

Disks at the rear = leave it in gear.

A cooling drum will shrink around its shoes, applying more hand brake. A disk will shrink between its pads, doing the opposite.

In the winter I often leave it in gear on the flat, because my bowden cables freeze up.

Peerzy · 1 Aug 2009 at 00:28

Gaygle said:
A good driver will always disengage the clutch, when starting a car, without thinking.

Yeah, my dad always taught me to push down the clutch pedal when turning the car on. I do it without even thinking now.

Say the handbreak did give way and you were on a seriously steep hill would the weight of the car and mavity not seriously damage the clutch/gearbox/engine by having to hold the car?

Firestar_3x · 1 Aug 2009 at 00:28

Captain_Slick said:
Even in neutral?

Yep it helps by disconnecting the gearbox input shafts and the clutch plate, but i never bother pressing the clutch in when starting the car.

Peerzy said:
Say the handbreak did give way and you were on a seriously steep hill would the weight of the car and mavity not seriously damage the clutch/gearbox/engine by having to hold the car?

When a gearbox can deal with a load of torque, think of the twisting force on a driveshaft when under load, i doubt the weight of the car (so to speak) is going to break anything, with this logic the car should explode when pulling its own weight up hill during a hill start.

Captain_Slick · 1 Aug 2009 at 00:30

Right. Kay. Still not going to bother. My car starts just fine without putting the clutch in first.

Hardly makes someone a 'good driver' though. Just... anal.

Vigoro · 1 Aug 2009 at 00:31

I only push the clutch in on start when my car sometimes decides it doesnt want to start. Only does it in the winter though, must be the cold temperatures

Firestar_3x · 1 Aug 2009 at 00:31

Captain_Slick said:
Right. Kay. Still not going to bother. My car starts just fine without putting the clutch in first.

Hardly makes someone a 'good driver' though. Just... anal.

It means he understands the mechanics behind the situation and has made an informed choice, imho.

BigglesPiP · 1 Aug 2009 at 00:32

Peerzy said:
Say the handbreak did give way and you were on a seriously steep hill would the weight of the car and mavity not seriously damage the clutch/gearbox/engine by having to hold the car?

The drive train can tolerate accelerating hard up the hill, I think it will be fine sitting still.

Peerzy · 1 Aug 2009 at 00:33

Firestar_3x said:
When a gearbox can deal with a load of torque, think of the twisting force on a driveshaft when under load, i doubt the weight of the car (so to speak) is going to break anything, with this logic the car should explode when pulling its own weight up hill during a hill start.

I've tested it a few times on small hills, the car rolls a tiny bit and then seems to catch and stop, I'd no idea what was making it catch and simply thought that with enough weight and force it would sheer the catch/teeth of the cog or whatever and mess up the car. I'm far from mechanical minded as I'm sure you can tell.