Can someone explain something?

Tommy B said:
...As to your first point, I'm also confused. If I stopped at a zebra crossing, I wouldn't use neutral or the hand break, I'd dip my foot on the clutch and the other foot on the break. Then just drive off again when necessary.

It actually annoys me when my mates who have just passed their test obsessively use the hand break. I was always taught only to use it when entirely necessary. I think it's absolutely ridiculous using it at a junction, or in between having reversed and taking off again. It seems silly.
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Sorry, but I would definitely use the hand brake at a Zebra crossing, as it's likely that there will be people walking in front of your car.

Using the hand brake and, depending on circumstances, putting the car into neutral is a far more secure way of keeping the car stationary, imagine if someone bumped into you while you where holding the car on the brakes, you could quite easily take your feet off the clutch and brake pedal causing the car to lurch forward and knock someone on the crossing over. If you’ve got the handbrake on, even if you take your foot off the clutch in shock the worst you will do (assuming your hand brake works) is stall the car.

As far as putting a car in neutral causing damage, I think you might have confused yourself, as I can't see where anyone has said that.
 
I see your point, but I'm talking mainly about "damage to the clutch" rather than safety. I guess I'm just lazy, but I never use the hand break unless it's completely necessary.
 
Your more likely to warp the front disks if you use the brakes like that.

As well as that, sitting at traffic lights with your brake lights on full can be irritating and inconsiderate, save it for when its needed?

I'd only be annoyed at someone using a hand brake if they paused excessively when the lights were green, its easy to be ready for a yellow still.
 
silversurfer said:
As well as that, sitting at traffic lights with your brake lights on full can be irritating and inconsiderate
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Indeed - I make a point of not sitting on the footbrake at the lights because I know the person behind me won't appreciate three bright red lights burning his retinas out. I release the footbrake and if the car rolls, I use the handbrake.
 
Oh please give me a break. The break lights aren't exactly eye-piecing. If you're going to complain about that you might as well make a fuss of people who opt for Xeon gas white lights fitted in their cars, because those are damn annoying.
 
dirtydog said:
Indeed - I make a point of not sitting on the footbrake at the lights because I know the person behind me won't appreciate three bright red lights burning his retinas out. I release the footbrake and if the car rolls, I use the handbrake.
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Aye, me too :)

Tommy, its spelt 'brake', just so you know :)
 
Tommy, you seem obsessed with not 'breaking' your clutch. Using it properly is not going to break it! The thing that knackers clutches quickly is slipping it in with lots of revs. Avoid that, and you'll be fine.

You and your mates sound like you're at that stage of all trying to out do each other with crazy methods of proving who is the better driver. You'll grow out of it. :p Just dont crash and dont drive like a nob. If you're thinking of things like coasting to save fuel, or not changing gear to save the clutch, you guys really should think if you can really afford to be driving!

I nearly always take my car out of gear when I'm sitting at lights etc. Its just generally non-lazy driving. Once its out, you can just sit and relax until you're ready to go. Doesn't take long to put it back in gear. But that might wear out the clutch eh ;) :p
 
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holy thread degredation batman!

Holding your clutch down for extended periods of time whether on the bite point or not increases its wear rate either on the friction plate or the release bearing. Thats plain physics i'm afraid.

Holding your foot on the brakes of a stationary car will not warp the discs even after a hard run. Heat will still vent in exactly the same way it would if the pads were'nt pressed on the discs. The fact that the pads are permanently touching the discs when you drive anyway...well, i guess we can overlook that heat issue.

Driving in gear with your foot off the accelerator equals zero, 0, nill, nada fuel being used as the injectors are cut. Putting your clutch down in any circumstances, or going into neutral will see your engine idling at around +/- 850rpm therefore using fuel.

Can we go now?
 
Faithless said:
Driving in gear with your foot off the accelerator equals zero, 0, nill, nada fuel being used as the injectors are cut. Putting your clutch down in any circumstances, or going into neutral will see your engine idling at around +/- 850rpm therefore using fuel.
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I don't understand how that can be though. How is the engine functioning if it isn't using any fuel when you lift off? It must be surely.
 
dirtydog said:
I don't understand how that can be though. How is the engine functioning if it isn't using any fuel when you lift off? It must be surely.
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Been explained in this thread already mate.


It's because essentially the wheels are turning the gear box and the gear box is turning the engine over. Injectors = closed and no fuel is used. :)


As I said, it's why the trip computer will read out 99.99mpg or similar.
 
What does the trip computer say when the car is idling then? Or if you press the clutch or shift into neutral while moving?
 
dirtydog said:
I don't understand how that can be though. How is the engine functioning if it isn't using any fuel when you lift off? It must be surely.
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Cars have a compression ratio measured by cylinder stroke. With the fuel cut, only air is compressed and the flow of air is already restricted by a closed throttle, this takes motion away from the vehilce, slowing it down (engine braking). The air gets hotter and once the compression stroke has ended the power stroke begins. But of course with no fuel entering the cycle, the air gets to expand again which restores most of the energy that was used to compress it in the first place, and as air cools we know it expands.

Does that help?
 
dirtydog said:
What does the trip computer say when the car is idling then? Or if you press the clutch or shift into neutral while moving?
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You will see the mpg will decrease if you coast in neutral with the engine idling. They will increase i.e. read 99.9 or whatever if you leave the car in gear and take your feet off the pedals.
 
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