Clutch question

[Ligouri Rd]

I was at autox (learning curve) this weekend and my instructor commented that I shouldnt be stopped for long lengths of time (like at a stop light) in gear with the clutch in. I should have the car in neutral instead. He stated that something is heating up when I do this and could effect my launch onto the course.

Ok before you flame me, please forgive me for not searching too much but this is kinda hard to search for.

Anyway, I was talking to a guy at lunch and he said the same thing but didnt know anyone that had a problem with doing it. Granted I am new (1.5yrs) to driving "standard". I started doing this because my 240 would sometimes be impossible to get into first gear, even after putting it in second previously. Typicaly as I come to a stop I first put the car in second, then when im rolling slowly to a stop slip the car into first. Now I once the car is into first i could put it back in neutal till im ready to go. Typically I don't do this cause in rush hour traffic the extra second or so it takes to put the car back into gear makes people honk at me.

Are my autox instructor and friend at lunch correct? Have you ever had or heard of say throw-out bearing or other failures associated with this practice?

[Bunta240]

If your at a complete stop and at nuetral, it should really only take a split second to get back into first. Just try and judge how long the light will be, you can always pay attention to the traffic lights on your sides and see when they change to yellow. And if your going slow enough that you think you should be in first, youll have to double clutch into first.

[StrangeLove]

Hmmmm I always sit at stop lights in gear with my clutch in gear... I have never heard anything bad about doing this...

[spitz7985]

And if your going slow enough that you think you should be in first, youll have to double clutch into first.

because your transmission is from 1935 and doesn't have synchros?

[Adikt]

i was gonna go to learning curve but i was short on funds. how was it anyways? are you gonna be at the autoX on april 4 at route 66?

[krazy skwerel]

Yeah it could wear out the throw out bearing but you will probly lose the clutch before the throw out bearing. So I don't worry about it.

[spitz7985]

Yeah it could wear out the throw out bearing/B]

makes sense. why have all that pressure on the TOB if you could be in neutral?

[Ligouri Rd]

I guess I need to modify my habits a little bit. Keep in mind the whole rolling into first then staying in first while stopped thing was started when I was first learning to drive standard. I hope my skills have improved since then. The third time I drove the car I was stopped upward on a slight hill. I was in neutral, then when the light next to me turned yellow I tried to put the car in gear and it just wouldn't go. Then I tried second, and then first again-no work. Then I tried to roll backward a little. All the while the guy behind me is honking up a storm. I ended up starting in second-thank god for the torquey truck engine.Now that i've done it a few times going from neutral to first when im ready to go actually seems to work better. My starts are a little smoother since multiple actions now have to blend into one combined motion. Thanks for the input guys.

[spitz7985]

Typically I don't do this cause in rush hour traffic the extra second or so it takes to put the car back into gear makes people honk at me.

All the while the guy behind me is honking up a storm.

is your middle finger broken or something?

[BadMojo]

If I'm stopped at a light, I put the car in neutral. The only way I leave it in gear is if I know I'm only gonna be stopped for a few seconds. That's the way I was taught to drive.

BTW, I almost never shift in to 1st from anything except a dead stop.

[Bubba1]

It doesn't make enough of a difference from an engine/clutch wear standpoint that it matters. I can understand that philosophy on a race track but not on the street. In a track situation, cars are put under much more stress, ie hotter. Heck, on racetracks they also warn you never ever use your parking brake, as your brake pads could end up fused to the rotors. But that shouldn't stop you from using it on the street. Track and street are more different than you think. There also is a much stronger safety argument for keeping the car IN gear with the clutch pedal depressed on the street instead of in neutral with the clutch pedal out . And that argument is you can move the car more quickly to avoid a situation if you're already in gear than if you not in gear.

[krazy skwerel]

Yeah I just leave the car in gear. TOB are cheap and really can't say they are that easy to destroy, providing you arent a moron. Really by the time it starts to wear out you will more than likely need a new clutch as well so just buy a new kit and boom your set.