View Poll Results: What do YOU do when slowing to a stop?
Downshift through each gear while decellerating.
189
54.47%
I put it in neutral and just use the brakes.
132
38.04%
I don't know how to drive standard transmission, cuz I am a stupid n00b. 
26
7.49%
Voters: 347. You may not vote on this poll
Do you downshift when slowing to a stop?
I like others have mentioned mix it up. If I'm coming to a light I will sometimes just go into neutral and coast. If I'm coming to a turn I will downshift to make sure I have the correct gear.
It's all a matter of choice and I really don't see a right or wrong on the street. The track is a different subject.
It's all a matter of choice and I really don't see a right or wrong on the street. The track is a different subject.
yeah i just learned stick about 3 days ago cuz i got my evo 3 days ago and i usually put it in neutral to come to a complete stop, but when im like at a light and the light is going to turn green then i downshift but at a stoplight i always put it in neutral.
Evolving Member
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 116
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Originally posted by RalliArtGuy555
Let off your gas pedal, notice that 'jerk'. That is your fuel injectors cutting off fuel. Engine braking doesn't use any gas at all.
Let off your gas pedal, notice that 'jerk'. That is your fuel injectors cutting off fuel. Engine braking doesn't use any gas at all.
But it still seems counterintuitive to me.
Where does the exhaust sound come from?
Is the engine firing, but with less air/fuel?
Evolving Member
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 116
Likes: 0
Daddy always told me never to coast in neutral:
You don't have complete control of the car.
If you must coast, coast in gear with the clutch pedal depressed.
But better yet, be in the best gear for the speed. You never know when you might need a shot of power to get out of trouble...
You don't have complete control of the car.
If you must coast, coast in gear with the clutch pedal depressed.
But better yet, be in the best gear for the speed. You never know when you might need a shot of power to get out of trouble...
Stopping in neutral means it takes longer to accelerate again. If you're stopping in neutral and see someone coming in hot behind you, gunning right for you, you'd wish you were in gear pretty quickly. I used to stop in neutral. I realized why it was not a good idea pretty quickly.
On a side note (sorry if this has been mentioned, but I dont' have time to read the entire thread right now) I've heard that it's actually illegal to coast around in neutral. Interesting, no?
And Chillin, it doesn't matter if you drive a Hugo or a McLaren F1, the principle remains the same. Next time, keep that kind of comment in your head, not on the forum.
On a side note (sorry if this has been mentioned, but I dont' have time to read the entire thread right now) I've heard that it's actually illegal to coast around in neutral. Interesting, no?
And Chillin, it doesn't matter if you drive a Hugo or a McLaren F1, the principle remains the same. Next time, keep that kind of comment in your head, not on the forum.
Last edited by KK; Jun 7, 2003 at 11:36 AM.
Newbie
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
From: London UK
If you put you car into neutral, then your not in full control of whats happening.
Your going to waste time engaging a gear if you need to floor it for some reason.
Selecting neutral is soooooo boring and for lazy people
Your going to waste time engaging a gear if you need to floor it for some reason.
Selecting neutral is soooooo boring and for lazy people
Newbie
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 36
Likes: 0
From: in a basement smelling glue
Originally posted by JeffGST
Yes, the injectors completely shut off when you are coasting in a gear. This DOES NOT mean the engine shuts off.
The engine continues to spin until one of these four things happen.
1) When the car makes a complete stop while still in gear. The wheels stop moving - the transmission is connected to the wheels - the engine is connected to the transmission. Therefore if the wheels are not moving, the engine will stop rotating also.
2) Lack of fuel to the engine, with the wheels completely stopped.
3) Lack of air, with the wheels completely stopped.
4) Lack of ignition, with the wheels completely stopped.
As you can see, if the wheels are moving and the transmission is engaged, the engine will spin according to how fast the wheels are spinning in that specific gear ratio.
Example...
If you are on the freeway, cruising at 65 MPH and you let off the gas in 5th gear, the RPMs don't drop to zero, right? Of course not, it just continues to spin and drop slowly as your speed drops. You can even shut off the engine and take the keys all the way out of the ignition. It has the same effect as the injector shut off. The ECU just waits for you to open the throttle again before it sprays more fuel in the engine.
But if you are at 65 and you throw it in neutral, the injectors will spray fuel into the engine. This is because you have just disconnected the spinning wheels from the engine. Therefore the only way the engine will continue to spin is if the idle is picked up. Maintaining an idle requires fuel.
Slowing down and leaving it in gear will save you gas and extended the life on your brakes.
Jeff
Yes, the injectors completely shut off when you are coasting in a gear. This DOES NOT mean the engine shuts off.
The engine continues to spin until one of these four things happen.
1) When the car makes a complete stop while still in gear. The wheels stop moving - the transmission is connected to the wheels - the engine is connected to the transmission. Therefore if the wheels are not moving, the engine will stop rotating also.
2) Lack of fuel to the engine, with the wheels completely stopped.
3) Lack of air, with the wheels completely stopped.
4) Lack of ignition, with the wheels completely stopped.
As you can see, if the wheels are moving and the transmission is engaged, the engine will spin according to how fast the wheels are spinning in that specific gear ratio.
Example...
If you are on the freeway, cruising at 65 MPH and you let off the gas in 5th gear, the RPMs don't drop to zero, right? Of course not, it just continues to spin and drop slowly as your speed drops. You can even shut off the engine and take the keys all the way out of the ignition. It has the same effect as the injector shut off. The ECU just waits for you to open the throttle again before it sprays more fuel in the engine.
But if you are at 65 and you throw it in neutral, the injectors will spray fuel into the engine. This is because you have just disconnected the spinning wheels from the engine. Therefore the only way the engine will continue to spin is if the idle is picked up. Maintaining an idle requires fuel.
Slowing down and leaving it in gear will save you gas and extended the life on your brakes.
Jeff
Evolving Member
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 116
Likes: 0
Originally posted by Zero_EVO
this i understand hence the reason why i always did it when i had the wrx. my friend with a '01 mustang GT always did it too, but after a while his tranny started to be funky. turns out the syncros were worn out like crazy. the tech believed it was from engine braking. could this be true? I rather wear out brake pads than synchros
this i understand hence the reason why i always did it when i had the wrx. my friend with a '01 mustang GT always did it too, but after a while his tranny started to be funky. turns out the syncros were worn out like crazy. the tech believed it was from engine braking. could this be true? I rather wear out brake pads than synchros
Engine braking, done right, shouldn't hurt the synchros. Forced downshifts and missed shifts are the culprits.
Newbie
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 36
Likes: 0
From: in a basement smelling glue
Originally posted by kurichan
How many miles was on the stang?
Engine braking, done right, shouldn't hurt the synchros. Forced downshifts and missed shifts are the culprits.
How many miles was on the stang?
Engine braking, done right, shouldn't hurt the synchros. Forced downshifts and missed shifts are the culprits.
Probably as "downshifting in accompaniment (sp?) to gradual braking through use of the brake pedal". 
At least something like that. Dropping gears from 5k and applying no brake != done right.
At least something like that. Dropping gears from 5k and applying no brake != done right.
Last edited by HobieKopek; Jun 9, 2003 at 09:41 PM.
Newbie
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
From: College Park, MD
so no one here double clutches? I don't mean the FF way...aka the WRONG way...anyway, when u double clutch, there is almost no wear on the synchros. It's when u don't double clutch that it wears down the clutch and the synchros.