To save on gas, I've been using the clutch or putting the gear in neutral while going down hill. Now that I'm driving a G, I want to make sure from the more experienced that it IS ok to do that.

 

Neutral is fine but never hold in the clutch. It wears it out.

 

How do you brake though? do you just use your brakes?
If you do, then don't expect your brakes to last much longer...

2004 G35C 6MT DG/Gr/Prem/NAV/A.Pedals/C.Corners/C.Bra/PIAA [img]/w3timages/icons/cool.gif[/img]

 

How long is this hill? You won't be saving much on gas. You are better off in a gear to engine break or accelerate to avoid an "incident."

---------------------------------
http://www.anythingbox.net

 

You might want to check out this thread before you go around coasting in Neutral. I used to do the same, but these guys changed my mind about it.


2003.5 G35 Sedan 6MT Brilliant Silver on Graphite
Premium/Aero/Sport/Tints/Factory Chrome Rims

 

well if anything which would u rather change? brakes or clutch? i would choose brakes so i think coasting is ok.

 

You waste more gas by coasting (in neutral) down a hill than if you just left the car in gear.

Sounds impossible? Think again. When you coast in neutral, the engine is using fuel to run the engine at idle RPM. When you coast in gear, the fuel pulse is shut off completely, so you're actually using no gas at all.

For what it's worth, the fuel pulse does not ALWAYS shut down completely upon coasting or deceleration, but certain parameters have to be met. But it's safe to say that MOST times the fuel pulse is completely shut down.

So in reality, you're wasting fuel by coasting in nuetral.

 

Driving the car out of gear is dangerous. What if you need to make an avoidance maneuver and you're in neutral? If you want to achieve good gas mileage, shift early, and ease into the gas when accelerating.

RainMeister
'04 G35C 6MT, diamond graphite, premium, nav, aero

 

"well if anything which would u rather change? brakes or clutch? i would choose brakes so i think coasting is ok."

Driving while the car is in gear has absolutely no effect on the clutch. Just leave it in gear and coast down. If what you are saying was true, then a regular coast on the highway in 6th gear would be burning the clutch the same way....


2004 G35C 6MT DG/Gr/Prem/NAV/A.Pedals/C.Corners/C.Bra/PIAA/Grnd.Kit [img]/w3timages/icons/cool.gif[/img]

 

You don't waste more gas coasting than in gear. You can travel much further without the need for acceleration in neutral. The engine breaks the car when it is in gear. As for the so called emergency application of full throttle to avoid some phantom something or other. That is jus not the case. If you are going 65 MPH the only emergency things you are going to do is change lanes or break really hard or both. I've been coasting in manual trannies for 21 years and I never had a problem.
Lastly the mention of no oil pressure, that too is false. The tow truck tows your car when it is off and that is why they do not put the driven wheels to the ground.

 

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr>

You don't waste more gas coasting than in gear. You can travel much further without the need for acceleration in neutral

<hr></blockquote>

Yes, you do waste more gas. The engine is using ZERO gas when coasting down a hill in gear. Therefore, you are putting miles on the car with no fuel use whatsoever.

If you put the car in neutral, then the engine is using fuel, without exception.

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr>

The engine breaks the car when it is in gear

<hr></blockquote>

You mean the engine BRAKES the car when it's in gear. True, but how many times have you coasted down a hill in neutral without having to use your brakes? Point is that any real hill will require the use of your brakes anyway.

There is no reason at all to coast down a hill in nuetral in any modern car.

 

Thanks for the reply on both sides. Here's my situation: On my way to work, I pass this hill about 1.5 miles up, 1.5 miles down, and 35 to 40 degrees incline (for those in So.Cal., it's the section on 57 that's between 10 and 210, where Raging Water's on the top of the hill). I usually push the clutch by the time I hit the top, around 70 - 80 MPH, and ended up with 60 - 70 by the time I hit the bottom. Then slowly release the clutch in 6th gear.

 

The hill to my school is a pretty steep, but short climb. I don't put it in gear as not to engine brake at all, and I usually don't brake until I reach the bottom, or there are cars in front of me.

I'd rather get new brakes than tranny, regardless of gas.

Black / Black 2004 GcoupeMT. Premium. Splash Guardz.

 

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr>


I'd rather get new brakes than tranny, regardless of gas.


<hr></blockquote>

Coasting in gear will not wear out your clutch/tranny.

Do you shut off your engine at a red light? After all, you might want to save the wear of idling your engine while stopped, right? See the point?

 

So you've got the clutch disengaged (depressed) for the full distance of 1.5 miles or about 90 seconds? That will cause unnecessary wear-and-tear on the clutch throwout bearing. We've had this discussion in other threads, but the clutch is not designed to be continuously disengaged in that manner. Others may tell you that they've always driven like that without adverse consequences, but anyone with an understanding of the mechanics of how a manual transmission operates can tell you it's a bad idea.

RainMeister
'04 G35C 6MT, diamond graphite, premium, nav, aero