Comments on: Japan: Excessive Idling v. Start-Stop EcoDrivers http://ecomodder.com/blog/japan-excessive-idling-startstop-ecodrivers/ Wrench smart - driver smarter - save fuel Wed, 14 Oct 2009 01:05:18 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: vet http://ecomodder.com/blog/japan-excessive-idling-startstop-ecodrivers/comment-page-1/#comment-4351 vet Sat, 06 Jun 2009 17:54:33 +0000 http://ecomodder.com/blog/?p=1373#comment-4351 I think what I meant was, Tom & Ray's point was the frequent shifting back and forth from N to D puts undue wear on the transmission...not the act of being in N in itself. Maybe the Smart 4-2 goes into neutral when stopped...if I'm understanding "auto-creep" correctly...who knows. I think what I meant was, Tom & Ray’s point was the frequent shifting back and forth from N to D puts undue wear on the transmission…not the act of being in N in itself.

Maybe the Smart 4-2 goes into neutral when stopped…if I’m understanding “auto-creep” correctly…who knows.

]]> By: Benjamin Jones http://ecomodder.com/blog/japan-excessive-idling-startstop-ecodrivers/comment-page-1/#comment-4348 Benjamin Jones Sat, 06 Jun 2009 05:30:56 +0000 http://ecomodder.com/blog/?p=1373#comment-4348 I am not sure why they would think being in neutral would strain the transmission...But it does save fuel anyway. It would be better to shut off at lights but that is a bigger step anyway. Coasting in neutral is a weird, transmission specific question that I cant give a general answer to. However, the trend in modern cars does seem to be towards a more neutral friendly automatic transmission. The Smart Fortwo even shuts off the auto-creep transmission feature when stopped. Somehow, :) I am not sure why they would think being in neutral would strain the transmission…But it does save fuel anyway. It would be better to shut off at lights but that is a bigger step anyway.

Coasting in neutral is a weird, transmission specific question that I cant give a general answer to. However, the trend in modern cars does seem to be towards a more neutral friendly automatic transmission. The Smart Fortwo even shuts off the auto-creep transmission feature when stopped. Somehow, :)

]]> By: Benjamin Jones http://ecomodder.com/blog/japan-excessive-idling-startstop-ecodrivers/comment-page-1/#comment-4347 Benjamin Jones Sat, 06 Jun 2009 05:28:14 +0000 http://ecomodder.com/blog/?p=1373#comment-4347 Randy, In this case it is better to coast in neutral because he gets a longer coast up to the light, and it is smoother in his car. Depending on the auto, you might be able to engine brake with the auto, which might be useful, but that depends on your car and things. Randy,

In this case it is better to coast in neutral because he gets a longer coast up to the light, and it is smoother in his car. Depending on the auto, you might be able to engine brake with the auto, which might be useful, but that depends on your car and things.

]]> By: vet http://ecomodder.com/blog/japan-excessive-idling-startstop-ecodrivers/comment-page-1/#comment-4344 vet Fri, 05 Jun 2009 16:45:21 +0000 http://ecomodder.com/blog/?p=1373#comment-4344 I remember reading something by the CarTalk bros. regarding shifting to neutral in an automatic when stopped...as I recall, someone asked if that practice really saved gas or not, and the CarTalk guys said it put more of a strain on the transmission than was worth whatever gas it might have saved. I'm also curious about coasting in an auto - you'd think that you don't have this ghost load of the torque converter if the engine is decoupled by being in neutral, right? But given how auto trannies are designed to coast in gear...how has transmission design dealt with that? I remember reading something by the CarTalk bros. regarding shifting to neutral in an automatic when stopped…as I recall, someone asked if that practice really saved gas or not, and the CarTalk guys said it put more of a strain on the transmission than was worth whatever gas it might have saved.

I’m also curious about coasting in an auto – you’d think that you don’t have this ghost load of the torque converter if the engine is decoupled by being in neutral, right? But given how auto trannies are designed to coast in gear…how has transmission design dealt with that?

]]> By: Randy http://ecomodder.com/blog/japan-excessive-idling-startstop-ecodrivers/comment-page-1/#comment-4343 Randy Fri, 05 Jun 2009 16:19:10 +0000 http://ecomodder.com/blog/?p=1373#comment-4343 With an automatic transmission, is it better to coast in neutral or in gear? Why? Randy With an automatic transmission, is it better to coast in neutral or in gear? Why?

Randy

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