Coasting in neutral or with clutch down?

[PaleMelanesian]

10 miles 1 way. A quarter of it is country back roads, then 55 mph highway, then suburban streets.

Basically, I approach it this way: I'm gliding. If / when I need to, I throw in a pulse, then I resume the gliding.

[alohaspirit]

Let me get this right

My RWD Tracker (auto) should never be coasted in neutal

It should always be coasted in drive (SG:9999)



This is sad to me as there are some huge hills I can
take advantage of but I lose speed too fast for my taste

[Ptero]

For what it's worth, I found this on the internet:

The owner's manual for my 2003 Tracker indicates when towing 4 wheels down, to stop towing and run the Tracker engine for 5 minutes every 200 miles. Does anyone know if this is actually required?

This would indicate the tranny lube pump is run by the engine and you should be able to pulse and glide or coast to your heart's delight.

Check your manual.

[alohaspirit]

the 96s and the 03s are different

but would that be a yes for engine-on neutral coasting?

[newtonsfirstlaw]

Originally Posted by jimepting

o.k. your priority list is probably right, for most cars. The thing that bothers me about pulse and EOC is that it involves a lot of extra cycles on the clutch and transmission.

Yep, obsessive pulse and EOC killed my clutch over about 2 years. But note that this was excessive - virtually my entire commute consisted of pulses and glides. You can get 90% of the benefits by just sticking to the long hills and coasts to stopped cars/lights for EOC, which I now do. And now I use the starter motor in preference to the clutch to restart the car.

Pulse and keeping the engine on in neutral can probably be done with minimal impact if you take care to match rpm when shifting back.

[PaleMelanesian]

Basjoos uses P&G a whole lot, and his clutch is approaching 500k miles.
Mine's just fine at 170k, p&g with bump-start for 99% of my driving.

[alohaspirit]

Originally Posted by newtonsfirstlaw

Pulse and keeping the engine on in neutral can probably be done with minimal impact if you take care to match rpm when shifting back.

match rpms in an auto?

[Southcross]

I've had wondered in the past about clutch vs neutral coasting on the early VWs (pre-mid 90s)... later are hydraulic clutch, early are a "metal on metal"... or more correctly a "spinning metal on spinning metal" disengagement... there is a thread on one of the VW based forums where the release rod punched THROUGH the release plate. No clutch coasting for me, except short distances.

[nateluke]

Originally Posted by alohaspirit

Let me get this right

My RWD Tracker (auto) should never be coasted in neutal

It should always be coasted in drive (SG:9999)



This is sad to me as there are some huge hills I can
take advantage of but I lose speed too fast for my taste

I've been wondering the same thing. I also have an automatic, but no scangauge. The only times I use neutral are during engine-off coasting to my parking spot at work, and when the engine is off at a long stoplight. Works well enough for me.

[Christ]

I coast in neutral often... any time I need to reduce speed, any time I'm coming to a complete stop, etc.

I never turn the engine off during this time though, as Cara wasn't designed for flat towing (that I know of... someone please correct me, I'd love to EOC).

When I do turn the engine off, is when I'm within neutral coasting distance of my parking spot (anywhere). When I'm within neutral coasting distance of a red light that:
1. I'm not the first one to get there AND/OR
2. I'll be there for more than a few seconds.

I can watch the opposing lights, when it turns yellow, I start the engine and put it back in gear, which, by the time my light is green, allows me to take off smoothly.

Any automatic, regardless of where the pump is, can be coasted in neutral with the engine on. EOC is only a problem if the pump is driven by the input shaft, as opposed to the output shaft.