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Old 05-15-2009, 04:12 PM   #29 (permalink)
LeanBurninating
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Join Date: May 2009
Location: Bay Area, CA
Posts: 131

Honduh Power - '98 Honda Civic HX
90 day: 44.37 mpg (US)
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My last car was an 89 BMW 325i. It was a higher compression motor then my honda, but at one point I had an issue with a fuel pump relay intermittently cutting off fuel to the motor for a second or two... it felt like I was hitting the brakes, it would really startle me. I have to guess that this "fuel cutoff" mode gives at least a tiny bit of gas... But Im not a doctor.

As with the whole shifting with or without clutch... like stated already, shifting out of gear and into neutral without the clutch is pretty easy and if you do it right, it feels no different than using the clutch. The shifter will slide into neutral with no bumping or grinding. I would say any wear this causes is negligible. With a little practice you can get it right every time.

Shifting back into gear from neutral is a bit more tricky but still can be mastered. If you said THAT was bad for the transmissions lifespan.. I would say, if done frequently and incorrectly, yes. You just have to get a bit more intimate with your tranny. haha. When in neutral, look at your tach and try to predict where your RPMs would be in Xth gear at your current speed, and if you are perfectly right, the shifter will slide right into that gear. This takes lots of finesse.

Any way you choose to do it, I don't think the time it takes to use the clutch or shifter is a big deal. I think trying to say one is better or safer is splitting hairs. But do try to avoid riding the clutch (.02)
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