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Originally Posted by NeilBlanchard
It is better for the clutch to coast in neutral rather than holding the clutch pedal down ?
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Yes it is better for the
clutch to coast in neutral rather than holding the clutch pedal down. The reason is because when the clutch is depressed the throwout bearing has to spin. This can lead to early bearing failure. Unlike big rig throwout bearings that are greasable, car throwout bearings are not greasable. In normal use, the throwout bearing will last as long as the clutch lining does.
However, by only pressing in the clutch, you will save wear and tear on the transmission
synchronizers.
Synchronizers allow the gears to engage easily when shifting by helping to synchronize (match) the speed of the gear being selected . If your coasting down the road in neutral at speed and wish to put the transmission back into gear the synchronizer for that gear must now attempt to slow the transmission enough to allow the gears to engage. Since synchronizers are commonly made of brass to keep form chiping and or damaging the gears, exccessive wear can result.
By using a combination of the two methods, wear could be minimized.
Short coasts - push clutch = save synchronizers
Long coasts - place in neutral = save throwout bearing
Quote:
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Do you think a clutch is worn by the number of times it is used, or more by how well/badly it is used?
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Clutch wear only occures when the clutch surface is not in constant contact. Constant slipping allows heat, glazing and wear to occure. Abrupt use can cause the linning to tear and fail.
To minimize wear, one needs to learn the minimal amount of slippage needed to fully engage the clutch.
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