Quote:
Originally Posted by DeliveryGuy89
So if there's danger in putting it in neutral and coasting, why not leave it in gear and coast instead, beyond engine braking slowing you down a bit? I just turn it back to acc and the only things that I notice are the odometer quits and my headlights turn off.
What's a way around that happening?
And I'm really only aiming for about 28. I don't have any delusions about this car getting amazing mileage. I drive it because it's a tank. Deer heavy area. I have a close call probably 3x a week in my 50 hour work schedule.
I'd rather survive in this than be buried in a metro.
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Engine-off coasting is when you put it in neutral and then shut the engine off. This is the most efficient way to cover distance. If you leave it in gear instead, the friction and drag of spinning the engine slows you down - basically like riding the brakes.
As redpoint says, it's not necessary to key-off if you're just going to leave it in gear. By taking your foot off the pedal while in gear you're doing what's called "engine braking", which means you're intentionally slowing your car down by using the engine as a large friction brake. This also uses no fuel but robs you of momentum, so you only want to do it if you're actually trying to slow down.