Another way to save . Leave your car in neutral. cars with manual transmission .

[herberpower]

I do not quite enterderlo .
My level of English is poor.

I have no way to prove it , I can not measure consumption.

I 'm testing the neutral , I tried turning off the engine idling in some places, in some places works well in other sites with large declines or curves, it is dangerous.

When I'm in neutral with the engine off is better:

Can we give the key to start the engine.

Do you put a high gear , release the clutch in , start the engine, and switch to a shorter gear.

What is better?

[Fat Charlie]

the key to safe EOC (or any driving, much less eco-driving) is looking and thinking ahead. You should never run out of brake vacuum because braking shouldn't be a surprise- it's the driver's responsibility to restart before running out. Other things like power steering are in the same category- if you might suddenly need it, you should have your engine on anyway.

Come on, CAPTAIN. A car with a non power system is probably easier to steer than a car with a power system that is currently unpowered.

[awcook]

I agree with Fat Charlie on the fact that Power Steering is really hard to use when it is unpowered vs manual steering. I've tried both, and the Manual Steering isn't that hard to use, just takes a little more power. But unpowered Power Steering takes all of my strength to turn the wheels slightly!

[bikeprof]

OH yes..., this I have done many times, drive my car/van or truck with engine in neutral and coasted many miles this way!

PROBLEM IS that driver HAS to be VERY quick at the controls and a connossieur of traffic!
Connossieur of your OWN vehicle and what it can do in PANIC stops and turns.

1. Problem with the alternator is that @ 800rpm's it is usually NOT enough to actuate the diode to engage charging
2. Problem with car OFF is that air in brake system is lost usually after 3-4 brake applications(as stated previously by other poster(s)).
3. Problem is being IN control and being able to re-initiate engine PREVIOUS to need, takes practice in open spaces without any other vehicles around.

Driving downhill is good in gear if accelerator is not engaged, VERY little fuel is used/if any, specially in your diesel.

herbepower, INSTALL a cutoff or kill switch on the gear shifter. MUCH easier and simple, instructions and members D.I.Y's(doing it yourself) have PICS. here. Good luck!

[CAPTAIN CHAOS]

Originally Posted by Fat Charlie

....
Come on, CAPTAIN. A car with a non power system is probably easier to steer than a car with a power system that is currently unpowered.

My statement was made entirely tongue-in-cheek. It is most certainly easier to dive a vehicle designed with a proper manual steering system vs. a power steering setup that is inactive (engine off).
I have driven both though, numerous times, and never felt 'unsafe'. Even in the old 3/4 ton truck I had with a faulty power steering pump (I removed the belt due to massive leakage) it was manageable at any speed beyond a crawl; parking it was a whole nother story though!
Still, what it boils down to though is if you feel 'unsafe' then it's not worth the risk to save the tiny amount of fuel EOC will save you.

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by bikeprof

PROBLEM IS that driver HAS to be VERY quick at the controls and a connossieur of traffic!

This is part of being a competent (and courteous) driver. Seems obvious that one should drive differently when surrounded by heavy traffic, than a mountain road where the next car might be miles away.

Problem with car OFF is that air in brake system is lost usually after 3-4 brake applications(as stated previously by other poster(s)).

Don't pump the brakes. Instead, just press lightly to match the degree of braking you need, and hold.

[awcook]

Shouldn't every driver just lightly use the brakes, even when the car is on? Personally I think running in DFCO would be better than EOC. If you think that within the time that the car is off you will need to use the brakes and then start up again, keep the car running in DFCO or neutral coasting until that point of DFCO. I wouldn't EOC in suburban driving where there are cars constantly turning in and out of parking lots (which is most of my driving) but I would do it on state highways where the speed limit is low and there isn't that much traffic.

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by awcook

Shouldn't every driver just lightly use the brakes...

Sure, but that's something different. I was trying to point out that power brakes only use vacuum from the resevoir to increase braking force. If you hold a steady pressure on the pedal, no vacuum is used, and very little is used if you just change the pressure slightly.

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by awcook

Shouldn't every driver just lightly use the brakes...

Sure, but that's something different. I was trying to point out that power brakes only use vacuum from the resevoir to increase braking force. If you hold a steady pressure on the pedal, no vacuum is used, and very little is used if you just change the pressure slightly.

[awcook]

Oh I'm with you on that. The car shouldn't be EOCing for more than 3 or 4 friction brake presses. If it is, then either you are moving through heavy traffic or you didn't plan far enough ahead.