Recording mileage with engine off?

[ksa8907]

if you're driving with an automatic, shutting the car off might not be the best idea. your torque converter which is bolted to the flywheel on the engine is also the pump that circulates transmission fluid through the transmission. with the engine off, the pump is not lubricating your transmission.

think about why when tow companies need to tow a rear wheel drive truck, they don't tow with the rear wheels on the ground unless they disconnect the drive shaft.

[rmay635703]

Originally Posted by ksa8907

if you're driving with an automatic, shutting the car off might not be the best idea. your torque converter which is bolted to the flywheel on the engine is also the pump that circulates transmission fluid through the transmission. with the engine off, the pump is not lubricating your transmission.

As with all advice this needs to be qualified with,
read your service manual,
many FWD auto GM cars can tolerate a specific distance and speed without the motor running. The buick was 45mph for 200miles, so no worries with EOC.

I would guess many other brands also can coast a specific speed for a specific distance depending on their XMSN setup.

Some tolerate 25mph for 5 miles, other much more, I don't think your car EOCs more than 5 miles, but I have been wrong before.

Cheers
Ryan

[California98Civic]

Originally Posted by ksa8907

if you're driving with an automatic, shutting the car off might not be the best idea. your torque converter which is bolted to the flywheel on the engine is also the pump that circulates transmission fluid through the transmission. with the engine off, the pump is not lubricating your transmission.

think about why when tow companies need to tow a rear wheel drive truck, they don't tow with the rear wheels on the ground unless they disconnect the drive shaft.

True, if the car with an AT cannot be flat towed. The way it has been explained to me is that you should check the owner's manual to see if the car can be flat towed. If it can be flat towed, it can also coast, engine-off, in neutral. Is that incorrect?

[Gealii]

well this is good to know, i know with jeeps they cant engine off coast because that have to be towed on a flatbed for autos, the pump doesn't circulate and burns the transmissions up on em.

[YeahPete]

I tried same thing on my 04 cavalier. It does not calculate the mileage. I guess I just won't be shutting off the engine.

[vrmilionzx]

I was being dumb - I had the key turned far enough to keep the accessories on, but the car wasn't "on" - fixed that yesterday. Thanks for making me think about the obvious, before I went on to do something slightly more complicated (unnecessarily).

Also, it's a 5sp. At least, it is now. It started life as an auto, and I wouldn't turn the engine off on an auto.

Pete - are you driving with the accessories on too, or does the Cav not differentiate? On mine, the accessory position is right next to "on," I know on some it's backwards one step from off, so this might not be the case for you.

[Weather Spotter]

get kill switch. I have one in my car ant it works great