Am I harming the tranny or doing it some good when I put it in neutral on stops longer than a minute???

I find myself doing that lately, and just in case I am doing some harm, wanna know quickly..

2006 XLT SC 5.4L with 6500 miles..

 

you wouldnt be harming your tranny. That's what the torque converter is for.


Besides, if you are stopped that long, why not just put it in park?

 

I don't think your doing damage by doing that, but it's pointless to put it in neutral though. Its not needed

 

And neither are you...

 

..I do it all the time at red lights, I hate pressing the brake's if I don't have to...over the long haul, it will save on wear and tear on the brakes.

 

In neutral or park, the idle speed is a tad higher which promotes a bit more coolant flow through the engine. I do this if I'm forced to idle for a while during the summer.

 

I would say it's probably a "six of one, half dozen of the other" sort of deal. I doubt you're putting any appreciable wear on the tranny either way, but my inclination would be to leave it in drive to reduce any wear that comes from that "clunk" of dropping the transmission into gear.

 

That's where I be doing it, at long lights. The trucks wants to move when it's stopped and in drive. It seem relieved when I put it in neutral.

No harm then, all good.. Good...

 

YOu got a point there too. Some times I put in back in gear, and get the clunk.

 

I heard somewhere that it hurts the tranny to leave it in drive on a hill with a trailer. So, out of being in that spot a couple times, I started putting it in neutral even when I am not pulling the trailer.

With the trailer and on a hill, I heard that it is better to put it in neutral.. that's what I heard...

 

u know you can QUOTE people in the same post ya know instead of making 3 different post!

 

stick it in neutral...you all reved up with no place to go !!! Mountaineer

 

First, I can’t see how there would be any wear and tear on the brakes by applying them when stopped. Nothing is moving in the brake system to cause any wear and tear.

Second, I have never heard of how having a trailer on a hill would harm a transmission when in gear WITH the brakes applied. The torque converter disengages the transmission from the motor and thus there is no real load on it, or at least there is no difference of load on the transmission regardless if you have a trailer or not.

The only time you would harm a transmission, with or without a trailer, is like in a manual transmission where some people ride the clutch. In other words in stead of applying their brakes they hold the clutch in a bit and give a little gas thus utilizing the clutch as a brake. That can cause BIG time wear and tear on a clutch or automatic transmission.

In conclusion you are not helping the transmission by having it in neutral when at a stop light etc. or a short stop consisting of a few minutes. If it was going to be a while, like 10 minutes or longer then you “might” help the transmission. In my opinion, you’re actually causing more wear and tear by taking it out of gear and placing it in gear again. Every time you do that you are causing parts inside the transmission to move, solenoids, valves, etc. Any time parts move there is wear and tear, and as been pointed out, the “clunk”. The clunk is the u-joints and other internals in the transmission.

 

If you are stopped on a hill in drive, with the brakes on, the transmission is not going to know if you have a trailer behind you or not.

The only time I go to neutral is if I have a manual box. I do it then to save on the clutch parts.

 

if i'm going to be sitting for more than a miniute i put it in park and shut it off

that way there when i start it up.. just before i put it in drive i make sure i leave it in reverse so the beams and beeper (snowplow must have) are on and give whoever is behind me a little wake up call before i get into drive

...zap!