When you sit for an extended period of time at a light, do you shift your auto tranny into neutral? I do, and I'm wondering if the extra shifting in and out of gear is more wearing on these transmissions than leaving it in drive, and using the brake. I don't see any recommendation for doing this in the manual. Should I get off the shift lever at the light? Thanks.

 

Yes, you should leave the shifter alone at a light. It's worse for the transmission to be shifted in and out of gear frequently than to just stay in drive.

What would it hurt sitting at a light in drive?

Mark

 

Mark, during my formative years, somewhere between discussions about going blind and drinking excessively, I was told it was a good thing to shift the Slush-O-Matic into neutral while waiting for a light change. Supposedly, this would reduce the slippage, friction, and heat produced when the transmission was in gear, but was being held back by braking. Maybe this procedure prolonged the life of older automatic transmissions, or maybe it was an... urban legend

 

That's my vote!

Mark

 

Most of the force is been absorbed by the torque convertor (fluid being compressed by the impeller vanes.) Therefore, I don't think that leaving it in gear at 700 RPM is going to harm the tranny.

Another aspect is that if you need to get out the way of a semi barrelling behind you while you are stopped at a light, you don't want to be fumbling for the shifter. Just gas it and go.

 

How about in a manual. Should I have it in gear ready to go, in case that semi is barrelling behind me? Should I have it in neutral so that I don't have my foot slip off the clutch with it in gear?

It's a tough one. Get rearended by the semi or hit the person in front of me. I guess if this were a big concern for me I would have got an automatic, and just left it in D.

I amuse myself sometimes .

Tom

 

OK, we have consensus! I'll leave the tranny in gear while stopped. And then if I'm stopped for a speeding freight train, and notice a tandem gravel hauler bearing down on me, I'll just...
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