Do you hold the clutch down when you start your car?
Poll: Do you hold the clutch down when you start your car?
Total Members Polled: 641
Discussion
Nope, as said it adds undue wear on the crank thrust bearing, which if your unlucky is a lot harder to replace than a starter motor.
I had one of those stop/start things on hire, pressed the other button on the dash and back to normal.
Modern gearbox oil is so thin these days, it does not add a lot of strain to the starter of a high compression V8!
But think of us poor auto owners.
Can't take key out unless in Park, can't start unless in Park, can't take out of Park unless brake pedal pressed, can't release electric hand-brake unless brake pedal pressed, can't use sat-nav unless I agree to restricted functions while car moving! LOL!
I had one of those stop/start things on hire, pressed the other button on the dash and back to normal.
Modern gearbox oil is so thin these days, it does not add a lot of strain to the starter of a high compression V8!
But think of us poor auto owners.
Can't take key out unless in Park, can't start unless in Park, can't take out of Park unless brake pedal pressed, can't release electric hand-brake unless brake pedal pressed, can't use sat-nav unless I agree to restricted functions while car moving! LOL!
When you drive several different cars each day, it becomes habit. i can't sit in a manual without depressing the clutch and brake, you never know what condition the car is in. probably a quarter of all cars i drive have a dodgy handbrake, so they all get left in gear. i find that most Land Rover owners, especially owners of defenders or older discoverys/range rovers, leave it in gear.
My routine is;
clutch down when turning car off, and into 1st or reverse depending on how im parked.
-
get in, depress clutch and brake (i do this as i get in rather than thinking about it) leave it in the gear it parked in, start, handbrake off (if its on) and lift foot of clutch. quickest and simplest way i find to do it with the minimal amount of gear changing, handbrake applying etc.
My routine is;
clutch down when turning car off, and into 1st or reverse depending on how im parked.
-
get in, depress clutch and brake (i do this as i get in rather than thinking about it) leave it in the gear it parked in, start, handbrake off (if its on) and lift foot of clutch. quickest and simplest way i find to do it with the minimal amount of gear changing, handbrake applying etc.
My car had start issues and it was something I tried to get it to work (however pointless it may seem), so I've been doing it for about 2 years now.
ETA: Is there really that much added wear from this? I depress mine for 2 seconds when I start the car, I drive 20 minutes to work, and then the same back again. Throughout the week it adds about 16-20 clutch presses out of the hundreds in normal use.
ETA: Is there really that much added wear from this? I depress mine for 2 seconds when I start the car, I drive 20 minutes to work, and then the same back again. Throughout the week it adds about 16-20 clutch presses out of the hundreds in normal use.
Edited by MSTRBKR on Tuesday 26th June 22:42
No mines auto. Manual yes of course.MSTRBKR said:
My car had start issues and it was something I tried to get it to work (however pointless it may seem), so I've been doing it for about 2 years now.
ETA: Is there really that much added wear from this? I depress mine for 2 seconds when I start the car, I drive 20 minutes to work, and then the same back again. Throughout the week it adds about 16-20 clutch presses out of the hundreds in normal use.
There will obviously be some extra wear, depressing the clutch puts quite a lot of load on the crank thrust bearings which will only have residual oil on them when you start the car. This is more likely to add extra drag to the starter motor rather than reducing it unless you are living in artic temperatures where the gearbox oil can thicken up significantly.ETA: Is there really that much added wear from this? I depress mine for 2 seconds when I start the car, I drive 20 minutes to work, and then the same back again. Throughout the week it adds about 16-20 clutch presses out of the hundreds in normal use.
That said I doubt it will significantly reduce the life of the thrust bearings, but why bother doing it when it's such a pointless exercise? (unless you car has a starter interlock on the clutch).
Ozzie Osmond said:
I hope all you "clutch pushers" remember to turn off
And don't forget all that added wear and tear on the clutch thrust bearing too.
What a load of twaddle. You'll all die of a heart attack if you drive a car with stop/start!
Maybe I should post this in the Lounge's "Odd Habits" thread, but - yes - I am a clutch pusher, and yes I turn off all the electrical kit before turning off the engine: radio, heater fan / air conditioning /, lights / rear de-mister, the lot.- the air conditioning, and
- all electrical equipment
And don't forget all that added wear and tear on the clutch thrust bearing too.
What a load of twaddle. You'll all die of a heart attack if you drive a car with stop/start!
When she's in the passenger seat, I'd be joy, not disappoint, if the steering committee passed me a shut-down checklist
Dip the clutch or waggle the gear stick to check for neutral. Always hold clutch in on the bike when starting as that has a wet clutch which places drag on the engine even in neutral.
Current car is an automatic so no need for any of that messing, but my Wife, who is not used to autos, still waggles the gear selector before she starts it.
Current car is an automatic so no need for any of that messing, but my Wife, who is not used to autos, still waggles the gear selector before she starts it.
I always do it. Back in the day I'd always leave my various cars in gear and with the handbrake on. When you live somewhere hilly and have Alfasuds (with poor handbrakes) it makes sense.
I now leave the wife's Clio in gear if I know I'm driving it next.
If SWMBO jumps in though there is a bid lurch and then a scowl in my direction - she never dips the clutch.
I now leave the wife's Clio in gear if I know I'm driving it next.
If SWMBO jumps in though there is a bid lurch and then a scowl in my direction - she never dips the clutch.
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