Leaving Cars In Gear Parked

[Raize]

Would it not be better to leave a car in fifth gear rather than reverse gear when it's parked on a hill as the gearing ratio would mean gravity would have a harder time overcoming compression? Compression would simply happen on the combustion stroke going "backward". And I don't believe it's possible to fk an engine by turning it backwards (or trying to) either. What do you guys think?

EDIT: I may be missing something vital here about how the gear ratio would work when it's the wheels turning the engine... idk.

[xRIEx]

Raize said:

...would have a harder time overcoming compression?

Other way round - a low gear would have a harder time overcoming the compression of the engine. Think about which gear gives most engine braking - first or fifth?

[Magic919]

Lowest gear provides highest resistance.

[Graebob]

Also, putting the car in reverse wouldn't cause the engine to turn backwards.

[deltashad]

Reverse pointing downhill, first pointing uphill or flat. Always. And always keep the manuals in gear.

[cptsideways]

Someone didn't do Teknix lego in their youth

[jagnet]

Low gear, either reverse or first. In a higher gear the engine is more easily turned by the wheels - in effect, you're reversing the gearing using the wheels to drive the engine rather than the engine to drive the wheels.

I know this to my cost after nearly running myself over whilst working underneath the van, having selected 3rd instead of 1st by mistake whilst trying to free up some frozen drum brakes.

[Captain Muppet]

Graebob said:

Also, putting the car in reverse wouldn't cause the engine to turn backwards.

Unless you use:

deltashad said:

Reverse pointing downhill, first pointing uphill or flat.

[BorkFactor]

Quick question - the handbrake on my manual E46 doesn't work very well (will get round to it at some point) and I always leave my cars in gear anyway. Now, since the hand brake is providing almost no braking at all, will it do any damage to have the car being held by the gearbox, if that makes sense?

[wackojacko]

BorkFactor said:

Quick question - the handbrake on my manual E46 doesn't work very well (will get round to it at some point) and I always leave my cars in gear anyway. Now, since the hand brake is providing almost no braking at all, will it do any damage to have the car being held by the gearbox, if that makes sense?

Wouldn't have thought so aslong it doesn't rock back and forth whilst in gear.

I always leave manual cars in gear.... Habit from track driving.

[BorkFactor]

wackojacko said:

Wouldn't have thought so aslong it doesn't rock back and forth whilst in gear.

I always leave manual cars in gear.... Habit from track driving.

Doesn't move at all, just stops the car rolling away!

I have always left them in gear since day one, I remember the hand brake cable snapping on Mum's Corsa when it was in neutral and on a hill, close doesn't cover it