CVT: neutral at the traffic light

[Lucalazio]

Hi everyone,

do you think that use Neutral whenever you stop at the traffic light is a good idea?

Do you use this drive way?

Is it better for the car, the brakes, the clutch and the transmission?

Thanks and bye, Luca.

[Anthony Poli]

Hi Luca,

I would imagine it's no different for non hybrids, best to keep it in drive. I have the handbrake and the foot brake engaged. while stopped.

 

[Lucalazio]

Ok, thanks.

I saw my friend with Powershift Ford Kuga that use Neutral a few hundred meters before the stop for his foot relax and a lower mechanical stress.

Don't you think that?

What Toyota says under this drive way?

Bye, Luca.

 

[Elias2233]

Hi Lucalazio, 

keeping the gar in neutral while waiting is not a issue BUT if your coasting in neutral even for a couple of meters it may damage the gear box. 

 

Reason: The train assign does not have a oil pump to circulate and lubricate the gears, it depends on the gears turning at low/high speeds to flick oil ( oil is just left at the bottom of the transmission casing)  all around the case to ensure the parts are lubriacted properly. If you this does not happen while the gears are moving ( car is moving) then you can damage the gears. 

 

So better to keep the car in drive when moving. 

Hope it helps 😊

[Cyker]

It is definitely recommended to go neutral+handbrake in manuals, semi-autos (MMT, DSG etc.) and torque-converter autoboxes - In a manual it saves wear on the clutch release bearing and spring, in a torque converter it stops the engine wasting fuel straining against the brakes.

In HSD's it's better to put it in Park (Or, if you're a *****, leave it in drive and hold down the brake pedal; The handbrake doesn't stop the engine straining against the brake apparently, but the footbrake does??), as it doesn't have a real neutral anyway.

For real CVT's, I... don't actually know! Do they actually disengage when put in neutral like manuals and torque converters or do they just counter-spin but stay engaged like HSD's??
I guess if you can feel it pulling against the brakes when in drive, it'd be better to put it in neutral, otherwise leave it in drive?


 

[Lucalazio]

Thank you Elias: i won't use the CVT like my friend........Just at the traffic light.

Thank you Cyker: i await further advices

Bye, Luca.

[alan333]

I held my cvt auto with the footbrake when stopped at lights etc, but put it neutral when a 'pause' became a 'longer stop'.

[Mark_P]

I always put it in Neutral with handbrake at lights.  I know a lot of people do use their foot brakes at lights but I don't, I'd like to avoid warped discs (heat being applied) by applying the footbrake for extended periods.

[barrycoll]

If you training to be able to Pass the IAM (Institute of Advanced Motorists) test, you would be asked to put the car in N and apply the handbrake.....several reasons  for this being, firstly if you are shunted from behind, your foot will come off of the footbrake and you will move forward,, secondly, the car is 'pulling' in D against the drive train and car sympathy dictates not to, and also the fact thhat  high intensity brake lights will be showing to the chap behind, and at night, this can be painful....

But for a short stop, the footbrake & D will win out

 

[alan333]

On 6 June 2016 at 0:55 AM, Mark_P said:

I always put it in Neutral with handbrake at lights.  I know a lot of people do use their foot brakes at lights but I don't, I'd like to avoid warped discs (heat being applied) by applying the footbrake for extended periods.

Applying the footbrake for long periods when the car is stationary won't warp discs.  It's applying them for long periods while moving, thus overheating the discs, which can warp them.

[Cyker]

If the brakes are hot, then holding them down in a stationary position will only affect that part of the disc rather than spreading heat evenly like when it's in motion, so you can put your discs at increased risk of warping if you hold them down when stationary!