Cold Reving

[CitroJim]

Eh ? If a car is in neutral no clutch depression is needed. It's only American cars that have clutch "safety" switches causing you to have to depress the pedal before starting!

No. Sorry to be argumentative over this but there is one good reason and a peripheral reason.

I started driving a long time ago and one of my cars had 6V electrics. All those old cars had their gearboxes filled with EP90 oil and it's a bit thick in winter. Back then, starter motors did not have the oomph they have these days and in the cold, any load you could relieve on them helped a cold start. One such load, even in neutral, was a gearbox filled with cold, thick oil. Even in neutral, most of the gearbox rotates and dipping the clutch to start removes this additional load from the starter.

It also prevents a nasty happening should you have left the car in gear and forgot to check it was in neutral before starting.

I was taught very sternly always to dip the clutch to start and the habit has stuck.

I think we all forget now just how damm difficult an old carb-fed engine in the cold and damp could be to start. They all start instantly these days so there is less need to think about what you're doing. I always remember that wilst BMC cars with their SU carbs were never too bad, a Ford could be a wholly different matter. We don't know we're born these days! Who has first-hand experience of running a car on 6V electrics? All I can say was the provision of a starting handle was a reassurance and sometimes a necessity!

Batteries weren't so good either and with me, often near the end of their lives (like the cars they were fitted to) so every little helped

[jgra1]

the only thing i would add..

i was told (as a 13 year old at the garage where I worked) not to dip clutch, something to do with ripping the clutch center.. no idea what the problem was, maybe borg warner spring clutches?

so I don't do it now as a habit, even though I am sure the reason is no longer relevant , unless I feel a need to give the batt an easy time or similar

going to the shed to get the hard hat

[myglaren]

I Who has first-hand experience of running a car on 6V electrics? All I can say was the provision of a starting handle was a reassurance and sometimes a necessity!

Batteries weren't so good either and with me, often near the end of their lives (like the cars they were fitted to) so every little helped

I had a 6V Renner 4.
I always, without thinking, check the box is in neutral and at the same time dip the clutch before turning the key, it is completely ingrained and automatic.

Comes partly from the days when cars were as Jim has described and needed every bit of help they could get and partly from driving in Sweden where in the winter cars were left held when parked by putting it in reverse and leaving the handbrake off as in winter it would freeze solid and be a bugger to get off to drive away.

[XantiaMan]

I always, without thinking, check the box is in neutral and at the same time dip the clutch before turning the key, it is completely ingrained and automatic.

Comes partly from the days when cars were as Jim has described and needed every bit of help they could get and partly from driving in Sweden where in the winter cars were left held when parked by putting it in reverse and leaving the handbrake off as in winter it would freeze solid and be a bugger to get off to drive away.

Same here, it was my parents that taught me this, i do it to every car i get in before i start, especially useful when your at a car dealer site and constantly moving cars around.

[mooseshaver]

I also press the clutch when starting becasue the manual tells me to do so when its cold.

The question I would like to ask is, are you wearing the clutch out if you have it fully pressed down while in standing traffic?

[myglaren]

Yes. Even disengaged there is friction between the clutch and flywheel.
While stationary you should be in neutral and foot off the clutch pedal.

[mooseshaver]

Yes. Even disengaged there is friction between the clutch and flywheel.
While stationary you should be in neutral and foot off the clutch pedal.

Thank you for that. I will use your advice to improve my car sympathy.

[Xantidote]

Whilst stationary:

Cannot remember now as so long ago, but weren't we taught to use neutral when stationary as part of the driving test? Always seems the safe thing to do - what if you're distracted or hit from behind - the car is basically still in gear if only the clutch is depressed.

Also, and important to me, a depressed ( ) clutch is not only wearing the friction surfaces, albeit to a limited degree, but you are also putting the clutch release mechanism under load and causing additional wear of the thrust bearing

[mooseshaver]

Whilst stationary:

Cannot remember now as so long ago, but weren't we taught to use neutral when stationary as part of the driving test? Always seems the safe thing to do - what if you're distracted or hit from behind - the car is basically still in gear if only the clutch is depressed.

Yeah I was taught to just have the clutch in and in gear at things like traffic lights becasue you are "ready" to drive away. I was a more nervous and cautious driver so was worried what would happen if my foot slipped off the clutch.
Crazy things they teach you, like always pressing the button when pulling on the handbrake so you don't wear the ratchett out.

[myglaren]

I always press the handbrake button because of the horrible noise it makes otherwise