coasting
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 3,605
Likes: 2
From: Latrobe PA
coasting
Hey do you guys ever find yourself coasting down hill in neutral?? There is this long downhill near me and I can literally coast for over 2 miles. Probably saved a pint of gas! Sometimes I even have to apply the brakes to avoid speeding.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 5,636
Likes: 1,185
From: Lake Worth Beach, Florida
The automatic transmission isn't made to move in neutral. You will cause internal damage during an extended movement in neutral. That is why when you tow a car with an automatic transmission you pick it up from the drive wheels or flat bed it.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 5,636
Likes: 1,185
From: Lake Worth Beach, Florida
I pop my NM6 into neutral any time I need to decelerate, such as when approaching a red light. I use my brakes for most stops, I seldom use engine braking unless I'm on a long downhill grade where I might cause the brakes to overheat.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 21,502
Likes: 461
From: Southern Utah
The front pump on an automatic is what circulates the oil through the transmission. The pump is driven by the input shaft at the speed of the engine crankshaft. So when coasting, the engine is at or near idle speed, meaning the same for the pump, but the car is moving faster than idle speed and therefore needs more circulation of oil than the pump is providing. As Rocketman said, its much worse when towing an automatic because then the engine is not even running, so there is NO circulation from the pump, and yet the transmission internals have a need for lubrication because they are turning at road speed, being driven by the driveshaft from the wheels turning.