was reading on honest john that to keep your flywheel it tip top shape when running high torque diesels to start the engine and turn it off with the clutch in. anyone do this? if ya think about it it makes sense.

was reading on honest john that to keep your flywheel it tip top shape when running high torque diesels to start the engine and turn it off with the clutch in. anyone do this? if ya think about it it makes sense.

My driving instructor taught me to do this, to save his and i still do it to this day after (ahem) quite a number of years driving

I thought that the reason for starting with the clutch depressed was to stop the car jumping forward if you had forgotted to check that it was not in gear before trying to start it?

Never heard of it protecting the flywheel though.

Maybe I just learnt to drive when cars were built of stronger stuff?

How's that meant to help?

If the car's out of gear, isnt this the same?

What about when you run a single mass flywheel ?

How's that meant to help?

If the car's out of gear, isnt this the same?

If it's out of gear you will still be turning the input shaft in the gearbox, but with the clutch depressed the gearbox is isolated from the engine when it starts and the initial inertia is overcome without having to also spin half the gearbox sitting in cold sticky gearbox oil

but at some point, you have to engage it.... :confused:

So how does that protect your flywheel?

It's a good idea, as you also reduce gearbox wear, and the engine spins faster as there is less drag from the gearbox components. Especially useful if you are jump lead starting the car.

So how does that protect your flywheel?

Because the starter motor turns the flywheel, and the less load on the teeth on the flywheel the better, as cold load increases the wear on them, or you get the whole hideous slipping noise of teeth being ground off by the motor pinion eventually:thumbup:

<> I think this is one of the reasons for Saab's needing to be in reverse for them start

I leave my car in gear, so don't have much choice

was reading on honest john that to keep your flywheel it tip top shape when running high torque diesels to start the engine and turn it off with the clutch in. anyone do this? if ya think about it it makes sense.

Always put the clutch in even if not in gear, and when turning off i put the clutch in. Good stuff

Because the starter motor turns the flywheel, and the less load on the teeth on the flywheel the better, as cold load increases the wear on them, or you get the whole hideous slipping noise of teeth being ground off by the motor pinion eventually:thumbup:

<> I think this is one of the reasons for Saab's needing to be in reverse for them start

How many million miles does it take for that to happen?

I have taken a car to almost 200,00 miles without any complaint from the ring gear or starter motor pinion.

I see that point about reducing the load on the starter motor, but then again, by depressing the clutch you are flexing the fingers on the clutch plate, so just transferring the wear from one component to another.

How many million miles does it take for that to happen?

When I learned to drive it was in a Fiesta Mk1, and it took less than 100k for the starter motor pinion to start jumping off the ring gear!

I still remember having to rock my Hillman Hunter in gear to get the flywheel into a position where there was some teeth for the motor pinion to work on.

I know that production techniques nowadays mean that the flywheel can be made with closer tolerances and the hardening process is far better, but the load is still the same, and if it can be reduced by a simple habit then I'm all for it.

My cousin says he starts his Golf TDI with the clutch in. I didnt think it made a difference

Always started my cars with the clutch held down, never turned the car off with the clutch depressed though.

But then again this is my first car that has a DMF, so will use this as a learning curve. As i dont particulaly want to fork out for a DMF.

It goes back to the old days with cars.Depress clutch when starting so as not to put strain on battery and starter by rotating gears in gearbox as well on startup.

Well that was what i was told anyway

I always start with clutch depressed.

I've always started cars with the clutch it, kind of a habbit now. Especially getting into customers cars, some people leave their cars in gear, some dont..

Kev

I always do it, but it's just incase a car's been left in gear.

I never used to press my clutch in till i started working in the garage. Now due to people leaving cars in gear etc it's a habit i do in every car, and i look for the clutch in an auto lol it's more manuals i drive and that we sell

I think that SAAB intentions are something else - ie you need to be in reverse to be able to remove the key from the barrel - this forces you to put the car in gear before taking the ignition key out - so that if you forget the handbrake, or it fails, the car should still be roughly where you left it and it makes it a bit tricky to tow it away without lifting the front wheels off the ground.

I think that SAAB intentions are something else - ie you need to be in reverse to be able to remove the key from the barrel - this forces you to put the car in gear before taking the ignition key out - so that if you forget the handbrake, or it fails, the car should still be roughly where you left it and it makes it a bit tricky to tow it away without lifting the front wheels off the ground.

More a secuirty feature

I've always started cars with the clutch pressed in. It's just a habit I picked up from my driving instructor.

wasn't aware that it helped anything though!

I always check the car's in neutral before starting - that's my habit

I always leave my car in gear as well. The Saab thing is a security feature as has been mentioned. And you don't have to start them in reverse either. As soon as the key's in, you're able to select neutral or any gear you like, then start

Interestingly the 'start with clutch in' advise is in the IAM literature, but it doesn't give an explanation for why you should. I shall seek out an explanation from their side

Steve

Live on a hill - always park in gear.

So every single car ive had, has been started with the clutch pressed.