Do you "coast"?

[diamondlarry]

Originally Posted by SVOboy

Power steering psssh...I don't need that. I would like my power brakes back though. Sometime soon I'm going to start experimenting with shutting to car off to coast.

Since I don't have power steering that one isn't an issue for me. As far as power brakes though, I have never noticed a problem with not being able to push the pedal to stop. I think I heard somewhere that if your brake booster is in good shape that it should have enough vacuum to operate the brakes a few times with the engine off.

[SVOboy]

That's true, larry. My brake booster is bad though, which presents the problem for me of coasting with the car off. :-)

[dddon]

hey guys!
for what it may be worth to the "coasters" discussion.. i am driving a minivan that has a mpg meter built in .. and what it reads if i coast in drive is about 30 -40 mpg ... if i put it in neutral it climbs to over 100 mpg if i coast a long way ...
that sez to me that the drag of the tranny on the engine speeds it up an burns more fuel ... so you do get better mpg in neutral ... as far as clutch wear ... i drove a vw bug 100000 miles with the same disk .. remember ..the clutch is there so you can get the car moving .. after that it should not slip unless you step on the gas before it is fully engaged ... i love to drive a stick ... an shift without using the clutch except to stop an start ... most truckers could do it very well , an my son is now learning how since i told him to try it .. he is 51 and sez he will teach his boys how this summer ......... dddon (great grampa too)

[slurp812]

When I am diligent with my coasting, my FE is much better. Its true that my accord shut off injectors when I let off. I felt it going down a steep him in first once. But that also drags down the momentum very quickly. I do however use it when I need to slow down a bit, I just let off. In a few spots, I can coast over a half mile. I have one when taking back roads that goes down a small hill, and the speed is 45. If I am doing about 50 when I start to go down hill, I coast nearly 9/10ths of a mile. Its all straight, so I usually turn it off.

[VetteOwner]

i coast, one of my cars is mechanical spedometer cable so if the cars rolling miles are added, the other has a mechanical odometer but its electronically fed, i dont coast with engine off.

with a manual if you judge the load just right you dont have to press the clutch to disenguage it, get it at that rpm where your not accelerating(startign to go down the hill) letting off the gas so the rpm drops and theres no load on the wheels (as the wheels are starting to turn the engine, hence engine braking) so you can just pull the lever out of gear. you do have to press the clutch to put it back in gear, and rev match the engine to tranny speed to save clutch wear.

by that i mean know what rpm your cars at given a speed and gear. rev the engine up slightly near that rpm number then release the clutch, saves the clutch even more so its liek you never released it.

heck i belive ive gotten 142k miles on the stock clutch (dont know for sure but weve never changed it in 40 k miles and the guy before us never changed it)

[CO ZX2]

Originally Posted by VetteOwner

i coast, one of my cars is mechanical spedometer cable so if the cars rolling miles are added, the other has a mechanical odometer but its electronically fed, i dont coast with engine off.

Electric speedometers generally will register OK with engine-off coasting if you return the key switch to on position after killing the engine.

[R.I.D.E.]

We noticed injectors shutting off on 1981 Nissan 280Zs(first oxygen sensor versions), when the throttle was released when revving the engine with a stethoscope listening to the injectors. You can use a long screwdriver placed on the body of the injector. You can hear it ticking and it should shut off when the throttle is released.

This eliminates fuel delivery when engine vacuum is highest and allows the elimination of air injection systems to control the unburned hydrocarbon peaks that occur if you allow fuel to be delivered when the throttle is released.

regards
gary