How do you drive your Granturismo?

[hoyin]

How do you drive?

In auto all the time?
In manual all the time?

When you are at a standstill either in traffic or at lights do you shift into neutral?

I always do. Habit with a manual I guess and from my parents auto car where if you leave it in drive and don't have your foot on the brake it pulls the car forward. It also meant with your foot on the brake it was fighting against the car which I didn't feel would be good for the engine or clutch.

Does it make a difference on the GT? Am I protecting the clutch by having it in neutral?

 

[ChrisQP09]

I am no expert but consistent shifting into and out of Neutral at every traffic light is putting undue stress on the box?

I used to do this too in my Range Rover (ZF box) and started having trouble with it, so now all ZF boxes I use remain in drive or park and occasional reverse.

 

[Doohickey]

It depends! Generally in auto until it's warmed up and then into manual on the right road. I do put it in neutral when stationary to take the strain off the drivetrain.

 

[Wattie]

I never used auto, did my head in!

manual and neutral when stopped.
Cheers Wattie

 

[alfacorse]

I never used auto, did my head in!

manual and neutral when stopped.
Cheers Wattie

same, 95% manual. Auto just into heavy traffic

 

[hoyin]

Cool. So I will continue as normal. I don't think putting it in neutral does any damage. I think it would put less stress on the drive train.

I hate auto. The shift from 2-3 is so laggy it is not funny.

 

[Felonious Crud]

I never used auto, did my head in!

manual and neutral when stopped.
Cheers Wattie

Same.

And as Wattie said, auto is terrible. I never use it either.

 

[ChrisQP09]

In my QP I use auto until engine is warm/hot then in manual she goes and wow, 1st gear at 3,700

 

[mjheathcote]

I am no expert but consistent shifting into and out of Neutral at every traffic light is putting undue stress on the box?

I used to do this too in my Range Rover (ZF box) and started having trouble with it, so now all ZF boxes I use remain in drive or park and occasional reverse.

You talking about an auto box with torque converter, agree keep in drive.

Regarding the MC Shift gearbox/Cambiocorsa, not sure if any benefit putting into neural when stopped. The clutch should be fully disengaged if set up correctly with no drag, so no wear?

 

[ChrisQP09]

This topic is hugely debatable and valid points for both sides. If one fully understands the mechanical nature and structural life of the box/components in question, they he/she can say what the likely damage would be. Like everything else, however, there are so many variables at play and probability is in itself a game of chance.

Yet if on a hill in drive, my zf wont move whereas on even surfaces it will so these boxes are smart.

 

[TridentTested]

You talking about an auto box with torque converter, agree keep in drive.

A torque converter 'box held in Drive is causing no wear; the brakes are not creeping and there are no clutches slipping in the gearbox, just oil moving. Knocking it from Drive to Neutral and back to Drive is putting wear on the selectors.

With the Duo-Select type gearbox the mechanics are the same as an old-fashioned conventional 'box. Leaving it in gear, when stopped, is causing no clutch wear assuming the clutch disengages fully, and only marginal thrust-bearing wear holding the clutch disengaged. Pulling it in the Neutral and then back into Drive is arguably causing more wear because the F1 pump and its hydraulics are called into action each time.

Having said that I still pull it into Neutral when I'm stopped for a while; it just feels more sympathetic and I like the tactile action of pulling both paddles together!

 

[mjheathcote]

I can't recall the time period, but if left in gear while stationary the software will put the car into neutral after a time.
It's one reason to put into neutral yourself, so the gearbox doesn't go into neural just as the lights turn amber!

 

[ChrisQP09]

Not sure on the mechanics of the ZF but, if I am stopped and in drive, the idle rev is 1k or 0.9k.

Interestingly when neutral is engaged when stopped idle revs increase to 1.1k ish. Whats the thoughts on this?

 

[TridentTested]

Not sure on the mechanics of the ZF but, if I am stopped and in drive, the idle rev is 1k or 0.9k.

Interestingly when neutral is engaged when stopped idle revs increase to 1.1k ish. Whats the thoughts on this?

When stationary, with Drive engaged, the moving oil in the torque convertor is dragging the engine revs down.



The ECU on my brother's new Octavia, with one of those modern tiny over-stressed diesel engines, raises its idle speed when you switch on the rear screen heater. I guess the increased alternator load was causing the puny engine to stall.