Embarrasing question about my car.

[Dubious Drewski]

This is way off topic, but I like you guys so I ask here.

In all the years I've driven, I've never tried one thing: bumping my shifter into neutral while coasting (Automatic transmission). My coworker says it's harmless, and indeed I don't need to press the thumb button on the shifter to bump it out of gear. BUT I've tried it a couple of times going below 5km/h and each time, my car violently jolted to a halt.

So say I was on the highway if I tried this, what would happen? Is it harmless to do, or is my transmission going to explode out the bottom of my car?

 

[TwoRails]

Putting an auto into neutral is OK, but not for extended periods of time. There are lots of variables (like type of trany, actual road speed, engine speed, etc.), but briefly, it gets it's lubrication from the engine turning. That is why you disconnect a drive line when towing an automatic for any distance. Doing it with the engine running greatly reduces any risk and should not matter for short periods of time.

 

[Dubious Drewski]

Alright, good to know. But why does the whole car jolt so hard when I do it at such low speed? What would happen if I did it at high speed?

 

[Joves]

You cna do it but why would you? The transmission still has all the pressure it needs unless you shut the engine off. If you are doing it on down hills dont, it is too easy to loose control. I do shift in to neutral though when skidding on ice though or sliding a stop sign. If you do the standard let off the gas and steer to correct on ice the rear wheels will skid worse, when in neutral there is no tourqe on the rear wheels. This also applies to sliding at stop signs by neutralizing the drive wheels.

 

[Dubious Drewski]

I'm not saying I actually want to do this to try to get out of a skid or something. I know how to handle ice and snow. All I'm wondering is: will I wreck my car if I do it? And if not, then why does it feel like I will?

 

[Joves]

No you will not. From what you said though in your first post you may have it reverse just enough to bump it. You dont have to go all the way to R to do it.

 

[Dubious Drewski]

No, I'm definitely not getting it into reverse. I have to hold the button to get to reverse. Something else is happening.

Aww damn. I should just go out and play with it a little. The snow is real thick on the roads and if the wheels do something insane like lockup(Which I know they're not supposed to! But they feel like they are!), then it won't do so much damage.

 

[TwoRails]

Alright, good to know. But why does the whole car jolt so hard when I do it at such low speed? What would happen if I did it at high speed?

It's really hard to tell without feeling it. Are you having the engine rev'ed up when you do this? Could also be a linkage adjustment problem. Does the car try to move if you are sitting still, in neutral, and giving it some gas?

 

[Dubious Drewski]

Nope. My foot can be off the gas, and the revs have got to be well under 1000, and it does it. How does it feel? Well it feels like the drive wheels are locking solid. There's no noise, no clunk, just pure stoppage.

I decided not to go outside to try it. It's too cold and I'm too lazy. It's alright though. I'll ask my mechanic.

Does the car try to move if you are sitting still, in neutral, and giving it some gas?

Nopers on that.

 

[Xmetal]

Are you sure you're not putting it into Park instead of neutral?

If you're going from D to N then the car should just roll by itself if you knock it out of gear when the car is moving.

btw

D = Drag
R = Race

 

[Dubious Drewski]

Are you sure you're not putting it into Park instead of neutral?

Oh boy. I'd have to be completely out of it and a terribly ineligible driver if I was putting my car into park and not understanding what was going on. So NO, I am not putting my car in park. The day I do something like that (And then make a confused fuss about it on the internet) I want someone to take my driver's away. I'd obviously be finished driving for life.

I think I'm going to rescind the original question. I don't think this is going anywhere, lol. Thank you all for your input though.

btw

D = Drag
R = Race

Oh yes!

 

[ferny]

What car is it?
What type of fluid does it take?
When was it last changed?
Does it have filters you can clean?

My Trio (clutchless manual gear change) used to jolt when changing gear. It should take Dexron II but that's hard to get hold of so I replaced it with the slightly higher spec Dexron III and now it's smooth. You hardly notice the changes at all and often don't.

I have put the Acclaim (the one with the Trio) into Park when driving by mistake. But it gets worse... I always stamp on the clutch hard and bring it up slowly when changing gear. I'd just got the Acclaim and wanted to move it to another parking space. I shot off at speed, slammed the clutch down and whacked the gearstick forward to change gear - just like I do in the Herald. What I'd actually done was stamp on the brake and slam the car into park. It stopped very quickly...

 

[Invisible_Ink]

when I was in Driver's Ed, we were told not to bump to neutral. i'm not sure why but the only reason i can think is that you could throw too far into reverse and auto trannies have a failsafe built in so that if it goes into reverse at speed, the car will shut off

 

[TwoRails]

..I decided not to go outside to try it. It's too cold and I'm too lazy. It's alright though. I'll ask my mechanic. ...

That would be your best bet. It could be something simple... or not. It sure does not sound right. And, as alluded to above, it could even be something like someone serviced it with the wrong fluid.

 

[lids369]

dont turn it off in neutral or you will flood your catalytic converter.