Neutral drops
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Joined: Feb 2002
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From: 2000 ft over the FL coast in a B-17
Various
Very bad for the car, that's one of the reasons why so many cars can't rev past 3000 rpm in neutral anymore (badly damaged cars coming in from rental car fleets also attributed to this).
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2003
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From: WOT somewhere in the Bay Area
1951 Caterpiller D6
Originally posted by kaneman
I doubt the car will even do it considering the transmission and engine are interconnected so tightly...
I doubt the car will even do it considering the transmission and engine are interconnected so tightly...
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Member
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 156
Likes: 0
From: SoCal
'11 E63 (back up '01 E430)
since you guys are talking about cars taking off from start, how about slowing the car down with the help of "down-shifting" approx. 40-50% of the time, everyday. Good habit? or Bad habit?
unlike stick-shift, which is a bad habit, because of the clutch's ware, so i take it it's O.K. since we drive automatic? or not?
unlike stick-shift, which is a bad habit, because of the clutch's ware, so i take it it's O.K. since we drive automatic? or not?
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 427
Likes: 29
From: BH, MI
C63S past: E90 M3 6M, w211 E55
i believe it is not bad in a manual as long as you match the revs.....and i think it's the same with an automatic t.....if the computer matches the revs before completed downshift, there is practically no clutch wear. in mine, it doesn't completely match revs when downshifted, so their might be some wear.......
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2003
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From: WOT somewhere in the Bay Area
1951 Caterpiller D6
Originally posted by em2023
since you guys are talking about cars taking off from start, how about slowing the car down with the help of "down-shifting" approx. 40-50% of the time, everyday. Good habit? or Bad habit?
unlike stick-shift, which is a bad habit, because of the clutch's ware, so i take it it's O.K. since we drive automatic? or not?
since you guys are talking about cars taking off from start, how about slowing the car down with the help of "down-shifting" approx. 40-50% of the time, everyday. Good habit? or Bad habit?
unlike stick-shift, which is a bad habit, because of the clutch's ware, so i take it it's O.K. since we drive automatic? or not?
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 497
Likes: 1
Originally posted by em2023
since you guys are talking about cars taking off from start, how about slowing the car down with the help of "down-shifting" approx. 40-50% of the time, everyday. Good habit? or Bad habit?
unlike stick-shift, which is a bad habit, because of the clutch's ware, so i take it it's O.K. since we drive automatic? or not?
since you guys are talking about cars taking off from start, how about slowing the car down with the help of "down-shifting" approx. 40-50% of the time, everyday. Good habit? or Bad habit?
unlike stick-shift, which is a bad habit, because of the clutch's ware, so i take it it's O.K. since we drive automatic? or not?
Super Member
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 962
Likes: 12
From: Saudi Arabia
'18 AMG GTR '16 BMW M3 - '05 Porsche Carrera S
Originally posted by kaneman
The E55 automatically does this. I've noticed that as I'm slowing, the car will drop into lower gears as my speed descends. No need to do it manually unless you want to.
The E55 automatically does this. I've noticed that as I'm slowing, the car will drop into lower gears as my speed descends. No need to do it manually unless you want to.
Member
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 156
Likes: 0
From: SoCal
'11 E63 (back up '01 E430)
Originally posted by E55AMG99
Automatics have clutches that wear too! Automatic transmission repairs are more costly than a manual clutch replacement or brake pads and rotors.
Automatics have clutches that wear too! Automatic transmission repairs are more costly than a manual clutch replacement or brake pads and rotors.
thanks for all the info guys.
damn been doing that "bad habit" for years now!
if i only knew this whole time.
i just hope i did not cause that much wear to my clutch yet!
Member
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 134
Likes: 0
From: Oakton, VA
Don't do it!
Back when I was a wee lad (actually I was in college, but it seems like ages ago), I used to do neutral drops with my automatic Mustang GT 5.0. It was always great fun in that it would light up the tires with tons of screeching, tire smoke, and awesome black patches on the pavement.
The fun, however, ended when I tried this one day and the car lurched forward about 10 feet and then refused to move. The engine would rev, but the car refused to move. It turns out that the harsh neutral drops had destroyed the gearset inside the differential. The entire differential needed to be replaced to the tune of about $2,000 - and that was a bargain using a used differential from a junkyard!
I don't know if automotive technology has advanced to the point where neutral drops can be handled by today's cars, but I'm willing to bet that 516 lb. ft. of torque could do some serious damage to a differential and transmission on a neutral drop.
I'm also willing to bet that a differential in an E55 is decidedly more expensive to replace in 2003 than my $2000 job in the mid-80s.
The fun, however, ended when I tried this one day and the car lurched forward about 10 feet and then refused to move. The engine would rev, but the car refused to move. It turns out that the harsh neutral drops had destroyed the gearset inside the differential. The entire differential needed to be replaced to the tune of about $2,000 - and that was a bargain using a used differential from a junkyard!
I don't know if automotive technology has advanced to the point where neutral drops can be handled by today's cars, but I'm willing to bet that 516 lb. ft. of torque could do some serious damage to a differential and transmission on a neutral drop.
I'm also willing to bet that a differential in an E55 is decidedly more expensive to replace in 2003 than my $2000 job in the mid-80s.
