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starting engine in gear (manual)

1969CoronetR/T

1969CoronetR/T

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I drove my 1969 Coronet Super Bee to work on Thursday and my brother wanted to go for a ride. We got in the Bee and I put the car in neutral, foot on brake and started the engine. He asked my why did I not start it in gear with the clutch in? I told him that a guy that was appraising my cars a few years ago told not to start the car in gear with the clutch in as it is hard on the transmission or clutch (I do not remember which one). He has a 2012 Ford Super Snake so I think he has to start his car in gear. Is the appraiser correct about starting a manual car in neutral and not in gear with the clutch in?
 
No issues here. Push the clutch and hit the key. New car, old cars. Mopar or other.

Maybe he does that in case it’s in gear and he forgets to push the clutch in assuming it’s an old car with not clutch switch?
 
Yeah, me too. In gear, clutch in. Like to bump start it on occasion, just because I can. I always caution the shop. NO NEUTRAL SAFETY. Rarely use the parking brake.
 
Last edited:
Turning the key when in gear and no clutch, is reserved for getting over railway tracks in an emergency.

I usually start in gear with foot on clutch. :thumbsup:

back in the '70's one of my aunt's was stalled on the local railway tracks...and was hit by a train. Survived...but failed to check first, and failed to try and 'bunny-hop' across the tracks using the 'in gear' method.
 
Leave your car stored for a few years and see how well starting in neutral works out for you! Gonna make a LOT of noise trying to get it in gear with the clutch disk stuck to the flywheel.
 
Interesting, the appraiser must have be talking out his *** about it being ‘too much load’ and ‘bad for the transmission to start the car with the clutch in gear’. For the last two years I have been starting my Bee in neutral which I assume cannot hurt it.
 
dadsbee said:
Leave your car stored for a few years and see how well starting in neutral works out for you! Gonna make a LOT of noise trying to get it in gear with the clutch disk stuck to the flywheel.
Click to expand...
I thought that applied parking brake was the bigger risk for long term. If mine sits that long, I won’t be here.
 
The reasoning for starting a manual with it in neutral and without pushing the clutch in is due to the pressure that the clutch exerts against the thrust bearings on the crankshaft main bearings. The thrust bearings are usually dry upon starting the engine, which can increase the wear. The theory is that it reduces engine life if pushing the clutch when starting. I will push my clutch if the car is recently driven, but when my old Mopar has set a couple weeks and needs to crank a while, I ALWAYS have her in neutral.
 
1969CoronetR/T said:
Interesting, the appraiser must have be talking out his *** about it being ‘too much load’ and ‘bad for the transmission to start the car with the clutch in gear’. For the last two years I have been starting my Bee in neutral which I assume cannot hurt it.
Click to expand...


To be honest most appraisers do talk out of there ***...
 
I've always started any manual transmission critter in neutral -
after a little pre-flight check of clutch, brake and shifter.
Just the way I've always done it.
 
What if appraiser was thinking car may sit for a long time and clutch plate sticks to fly wheel or clutch plate? Hit the key and car jumps and bam, oops.
 
If the clutch plate is really stuck it would not matter if you had the clutch depressed.
Off you go!!!!
 
Big Bad Dad is correct. It is all about the crank thrust bearing. Manual trans cars wear out the thrust bearing more quickly. Pressing on the thrust bearing without oil pressure, only adds to the problem.
 
I've always started the car in neutral, until my new car came along and requires the clutch to be pushed in or it won't start. I still have the car in neutral though, just with the clutch in. I hate starting the car in gear with the clutch in. If my foot slipped off the pedal the car could fly forward. Maybe it's an American thing - in the UK you get taught to start in neutral.
 
I’m a double hitter depending on time of the last start......
 
66 Sat said:
I've always started the car in neutral, until my new car came along and requires the clutch to be pushed in or it won't start. I still have the car in neutral though, just with the clutch in. I hate starting the car in gear with the clutch in. If my foot slipped off the pedal the car could fly forward. Maybe it's an American thing - in the UK you get taught to start in neutral.
Click to expand...

Just disable the clutch pedal switch and you can start in Neutral with the clutch engaged.
Mike
 
Dennis H said:
I thought that applied parking brake was the bigger risk for long term. If mine sits that long, I won’t be here.
Click to expand...
My concerns when parking the GTX are more pragmatic. I've seen parking brakes pop off (worn parking brake pedal mechanism) and I've seen transmissions pop out of gear (just took a transmission out of the car that would pop out of 1st gear when driving), so I don't totally trust parking the car with only one or the other engaged.
The car gets left parked with the transmission in 1st or reverse, depending on where it's parked (uphill/downhill) AND with the parking brake engaged.
If it's on a steep slope, I even turn the wheels towards the curb or at least in the direction I think the car would cause the least amount of damage should it break loose when I'm away.

Yeah, all of this is very old school (and even a tad paranoid, really) but that's the way I was taught and it makes sense, least to me.
 
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