If i throw it in neutral with a 5 speed manual when I'm going down hills to conserve gas am I hurting the car in anyway?

 

You are not hurting the car in any way.

However, IMHO...

You are endangering yourself and lessening your ability to control your car in an emergency situation.

Also, with today's computer controlled fuel injectedengines you may actually even be worsening your gas mileage. These computers are smart enough to shut off fuel when you completely back out of the throttle while in gear to provide maximum engine braking. Putting the car in neutral will signal the computer to keep theengine running at idle and may use more fuel.

Its a differentparadigm than the mechanically controlledcarbureted engines of yesteryear.

Martin

 

You may save gas, but you will also increase your clutch or brake wear. There are differing opinions. I do a lot of coasting coming up to turns or red lights if I don't want to do a rpm match downshift for the sound pleasure

 

I don't think you are really hurting the car, but unless you are coasting down hill for 30 miles at a time why bother? Just take your foot off the pedal.

 

Well i live in Hawaii and there are a lot of mountains in the middle of the island so I can coast a good 10 miles going down each side of the mountains. I think I'll keep doing it cause i have a heavy foot everywhere else and I need to save a little gas where ever I can.

 

Bad idea. You're giving up some of your control over what the car is doing for the sake of a few pennies (after you admit to being wasteful at most other times). Coasting in neutral is not the way to make up for it, and is more than likely illegal as well. Check with your motor vehicle dep't. You've been lucky so far (and I suddenly think I'm glad to be living where I do on account of this).

You should be using engine compression braking to take some of the abuse off the brakes. I'm sure you've seen signs that say something like "Trucks Use Lower Gear". Same thing applies to cars, just not to the same extreme. At least leave it IN SOME GEAR.

Consider what you'd be going through should your brakes fade and you're faced with having to cram it into a gear in a hurry . . . if you're thinking that clearly at that particular instant.


Norm

 

I also recommend you not use neutral. Just put it in overdrive (5th) and coast putting it in 4th when you need to slow a little. I did this while coming down from Santa Ynez to the beach. It was all downhill and I didn't touch the gas the whole time, for about 15 minutes! I had reset the mpg readout at the top and it stayed at 99.9 mpg the whole time!
If you want to save gas your much better off taking it easy when leaving a red light! That's what kills your MPG!

 

Hey, your state is famous and on the news but I'm sure you don't like it. The news is reporting that the avg cost for unleaded regular on all the islands is $4 per gallon or more. I fear that this is a harbinger for the rest of us on the mainland.

 

Not good. Buy a Focus.

 

Are you using the engine to slow you down or just the brakes? Either way no it wont hurt the engine but you will need new brakes sooner.