Team-BHP - First gear or Second

Hi guys, a practical question for u all.
While driving in a very slow moving traffic, which option u think is best among the following.
1. Drive in first gear with the help of the accelerator and brakes(downside is more fuel consumption).
2. Drive in second gear with half clutch without accelerator. Control the speed with the help of clutch and brake(plusside less fuel consum. and downside, clutch plate wear n tear).

I would recomment driving appropriate gear. In case of "very slow" moving traffic, first gear would make more sense. What you save in fuel is what you lose with clutch. So costwise, it will end up almost similar :)

But in a very slow moving traffic, your one leg is almost all the times on the clutch pedal even in first gear, because u never know when u have to apply the brakes. And thus half or full pressing it based on the speed. So I feel then it is better to drive in second with only controlling the clutch, which may cause a bit more wear n tear(which may be negligible.) but u can drive more comfortabllly and at the same time save fuel.

use the clutch pedal only to change gears.
the only other time that you may use the clutch is sither during half clutch on slopes or when you start from dead stop.
use the appropriate gear to drive in and never ride your clutch.

Hey Rajdoll,

First gear, definitely.
Moving in very slow traffic in second gear causes a lot of stress on your engine. Also, im guessing, with new age electronics in cars you never know when the ECU has decided to pump in more fuel (a richer mix) to churn out a little bit more power (since ur in second), even though you are under the impression that your saving fuel...

cya
R

In stop go traffic we have to use clutch even in first gear.If it is a steady crawl we can use second gear on vehicles with higher torque but not zens,santros,accent etc.if it is stop go then use first and shift to neutral when standstill.

Well, it depends on the speed at which you are crawling and also on the car you are driving. Usually most Diesel vehicles (not the CRDI ones..) can do with the second gear itself because of the higher torque ratio. But for petrol vehicles, it has to be in the first gear. Again depends on the torque/rpm ratio of the vehicle.

Also as shan2nu said, Never ride the Clutch, e.g. When your car is stopped, always shift to neutral. You never know when somebody will bump you from behind. In that case you are more than likely to release your leg from the clutch. And if your vehicle is engaged in the first gear, you'll either hit the car ahead or else land up in the middle of an intersection. Both things are equally dangerous.

So if you are in a stop-go traffic jam, what is more harmful for the drivetrain? Riding the clutch in 1st gear or shfting between neutral and 1st very often? manish has provided a different reasoning for not riding the clutch. But i think that even if u r riding the clutch rather than shifting into neutral, it is almost just as bad in case of getting rear-ended if the handbrake isn't pulled up.

Hey Man23ish and Deeps,

Well thats an interesting point about shifting to neutral manish.

Deeps, i agree its still bad if you get hit in neutral, however it wont be as bas as if you were in 1st, and then the bumb made you leave the clutch, which made the car jolt forward further (overpowering the brakes, which your other foot should be on!!)....

Also Manish, when Shan2nu said "dont ride the clutch" i dont think he meant do not keep your clutch pedal pressed. What i think he meant was do not "slip" your clutch excessively, or keep the pedal half pressed/clutch half engaged.

So then deeps, to answer ur Q-

Quote:

what is more harmful for the drivetrain? Riding the clutch in 1st gear or shfting between neutral and 1st very often?

Using the "correct" meaning of riding the clutch, that would be worse for your clutch.

If you meant, just depressing the clutch and keeping it there as opposed to shifting to neutral all the time, neither one is particularly better or worse than the other for your drivetrain. Differences are neglidgeable.

cya
R