autobox best practice??

here's a quickie for you . (thats bound to open a big debate).

when sat at traffic lights , queues etc. slip it into neutral or leave in drive??

pros and cons??

Best put it in neutral, it dosent do the discs any good sitting with your foot on the brake.

Yup big debate.. I've been driving an automatic Land Rover for 22 years and always hold it on the foot brake at the lights etc and never had any problems.
If stopped in a jam then it goes into neutral and handbrake on sometimes but only to take my foot of the brake pedal.
Also drive a newish Honda the same way, still no probs

generally i put the handbrake on but leave in drive.. as it's the only time I use the handbrake it makes sure it doesn't sieze apparently... although think it might be at the moment but that's for another fred...

If you are likely to be stationary for more than a few seconds, I would advise putting it into neutral + handbrake, for the following reasons:

1. If you leave it in drive you will use more fuel than is neccesary. Selecting neutral saves ltrs.

2. Selecting neutral and applying the handbrake saves wear and tear on brake components.

3. Holding the car on the footbrake whilst in drive is potential dangerous as the car could creep forward if you lose focus. If you did that whilst pedestrians are about it could get really nasty.

The 'A' clutch packs are a weakness in the ZF box and will wear quick(er) if left to idle in Drive. Neutral and hand brake would be my advise. Just like you should be doing in a manual

neutral and handbrake.

Handbrake and neutral for all of the reasons given plus keeps gearbox oil cooler as torque convertor isn't stalled.

Was wondering about this.
I've started to change down as well to save the brakes.

Does holding it in a lower gear on a light throttle save juice or is it best to let it labour at 1500 revs ? now there's a debate

Anything wrong with putting it in park instead of neutral.

miketree said:

Anything wrong with putting it in park instead of neutral.

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Nothing.

The only thing you should be aware of is when you select D to drive away, you will have gone through R so flashed your reversing lights at the person behind and maybe given them a heart attack !!!!

thanks for all replies
it is what I've been doing (neutral + h/brake)
I was concerned that it would 'wear' the box engaging and disengaging all the time in traffic

Cheers
andy

fireman-andy said:

thanks for all replies
it is what I've been doing (neutral + h/brake)
I was concerned that it would 'wear' the box engaging and disengaging all the time in traffic

Cheers
andy

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Don't worry Andy the autobox's are strong, some would say stronger than the manual box.

I was told that I shouldn't leave it running too long in Neutral or Park as oil cooling for the gearbox only takes place when a gear is selected.

True? False? or does it not really matter...

lagpunktortoni said:

I was told that I shouldn't leave it running too long in Neutral or Park as oil cooling for the gearbox only takes place when a gear is selected.

True? False? or does it not really matter...

Click to expand...

I believe that's false. There is a pump incorporated in the box; according to the workshop manual for my RRC the idle pressure in the system is 100psi +/- 5psi so ATF will pass through the cooler under pressure.

When running the pressure increases. 150psi at 2000rpm.

Is the pump running in park? I Going back a bit but I believe that the RRC Owner's Hand book gives a warning to move the selector from park to neutral if living the engine ticking over as there was a possibility of the box over heating in park. Which I alwas did as i use to leave the RR to warm up when starting first thing in the morning.