Shutting down engine on long Red Lights

[Russ Lynas]

When in tracffic and I have memoried all the lights I go through, I shut my engine off on long red lights and just slip into neutral. In some places I can do this and roll down hills while waiting through each light cycle. My wife thinks its cool but then she asked if it takes more gas to restart than just idling I told her in my man voice, honey in the Carburetor days that might be true but not with fuel injection. She said, what is a Carburetor! Anyway, just wondering now myself if this practice is stupid. Too me, if the car isn't running, it isn't burning gas. Plus, the underside of my ST has a lot of added heat protection coverings in critical area. On the worst of days, I may only stop the engine 3 times going home from work. I never checked to see what my warranty is on the starter

 

[2]

I have read in multiple articles that shutting off your engine when you are going to idle for more then 30 seconds saves you fuel. Might wear out your starter faster, so you'll have to see how much you are actually saving vs. a new starter.

 

[Bill Barber]

Russ, you may save $1.00 in gas over the next year.

 

[Tom Schindler]

An engine at idle will burn about .3 to .4 gallons per hour.



If you spend 1 hour a week at idle sitting in traffic lights, it will take about a month to save a gallon of gas. 12 months a year, you will save about 12 gallons or about $50.00 in fuel.



IMO, a pain in the arse for such little savings.





Tom

 

[Jeff C]

So you cut your engine off while rolling down hills? You know you have POWER STEERING and POWER BRAKES, right?

 

[Kevin Palmer]

For any potential savings, which will be very minimal at best, it does not out weigh the safety issues.



By losing your power steering and power brakes you are going to something WORSE than manual steering and brakes as the latter is designed to operate in manual mode at all times at the same consistence and relativeness. In losing power steering and brakes you are physically being lowered to an amount below that of manual steering and brakes.



In the big picture, if you even have any kind of accident at all, it will be your fault. Even if it was minor and your deductible is $500.00 dollars,,, your savings are no where near the $500.00 dollar mark...

 

[Richard Kolb]

I don't agree with the accident part, who is going to prove that it's his fault because the engine was shut off? If her rearended someone or turned into someone sure, but if he's hit by someone else? No, it still isn't his fault. Besides, you have a few turns and brake stomps left with power assist still before the pressure runs out so unless he's in 3 near misses and isn't smart enough to turn his truck back on he still has power brakes/steering. Don't believe me? Go try it yourself. Unless you've gone out and tried it don't post back that I'm wrong.



The worse thing you can do to your engine on a daily basis is start it. There's all kinds of talk about how that's the worse part of driving your car. Now instead of doing it once you're doing it multiple times. I don't think the gas savings are worth it.

 

[Tom Schindler]

FWIW, tranny's need the engine running to lubricate them properly. Some can be placed in neutral and be fine. The Sport Trac is not one of them. Coasting in neutral on a regular basis will destroy your tranny.





Tom

 

[2]

The worse thing you can do to your engine on a daily basis is start it. There's all kinds of talk about how that's the worse part of driving your car. Now instead of doing it once you're doing it multiple times. I don't think the gas savings are worth it.

That is just for starting a cold engine, a warm engine still has lube at the top, so it isn't hard on it.

FWIW, tranny's need the engine running to lubricate them properly. Some can be placed in neutral and be fine. The Sport Trac is not one of them. Coasting in neutral on a regular basis will destroy your tranny.

Yup, that is stated right in the owners manual.

 

[Kevin Palmer]

Rich, you are correct about the brakes still working well for a few stops, however, the power steering is done as soon as the pump stops turning, which it does so when the engine is off...



And I would still suggest it is his fault if in an accident as he is operating equipment outside of how it was designed to operate as far as all of the minimum safety standards go.



That is not to say he would get caught as it would be assumed he had the engine running and what not.



But,,,, if the other party found out by chance,,, I am betting he loses..

 

[Russ Lynas]

Wow, guess maybe I should stop the practice just based on fuel savings. The brake and sterring never presented a problem with the engine off. I am always in a strainght line.

 

[shawn stonbraker 2]

Russ, not going to repeat all the "safety" issues and such (that's been beat at you enough already), but I will say that the amount of fuel you will save doing these practices isn't worth it. Unfortunately, the ST isn't great on MPG. It's not the worst, but it's not like you didn't know that before you bought it. Best way to save MPG's in my opinion is to stay out of high RPM's as much as you can. (taking off like a bat out of hell, diving as fast as the ST will go, etc) Keep up with routine maint. and it will give you all it's got as far as MPG's go.

 

[Roger Batts]

And I think it's illegal in some states to coast like that anyways.

 

[Michael Cacioppo]

With the engine off, its hard to get out of someone's way in an emergency. That emergency could also be coming straight at you.