Nonsense. I use E-brake, as well as engage first gear. That way, should the E-brake cable be set too loosely, the car will not roll. I only do this on inclines. On flat ground, I set only the E-Brake.

 

Always e-brake and then put it and leave in gear.

 

iam a expert, and i always leave the car in gear and e-brake it

 

I've had formal driver training, and was taught:
1) Turn the wheels against the slope (to curb-brake)
2) E-brake
3) Leave it in gear, usually 1st or Reverse depending on the tranny.

 

I said not to use the e-brake if it gets VERY COLD in your area.

The local news warns us every winter not to set the e-brake as it can freeze while set or the cable can snap.

I've had it freeze while set and had to leave the car idling long enough for the exhaust to heat up and let me remove the e-brake.

It might not be a problem on new cars but if their is any moisture in the e-brake line then there is a possibility of it freezing.

Then again I only use my e-brake on inclines because on normal everyday parking (not inclines) there is no extra wear or e-brake cable stretching (or chance of driving with the e-brake on), and since the engine is stopped there is no wear on the clutch or tranny.

Mario

 

Ditto all the above.

However, unless I'm parked on a hill, I usually only use the e-brake. This all stems from a few times when I was a brand new driver when I tried to start my car--which was in first gear--without my foot on the clutch. This was, of course, a foolish teenager's mistake. The result of this mistake was that as soon as the car started it lurched forward uncontrollably and then died. If something or someone had been right in front of the car when I tried to start it up, the car would have bashed into it.

These fouled up starts from my first year of driving so traumatized me that I got into the habit of always starting in neutral, the rationale being that if I forget to put my foot on the clutch at least the car won't lurch forward. I believe that newer cars like the Z won't even start if you don't have your foot on the clutch though, right.

 

Correct.

I too have found that sometimes when I take my car to the dealer for service or what not, they will leave it in first. THen when I start it, as soon as I remove my foot from the clutch the car jumps forward. Almost hit several curbs/poles that way.

I can certainly get into the habit of leaving it in first, I just wanted to know what the right way to do it was...Thanks so much for all the valubale feedback! I now know the right way to park my car (and feel somewhat unintelligent for not knowing before...but you live and learn).

 

I don't believe don't use the e-brake in cold weather. I driven manuals in Canada for 18 years and always use the e-brake. Never had a problem and it can get to -40C or colder overnight the odd time.

 

my 1st car, an old Plymouth Reliant wagon use to have a problem with the E-brake cables freezing in the winter. I had to get out the hairdryer once! I think it depends on the car and design of the e-brake system. But I know from experience that it can happen.

 

well, first off, I didn't know that you can start a manual car without clutching besides autostart with remote. Not using the e-brake doesn't make much sense to me. But my question is that, is there a difference between leaving your car in 1st gear or reverse? I always leave it in first regardless if I'm parked uphill or downhill.

 

I always use E-Brake. I've heard similar things about there being problems in extreme cold weather with the assembly freezing or the cable contracting and snapping when the temps drop. I've never had a problem with that personally, though.

Just an FYI - engaging the transmission doesn't hold your car nearly as much as you think it does! To see that in action, find a fairly steep hill and park on it. Turn off the engine and put the car in gear without the E-Brake engaged. Release the brake pedal, and watch the car roll! It really doesn't take much force to rotate the engine, even through the trans/diff gear reductions. It can help back-up the E-Brake on mild slopes, but not on steeper ones.



Post Edited (Aug 7, 2:48pm)

 

cmcniel,

The only reason that the car should roll on a hill is if the clutch is bad or the engine is wore out and down on compression.

 

> The only reason that the car should roll
> on a hill is if the clutch is bad or the engine
> is wore out and down on compression.

Nope. Cars can and do roll downhill while the engine is off and the car is in gear. Try it yourself. Gearing gives gravity a torque multiplier.

- John

 

Ive never used my park brake. I would on a steep hill, but thats it

 

>Nope. Cars can and do roll downhill while the engine is off and the car is in gear. Try it yourself. Gearing gives >gravity a torque multiplier.

John Coffey,

I've been driving stick shift cars for close to 50 years and I stand by what I've already stated.



Post Edited (Aug 7, 5:51pm)

 

If the car's in gear, isn't the clutch out of the picture?

Clutch allows smooth contact between transmission and flywheel, right? Once contact is made, isn't the clutch just along for the ride?

Or maybe I'm not a qualifed "expert" ....

If nose is downhill, put in reverse. If rear is downhill, put in 1st. With parking brake engaged. That's what I do on the very rare occasion I feel hinky about the slope.

 

CantZmee:

You should always e-brake your car, and leave it in gear. When you use the gear alone, it puts a significant amount of stress against the gear teeth (if you were on a hill, all of the weight of your car would be resting on a few small gear teeth and your U-joints)

If you are on an incline, use the reverse gear if the nose of your car is pointed downhill. If the rear of your car is pointed downhill, use any forward gear. But then always use the e-brake as well to prevent stress on the drivetrain.

 

i tend to only use the emergency brake and not leave the car in gear, but i agree it will hold it a lot better if you do both.

 

I use the e-brake, put in gear, and lock tire against curb to assure it doesn't roll. I have actually had my car roll by just using the gear and it only had about 8K on it (fairly new clutch). Best play it safe than have repairs costs but I am not sure about that e-brake lines getting frozen since Texas doesn't get too cold.

 

The engine is designed to turn, so only putting the car in gear to stop the car on a hill won't work because the weight of the car will just crank the engine. I've had this happen as well, which is why I'd never park the car with only the tranny holding it in place.

 

So does it really matter if you leave it on First or Reverse if you're facing up or down, because it really seems the same to me. I just put it in First all day, regardless if I'm facing up or downhill.

 

Well it depends. If your cars rear is pointed downhill and you leave it in reverse, its more likely to roll backwards because it would be cranking the engine in its usual direction. However if you had put it in a forward gear it would have to turn everything backwards...

Perhaps in reality it makes no difference, because now that I think about it more, why would it be any harder to crank backwards? Anyways I've always been taught put it in a forward gear if your pointed up, put it in reverse if you're pointed down.

 

I use both. When on an incline, even a small one, car running, foot on brake, clutch in, in gear -- I set the e-brake and turn off the car, letting the e-brake hold the car, then I let the clutch out and leave it in 1st. This may not be the best thing to do, but it seems to me to put less stress on the gear.

As far as the local news knowing WTF they're talking about -- I was in FL one winter when the local newspaper printed their tips on what to do if it hit 32 degrees overnight. Turn your automatic sprinklers off, the lines will freeze (not likely since they're in the ground), make sure your pets have on booties as their feet may freeze to the sidewalk......really no kidding.

 

****...doesn't get cold in Floriday much, so they apparently don't know how to handle it.

This thread has been great. Thanks for all the "expert" advice from everyone. I think from now on I will leave my car in gear, making sure to notice what direction the incline is, and use the E-Brake as well.

 

> I've been driving stick shift cars for
> close to 50 years and I stand by
> what I've already stated.

And I'm sure in your 50 years you've had to push start a stick shift car. The wheels didn't just lock up and car come to a screeching halt when the cltuch was let out, correct? When driving down the road and you take your foot off the gas and let the car coast in gear, the wheels don't lock up and the car come to screeching halt, correct?

When using the engine as a brake, all you have is the compression in about 1/2 the cylinders keeping the car from rolling. The volume of air being compressed is very small and it leaks out past the rings and valves over time (ever do a leak down test)? Using just the engine as a brake when a vehicle is parked on a hill is not safe.

- John