Free wheeling in neutral

[luckystrike]

Does 'free wheeling' down hill in neutral do any damage to your car, or is it simply a good way to save on fuel?

[CarrieMB]

Hi.
I googled "freewheeling in cars", as I was interested to know what people thought.
Thanks for all the posts. It made me think hard about what I do.

Whiskeryron makes a lot of good points.
I live in a rural area and so saving fuel is a necessity.
I often freewheel where I feel it is safe to do so.

so in answer to some of the issues raised, I offer the following:

Freewheeling in neutral is not as safe as freewheeling with the clutch down.
If something unexpected happens you can just let out the clutch.

Engine breaking usually increases the revs of the engine thus using more fuel. It is un-necessary engine braking that you want to eliminate.
As well as un-necessary starting and stopping.
As mentioned it is first and second gears that cause most clutch wear.

Freewheeling down hills at speed does cause a lack of control in steering.
You should always drive around corners, unless you match your speed exactly to the corner and it isn't wet/muddy/frozen/covered in gravel, oil or deisel.
Which boils down to never try to change speed AND direction at the same time, unless accelerating, even if only very gently.

Be aware of the relationship of engine revs to speed, and allow the car to slow naturally or brake, and let the clutch out gently so as to match your highest gear, without too sharp a rise in revs.

Save fuel stay safe.