Ello, Just was asking about Putting the car back in to gear while coasting in neutral, Is it better to stop or shift it to D? As The fit uses a different type of torque converter, the Direct control system. 2007 Honda Fit Powertrain - Honda.com

So for example traveling downhill(easy long grade), I can shift to Neutral and coast down the hill, and glide to a stop rather easily, But of the light goes green Would there be any damage to the tranny if I pop it back to "D" and speed up?

Thanks.

 

Don't shift to neutral. You will lose the advantage of 'fuel deactivaion' during deceleration. In drive, when you decelerate, the TC locks up and keeps the engine spinning by the momentum of the vehicle rather than combustion. If you had an A/F guage you would see that no fuel is being burned while you coast. From a practical stand point you will see less fuel by coasting in D to a stop light or down a hill. But yes, it is safe to shift from N to D.

 

You can coast further in neutral and save fuel by shutting off the engine... It would be worth doing in a crisis situation when you are very low on fuel, trying to make it to a pump and on a long downhill stretch of road.. I don't think it would be good for an automatic transmission if it was done frequently.

 

That definitely goes on the list of 'hardcore' hypermiling techniques.

 

There were guys that had a separate switch for their ignition that they used for coasting.. I have read of crazies than wore coveralls with pockets all over them they filled with blue ice packs so they could drive with their windows up in the summer because they had removed their A/Cs and all kinds of other insane things.

 

I would not recommend doing this with an auto... with a stick you can rev match before putting it back into gear but that would tricky if not impossible with an automatic.

 

Please do not continue to do this, if you are doing this. Its cheaper to pay a little more for gas than to pay for a new transmission.