On Sun, 15 Jun 1997 RobCarpent(at)aol.com wrote:
> I will be the first to admit that I had never heard of such a thing. I have
> started my manual shift cars with the clutch in since I was 16 [35 years, you
> do the math]. I have learned tons reading this list so I assumed I have
> been killing my bearing all the while and would have to relearn.
>
> Yesterday I forced myself to start my 1984 Ford Ranger pickup [daily driver]
> 5 speed and found that the ignition will not fire WITHOUT the clutch being
> depressed. Yes, I had it in neutral. It simply requires me to depress the
> clutch if I want to start it.
>
> Are Alpines built differently? Is this really a problem?
Many, perhaps all, modern cars/trucks with standard shift require that
the clutch be depressed before the car will start.
There are two good reasons for starting an LBC with the clutch out and the
transmission in neutral. One is wear on the thrust bearings. The other
is that many of our cars have graphite throwout bearings that impose more
drag on the engine than would be present if the trans were in neutral and
the clutch out. On the other hand, there is a good reason for starting
with the clutch depressed: if you fail to put the transmission in neutral
before you hit the starter, you won't run into the back of the garage or
over your daughter. The manufacturers have opted for safety by forcing
you to have the clutch in. The Alpine can be started either way.
So decide for yourself.
W. R. Gibbons Dept. of Molecular Physiology & Biophysics
Univ. of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington, VT
gibbons(at)northpole.med.uvm.edu (802) 656-8629
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