Neutral to 1st Gear = THUD

Hi All,

When I shift from Neutral into 1st gear, usually at a stop light, I
hear and feel a thud. It's not that loud and only the driver would
notice it if really paying attention. It doesn't happen all the
time. Does anyone know what this could be?

Nothing to worry about.




"madloof72" > wrote in message
...
> Hi All,
>
> When I shift from Neutral into 1st gear, usually at a stop light, I
> hear and feel a thud. It's not that loud and only the driver would
> notice it if really paying attention. It doesn't happen all the
> time. Does anyone know what this could be?

"madloof72" > wrote in message
...
> Hi All,
>
> When I shift from Neutral into 1st gear, usually at a stop light, I
> hear and feel a thud. It's not that loud and only the driver would
> notice it if really paying attention. It doesn't happen all the
> time. Does anyone know what this could be?

Normal operation as the box engages. It will be more pronounced if the air
con is on because the EMU raises idle by about 200rpm to compensate.

BTW it is not normally necessary to shift to neutral for stop lights etc.,
although I used to do it.

"R. Mark Clayton" > wrote in message
...
>
> "madloof72" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Hi All,
>>
>> When I shift from Neutral into 1st gear, usually at a stop light, I
>> hear and feel a thud. It's not that loud and only the driver would
>> notice it if really paying attention. It doesn't happen all the
>> time. Does anyone know what this could be?
>
> Normal operation as the box engages. It will be more pronounced if the
> air con is on because the EMU raises idle by about 200rpm to compensate.
>
> BTW it is not normally necessary to shift to neutral for stop lights etc.,
> although I used to do it.
>

It is good practice to put the car into N for the duration of a traffic
light -- it takes stress off of the throw out bearing. You are right, it is
not necessary, but it is a good thing to do.

On May 19, 10:24 am, "Jeff Strickland" > wrote:
> "R. Mark Clayton" > wrote in m...
>
>
>
>
>
> > "madloof72" > wrote in message
> ...
> >> Hi All,
>
> >> When I shift from Neutral into 1st gear, usually at a stop light, I
> >> hear and feel a thud. It's not that loud and only the driver would
> >> notice it if really paying attention. It doesn't happen all the
> >> time. Does anyone know what this could be?
>
> > Normal operation as the box engages. It will be more pronounced if the
> > air con is on because the EMU raises idle by about 200rpm to compensate.
>
> > BTW it is not normally necessary to shift to neutral for stop lights etc.,
> > although I used to do it.
>
> It is good practice to put the car into N for the duration of a traffic
> light -- it takes stress off of the throw out bearing. You are right, it is
> not necessary, but it is a good thing to do.


How long should I expect my clutch to last. I have about 110k miles
on the car and I used to drive it really hard.

"madloof72" > wrote in message
...
> On May 19, 10:24 am, "Jeff Strickland" > wrote:
>> "R. Mark Clayton" > wrote in
>> m...
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> > "madloof72" > wrote in message
>> ...
>> >> Hi All,
>>
>> >> When I shift from Neutral into 1st gear, usually at a stop light, I
>> >> hear and feel a thud. It's not that loud and only the driver would
>> >> notice it if really paying attention. It doesn't happen all the
>> >> time. Does anyone know what this could be?
>>
>> > Normal operation as the box engages. It will be more pronounced if the
>> > air con is on because the EMU raises idle by about 200rpm to
>> > compensate.
>>
>> > BTW it is not normally necessary to shift to neutral for stop lights
>> > etc.,
>> > although I used to do it.
>>
>> It is good practice to put the car into N for the duration of a traffic
>> light -- it takes stress off of the throw out bearing. You are right, it
>> is
>> not necessary, but it is a good thing to do.
>
>
> How long should I expect my clutch to last. I have about 110k miles
> on the car and I used to drive it really hard.

It is impossible to say. I have no trouble getting 200k from a clutch, but I
don't slip the clutch when I start, I always match the speed of the motor
and the transmission when downshifting, etc.

Setting the transmission to N saves the throw out bearing, not the clutch.

"Jeff Strickland" > wrote in message
news:%IqYj.10718$IK5.61@trnddc04...
>
> "madloof72" > wrote in message
> ...
>> On May 19, 10:24 am, "Jeff Strickland" > wrote:
>>> "R. Mark Clayton" > wrote in
>>> m...
>>>
>>
>>
>> How long should I expect my clutch to last. I have about 110k miles
>> on the car and I used to drive it really hard.
>
> It is impossible to say. I have no trouble getting 200k from a clutch, but
> I don't slip the clutch when I start, I always match the speed of the
> motor and the transmission when downshifting, etc.
>
> Setting the transmission to N saves the throw out bearing, not the clutch.
>
>

We may be talking at cross purposes here - I was talking about an auto, and
Jeff was talking about a manual. Which have you got?


PS I never needed a clutch on any of the manuals I had.

On May 20, 6:13 am, "R. Mark Clayton" >
wrote:
> "Jeff Strickland" > wrote in message
>
> news:%IqYj.10718$IK5.61@trnddc04...
>
>
>
>
>
> > "madloof72" > wrote in message
> ...
> >> On May 19, 10:24 am, "Jeff Strickland" > wrote:
> >>> "R. Mark Clayton" > wrote in
> >>> m...
>
> >> How long should I expect my clutch to last. I have about 110k miles
> >> on the car and I used to drive it really hard.
>
> > It is impossible to say. I have no trouble getting 200k from a clutch, but
> > I don't slip the clutch when I start, I always match the speed of the
> > motor and the transmission when downshifting, etc.
>
> > Setting the transmission to N saves the throw out bearing, not the clutch.
>
> We may be talking at cross purposes here - I was talking about an auto, and
> Jeff was talking about a manual. Which have you got?
>
> PS I never needed a clutch on any of the manuals I had.

I am using a MANUAL transition. The thud is faint and I hear/feel it
when I press the clutch down...

"madloof72" > wrote in message
...
> On May 20, 6:13 am, "R. Mark Clayton" >
> wrote:
>> "Jeff Strickland" > wrote in message
>>
>> news:%IqYj.10718$IK5.61@trnddc04...
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> > "madloof72" > wrote in message
>> ...
>> >> On May 19, 10:24 am, "Jeff Strickland" > wrote:
>> >>> "R. Mark Clayton" > wrote in
>> >>> m...
>>
>> >> How long should I expect my clutch to last. I have about 110k miles
>> >> on the car and I used to drive it really hard.
>>
>> > It is impossible to say. I have no trouble getting 200k from a clutch,
>> > but
>> > I don't slip the clutch when I start, I always match the speed of the
>> > motor and the transmission when downshifting, etc.
>>
>> > Setting the transmission to N saves the throw out bearing, not the
>> > clutch.
>>
>> We may be talking at cross purposes here - I was talking about an auto,
>> and
>> Jeff was talking about a manual. Which have you got?
>>
>> PS I never needed a clutch on any of the manuals I had.
>
> I am using a MANUAL transition. The thud is faint and I hear/feel it
> when I press the clutch down...

You are just releasing the back lash in the drive train.

madloof72 > wrote:
>
>I am using a MANUAL transition. The thud is faint and I hear/feel it
>when I press the clutch down...

What model and year? Is it coming from the front or the back? All kinds
of things can cause this sort of thing, including the bushings on the shock
towers and the goofy rubber mounting thing on top of the differential.
It can help to put the car up on a rack and get a prybar and start shaking
things around to see what is shifting when you accelerate.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."