Well I worked up the nerve to turn off my engine at the top of a hill this morning and coast to the bottom with no power. When I had slowed down to about 30 MPH I put it in 5th gear and let the clutch out -- it started right up again. I tried it again two more times today with no problems. My question is am I doing this correctly? I've never push-started a car before and I don't want to damage my Scion XB. Also, are there any special techniques for going through a turn while doing this? I tried it right before a turn at the bottom of a hill but my foot was on the brake at the time and it was a little touchy when the power assist came back suddenly.
I'm assuming that letting the clutch out while in gear is preferable to putting it in neutral and cranking the starter. Is this right?
I'm still working on my first tank, but the trip odometer and gas guage are looking pretty good so far.
Thanks, N1JI
brick
08-24-2006, 05:27 PM
If Wayne's experience has anything to say about it, you can key start just as easily as clutch start. I use a mix of both depending on the situation. Too low of a speed (<20mph or so) I key, above I bump it. Or if I really, really don't want to risk losing speed for whatever reason I'll ley start it.
As for the bump start, the method I have used is to put it in 5th as you do and slowly let the clutch out. The second I feel the engine light up I put the clutch right back in, let the RPMs stabilize, and then rev-match to minimize clutch wear. Get the hang of it and you will have silky-smooth re-lights at the drop of a hat!
Oh, and about corners: I've established a personal rule about FAS in intersections, which is that I always re-light before I get there. That's the one circumstance when you might need power really quick, so I don't recommend doing without a lit engine. Not to mention the jumpy steering that you experienced. Sitting at a light is a different story, of course!
tbaleno
08-24-2006, 06:44 PM
My personal opinion is never FAS where you might need to turn hard or brake. Others may dissagree. Basicly take it easy until you are ultra comfortable with what you and your car are doing. No need to jump in and push things to the extreem before you are ready. Practice FAS on straight empty roads. Practice stoping and turning in a safe area so you get used to not having power brakes and stearing. And don't try to FAS everywhere. Sometimes it isn't the right technique.
basjoos
08-24-2006, 07:37 PM
Typically you have 2 to 3 pumps of the power brakes before you use up all of the vacuum and lose the power assist. Its also a good idea to test your brakes after you lose the power assist, so you can see how effective they are with only your leg power actuating them. Also test the braking effectiveness of your emergency brakes. This, along with ICE-off power steering, are things that I test in every new car that I drive, so that I will know what to expect if the ICE dies unexpectantly while I am driving. This has saved me several times in the winter when the ICE in my F-150 died while I was coasting up to a light.
philmcneal
09-06-2006, 10:48 PM
like the Lottery of British Columbia likes to say before buying your lottery ticket...
Know your limit, play with in it.
picture the clutch as a sling shot, you want to shoot the rock but before the rock leaves the sling, you immediately grab it before it hits a neighboor's window. The momentum your giving the engine is usually way more than it needs to turn it on, that's why one must press the clutch in again after the engine restarts to avoid aftershock to the passenger compartment.
Sooner or later, people won't even tell if your engine is on or off because your so 1337
