What procedure do you use when starting your car?

[Hurdy]

When driving any manual I've always checked the gearstick is in neutral and then started it up. I never depress the clutch when starting.

Edit... Unless a car won't start if the clutch isn't depressed.

[vRSAlex]

Most cars 09 ish onwards have to have the clutch pedal pressed down to start.  You cannot disable this iirc.

I have never heard of an issue before caused by pressing the pedal down on starting?

[xjay1337]

I had an uprated clutch fitted to my TDI (perhaps that is different) and all throughout my ownership of the car (50k+ miles and over 2 years) I always dipped the clutch when starting and never had a problem.

I've never heard any problems caused by having the clutch down when starting. I don't think it makes any difference whatsoever as all as far as the car is concerned, if you are in neutral and if you have the clutch down it's no extra force required to start the engine.
In both cases there is no drive being sent it's just at different points in the system (pressure plate / friction disc) rather than at the gearbox / driveshafts where the load is.

I'm sorry but I think this is a bit daft.


And as Rich said... what's a clutch pedal?

[danishmkvgti]

Most cars 09 ish onwards have to have the clutch pedal pressed down to start.  You cannot disable this iirc.

I have never heard of an issue before caused by pressing the pedal down on starting?

Neither have i before now, remember this issue is only relevant IF you have a highly uprated clutch pressure plate, when pushing the pedal down before starting the engine the enegry you use to push down the pedal is pushing the crank sideways and when the engine starts there no oil pressure to the axial bearing, (only word i know for it and google translate it to this taking from the danish word for it)

[M7AXB]

You need to depress the the clutch on an 07 S3 so I can't see it doing any harm. I don't do it personally on the golf.

[ARV_90]

Most cars 09 ish onwards have to have the clutch pedal pressed down to start.  You cannot disable this iirc.

I have never heard of an issue before caused by pressing the pedal down on starting?

Neither have i before now, remember this issue is only relevant IF you have a highly uprated clutch pressure plate, when pushing the pedal down before starting the engine the enegry you use to push down the pedal is pushing the crank sideways and when the engine starts there no oil pressure to the axial bearing, (only word i know for it and google translate it to this taking from the danish word for it)

"Thrust bearing" fella 

I wouldn't worry about it.... Pushing the pedal will just stop the main layshaft from turning in the gearbox when cranking,  Maybe on a very cold frosty morning it would make a difference to how fast it cranks over,  but i doubt you would notice.  No oil pressure to big end bearings,main bearings, cam lobes, etc etc for a second or so and they survive    std clutch or not doubt it makes any difference.... Anyway whats a clutch pedal :-)

[sat1983]

Modern cars are tough beasts- but I always use mechanical sympathy just in case.

[drsilviuro]

Look like this is real, my mechanic said it was possible. But never had to repair/replace an engine because of this, and should happen on really really strong pressure plates (with bi-disc, etc)

[danishmkvgti]

Look like this is real, my mechanic said it was possible. But never had to repair/replace an engine because of this, and should happen on really really strong pressure plates (with bi-disc, etc)

reason for me making this tread is that it is possible, and just by changing behavoiur at start up you can do difference and possible save a lot of money.

This is one of the engines, the one having had the stage 4 clutch