In regards to modern cars with electronic fuel injection, I don't believe there would be any measurable difference when the car is idling in gear or out of gear (e.g., neutral), as the ECM is delivering current to the injectors and the flow of fuel is the same.
If the car was idling for an extended period, if you just shut off the engine, then this would result in a measurable gas savings. Toyota's technology for their new hybrids does such a thing automatically for you, and will stop the engine during idle to save gas (called their AT Idling Stop System), and automatically start the engine again when the foot is taken off the brake.
when i install my safc2 i'll take a look at some of its data output between idling in gear and in nuetral and see what the differences look like. i was just wondering since theres 2 long red lights here, but i often dont know how long it'll be since i rarely reach them to see them turn red. so turning off my car, it could be 30 seconds or 3 minutes!
When out of gear the engine would have less load. Watch the engine RPM when moving into drive and feel the car attempt to move forward. Less engine load translates into less gasoline required.
there will be no noticeable difference with fuel injected systems....
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Doesnt really matter as you arent moving anywhere, theres no strain on the engine. When you're stopped in a traffic light with an automatic its basically in neutral anyways.
Doesnt really matter as you arent moving anywhere, theres no strain on the engine. When you're stopped in a traffic light with an automatic its basically in neutral anyways.
no its not! if it were in neutral then the engine would be at curb idle and you wouldnt have to hold your foot on the brake!
The car moving has nothing to with fuel consumption. When the trans is in gear it is putting an additional load on the engine and this requires more fuel. The engine has an idle up system that engages when car is shifted into gear, the fuel delivered needs to be increased to bring the idle speed back up.
Modern cars have a fuel cut off for fuel efficiency when the car is not in motion (or have any strain on the engine). Regardless fuel is still being dumped into the engine even at idle.
For my humble opinion, to answer that question would require some very precise measureing equipment and a lot of time.
That said, some cars idle at a higher RPM in neutral than in drive, but as was said before, the ecu does compensate for the added load by adding more fuel, or is it more air, I really don't know. I know it adds air for fast idle when cold, but still burns more fuel.
This debate is just like the one about A/C on and window closed on the express way, or A/C off, window and open. ?????????????
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'88 Corolla, AE92 SR-5, 7A-FE swap/GT-S suspension
'87 Corolla, AE82 FX-16, 4A-GZE swap (autocrosser)
'03 Tundra 4X4 Access Cab, (FX tow vehicle/Home Depot runner)
Modification: Changing something to what you thought it should have been from the start!
if you really have to cry about things like this, then sell the car and get a bicycle. Stressing yourself with these issues is only gonna give you gray hairs and maybe an aneurysm.
im not stressing, just really curious. i like to be a know it all and a bicycle isnt practical for my 10 mile commute, most of the way there i no sidewalk and a 50mph speed limit.
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'88 Corolla, AE92 SR-5, 7A-FE swap/GT-S suspension
'87 Corolla, AE82 FX-16, 4A-GZE swap (autocrosser)
'03 Tundra 4X4 Access Cab, (FX tow vehicle/Home Depot runner)
Modification: Changing something to what you thought it should have been from the start!
All this "load" talk requiring more is rediculous because you're coasting the car, not accelerating. In decelaration, you're engine is using the "load" to help you slow the car. Virtually all modern day EFI ECUs do NOT inject fuel on deceleration conditions. Notice how the car SLOWS down FASTER in gear? It's because it's using your momentum (via the continued rotation of your wheels) to turn all the moving parts instead of the other way around. However, gas engines REQUIRES fuel to maintain idle.
What I said applies to both manual and automatic cars. Automatics drop some RPMs when you let off the gas, but it doesn't drop to idle if the car has a decent amount of speed.
But the difference is still very minimal. For safety reasons, a car would always be in left in gear even while coasting.
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no its not! if it were in neutral then the engine would be at curb idle and you wouldnt have to hold your foot on the brake!
and a bicycle isnt practical for my 10 mile commute, most of the way there i no sidewalk and a 50mph speed limit.
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