Neutral the tranny @lights??

[caddiali]

Hi all,

Is it better to shift the transmission to neutral when idling for long periods?? (ie: lights, traffic jams).

I noticed when i shift to neutral in my 97 Regal it is more smoother and the idle is noticeable more quieter. What's the reason for this?? Will doing this prolong the life of the tranny??

Ideas and suggestions appreciated!!

peace

[BNaylor]

I don't know if it is better but it probably would not hurt. When in drive or reverse the tranny will put a load on the engine since the drivetrain is engaged. How is your idle (rpms) when in gear?

[Gocart879]

gm, like other manufacturers put these factors to the test on every vehicle. each vehicle is built to withstand the stress which is extremely low when your stopped at a traffic light. they say it will actually put more wear on the linkage(SHIFTER LEVER) than on the transmission. you should only shift to neutral when stopped on hills or for longer time periods more than 3-5 minutes

[BNaylor]

The shift linkage which includes the cable and transmission range switch are pretty reliable and durable on a Buick Regal. I manual shift quite frequently and have 108K miles on my '99 LS 4T65E tranny with no problems to date.

I'm not in favor of shifting to neutral unless necessary but there are probably advantages of shifting to neutral which could be less transmission wear and tear in the long run but who really knows for sure. The technical reason is none of the clutches are enagaged nor is the forward band. In neutral the input clutch is applied but not effective. The input sprag is applied on but not effective. Plus the torque convertor is not engaged or generating any slip. Just my two cents.