Does coasting in neutral downhill waste fuel in a manual transmission car?
1 Answers
Coasting in neutral downhill does waste fuel in a manual transmission car. Reasons why coasting in neutral wastes fuel: In fuel-injected engines, the amount of fuel injection is determined by the computer program. When the car is in gear and the driver releases the accelerator, the computer enters a coasting mode where the engine stops injecting fuel for an extended period. However, if neutral coasting is selected, the computer switches to idle mode, and the engine continues to inject fuel. The fuel injection in these cars is controlled by a computer that operates automatically based on sensors within the engine, and the idle speed cannot be adjusted. Consequently, shifting to neutral requires idle fuel consumption, whereas staying in gear without pressing the accelerator allows the engine to maintain operation using inertia, cutting off fuel supply. This results in fuel savings, although coasting resistance increases and the distance covered is shorter, reducing the need for braking later. Therefore, for fuel-injected cars, it's advisable to shift to neutral only when coming to a complete stop to prevent stalling. Deliberately coasting in neutral over long distances will inevitably waste fuel. Fuel-saving tips for manual transmission cars: Turn off the engine when stuck in traffic and unable to move. Shift gears correctly and timely; often, the car's speed is high without corresponding upshifts, leading to increased engine RPM and a spike in fuel consumption. Driving in lower gears consumes more fuel, so minimizing the time spent in lower gears while driving is highly effective for saving fuel.
