Should You Pause in Neutral When Shifting Gears in a Manual Transmission?
1 Answers
When shifting between forward and reverse gears in a manual transmission, it is necessary to return to the neutral position; when shifting from 2nd to 3rd, 3rd to 4th, and 4th to 5th gears, the gear lever passes through the neutral position, but theoretically, it is not mandatory to pause in neutral; shifting from 1st to 2nd gear typically involves pulling the gear lever down to 2nd without passing through neutral. The role of neutral: For a manual transmission, neutral means the gears on the input shaft are free-spinning and cannot bear load or transmit power; for an automatic transmission, it means the gear train's degrees of freedom are unrestricted, so it also cannot transmit power. In terms of the power path, the engine's power reaches the transmission, but since there is no gear ratio inside the transmission, the power is interrupted, and the vehicle cannot move. Precautions when in neutral: Automatic transmission vehicles should not coast in neutral under non-special circumstances, as it is unsafe and can damage the transmission due to insufficient lubrication from the transmission oil pump. Additionally, neutral lacks a braking mechanism, requiring the use of the handbrake or brake pedal to park; otherwise, the vehicle may roll on uneven surfaces.
