Will the engine stall if I press the brake in second gear without depressing the clutch?
2 Answers
Pressing the brake in second gear without depressing the clutch will cause the engine to stall because the car's clutch does not fully disengage, leading to stalling. Precautions for clutch use: When the friction plates, driving plates, or pressure plate inside the clutch are contaminated with oil or rust, they should be disassembled to remove the oil or rust, cleaned thoroughly with gasoline or kerosene, dried, and then reinstalled. Precautions for manual transmission cars: Do not keep the clutch in a semi-engaged state for a long time. Some drivers have the habit of keeping their left foot on the clutch while driving, thinking it provides better control over the vehicle. However, this practice causes significant damage to the clutch plates. Do not shift gears without fully disengaging the clutch. Some impatient drivers shift gears before fully depressing the clutch, which not only makes it difficult to engage the gear accurately but also causes fatal damage to the manual transmission's gearbox over time.
After driving for so many years, I remember when I first learned manual transmission, the experienced driver taught me that braking in second gear without pressing the clutch is definitely prone to stalling. The reason is simple: when the car is running in gear, the engine is connected to the transmission, and the gear ratio of second gear will cause the wheels to slow down the engine RPM. When you brake suddenly to slow down, the engine has no power output to counteract, so it gets stuck and stalls. After trying it a few times, I felt it was like pushing a bicycle uphill and suddenly stopping without support—you stumble and fall. Newer cars handle it a bit better, but older cars are more sensitive, and you might even dirty the spark plugs or damage the ignition system. So, when driving a manual, I’ve gotten into the habit of lightly pressing the clutch with my left foot to cut off power before braking, especially when crawling in slow traffic—it’s a muscle memory thing. Otherwise, stalling on the roadside and having to restart the engine is pretty embarrassing.