when coming down a hill.....

[player.777]

...and the gear selected it too low, does it do more damage to the clutch/ fly wheel pressing the clutch to the floor, in gear and coasting down with your foot to the floor, or putting it neutral, and coasting down out of gear??? 

[Rhyso]

i just let it coast in gear - shouldnt do any damage as the engine is not under full load

[Ben Lessani]

Depends on whether its a steep hill and you are controlling your speed, or if its a motorway and your controlling fuel economy.

Either way, engine braking does no damage, and high gear for fuel economy.

[player.777]

but even if you put it in 6th, coming down a hill near me, the engine is still effectively pulling the car back, so not getting as much speed down the hill- so not being as economical, as I have to put your foot on the accelerator down before I would if I were coasting?

[Ben Lessani]

but even if you put it in 6th, coming down a hill near me, the engine is still effectively pulling the car back, so not getting as much speed down the hill- so not being as economical, as I have to put your foot on the accelerator down before I would if I were coasting?

But if you're in gear and not on the throttle, the car doesn't have to use *any* fuel to keep it turning over, gravity and the wheels do that. If you take it out of gear, yes you will go faster, but then the car has to use fuel to keep it idling - thus using more fuel.

[player.777]

mmm interesting point.  Ok i'll give that a go- BUT when coming down the hill, I'm getting 199mpg anyway, which is the highest the readout goes- I suppose I could still get more miles to the tank doing it your way. Ok I'll see what happens. Thanks for help me out.

[player.777]

so coming back a bit- does either method do more damage to the clutch than any other??

[Ben Lessani]

Shouldn't do a bit, only if you were riding the clutch half up the whole time.

When the gear is engaged, there is extremely little clutch wear, in fact none - only if you were at full throttle towing something when it might slip and wear I guess.

[player.777]

Got you. Great. thanks mate