General: De-clutch when starting the engine?

[Bill_56]

I have always depressed the clutch when starting a manual car, for two reasons...

1) A habit from a bygone age of 1960s bangers, when weak batteries and poor starter motors benefited from the marginal advantage of not having to spin the gearbox input shaft as well as the engine.

2) A feeling of security that the car won't kangaroo-hop forwards when I turn the key, just in case I've left the car in gear. Yes, we can check and double-check the car's in neutral but mistakes can happen... particularly in a car we don't often drive. But if you de-clutch before starting, you notice any such mistakes by the gradual drop in engine note as you lift your foot, rather than a sudden leap into the car/wall/pedestrian in front of you.

But I notice a Q&A in a recent 'practical classics' points out that when you press the clutch, the load is taken up by the crankshaft thrust bearings. That's OK when motoring along as the oil is up to pressure. But when starting the engine the thrust bearings may be relatively dry, and so may suffer accelerated wear from starting with a foot on the clutch.

Whilst I have to admit the logic of Practical Classics makes sense, I don't feel about to change old habits. Thoughts, anybody?

[golly]

I don`t know if this helps,I have a 2011 V50 D4 and you have to keep your foot on the clutch for it to start.

[LJD]

I have always checked to see if the car is in gear .

[outnumbered]

my left leg is not as stiff as the right one

[gjd]

Hello

My Driving Instructor taught me to fire up his Metro with the clutch pedal depressed. Said it saved wear on the engine. Also, it made sure you didn;t hurtle into the garage wall.

That was late 80s advice. As usual, turns out to have been superceded! I'll watch this thread with interest.

[stephend]

Well, I've always depressed the clutch when starting the car, for the same reasons you list. I thought I was doing the right thing ...

I wonder if a car ever wore out its crankshaft thrust bearings because the driver always started with the clutch down, though!

[gillberry]

Always depressed the clutch in a manual never had a problem .

[Daim]

Here in Germany, you are taught to park up in gear. So you have to start with foot on clutch.

A depressed clutch will allow the engine to start easier, as the gearbox isn't spun at the same time (ingoing shaft doesn't have to be turned).

The Rover battery was low a few days ago. Tried starting the car with the clutch not depressed and it didn't want to start. Clutch pressed and it instantly came to life...

[Moosejaw]

I kick the clutch in when I start the engine, always have and it's so much habit now that I probably always will.

I even let the ignition sit for a second or two at 'ON' before I start up, partly to check the warning lights but also I heard from some motoring guru somewhere (might even have been on here!) that in the winter the second or so it might take for the fuel pump to prime saves the battery from a couple of fuel-less cranks of the starter motor, thus making the most of what might be a low battery.
Could be bollox though....

Can you tell I tend to drive old sh*tt*rs?!!

[popuptoaster]

A lot of American manuals have to have the clutch depressed to start the car which is the reason I got to drive a Viper though our warehouse one day. The higher ups new it was coming in via container and jumped on it when the door was unlocked, but none of them could start it, after 20mins of faffing about they finally asked me (the guy who always had the weird cars in the car park)

Jumped in, foot on clutch, started her up, drove out the container, off the loading dock into the warhous, all the way round the forklift lanes and out the other door into the holding area.

nice smooth screechy tarmac in a warehouse.