I have owned and driven many manual trans vehicles in my 40 years of driving.However my JCW R58 with a manual trans is the first manual car I can remember giving a Crap about. So please excuse my ignorance. While stopped at a light, stop sign etc, am I damaging my trans by having the car in gear and the clutch depressed waiting for green?

 

yes....the throw out bearings on MINI's are a weak point (plastic with a sheet metal "hat")...and riding the clutch destroys them fast...
So ALWAYS put in in neutral, and GET OFF the CLUTCH!!

 

I too like you have driven manuals, maybe longer, since 1955 when I was in high school. My 2013 JCW hardtop manual is the best I've driven as far as shifting and clutch operation.

To answer your question, I don't see how you can damage the trans by leaving it in gear with the clutch depressed. I understand the TOB is made of plastic in these cars, so it may wear sooner with the clutch depressed.

However consider this. With the clutch depressed and the trans in gear, the clutch disc is stationary and the flywheel is turning. With your foot on the brake to keep from rolling when stopped, you may have a tendency to let the clutch out a slight amount to the point the pressure plate which is rotating with the flywheel will drag on the clutch disc creating wear and heat. For the first time in driving a manual after all these years I have developed the habit of taking my JCW out of gear when stopped, then depressing the clutch to put in gear and release to go. No drag, just engage and go. Works good.

The other thing I don't do is downshift when slowing down to stop. Brake pads are cheaper than clutches and engines.

 

I would say it's not necessarily bad, especially if you know it's a quick stop sign. Neutral is preferred for the unknown.

 

I keep the clutch in, except at long lights.

I "cruise" at 3500 RPM or higher so I always have power.

I take turns faster than I probably should.

And the result, I always get home from a long day at work with a big $&!t eating grin on my face.

I've just resigned myself to replacing the clutch every 65k miles and don't worry about it.

 

Ya, I have kids like you!! Then they want me to loan them money to fix their car!!

 

Since I had my flywheel and all clutch components replace 2 months ago I have started putting in neutral and foot off the clutch pedal at red lights, here in SoCal our lights are lengthly! My old flywheel showed signs of the previous owner road the clutch a lot, like what 1guru2 stated about not having the clutch pedal completely engaged, flywheel had lots of areas to show that the clutch disc came into contact with the flywheel at a red lights because of all the many small hotspots.

The whole reason for me removing the transmission was because of the loud screeching sound coming from the throwout bearing, they don't call it a throwout bearing for nothing.

 

And if you learn to take your foot off the clutch in neutral at stop lights, the auto stop/start will operate should you ever get an F56.

Not that I'm suggesting you should go to the Dark Side......

 

I always take mine out of gear and release the clutch if I'm going to be stopped for more than about 10 seconds.

 

Holding the pedal puts more stress on the thrust bearings on the crank and the throwout being for the clutch but I have not heard of a mini crankwalking...throwout bearing issues, maybe.

Interestingly, when I was in the UK, I came across a document that recommended engaging the handbrake and releasing the foot brake at stoplights. The reasoning was that you are likely to slip your foot off the brake pedal in the event of a rear ending where as the handbrake would stay engaged

Sent from my Nexus using NAMotoring

 

That's odd as I would think you would want to release the brakes - foot or hand - just prior to be struck.

 

Not if they push you in front of cross traffic at a light.

Sent from my Nexus using NAMotoring

 

The intent is to stop you from rolling BACKWARDS......basic traditional teaching with a stick.
It has always been good practice to GET OFF THE CLUCH WHEN NOT USING IT!!
the throwout bearing is a weak point on these cars. Period. Costs $2000 (full clutch job) to fix...and has fallen apart and destroyed the tranny case on more than one car...so another $6000....
If somebody wants to be lazy...and keep the car in gear, clutch down, make hotspots on the flywheel and wearcout a throwout bearing, it is their car...they can...but it may cost them $$$.

 

That's a good point. In the end though, seems like it is going to be a situation specific call for the driver to make. I would think it is easier to do that using the foot brake as opposed to the hand brake.

 

I was taught to shift into neutral and get off the clutch, I was also taught that brakes are cheaper than a clutch. (RE: Down shifting to allow engine braking to slow you).

And I generally turn off my engine when I'm waiting at a railroad crossing. (This lesson comes from living in Germany for a number of years)

Happy motoring!

 

That has always been taught as 'correct behaviour' for learner drivers (well, handbrake and neutral at least) in the UK and some drivers continue doing it. Here, there are two tests, one for any transmission and one for automatic-only, so we actually have to pass a test on the 'correct' way to drive a manual transmission! Oh, the oppression we suffer.....

Why? It might reduce the damage to the car (slightly) but will increase the damage (acceleration) to its occupants. A new car is much easier to get than a new neck.

 

I've been told by many salesmen at my local Mini dealer that they hate the manual F56, the clutch engagement is either all or nothing, there's nothing in-between engagement and non-engagement. It has an assist similar to the clutch assist when on an incline, you have a few seconds to engage the clutch.

 

For the same reason it lessens the potential damage to the vehicle, it may lessen the injury the occupants suffer. Energy can be transferred into forward movement rather than being absorbed by the stationary vehicle and occupant.

 

This is what I do.

Depressing the clutch and selecting first gear takes about half a second, and I'd rather rest my left leg while waiting at a light.

 

I've herd that it's a bad habit to take the car out of gear. In an emergency if you wanted to move it would take more time to react with the car out of gear.