Do you start your car with the clutch in, or out?

Edit: For the record, I start with the clutch (pedal to the floor) and the gearbox in neutral.

 

An additional question for this thread... is there a clutch interlock safety switch? (keeps the car from starting in gear, clutch pedal out...)

 

If clutch out (without clutch) means the clutch fully engaged (pedal up) and the car in neutral ... that's how I always start my cars.

No, there is no interlock/safety.

 

+1

I think Porsche figures we are smart enough to not need the interlock

 

I've developed the habit over the years of starting with the clutch pedal pushed in for two reasons:

1) most of the standards I've driven in the last decade have an interlock safety switch which forces you to push the clutch in (such as on my BMW) so its just habit.
2) pushing the clutch in seems like a good way to decrease the odds of accidentally putting the 911 through the back wall of the garage if I ever have a brain fart and leave it in gear.

I also had someone tell me that starting with the clutch pushed in is easier on your starter motor and battery because its not having to spin the transmission as well as the engine. Not sure if that's just some old wives tale or not.

 

During the winter months it's more important to have the clutch pedal depressed as it helps you to start the car,--otherwise you are turning a lot more stuff (gears) that could be held back by low viscosity oil... It sometimes makes the difference whether you can start the car or not in the cold.

The current line of Porsches have an interlock built in,--no choice!

 

No real harm, but the gearbox is "constant mesh", and you are turning all forward gears through some pretty thick oil if you don't depress the clutch for starting. In extreme cold weather (thickened gear oil), it takes a couple of extra starter HP to row the gears through the oil. In all weather, there is less battery drain and less starter wear if you get in the habit of pressing the clutch before starting. It the clutch is not dragging, there is no need to put the transmission in neutral. If the clutch is dragging, neutral is a good idea. I do both, but I wear belts and suspenders on my trousers too!

 

I live in a climate where the temps don't change much. 50-70 °F year round, so extreme cold is not a concern. After 5 years or more and daily starts, I've had no issues.

 

I've always had 911's so I never push in the clutch pedal before starting... I'm used to not having an interlock thingy... I am just thrilled how with a 964 you don't even need to (and not supposed to) give it gas when starting! There was such an art to starting a cold early 911 with Webers on the first try!!! A lost art now!!

 

My first car was a triumph TR6, which was notorious for destroying crankshaft thrust bearings. Consequently I used to spend as much time with my foot away from the clutch pedal as possible (Pressure placed on the clutch pushes or pulls the crankshaft against its thrust surface). I dont usually sit at a light with the car in gear, and if the car doesn't have an interlock, I start the engine with out depressing the pedal. Does this practice help thrust bearings last longer?... I wouldn't be surprised if it didn't, but it doesn't really require any effort, and has become habbit.
On a side note, when my friend rebuilt his 944 turbo engine last year after 120k, all the engine bearings were perfect except for the thrust bearing which was nearly worn out.

 

I had an MG midget once and it would spin over really slowly, sometimes not starting at all, with the clutch pressed but started fine without. I assume because of the worn thrust bearings issue mentioned above, but I got into the habit of not pressing the clutch on starting ever since.

 

As with all manual cars, starting the car without depressing the clutch means the starter motor IS turning the clutch mechanism and the entire gearbox. You may well have done this for years with no issues but the fact remains that by starting the car with the clutch depressed means you are putting less strain on the the starter motor and the battery. For this reason I have always depressed the clutch before starting in any of my manual cars.

Cheers
Alex

 

Clutch in. In case the car's been left in gear, it's a good thing for safety too.

 

First car was a '69 Chevelle SS. It had both a clutch interlock and GM's first-year adaptation to to a column-lock for a floor-shifter - you had to put it into reverse, which rotated a collar on the steering column, which allowed you to remove the key, as if the car had a column shifter. So the first thing I learned to do with a manual car was to jump in and stab the clutch down before trying to start the car.
Good thing too, because as a 16-yr-old, I would have certainly put the car through a wall otherwise at some point. I've never had a car with an interlock since, but it's a habit I've never lost, as it seems the safest (and most load-free) way to start a manual car.

 

I have a habit of starting with the clutch pedle down for several reasons.
when I was having power drain issues it seemed to start easier may have been in my head though, My motorbike will only start with the clutch dissengaged and the habit has passed over.
My work car gets started with teh clutch pressed and 1st gear selected that way its saves 1 nano second when setting off