Auto vp at lights...whats best for the box

[VrWagz1]

For the first time ever i am driving an auto and its kinda weird in crap way, but its only a loan car off my father while my new swift is in the shop being panel beated thanks to some dick. My vr wagon is however safe, just the missus drives it.

Question(its a vp btw): I'm sitting at the lights and the dam thing just wants to keep hauling along, its like its not in neutral when you stop. Is it best to slip it back to neutral at the lights so im not constantly slipping the auto, as opposed to clonking it out of gear then back in again especially at some lights i peak traffic where they can be like 3-4 minutes between changes, both ways seem to put stress or wear the box.

I must say im not liking the auto thing, i cant beleive how much you have to use the brakes, im going to wear them out in a week, and knowing how small they are as they are stock vp brakes, im constantly worried im gonna get some fade after a few long drawn out stops.

[centy]

mate check his engine revs at idle. To high and the gearbox will ut a fair bit of strain on the brakes.
They will normaly move a car up a slight hill in drive with no foot on the brake.
I would use park at the lights.

[VrWagz1]

Sounds normal then what its doing, just dosnt seem right when you can feel a car wanting to go and you got your foot on the brakes stopping it, the fluid coupling oil would have to be getting hot while its doing that. Ill whack it in neutral at the lights from now on then just to stop that "wanting to tram" sensation.

[Stretchomatic]

i think i read in a nrma mag that park is better then neutral...cant 100% remember but there was some reason for it.

[TrikkBen]

Stretch, you're right...When the box is put in park the park pin mechanisim slids out and locks the gearbox, that will lock the output shaft of the transmission, hence no load on the tailshaft/wheels.

Ben

[Peter89]

for my auto vn, i just use the brakes or for long lights the e brake.

[levymetal]

haha it is strange but don't worry about it. my vn 3.8 used to do as you describe now, it was really strange getting into it from other cars. and my 5ltr... don't even talk about that... it'll sit at 35km/h without you touching the accelerator.

you'll get used to it in no time, then you'll find it strange driving a car that doesn't want to take off when you let you foot off the brake

for long stops use the handbrake

[Haydz]

if you didnt work this out man. could be possible the accelerator cable is a bit too tight. causing the car to actually have the throttle running a bit all the time.

[VrWagz1]

I think it may be idiling a bit high, but for what its worth its a loaner car and i got enough problems with my own car atm to worry about this one, with the wet weather atm its also decided that all the locks wont work now too. Drive side front is ok, 2 rears have just stopped all together and the front passenger just unlocks only. Theres also a weird ticking noise under the car that gets louder as you drive faster only after about 70km/h and its not in time with he engine or g/box its just somthing flapping somwhere. So with the 3 or 4 sets of traffics lights i gotta stop at each day out of the 135k's I travel the issue of it wanting to tram along still is not that much of a worry anymore, it is what it is for now.

[Fun_Bucket]

Neutral 6000RPM, then slam it into drive. Keep doing that until it breaks, and then you will have another excuse to buy and fit a manual lol

As i've learnt dealing with the Mrs, when ever you mention that you want to buy or replace something in the car, they say why? whats wrong with what's already in there?
If it's broken, and i can replace it with some better(not telling her it's better) for less, then she usually get's on board with the idea

[Cheap6]

The high idle may be an Idle Air Control motor fault or that someone has adjusted the throttle plate stop screw to work around one. The throttle plate stop screw, on the throttle body at the rear of the engine should have a green plastic anti-tamper cover over it. If it does not, the adjustment is suspect.

Cleaning the throttle body/throttle plate/ idle air control motor would be a good palce to start; kerosene and a clen rag will get it done. The base idle can then be reset (only if the idle adjust screw has been moved), with the engine hot, by blocking the port in the throttle body to the idle air throttle bypass port and setting the engine speed to ~ 450-500rpm (depends on when the car was built as to exactly what it should be).

It is probably best to leave the car in gear, rather than neutral or park, for short stops as wear occurs in the transmission each time drive is engaged or released. It's not really going to be an issue on a car with limited life left in it anyway.