Leaving car in gear while parked?

[porsche356a]

Been having a debate...

Does doing this cause undue damage or stress to components?

[WolfeMacleod]

Don't know about that. But, when I park, I always park clutch in, e-brake on, then brake off so the car is "against" the E-brake. Only after it settles do I let my foot off the clutch.

[911pcars]

Gearbox internals can be damaged and at a minimum, stressed, if the car's in gear. Otherwise, no problem. I place it in gear as a secondary measure when parked on a hill. Parking brake with the front tire banked against the curb are primary means of keeping it at 0 mph.

Sherwood

[KFC911]

I do like Wolfe does...imo, a parked car left in neutral is not safe. Out of habit (been doing it for 30 some years), I always leave her in reverse too.

[Formerly Steve Wilkinson]

Sherwood, I assume you mean gearbox internals can be damaged if, say, somebody backs into while unparking or whatever? Certainly there can't be any damage from leaving a car in gear with the parking brake on if there's no external stress. And I'm assuming that nobody's dumb enough to depend 100 percent on parking in gear--i.e. no parking-brake use.

[wastintime]

I only do it on steep hills, and always ebrake first... I just never do it out of practice after racing/DEs etc...

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Yep. Same here - all my cars are manual transmissions and I always pull the e-brake first (before letting off the regular brake), then shut the car off in neutral, put it in gear and then release the clutch (with the engine off and the wheels being held by the e-brake). It's a second level of protection - a tertiary one if on a hill (I cut the wheels into or away from the curb if I'm facing down or up a hill respectively).

[ossiblue]

Ditto with all those who leave it in gear after secured by e-brake. Never had a problem in over 45 years with the trans, but then the car was never bumped hard by an idiot while parked--my only fear.

[wastintime]

I almost painted my 912 Ossi Blue... stuck with Tangerine. If they bumped my car hard enough to hurt the gearbox, they better hope they hurt the gearbox so I can't kill them for the dents or scratches they put in my bumper

[overman]

Not near the stress as the 'stomp and steer' to redline...

[911pcars]

Originally Posted by Formerly Steve Wilkinson

Sherwood, I assume you mean gearbox internals can be damaged if, say, somebody backs into while unparking or whatever? Certainly there can't be any damage from leaving a car in gear with the parking brake on if there's no external stress. And I'm assuming that nobody's dumb enough to depend 100 percent on parking in gear--i.e. no parking-brake use.

Thanks Steve,
I left out that part of my answer that should have included damage caused by an outside force bumping into the vehicle.

As for putting the gearbox in reverse, that's the gear with the most gear reduction, so it's more difficult for the car to move. However, if hit from behind and the car moves forward, the engine rotates opposite the normal direction of rotation.

That could conceivably stress the valve train components as well as the aforementioned gearbox internals.

Sherwood

[richde]

Originally Posted by 911pcars

Thanks Steve,
I left out that part of my answer that should have included damage caused by an outside force bumping into the vehicle.

As for putting the gearbox in reverse, that's the gear with the most gear reduction, so it's more difficult for the car to move. However, if hit from behind and the car moves forward, the engine rotates opposite the normal direction of rotation.

That could conceivably stress the valve train components as well as the aforementioned gearbox internals.

Sherwood

Just like if it's hit from the front and left in first?

To be totally safe, don't ever park it, or leave it in neutral and use one of those "boot" things...or just keep doing what you're doing and not worry about it.

[RoninLB]

rotating the engine in reverse can pop the cam chain off the intermediate shaft sproket.

[wastintime]

Originally Posted by RoninLB

rotating the engine in reverse can pop the cam chain off the intermediate shaft sproket.

BOTH FEET IN!!!!

[3.2 CAB]

Whenever I park mine in the garage, I always have the parking brake ON, and the transmission in NEUTRAL. My parking brake works great, no more than three clicks when set. I pretty much do the same when out in the public domain, but... If I am parking on the side or a mountain, I will place it in gear, either 1st or reverse, and also set the handbrake, and if there is a curb where I am parking, I will turn the wheels so they will be locked in the position pointing toward the curb. Just my $0.03

[dshepp806]

Originally Posted by 3.2 CAB

Whenever I park mine in the garage, I always have the parking brake ON, and the transmission in NEUTRAL. My parking brake works great, no more than three clicks when set. I pretty much do the same when out in the public domain, but... If I am parking on the side or a mountain, I will place it in gear, either 1st or reverse, and also set the handbrake, and if there is a curb where I am parking, I will turn the wheels so they will be locked in the position pointing toward the curb. Just my $0.03

+1.

[flatsixnut]

I use the E-brake only with the car in neutral if I have to park it away from my garage.
When it is in my garage I leave it in neutral with no E-brake. It can not roll out of my garage.

[pozee]

+1 WolfeMacleod.

The E Brake should "hold" the car. Once it holds, then place in gear. Same with automatics. Better than the transmission gears "holding" the weight.

[Jeff Alton]

Originally Posted by wastintime

I only do it on steep hills, and always ebrake first... I just never do it out of practice after racing/DEs etc...

What are you saying here? You DO use your ebrake after comming off the track or you park it in gear with out the ebrake?

Cheers

[rick-l]

Originally Posted by 911pcars

Gearbox internals can be damaged and at a minimum, stressed, if the car's in gear.
Sherwood

Want to explain how??