Shifting into neutral

joshuajim wrote:

BenK wrote:
Also, in automatics that do NOT have a rear pump...coasting in neutral will have
little to no lube pumped to the bearings inside the automatic and will ruin them in a hurry

OMG... that means that if I'm sitting in my driveway and shift into neutral my transmission is going to blow up!

Well not really. Rear pumps haven't been used in most transmissions for more than 40 years.

As long as the engine is running, the front pump will lubricate the transmission.

Nice catch, I can't remember a Ford Automatic transmission ever having a "rear pump" from the 1950's on up (my Dad and I rebuilt a 1958 two speed Mercury transmission and we played with some Ford C4 and C6 transmissions too boot), they are ALL in the FRONT of the transmission and are ALWAYS PUMPING as long as the ENGINE is turning...

So I call BS on the burning up a transmission while coasting in neutral. Pretty much ALL automatics will have a pump driven by the engine at the front of said transmission. If it were at the back you wouldn't have any pressure to move a stopped vehicle :S

Lack of lubrication with automatics is more about TOWING a vehicle with all four down AND the engine OFF at highway speeds more than a few miles..

Older non computerized vehicles the speed of the engine was set by your FOOT so if you kept your foot on the gas and stabbed into neutral the engine would gain RPMs.

The idea of coasting in neutral on bad roads was to eliminate speed without locking the wheels. So therefore it was assumed that you WOULD take your foot OFF the gas and the engine WOULD return to normal idle and not shoot up..

Newer drive by wire vehicles with computerized throttle body the engine RPMs could go down to idle or as noted the engine may not idle down but go up which would most likely match the engine RPMs to the vehicle speed..