i have a 1983 gs and i started it with out puting in the cluch pedal. is this bad, do anyone have this problem too?

 

I don't believe that the '83 GS came with a clutch-in dummy ignition switch. My '84 GSL-SE doesn't have one.

You don't need to put the clutch in to start a manual car. You just cannot have it in gear because if you do the starter will be the only thing trying to move the vehicle and that's a good way to blow a starter. As long as you remember to check the car into neutral before you twist the key every time, you're fine. Pushing the clutch in is just an added factor of safety that puts a little more wear on the clutch mechanisms.

Long story short: It's not bad as long as you start the car in neutral or with the clutch in.

 

Pushing the clutch in before starting puts lots of wear on the thrust bearings. Not a good idea, but newer cars have this safety (stupid) feature.

 

Jeff, forgive my ignorance but where are the thrust bearings and what do they do?

Jamie

 

I am pretty sure he is refering to the thrust (torrington) bearings on the Front of the E-shaft between the counterweight and something else.

Pushing in the clutch also pushed the flywheel and thus the e-shaft and everything slightly forward which puts force on those round needle ish bearings.

That right jeff? lol

 

Yep. Starting those up with no oil pressure, and all the force applied by the pressure plate, wears them quickly. If you've ever seen a worn out thrust plate (hardened steel disc usually around 3mm thick) it is always worn more on the rear side; the side that is loaded each time the clutch pedal is depressed. A strong aftermarket pressure plate makes it worse.

 

Eh, I don't know that I'd be hyper-critical of the wear on the bearing elements. My Integra has a clutch-in safety and (afaik) when I bought it, the clutch in it was still original. When it was replaced (185,000 miles) the thrust plate was indeed the faulty part, but it was the springs on the plate that failed (I'd worn one of the coils into two pieces), not the bearing or the bearing seat.

So, sure, the dummy safety switch makes the bearing fail faster, but I don't know that it fails fast enough often enough to be the driving failure in the system.

 

Why purposefully cause wear and tear to your car when it's easily avoidable?

 

Because my mother borrows my Teg on occasion and she drives an automatic as DD. So she gets in and try to start with the car in gear.

 

Sorry, I meant with the 7. I understand that they put the clutch interlock switch on cars now because people don't know how to drive. But for anyone that has read this, why would you continue engaging the clutch on starts when it is just as easy to start the car in neutral?

BTW, I used to have a 92 GSR. That was a fun car, but I just loved the FB too much and had to come back to it.

 

Oh, there's no reason to push the clutch in on the 7.

 

I've had a couple of Eclipses. They are prone to what's called "crank walk" where the thrust bearings wear out leading to too excessive motion in the crank. The first mod that they tell you to do is to disable the clutch switch and start without pressing in the clutch to avoid the pressure on the crank during starting.

Jamie - I had a 92 GSR as well, I drove it to 200,000 miles and sold it still running stong. Great cars.