[icratic]

I have a 08 STi that has 7100 miles on it. Its had three oil changes and is currently on mobil 1 synthetic. I don't abuse the car, I almost never high rpm launch it and it has only seen one rallycross. I heel-toe like a fiend. I'm currently running Perrin Stage 1 93 oct. And yes my car is in the affected vin range.

Now to the issue....

I get in my car tonight after a normal day of driving. Turn it on, put it in reverse, back up, put it into first (engaged fine and normal) go down the drive way and have to stop because I was blocked in by friend.

I didn't have my cell phone so I had to get out of my car and go tell them I was blocked in. I put my car into first and turn the engine off and let the clutch completely out and AS I'm letting off the brake its like the clutch was incapable of holding the car on the hill.

It started to skip forward down the hill like the car was stalling out however it didnt rush down the hill because it kept trying to hold the car. The car was literally stalling out even though the engine was off...so I put it in reverse...same deal

...3rd gave away completely and the engine cranked and the car started running.

I drove the car home and the clutch felt fine, it pulled strong through all the gears. I drove for about 10 minutes and when I got home I stopped on a hill and it did the exact same thing.

Anyone know what this is?

[tyler_sti]

Any manual car will do that on a steep enough hill. Why didn't you set the e-brake?

[icratic]

I always thought putting a car into gear and then turning it off was equivalent to an automatics park. When a hill is too steep for my e-brake to hold my car I ALWAYS let the transmission grab the car completely THEN pull the e-brake.

Originally Posted by tyler_sti

Any manual car will do that on a steep enough hill. Why didn't you set the e-brake?

How could that be normal for manual cars? I've never experienced this between a prelude, and a cayman s hah

[tyler_sti]

What happened actually means the clutch is in good working order. If theres enough load on the engine it will turn over, even on flat ground. Anyone who drives manual "should" set the e-brake, as well as put the car into gear. Even on flat ground I set my e-brake.

[icratic]

Originally Posted by tyler_sti

What happened actually means the clutch is in good working order. If theres enough load on the engine it will turn over, even on flat ground. Anyone who drives manual "should" set the e-brake, as well as put the car into gear. Even on flat ground I set my e-brake.

I just never knew that....nor have I experienced it and I always let my clutch out then lift off brakes before I pull the e-brake ( habit because my preludes e-brake was too weak to hold the car)


I always pull the e-brake whenever I stop, its such a reflex anyway I don't think I could stop even if I wanted to. I'm glad my clutch is fine though...thanks for the reply

[tyler_sti]

Yup. I put my e-brake up before I take my foot off the brake, or put it in gear. Letting the cars weight rest on the tranny is like having a loaded gun. It's a pet peve of mine to set the e-brake before putting my car in gear(if I do, which I usually don't)

[jph]

Originally Posted by icratic

Now to the issue....

I get in my car tonight after a normal day of driving. Turn it on, put it in reverse, back up, put it into first (engaged fine and normal) go down the drive way and have to stop because I was blocked in by friend.

I didn't have my cell phone so I had to get out of my car and go tell them I was blocked in. I put my car into first and turn the engine off and let the clutch completely out and AS I'm letting off the brake its like the clutch was incapable of holding the car on the hill.

It started to skip forward down the hill like the car was stalling out however it didnt rush down the hill because it kept trying to hold the car. The car was literally stalling out even though the engine was off...so I put it in reverse...same deal

...3rd gave away completely and the engine cranked and the car started running.

sounds pretty normal to me.


J.

[Slimey]

Originally Posted by icratic

I always thought putting a car into gear and then turning it off was equivalent to an automatics park. When a hill is too steep for my e-brake to hold my car I ALWAYS let the transmission grab the car completely THEN pull the e-brake.

In a manual transmission, there is no parking pawl as in an automatic transmission. You cannot expect the car to hold on an incline in gear or out of gear.

Even when I park an automatic, I set the parking brake as I don't like the idea of holding the car's weight on the pawl. It's probably just a habit from driving manual transmissions, but I've also heard (never personally had it happen) that if the pawl breaks or gets jammed it's a much more expensive repair then just replacing a brake.

Originally Posted by tyler_sti

What happened actually means the clutch is in good working order. If theres enough load on the engine it will turn over, even on flat ground. Anyone who drives manual "should" set the e-brake, as well as put the car into gear. Even on flat ground I set my e-brake.

I've always set the parking brake on all cars - as said above - I'd rather the car's weight set on the brake then the transmission.


This may be an issue of semantics, but I've never referred the the manual non-hydraulic brake system as the e-brake or the emergency brake. It's a parking brake and should be used as such. Hand brake is also acceptable, especially in the context of hand brake turning.

[Turninconcepts.com]

The engine in the STI is a rather low compression engine. When you turn the car off and leave it in gear without the ebrake, only the compression of the motor (or potential compression) is keeping the car from rolling away. To examplify this, if you parked a similarly weighted Civic Si on the same hill, the STI would roll first as he has a much lower compression engine.

Moral: Always use your hand brake.

Tony