Turning off the engine at speed aka: dimming your lights

[Farcry1010]

The OP has a key. The Ford I tried it in had push button start, power steering still worked after powering it back on with the engine off.

Oh. Ok. I thought they all had push button. I have Touring model as I do Not use a key. I have the fob. No place to put a key in the dash

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[dmitri]

Both use zero fuel during the coast

Since the engine is still running, i.e. gas is being used/injected, etc. -- even if in extremely tiny amounts, it's still not zero.
(to add to your point)

 

[inv4zn]

Ugh..I'll bite. While in theory yes driving with the engine off is using minimally less fuel, you are in far less control of the vehicle should an unexpected situation arise.

Now let's think about this for a second. Power steering is either hydraulic, or electrically assisted.
With hydraulic, the pump is tied to the serpentine belt, so shutting the engine off, you will lose power steering.
With electrical, the system is run by the battery, which is charged by the alternator, which only works with the engine running. So you may retain power steering right until the point where your battery dies, or you don't have enough amps to re-start the car.

If you want to hypermile, as someone else suggested buy a car designed to do so. Putting yourself and others at risk so you can eke out an extra 0.1 mpg is ridiculously stupid.

Also Fords with push button start will not let you turn the car off when you've above a certain speed. There's a YT video of a guy testing it out.

 

[Draken187]

Ugh..I'll bite. While in theory yes driving with the engine off is using minimally less fuel, you are in far less control of the vehicle should an unexpected situation arise.

Now let's think about this for a second. Power steering is either hydraulic, or electrically assisted.
With hydraulic, the pump is tied to the serpentine belt, so shutting the engine off, you will lose power steering.
With electrical, the system is run by the battery, which is charged by the alternator, which only works with the engine running. So you may retain power steering right until the point where your battery dies, or you don't have enough amps to re-start the car.

If you want to hypermile, as someone else suggested buy a car designed to do so. Putting yourself and others at risk so you can eke out an extra 0.1 mpg is ridiculously stupid.

Also Fords with push button start will not let you turn the car off when you've above a certain speed. There's a YT video of a guy testing it out.

You can turn off a ford however once you get past a certain speed you cant do so by simply pushing the button you have to push and hold the button for about 5 seconds.. Obviously this is for an extreme emergency.. I.e. that whole toyota acceleration issue were you couldnt stop the car from doing so..

 

[inv4zn]

You can turn off a ford however once you get past a certain speed you cant do so by simply pushing the button you have to push and hold the button for about 5 seconds.. Obviously this is for an extreme emergency.. I.e. that whole toyota acceleration issue were you couldnt stop the car from doing so..

Hmm, that's good information, thanks.

However, on the same breadth, achieving 40.1mpg vs 40.0mpg isn't an extreme emergency in any situation.

 

[Draken187]

Hmm, that's good information, thanks.

However, on the same breadth, achieving 40.1mpg vs 40.0mpg isn't an extreme emergency in any situation.

Oh im with you 100%.. I just know you have alot of knowledge.. More than most to say the least and figured you would like the info.. Hell might evem be the same youtube video.. But he doesnt show that til the very end

 

[Control freak]

OP here.

I'm not going to wade into the hypermiler tangent except to say, an engine that is off is using less gas than even an idling engine. But given my lead foot, no one would accuse me of hypermiling.

With a manual, you don't even have to engage the starter; you can just release the clutch in gear to restart.

SMH I hadn't thought about that, but I don't know how that works with the Civic's EFI, given it turns off the power steering with the engine not running. If that determination is RPM based, I guess it would be possible to bump start too. Hmmm.... something else to try

[A little googling later...]It looks like it's possible to compression start 9th gen Civics, so it's probably the same for this one.

And the next nominee for the "Darwin Awards" is....OP

http://www.darwinawards.com/

I'm not dead yet!

 

[Draken187]

OP here.

I'm not going to wade into the hypermiler tangent except to say, an engine that is off is using less gas than even an idling engine. But given my lead foot, no one would accuse me of hypermiling.



SMH I hadn't thought about that, but I don't know how that works with the Civic's EFI, given it turns off the power steering with the engine not running. If that determination is RPM based, I guess it would be possible to bump start too. Hmmm.... something else to try

[A little googling later...]It looks like it's possible to compression start 9th gen Civics, so it's probably the same for this one.


I'm not dead yet!

I start my car be removong the parking break and rolling back in my driveway and letting go the clutch when its super early and my dont want my daughter to wake up.. Her and her hypersensitive hearing thats inhuman..

 

[Houckinternet]

Most of you guys on this forum are so rude! Maybe like 3 responses about how weird/stupid this, but dangerous..... come on. Anybody thinking this is dangerous is CRAZY! How does shutting your engine off at speed effect anything besides the airbags and turning signals not working. Brakes still work, steering (even without power steering and provided you don't lock the steering wheel) still works. Just shut up if all you want to do is add non-sense. This should of never made it past 1 page.

 

[KimO]

Good god , no no, I'm just gonna watch this one, you guys got it.

LMAO! This is some funny stuff! Didn't they have that show Jackass on sometime ago....no offense to the fellow who originally posted, of course........but this feels a little like a stunt on that show. But I love the little guy eating popcorn so I wanted to watch all the commentary with you.

 

[KimO]

Most of you guys on this forum are so rude! Maybe like 3 responses about how weird/stupid this, but dangerous..... come on. Anybody thinking this is dangerous is CRAZY! How does shutting your engine off at speed effect anything besides the airbags and turning signals not working. Brakes still work, steering (even without power steering and provided you don't lock the steering wheel) still works. Just shut up if all you want to do is add non-sense. This should of never made it past 1 page.

You are kinder than me. I would never think to shut my car off while driving. I would be afraid of hurting my car or someone else. But what do I know....

 

[inv4zn]

Most of you guys on this forum are so rude! Maybe like 3 responses about how weird/stupid this, but dangerous..... come on. Anybody thinking this is dangerous is CRAZY! How does shutting your engine off at speed effect anything besides the airbags and turning signals not working. Brakes still work, steering (even without power steering and provided you don't lock the steering wheel) still works. Just shut up if all you want to do is add non-sense. This should of never made it past 1 page.

...no.

Brakes do not still work. The brake booster will give you one or two pumps at best, and the rest is up to the power of your right leg to try and stop a 3,000lb machine.
Yeah, steering will work as long as you don't lock the steering wheel, which happens automatically if you turn the steering wheel with the car off.

Your post is actually quite ironic though, well done.

 

[turbo lover]

Yeah, steering will work as long as you don't lock the steering wheel, which happens automatically if you turn the steering wheel with the car off.

Your post is actually quite ironic though, well done.

Steering only locks if the *ignition* is off. With the ignition on but the *engine* off, steering works normally, and power steering also works in most cars.

 

[Houckinternet]

...no.

Brakes do not still work. The brake booster will give you one or two pumps at best, and the rest is up to the power of your right leg to try and stop a 3,000lb machine.
Yeah, steering will work as long as you don't lock the steering wheel, which happens automatically if you turn the steering wheel with the car off.

Your post is actually quite ironic though, well done.

You know they used to make pretty heavy cars without vacuum brake boosters. You press the brakes harder you flabby loser. You act like a car can't be controlled once it stalls. 3000 lbs is about as light as it gets. Check out the brake system and weight on a 57 Chevy. Oh, and you get about 3 good presses with boost after vacuum has ceased, plenty of boost to stop normally.

 

[inv4zn]

Steering only locks if the *ignition* is off. With the ignition on but the *engine* off, steering works normally, and power steering also works in most cars.

You're absolutely correct, my bad.

Was thinking more about my car w/ push-button start where it's difficult to go to ACC, but the OP has an actual key.

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