Shift into Neutral to save TO Bearing?

[frank j. bauer]

anecdote:
i've driven something with a clutch since 81 and started driving 
quattros in early 85.
way over half a million miles.
i never had a problem with throwout bearings until i started commuting 
in extended stop-and-go traffic with lots of clutching in gear.
(it's not a merely academic discussion when you have replaced a quattro 
tob twice in 3 years!)
i dropped the bad habit and the commute - no problems since...

john at westcoastgarage.net wrote:
> 35 years of professional service experience in both VAG and Porsche 
> products has convinced me that the procedure you want opinions on is 
> more for the prevention of premature crankshaft thrust bearing wear than 
> clutch release bearings.   Having ridden with countless customers after 
> servicing the main bearings in their Golf/Jetta (relatively 
> inexpensive), their VW T1/T3/T2, or their 356/900 series cars (MAJOR 
> BUCKS), has given me a healthy respect for the reasons those bearings 
> fail.  Breaking the bad habit of sitting for extended periods with the 
> clutch pedal depressed is a difficult thing, but I'm convinced it's one 
> that NEEDS to be broken.  John


-- 
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition. 
Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.17.12/1203 - Release Date: 12/30/2007 11:27 AM