The Advice:

K*********1 4 months ago (edited)
+l******0 That’s right. Holding the clutch disengaged for extended periods of time is not good for the thrust bearing/clutch fingers. If you have to stop for more than 15 seconds or so (that’s actually quite a long time…. count ’em!) then it’s best to select neutral and let the clutch release. Same goes for auto transmissions, you should not hold them stationary while in ‘drive’ for long periods of time. Your auto has clutch(es) too, and they always ‘drag’ a bit (hence the need to keep your foot on the brake to avoid ‘creeping’, so holding in drive while stationary causes premature wear. Replacing the clutches in an auto is EXPENSIVE!… like two or three grand….

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l******0 4 months ago
+K*********1 wow i never thought of that thank you so much for the eexplanation

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOzIFnEm2-8

Well, where to start on this one. First, the worst part about this is the fact that others found this information “very helpful”. Now we will see hoards of people shifting their auto trannys into neutral at every redlight which is greeeaaaaat. Lets set the record straight. The advice about the manual transmission clutch is actually ok. With a manual transmission, it is best to shift into neutral and release the clutch if you will be stopped for a long time (longer than a red light). This will reduce wear on the throwout bearing and clutch fingers. Unfortunately, she called it a “thrust bearing”, which isn’t correct. The advice about the auto trans is completely wrong. Hydraulic pressure is applied in certain paths to engage clutch packs in an auto trans. By design, these clutches only “slip” when you switch gears, in-order to provide a smoother transition. They do not slip while driving normally. When you are at a red light in “drive”, your transmission is engaged in “gear 1”, and gear 1 is NOT slipping. What is “slipping” and causing the drag you feel is the torque converter, which is specifically designed to serve this purpose while at a stop. The torque converter was designed to be an automatic clutch, so think about it as serving that purpose. I wonder what purpose this helpful commenter believes the torque converter serves? The torque converter does not wear while serving its purpose. There is no reason to shift your automatic transmission into neutral while at a redlight, unless you are tired of putting your foot on the brake pedal.

-Leftlanebrain