# Coasting in neutral vs. downshifting

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/coasting-in-neutral-vs-downshifting/123474>\
**Category:** General Discussion\
**Tags:** sl, saturn\
**Created:** [August 22, 2018, 10:14pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/coasting-in-neutral-vs-downshifting/123474 "2018-08-22T22:14:27Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\
**Post date:** [August 23, 2018, 6:22pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/coasting-in-neutral-vs-downshifting/123474/21 "2018-08-23T18:22:39Z")

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> [@RandomTroll](#):
>
> and I’ve read a lot of comments that it wears out the throwout bearing

Ah…no. The throwout/thrust bearing wears out when the clutch pedal is depressed which engages the clutch. When pedal is all the way there is ZERO wear on bearing.

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**Author:** ![circuitsmith](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/circuitsmith/32/40376_2.png) [@circuitsmith](https://community.cartalk.com/u/circuitsmith)\
**Post date:** [August 24, 2018, 3:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/coasting-in-neutral-vs-downshifting/123474/22 "2018-08-24T15:42:05Z")

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> [@shanonia](#):
>
> Back in the 1950s Saabs freewheeled down hills - basically idling while coasting.

They freewheeled because they used 2 stroke engines.  
On closed throttle overrun the crankcase could get oil starved.  
I imagine 2 stroke scooters freewheel for the same reason.

> **[Saab 93](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saab_93)**
>
> The Saab 93 (pronounced ninety-three) is the second production automobile that was manufactured by Saab. Styled by Sixten Sason, it was first presented on December 1, 1955. The 93 was powered by a longitudinally-mounted three-cylinder 748 cc Saab two-stroke engine giving 33 hp (25 kW). The gearbox had three gears, the first unsynchronised. In order to overcome the problems of oil starvation on overrun (engine braking) for the two-stroke engine, a freewheel device was fitted. In 1957, two-point On...

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**Author:** ![shanonia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de053/32.png) [@shanonia](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shanonia)\
**Post date:** [August 24, 2018, 3:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/coasting-in-neutral-vs-downshifting/123474/23 "2018-08-24T15:44:17Z")

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Interesting! Thanks!

My dad’s old buddy had one of them in the late 50s. He was a character, eccentric in many ways, and brilliant.

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