I am looking to flat tow my 01 5 speed Integra (no p/s) 340 miles. Should I have the car turned on in neutral and idling the whole way to keep the trans lubricated? I don't think removing driveshafts would work since the trans fluid will drain.

Using a dolly to Keep the front wheels off the ground isn't really an option.

Do I even need to worry about the trans being lubricated? I.e just have the car off?

Also do I keep the key in the ignition so the wheels don't lock? Thanks for any help

 

the tranny should be lubricated the whole time

 

*knife hand. Seriously. Read what you wrote and look how generic your answer is.

Are you stating a fact? The tranny stays lubricated whether on or off?

Or are you telling me the tranny needs to be lubricated at all times as in keep the car on ?

Sigh. I'll just wait till fcm hopefully posts here.

 

leaving a car on while you tow it? lol never heard of someone doing that before

 

Just tow it but leave the key in the ignition so the steering wont lock and make sure the car is on neutral. I flat towed an Integra before and that's what I did. Also leave the car off no need to be wasting gas.

 

im sorrry you are dissapointed in my answer.. i didnt think i posed it

What i meant the tranny needs to be lubricated and should be in neutral no need for it to be on key should be in the ingintion so it doesnt lock the wheels yes

you could install a tranny pump do it keeps the tranny fluid circulating

http://www.campingworld.com/shopping...luid-pump/2373


or you could have someone drive it behind you but i doubt thats an option

 

leaving the car run is a automatic thing recommended by some. Most manufacturers just say start the engine for 5min every 200 miles.
manual transmissions are oil bath systems. Lubrication and cooling are completely independent from the engine. Neutral, Ignition unlocked.

 

Lol I always wait for him to post even if it's not my thread just to see what he has to say or to learn something new. But he usually only posts in electrical oriented threads.

 

you'd only have to worry about the transmission if it were an automatic, and disconnecting/removing the cv shafts really isn't an option since they hold the front wheel bearings together.

 

Tow truck would be easier or get a loan of a trailer. If you disconnect the shafts you'll have to put the cv joints back in to stop damaging the wheel bearings.

 

Just leave it in neutral, you don't have to worry about lubrication because none of the gears will be moving.

 

actually, everything will be moving, just no gear will be selected. the transmission will lubricate itself.

 

Cool got my answers. Thanks. I'll leave the key in and trans in neutral and run the engine for a bit at intervals. just to be safe

 

Why start the engine? If the transmission is in neutral, the engine is not connected to the engine anyway.

The cautions about towing apply to automatic cars. A manual-transmission car may be flat-towed any distance without worry of damage, and without any special preparation of the vehicle.

Do NOT remove the driveshafts from the hubs!!!!! Letting the hubs carry weight with the driveshafts removed will damage the wheel bearings.

How do you plan on steering the car?

 

thats what i was wondering

 

tow bar maybe?

 

Yes I plan on using a tow bar.

The reason why I was thinking to turn the engine on is because the "input shaft" that sticks into the flywheel is turned by the engine which I figured is what helps with lubrication.

I.e. if the driveshafts are spinning but the input shaft isn't then maybe there would be a lack of trans fluid moving. That's what I was thinking anyways.

 

Be sure to take your foot of the clutch when you start it, if your foot is on the clutch, shaft no spinny lol

 

Okay so is this an auto or 5spd tranny?

EDIT: Ok so first sentence says '5 speed' haha.

I can roll down the hill while my car is on in neutral without problems, why would this be different if the car is off?

Other than that statement, I really don't know, haha ;P

 

Because rolling down a hill in neutral with the car on and your foot off the clutch pedal, the engine is spinning the trans still.

 

I use a tow dolley and i put the front wheels on the dolley, put it in gear, let off the e-brake, lock the steering wheel, and go, never had any problems to date....

 

I don't have a tow dolly but I have a tow bar. Also yay t4r. I got a 86.

 

Only on automatics.

No problems there. 1908 technology has a way of taking care of itself: You've got a box of gears swimming in oil. Turn the road wheels, and the oil gets flung everywhere. No pumps. No hydraulics. No magical gimmickry involved. Crude and simple. Tow as you wish, and worry not.

This "lack of lubrication" thing arose once automatic transmissions lost their rear oil-pumps, which was roughly around 1965. Automatics prior to then had TWO oil pumps:
-- One was in the torque converter, and ran when the engine ran.
-- The other was in the back of the tranny next to the output shaft, and ran anytime the rear wheels turned. It was this second pump that allowed 1) the car to be push-started, and 2) the tranny to receive lubrication while being towed with the engine not running.

Modern automatics have no rear oil-pump, which is why you can't push-start them, and why you're restricted in the towing department. Your manual tranny is, as I said, century-old technology. It takes care of its own lubrication quite independently of the engine.

In sum, just drag your car to where you're going any way you feel like doing it, and your manual transmission will suffer ZERO damage of any kind, no matter how long or how far the road-wheels turn.

 

ah sweet. yeah im done worrying about it, im going to do the drive tomorrow and friday, will take pictures along the way and post em for anyone else in the same situation.

 

Turn ign. key on to unlock steering, disconnect batt. to cut power and a tow bar and your good to go.

However, if it was my Teg I was towing 340 miles, I would rent a dolly from UHaul, Budget or any car rental place, just to be on the safe side, it's under $100 for 3 days, and A to B, [drop off where you take the car]. 94