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Is parking in gear safe for K20???

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3
Hi guys,

I have always parked in gear (no handbrake, just left in first or reverse..... Unless on a hill then I include the handbrake)

When talking to a friend who was researching golfs he found that the 1.4TFSI (chain driven cams) seemed to have a problem with jumping teeth, subsequently blowing the engine, when people parked in gear.

This got me thinking about the safety of leaving the civic parked this way.

Has anyone had or heard of any problems in doing this?

Thanks,

Jack
 
Jump starting the car, yes causes issues as you are turning the engine with no oil pressure, which is what the tensioner works on, but just for parking I've never heard of any issues with the K20.
 
When you park in gear the resistance comes from friction/compression of the pistons, and really once the force has been translated through the gear box in 1st/reverse, a lot of it has been lost. To roll fast enough to jump a tooth I suspect the car would be totalled when it comes crashing to a halt.

That, or more likely they mean when they start it with it still in gear without pressing the clutch [and it jumps forwards] the sudden shock of torque with an unpressurised tensioner jumps the chain.
 
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Thanks for your replies guys.

As I didn't do the research myself I can't offer any more insight to it than what I have. So it could be user fault like starting in gear without the clutch depressed.

Sounds like just another problem to add to the long list for those engines. My friend decided against it due to all the troubles. It's possibly just a badly designed unit.

Puts my mind at rest that nothing similar is known for the k20

A good thing to know about jump starting it though. I'll avoid that if the battery ever dies on me
 
If you leave it parked in gear, and the car rolls backwards turning the engine over in reverse, there is a risk of the chain skipping if it's partly worn. This will be the compliant on the VW forums you've seen. It can also happen as you turn off the engine as the cams can rotate backwards slightly due to pressure from the valve springs. It's not uncommon to see people complain that the engine was running fine. Turn it off and then when you turn it back on the chain has skipped.


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I'll be the first to ask. Why? What benefit or point is there to not using the hand/park brake?
 
Using a handbrake on HOT brakes could potentially cause a disc to warp. Highly unlikely for general road use.

Personally, I don't leave my car in gear anymore... ahem :picardfp:
 
Suppose that's does make sense, but if your rear discs are hot enough to warp after road driving I don't think you should be on the road. :lol:


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Early 8th gen Civics had a recall for the handbrake sporadically disengaging and Hondas as a whole, I thought at least, are known for particularly weak handbrakes. As a consequence I always park, apply handbrake, turn off the engine then put it in gear, especially if parking on any sort of gradient.
 
Early 8th gen Civics had a recall for the handbrake sporadically disengaging and Hondas as a whole, I thought at least, are known for particularly weak handbrakes. As a consequence I always park, apply handbrake, turn off the engine then put it in gear, especially if parking on any sort of gradient.

Sure, if I park on a gradient I'm liable to also put it in gear, turn the wheel etc., but that's in addition to the brake, not instead of. The sporadic disengage sounds a bit like a recall issue, eek!
 
Allegedly, if you didn't ratchet and click the handbrake on it was liable to just drop the lever and disengage. Oh, it was a full fat recall.
 
Sure, if I park on a gradient I'm liable to also put it in gear, turn the wheel etc., but that's in addition to the brake, not instead of. The sporadic disengage sounds a bit like a recall issue, eek!

I tend to do the same as you. Never known a Honda with rear discs to have a good handbrake, ever!
 
Is it a known problem for Nissin? Or did Honda change supplier for the FN2?


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The fault never affected the FN2. It was a lever issue on '55 plate cars.
 
Yahhh, but I mean the reputation for Hondas to have poor handbrake's on rear discs. :)


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If you park for any length of time with the handbrake on say on a level drive, you run the risk of the rear brakes seizing on.especially in damp conditions. The pads adhere to the disks and you relase the handbrake and you lift the clutch pedal and you don't move. The rear of the car dips
Still no movement, so you dip the clutch pedal and the rear end comes up again.You do this for a while when suddenly there's a very loud bang as the pads and discs seperate. This is quite normal , however can be a bit frightening as i got a sweat on a few times thinking , will the pads release?until they eventually did.
On my last car a honda civic type s 1.8ivtec I only used it occasionally during the week and mostly at weekends so after a few episodes of the pads sticking to the discs I just parked with the handbrake off and in first gear. Maybe if the car is used on a daily basis this might not happen. On a hill it' a different scenario and always put the handbrake on and put the car in first gear.
People tend to leave their handbrake off when they are travelling abroad and are leaving the car at the airport for a few weeks. I don't know what you could do if they got completely seized on? You'd have to get someone out to sort it. Any other members would like to comment?
Regards Fred
 
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