Fan Belts

[minigirl]

It is possible to do this with older cars, like my 1968 Triumph, but modern engines tend to run all sorts of things via one belt and they are often under quite a lot of tension so I dobt that it would work.
My advice to any men reading this is, if you want to get a girls tights off use a proper chat up line or an old car.

i have my doubts as to whether this would work at all, but if it does i agree that it would be most likely to only work on a car that is at least thirty years old. things are so complex under the bonnet of a modern day car that you probably couldn't even find where the belt was supposed to be anyway.

let's just say that, if i'm in a car that breaks down in this manner, i'm not about to start taking off my tights.

Some of us know enogh about cars to work on modern ones.

So what would you do if you're in a car that breaks down in the middle of nowhere?

now that would depend on why the car broke down, wouldn't it? i mean, when my car stopped once (well twice actually) due to arcing at the points, i got it going again, but a couple of years back when all the hydraulic fluid leaked out of the clutch slave cylinder, i got the car towed to a mechanic.

[nbear8]

I had my clutch cable snap so started in gear then shiftedf using the right RPM without a clutch got home that way

[minigirl]

I had my clutch cable snap so started in gear then shiftedf using the right RPM without a clutch got home that way

yes well, it can be done, but unless your abilities to judge and match engine and road speed with the gears are well above those of even a better than average driver, you risk damaging the gears to some extent. not something i would choose to do when you think of the cost of gearbox repairs.

ps - before you start assuming that, because i had the car towed, i don't know much about changing gears, i have driven from time to time a car with no synchromesh on 1st and poor synchromesh on 2nd and know how to double declutch.

[Exodus]

It won't cause damage if you do it right. With a manual trans, you can tell if there is a problem cause it will pop out of gear, it'll grind, make noises, stagger, etc. My buddy who is a really good drive drive his Tiburon home. A good 5 mile home drive one day to prove to me he can do it, and didn't use the clutch once. No grinding, staggering, popping, etc. It was like he was using the clutch the whole time. That was impressive, lol.

[minigirl]

i'm not saying it can't be done - i just think that there's not a lot of people out there who could do it properly and that it is not a good idea to suggest it as an option - if you need to be told that it is possible to do it, you probably can't do it properly and therefore shouldn't be doing it.

[Joyofsox]

You are probably right Minigirl. Most of us brought up on cars we could mend ourselves know how to drive without a clutch. I had a cable go 50 miles from home and got back through towns, villages and around roundabouts. Same thing happened in a Viva I had once, but it was only 10 miles. (80K and 16K to you ).
Also on the subject of Triumphs, my favourite DHC is the TR7. Lovely to drive, comfortable and fast enough. Ignore the rust on early ones and don't believe bearded Triumph-heads.
Also the Stag engine (the TR7 has half of one) runs fine on the standard rad as long as it is kept clear. There is a guy who tunes and races these and doesn't bother uprating the rad, just keeps it in good nick.

[azraelle]

I had my clutch cable snap so started in gear then shiftedf using the right RPM without a clutch got home that way

It is called "Ice-sifting" by major trucking companies, such as Stevens Transport, here in America, and most drivers learn to do it after some experience. Having a tachometer is a big help, as you shift at about 1700 rpm, for example, with a Cummins M-11 and a 9 speed transmission--smooth as cutting through soft butter. It does no damage when done correctly--and slows wear on the clutch.