[SkunkY8]

So my car is in neutral and when i turn it on the driver side of the wheel starts spinning but the passenger doesn't, does anyone know why this could be happening? I drive a manual, don’t know if that has anything to do with it?

 

[slo_eg8]

how much googling did you do to find out what an open diff does?

 

[transzex]

roller bearing friction in the transmission, even when in neutral all the gears are still spinning.

Some day I will figure out the gear rpm of 5th and 6th when in first gear. Figuring out the gear reduction ratio of the roller bearings will be the hardest part.

 

[SkunkY8]

how much googling did you do to find out what an open diff does?

This is my google

 

[mattliston]

Congrats, your brakes and wheel bearings are not sticking enough to prevent it.

Means it is okay.

 

[drtalon123]

Welcome to the world of friction and hydrodynamics.

I bet if you grab it with your hands, it will stop.

The other side may start spinning too, have a buddy grab that one, it will stop as well.

The engine will continue to run/idle.

As transzex said, normal shaft and other roller bearing friction coupled with the bit of friction that the oil slick creates between bearing rollers/balls and races/shafts, is able to transmit a little bit of power along the shafts enough to rotate the final drive/countershaft, diff and wheel bearings while the entire thing is actually in neutral.

You'rw witnessing a manual trans "torque converter" principle type of effect, friction between parts, as well as friction created by hydrodynamic fluid coupling, its completely normal.

And as matt said, your wheel bearings are in good shape, and your brake pads arent sticking. If they were, it wouldnt turn.

 

[transzex]

I disagree on the hydro effect. more like planetary effect, the roller bearings are just tiny sun gears. Likely a combo of the two.....