Do you use engine braking?

[Riknos]

I don't want to turn this into a massive discussion about heel and toe. I want to know about people using engine braking i.e going down through the gears to slow them, rather than just relying solely on the brakes.

I'm no driving god, I don't try to heel and toe, but I am smooth with gear changes and always manage to rev match and use the gears to slow down onto an approach for a roundabout for example, rarely having to use the brakes sometimes.

I was stunned to read today on a car forum that someone who has been driving a performance car for over 5 years NEVER engine brakes?

I can understand women / those who don't know anything about cars / recent test passers just using the brakes and not the gears to slow down, but someone driving a performance car? Seems odds to me.

Are they in the minority, or do other people on here do the same?

First person to response with 'heel and toe' gets shot

[anonymous-user]

All the time.
My car goes to 99.9mpg when I engine brake under 4000rpm too!

[MG CHRIS]

I do it whenever I can on the plus side of it my car with a decat and twin exit back box likes to pop and bang when you do it.

[Krikkit]

Yes, all the time, along with as much rev matching up and down the box as I can manage. Heel and toe in cars where the pedals make it simple enough.

[AnotherClarkey]

Why do you perceive braking using the engine as superior to using the bits designed to do the job?

[Ozzie Osmond]

Riknos said:

I can understand women......

Errrrm ?????? !!!!!!!

[Bennet]

I do, but I don't know why. As someone once pointed out to me, break pads are cheaper than clutches and gearboxes. So for normal driving, why would you?

[Craikeybaby]

Just brake, then change directly into the appropriate gear as per roadcraft/IAM training.

[thatdude]

I like to be in a gear where I can easily regulate speed changes by applying / backing off the throttle

If I can see I'm coming to a stop, I'll apply the brakes, or at least hover over them ready to brake. I won't just keep engine-braking down through the gears, that doesnt strike me as mechanically sympathetic

[thecremeegg]

All the time, it's more effective than the brakes in my car

[SSBB]

No.

Gears are for going; brakes are for slowing.

[XplusYplusZ]

Yep, preempting slowing traffic, rev match and also use it for maintaining steep descents

[XplusYplusZ]

Yep, preempting slowing traffic, rev match and also use it for maintaining steep descents

[LeoSayer]

I never change down to increase engine braking but I do use engine braking a lot, I think it's called acceleration sense to avoid using the brakes.

Having said that I do change down if necessary when descending hills to moderate my speed.

Edited by LeoSayer on Friday 20th December 12:54

Edited by LeoSayer on Friday 20th December 12:54

[Ozzie Osmond]

One of the big PH myths is "automatics don't allow engine braking". A decent auto will change down to provide engine braking if you touch the brakes while going down hill.

[Shaoxter]

Yes, especially since my car automatically rev matches on downshifts

[Baker1]

Brakes are cheaper to replace than a gearbox

[carpetsoiler]

I do it frequently, usually in tandem with braking. Because my flywheel weighs practically nothing, it's extremely effective. Or I'll just read the road ahead a little bit further, and let off the accelerator a bit earlier. Saves screaming up to the car in front and hammering on the brakes.

[shiftydave]

I'll generally only do it if it's going to be a very gradual decrease in speed controlled on the throttle rather than just dropping a gear and letting the gearbox and engine do their thing (rev-matched to perfection, natch). Most of my driving is at rush hour when it makes sense to have the brake lights come on rather than have some tool plough up my rear end.

[Jayfish]

Compressing air in my cylinders in cheaper than brake pads, what is all the gearbox and clutch nonsense people are saying.
There's a speed camera on a hill near here and it's satisfying to be doing 30 in 4th, pop it into 2nd on the steepest approach, keep it bang on 30, and into 3rd as the road levels out.