Do you use engine braking?
Discussion
People keep saying it's cheaper to replace brakes than a clutch or gearbox.
In 25 years of driving, always using engine braking in manuals, I've worn out maybe 2 clutches, and the only gearbox I ever broke was an auto whilst drag racing.
And I keep cars a long time, I think I've only ever owned 10, 4 of which I still have.
In 25 years of driving, always using engine braking in manuals, I've worn out maybe 2 clutches, and the only gearbox I ever broke was an auto whilst drag racing.
And I keep cars a long time, I think I've only ever owned 10, 4 of which I still have.
I'd never force my car to slow down by deliberately selecting a lower gear than required. Lifting off the throttle, yes, but not dropping it down a gear and bringing the clutch up (rev matching or not).
That said, on a wet track, for a bit of fun it's possible to de-stabilise the back end by just dropping a gear and bringing the clutch up. I've heard that Stefan Roser used that technique in Faszination.
That said, on a wet track, for a bit of fun it's possible to de-stabilise the back end by just dropping a gear and bringing the clutch up. I've heard that Stefan Roser used that technique in Faszination.
Riknos said:
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?
Surely that's not possible? Any time you're off the throttle and still moving you're applying engine braking. If nothing else, they'd need to left foot brake to switch from one pedal to the other without it...It always used to be said you should use the brakes as little as possible. Obviously if you're really shifting or if you're in heavy traffic that's not possible, but people who are constantly on and off the pedals at normal speeds are just burning up extra fuel.
Always thought that if you have any kind of perception of what’s happening around you, read the road ahead and keep a good gap between you and car ahead, engine braking is the smooth way to drive.
As for the argument about the damaging gearboxes, easing off the throttle is a lot less stressful than giving it the beans, don’t you think.
Driven my MGB the same way for 80,000 miles, replaced the clutch soon after I bought it and the disks and pads due to a sticky calliper, that was 25 years ago they are still in good shape. Gearbox is original and also in fine fettle still.
The all right foot merchants must give their passengers a very twitchy ride, been in a few of my mates who drive like that, not a nice experience.
As for the argument about the damaging gearboxes, easing off the throttle is a lot less stressful than giving it the beans, don’t you think.
Driven my MGB the same way for 80,000 miles, replaced the clutch soon after I bought it and the disks and pads due to a sticky calliper, that was 25 years ago they are still in good shape. Gearbox is original and also in fine fettle still.
The all right foot merchants must give their passengers a very twitchy ride, been in a few of my mates who drive like that, not a nice experience.
I quite often change down a gear, match revs and then allow that lower gear to slow the car. Works well if you just need to shed a little speed approaching a roundabout you can see to be clear, or when you're slotting into a gap in traffic. Strikes me that the ones who honestly believe this is going to destroy a gearbox lack a good understanding of how it works
I certainly engine brake sometimes and, particularly with a rev-matching dual-clutch gearbox, will change gear specifically to do so. I'd be very surprised if it puts much wear on the gearbox and means that I'm never caught in too high a gear on the other side of what's caused me to slow down - which, to me, is the main disadvantage of dual-clutch - not being able to block shift - ie jump straight from 6th to 2nd.
Oh, and it sounds nice
In auto if I brake/corner hard then it'll change down automatically and give me engine braking anyway.
Oh, and it sounds nice
In auto if I brake/corner hard then it'll change down automatically and give me engine braking anyway.
Bennet said:
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?
Because that's a completely stupid argument, used by people that don't know any better. Brake pads have an abrasive cast iron disc grinding them away, so they wear every time they are used. Why do you suppose an engine is going to suffer extra wear simply by backing off the throttle?
carpetsoiler said:
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.
This is basically what I was looking for. I don't understand people hammering to a red light and slamming on at the last minute. Use some perception, read the road ahead, change down the box as you approach, then use the brakes etc...But lots of other sensible posts too, so good to know others think like-minded. Using the gears to slow doesn't knacker your gearbox...
Edited by Riknos on Friday 20th December 14:03
Engine braking doesn't feel 'right' to me, but I have tried to get it in to my normal driving habit in the last few years.
The reason that I don't like doing it is that it feels that it is stressing the engine and gearbox but I feel a bit better having read posts above that this is not the case.
Normally what I like to do is as one of the previous posts outlines is read the road, get to an appropriate speed for the conditions and then knock it straight in to the right gear, then let revs in gently to match speed.
Am I knackering my gearbox doing this!!?
PS and Merry Christmas.
The reason that I don't like doing it is that it feels that it is stressing the engine and gearbox but I feel a bit better having read posts above that this is not the case.
Normally what I like to do is as one of the previous posts outlines is read the road, get to an appropriate speed for the conditions and then knock it straight in to the right gear, then let revs in gently to match speed.
Am I knackering my gearbox doing this!!?
PS and Merry Christmas.
Riknos said:
carpetsoiler said:
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.
This is basically what I was looking for. I don't understand people hammering to a red light and slamming on at the last minute. Use some perception, read the road ahead, change down the box as you approach, then use the brakes etc...But lots of other sensible posts too, so good to know others think like-minded. Using the gears to slow doesn't knacker your gearbox...
Edited by Riknos on Friday 20th December 14:03
My gearbox is 177,000 miles old and has yet to s
t itself out of the back of my car, despite plenty of enthusiastic usage.I engine brake, for example when approaching a hill or bend on a hill I'll rev match, select a lower gear and let the engine slow me down the few MPH I need to safely negotiate the bend, do the same on roundabouts etc, use observation in traffic and never find myself having to slow quickly. Makes me more aware and improves my concentration I think, otherwise you end up just watching the person in fronts brake lights.
As a side question I fail to understand how it puts any more load on the engine or gearbox than travelling up a hill would or accelerating hard. Would trying to accelerate in 3rd when 2nd would be better not put the engine under load. Or would towing something not put in under load.
I use my brakes to bring myself to a stop. What I find odd is my instructor told me never to select a lower gear when slowing down but tbh it doesn't feel natural to drive that way. I learnt most of my driving habits from watching my Dad 35+ years of driving, advanced courses, police aided and 1 accident (not at fault) so I'm happy to follow his style.
Engines designed for production are stressed to beyond the point of failure before entering mass production, I'm sure my engine will never see those extremes.
As a side question I fail to understand how it puts any more load on the engine or gearbox than travelling up a hill would or accelerating hard. Would trying to accelerate in 3rd when 2nd would be better not put the engine under load. Or would towing something not put in under load.
I use my brakes to bring myself to a stop. What I find odd is my instructor told me never to select a lower gear when slowing down but tbh it doesn't feel natural to drive that way. I learnt most of my driving habits from watching my Dad 35+ years of driving, advanced courses, police aided and 1 accident (not at fault) so I'm happy to follow his style.
Engines designed for production are stressed to beyond the point of failure before entering mass production, I'm sure my engine will never see those extremes.
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