Project: The Anal Probe

[pjbgravely]

Originally Posted by Sven7

How do you guys change gears during engine braking? I feel like it's probably harder on the clutch than bump starting.

Engine braking is a way to slow the vehicle without using the brakes. When it is time to down shift put on the brakes until the vehicle is slow enough for the next gear, then down shift.

Some cars can save fuel by shutting off the gas during engine braking but that is just a benefit. Saving brakes for when you need them, especially on long steep hills is the main reason to engine brake. I personally like not having to change the brakes for 150K miles.

[Sven7]

These days I usually engine brake until it's at about 1500rpm then downshift and let it slow down some more. Just didn't know whether to blip the throttle like normal.

[MetroMPG]

I would still blip for the downshift: a tiny amount of fuel vs. a bit of clutch wear.

Use the engine for braking, not the clutch itself.

[euromodder]

Originally Posted by Sven7

These days I usually engine brake until it's at about 1500rpm then downshift and let it slow down some more. Just didn't know whether to blip the throttle like normal.

A slight blip of the throttle will make it just as smooth as an upshift.

[Sven7]

OK thanks guys



Those front and back designs are really going to mess with other drivers

[kach22i]

Originally Posted by pjbgravely

Engine braking is a way to slow the vehicle without using the brakes.

I don't think that stress is good for the camshaft and other connected bits.

Never do that in a Porsche 911, very bad for the engine and transmission, mostly the transmission. Many new 911 owners have found this out the hard way (expensive way).

Brakes are on a car for a reason, use them - brake pads are replaceable and acceptable wear items. Brake pads are cheaper than transmission work too.

Tyler, the title of this tread tells me that you would enjoy the movie "Your Highness" (comedy). I watched the unrated version on BluRay yesterday, my wife claimed it to be a "guy movie". Natalie Portman has some good lines in it too.

Your car is looking loved again, keep it going on.

[jakobnev]

How is engine braking supposedly stressing all those bits?

[pjbgravely]

Originally Posted by jakobnev

How is engine braking supposedly stressing all those bits?

I think he means that trying to slow a super car by down shifting can ruin the engine. This is true, you can over rev any engine by aggressively down shifting. When I engine brake I aggressively regular brake before I down shift.

He may also not live in a hilly area. Long steep hills with stops at the end that would smoke even my brakes. I had to teach my brother how to engine brake on his first automatic because he was smoking his brakes until the point of fad on long downhills.

Also take what kach22i says with a grain of salt. He told me to oil my distributor but my engine had not had one for 6 model years before mine.

[Galane]

Look up White Bird Hill, Idaho on Google Maps. Check out the elevation change from top to bottom. 4,245 ft (1,294 m) at the summit.

Headed south, it's a quite steep grade. Many was the time I would drive down that road, no need for brakes or down shifting (especially in my 1977 Mustang with 351ci V8, same for my 1988 Corsica after replacing the buggy computer chip) while tooling along at 55 MPH.

Almost always some nut would blast past me at the summit, driving hard into every curve, frying his brakes. At the bottom I'd still be right on his tail. All that extra effort for no gain in overall time down the mountain.

[kach22i]

Originally Posted by pjbgravely

.....I had to teach my brother how to engine brake on his first automatic...........

I'm willing to admit that I have no idea how to do this either. Please try to step by step me through this process.

Bent vales and burnt clutches, just say no to engine braking on some cars (like vintage 911's).

Originally Posted by pjbgravely

Also take what kach22i says with a grain of salt. He told me to oil my distributor but my engine had not had one for 6 model years before mine.

You must drive one of those fancy modern cars less than 25 years old.

Vintage does have it's drawbacks, but makes life more interesting too.