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Originally Posted by actwithclarity
If you're coasting down hill and have to stop relatively near the bottom, it's better to be in gear than in neutral?
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Keep it in gear when you have to slow down or to control speed downhill.
Letting go of the throttle while staying in gear is a braking technique.
Braking is wasting energy.
You can always go further by not braking.
The engine may cut the fuel flow (DFCO), giving good instant mileage, but you'll be worse off in the longer run as you've been longer on the gas.
So, DFCO is LESS efficient than coasting, even with the engine on.
In the real world, combine both tricks depending on the need to control speed.
If it's safe and convenient to do so, start the downhill leg slower by slowing down uphill, going over the crest at the optimum speed, and (at least partially) coast down.
On a regular route, try to find the minimal speed that puts you at a good speed at the next transition point (crossing, stop, ...)
Quote:
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For the sake of preserving as much momentum as possible, but not using neutral, would it be better to be in a higher or lower gear?
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The higher gear won't slow you down as much, so use that - if the engine can still make enough rpm to stay in DFCO.