Engine Braking

[Glenn G]

after the clutch has engaged is engine breaking that bad? I know you wouldn't want to trash the clutch but I engine break quite a bit.

Not really, the thrust loads on the piston rings and bearings gets reversed but since they ate supposed to be riding on an oil film and the load is significantly less than acceleration, Makes 0 difference to the valve-train, I'd have to say no you are not damaging anything, as long as you don't shock it by dropping the clutch at low gear making your engine zing from idle to near redline in .5 seconds, that I could totally see destroying something.

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[FPCV8YO]

I think that we need clarification on the term. Are we talking about downshifting to engine brake or, just lifting off of the throttle to engine brake?

 

[Shift]

I think that we need clarification on the term. Are we talking about downshifting to engine brake or, just lifting off of the throttle to engine brake?

Both are the same. If youre about to go down a steep grade(i.e. San Francisco), you would downshift to get more engine braking power. I personally consider it a safety issue also. Forget SF, if you're coming down a mountain pass, if you ride your brakes the entire way, you risk burning out your brakes(on most cars).

Semi trucks engine brake every time they come down a mountain pass, and they go for hundreds of thousands of miles.

 

[bdub85]

I think it's a no-brainer to engine break if you know how to properly rev-match while downshifting. There is limited mechanical wear, and you will be in the correct gear if you have to accelerate.

If I have to slow down, I rev-match downshift then hit the brakes if I need them. Otherwise, I let the engine slow me down enough. I've driven like this for 15 years and never had an issue. I also used to drive a dogbox transmission which made it mandatory to drive this way, and I also had to double-clutch on downshifts because there were no synchros.

 

[FPCV8YO]

I think it's a no-brainer to engine break if you know how to properly rev-match while downshifting. There is limited mechanical wear, and you will be in the correct gear if you have to accelerate.

If I have to slow down, I rev-match downshift then hit the brakes if I need them. Otherwise, I let the engine slow me down enough. I've driven like this for 15 years and never had an issue. I also used to drive a dogbox transmission which made it mandatory to drive this way, and I also had to double-clutch on downshifts because there were no synchros.

This but, intentionally downshifting to slow the car down as opposed to using the brakes to slow the car down causes unnecessary clutch wear. I know that I'd rather replace the brakes than the clutch.

 

[Rogue]

What powerband rpm range do you guys attempt to keep the car in on the track?

 

[nastang87xx]

This but, intentionally downshifting to slow the car down as opposed to using the brakes to slow the car down causes unnecessary clutch wear.

Rev match bruh.

 

[bobmclean]

Always....

 

[barstowpo]

The rev match isn't as much to allow engine braking as to not upset the car when downshifting. If you are engine breaking into the corners, you are probably costing yourself lap time. I was amazed how deep into turn 1 my instructor drove at Buttonwillow during the Track Tour.

 

[Glenn G]

Both are the same. If youre about to go down a steep grade(i.e. San Francisco), you would downshift to get more engine braking power. I personally consider it a safety issue also. Forget SF, if you're coming down a mountain pass, if you ride your brakes the entire way, you risk burning out your brakes(on most cars).

Semi trucks engine brake every time they come down a mountain pass, and they go for hundreds of thousands of miles.

I live in Germany and drive to Austria at least 3-4 times a year to go snowboarding, Crossing the alps is amazing and makes you really appreciate having a turbo on the steep parts 3000 meters (10000 feet) high. (My old lexus was wheezing like an old man on a marathon up there, The ecoboost just eats it up) On the back side if you use the brakes you will at a minimum warp a rotor or at worst catch your pads on fire. Engine braking the whole way down is the recommended and safest way to do it and it hurts nothing, + it's nice to see 60 miles per gallon on the gauge.

 

[Shift]

The rev match isn't as much to allow engine braking as to not upset the car when downshifting. If you are engine breaking into the corners, you are probably costing yourself lap time. I was amazed how deep into turn 1 my instructor drove at Buttonwillow during the Track Tour.

If it wasn't already obvious, this is mainly about daily driving. You're rev-matching your downshifts(not heel-toeing) so you put minimal wear on your clutch.

 

[Trackaholic]

I use engine braking on the street all the time, with rev-matching. Brakes are used minimally when coming to a final stop or to balance the bar in the corners a bit.

On the track the brakes are doing all the work, so engine braking is adding very little to the deceleration at that point. Of course then you are heel-toe shifting in order to get the rev-match while on the brakes.

-T

 

[Shift]

I live in Germany and drive to Austria at least 3-4 times a year to go snowboarding, Crossing the alps is amazing and makes you really appreciate having a turbo on the steep parts 3000 meters (10000 feet) high. (My old lexus was wheezing like an old man on a marathon up there, The ecoboost just eats it up) On the back side if you use the brakes you will at a minimum warp a rotor or at worst catch your pads on fire. Engine braking the whole way down is the recommended and safest way to do it and it hurts nothing, + it's nice to see 60 miles per gallon on the gauge.

It's one of my favorite perks of driving a manual. I'll never give it up.

 

[RadBOSS]

It depends on the situation. for street / fwy driving I do it a lot, blip the throttle just right so you have as smooth transition, use the brakes for the rest. At the end of your deceleration you want to already be in the right gear.

 

[HizliBullet]

love doing rev matching down shifting

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