Lack of Engine Braking

Joe_Horner

If you wear your clutch by engine braking you're doing it wrong.

During the change down you should be matching revs like on any other change, so the clutch can be used almost like a switch - clutch down fast, select neutral, match revs, new gear, clutch up fast. Then off the throttle to start slowing. The whole thing should be over in a second or so and the clutch will only be "slipping" (ie: partly engaged) for maybe a tenth of that.

The "braking" part should only be happening after you've fully re-engaged the clutch and come back off the throttle. At which point it ain't slipping so it ain't wearing!

kmb500

oldagetraveller wrote: »

"my ability to slow myself using the gears is much less now,"
Which will be cheaper to replace if you continue to use your gears to slow down?
A worn gearbox, a worn clutch or worn out brake pads/shoes/discs/drums?

Why would running your engine at x 000 revs hurt it?
Generally speaking if you slowly shift down gears you can slow your car down, because, get this, if you don't push the throttle the car will slow down. in my previous car, you could have a lot of control through that rather than only using the brakes.


Hell I thrashed that car, took it to the redline everywhere, 100mph in third gear, awesome car and never had any issues with the brake pads, or clutch, or gearbox... you seem to be talking out your !!!.


a normally performed downshift is not going to hurt the car any more than an up shift. do you not down shift your car when you slow down lol?

almillar

I use brakes. That's because they were designed for that......

That's inefficient, poorly planned driving. I can hear the old schoolers (my Dad and oldagetraveller) saying 'slow down with the brakes, they're cheaper to replace than gearboxes', but if you slow down in gear in a fuel injected car, the fuel cuts off. Petrol is more expensive than it used to be.

Which will be cheaper to replace if you continue to use your gears to slow down?

Not gears, gear. Pick one gear, slow down in it. Choosing the right one, for the amount of retardation you need, is a skill.