YACT: Engine Braking... is it bad for your car?

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clicknext

Banned
Mar 27, 2002
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I was just wondering if shifting to a lower gear (or is it called a higher gear? anyway lower number) to slow your car down while going down a hill is bad for it in any way? I live in vancouver and go up and down huge hills every day, so it would help to save my brakes a bit.

Sorry for my ignorance in this matter; I know neither the technicalities nor correct terms for cars. I'm not even completely sure that this is called engine braking...
 
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sniperruff

Lifer
Apr 17, 2002
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AFAIK i don't think so. as a matter of fact i think that is what you're supposed to do: downshift on a hill. keeping a higher gear while you're going up a hill will lower the engine's rev and you lose power

well at least that is what an auto would do. and it makes sense...

and shifting often would only damage the tranny, not the engine itself...

but revving the engine up would probably use up more gas. but in this case it is unaviodable anyway...
 
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HappyPuppy

Lifer
Apr 5, 2001
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It is wise to downshift when going downhill. As long as you pick the proper gear and don't overrev your engine it won't hurt a thing.
 
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clicknext

Banned
Mar 27, 2002
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Originally posted by: sniperruff
AFAIK i don't think so. as a matter of fact i think that is what you're supposed to do: downshift on a hill. keeping a higher gear while you're going up a hill will lower the engine's rev and you lose power

well at least that is what an auto would do. and it makes sense...

and shifting often would only damage the tranny, not the engine itself...

but revving the engine up would probably use up more gas. but in this case it is unaviodable anyway...
Click to expand...

Hmm, I meant to slow the car going down a hill, so I don't think we're talking about the same thing. Yeah, I drive an Auto and I notice it downshifting when I'm going up a hill.

I just wanted to know because I have to brake quite a bit to prevent myself from riding down the hill at 110km/h. My family has had to replace the brake pads once, after 1.5-2 years of usage, and now it's a-squeakin again.
 
JulesMaximus

JulesMaximus

No Lifer
Jul 3, 2003
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No, it's not bad for your engine. It might put a little more wear on your transmission and clutch but unless you are driving down huge hills every day then it is much better to use engine braking than your brakes.

Edit-Just read that you are driving up and down huge hills every day. Are they long steep grades? If so, I would still use the engine to slow the car. The brakes on most cars aren't meant to be used constantly to slow a vehicle on long steep grades. They get really hot, warp rotors and fade quite a bit. The last thing you want at the bottom of a hill is severe brake fade. Hell, I've experienced severe brake fade after one or two stops from high speed in a sports car (older Mustang GT, not my current car). This is not something I'd want to experience at the bottom of a hill going 50+mph wondering what the hell I'm going to plow into to stop this beast.
 
C

clicknext

Banned
Mar 27, 2002
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Originally posted by: HappyPuppy
It is wise to downshift when going downhill. As long as you pick the proper gear and don't overrev your engine it won't hurt a thing.
Click to expand...

Does overrevving simply mean letting it go into the red zone?
 
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Whisper

Diamond Member
Feb 25, 2000
5,394
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Originally posted by: clicknext
Originally posted by: HappyPuppy
It is wise to downshift when going downhill. As long as you pick the proper gear and don't overrev your engine it won't hurt a thing.
Click to expand...

Does overrevving simply mean letting it go into the red zone?
Click to expand...

That would definitely qualify as over-revving, yes.
 
The Stigenator

The Stigenator

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
15,216
3
81
engine braking wont hurt your engine beyond revving in the red line.. as long as you are within rev limits for that gear.. you can use the brake to keep it in check.. but yeah.. it wont hurt a thing.. i do engine braking all the fscking time.
 

Originally posted by: sm8000
Does this apply to automatics any? I don't have a stickshift to drive ATM.
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You cannot and should not engine brake in any way while driving an automatic. The best thing you can possibly do is just leave the transmission in D.
 
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Steve

Lifer
May 2, 2004
15,945
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Originally posted by: jumpr
You cannot and should not engine brake in any way while driving an automatic.
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Good to know. Reminds me of the time some of us tried to jump-start a diesel minibus :D
 
slag

slag

Lifer
Dec 14, 2000
10,473
81
101
Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
No, it's not bad for your engine. It might put a little more wear on your transmission and clutch but unless you are driving down huge hills every day then it is much better to use engine braking than your brakes.

Edit-Just read that you are driving up and down huge hills every day. Are they long steep grades? If so, I would still use the engine to slow the car. The brakes on most cars aren't meant to be used constantly to slow a vehicle on long steep grades. They get really hot, warp rotors and fade quite a bit. The last thing you want at the bottom of a hill is severe brake fade. Hell, I've experienced severe brake fade after one or two stops from high speed in a sports car (older Mustang GT, not my current car). This is not something I'd want to experience at the bottom of a hill going 50+mph wondering what the hell I'm going to plow into to stop this beast.
Click to expand...



Thats nice.. You tell him its ok to do it unless he is driving up and down hills every day and then you re-read his post and see that he IS doing it every day and you still say its ok.

LOL.. your answer is right, but you don't know how you got there...
 
slag

slag

Lifer
Dec 14, 2000
10,473
81
101
Originally posted by: jumpr
Originally posted by: sm8000
Does this apply to automatics any? I don't have a stickshift to drive ATM.
Click to expand...
You cannot and should not engine brake in any way while driving an automatic. The best thing you can possibly do is just leave the transmission in D.
Click to expand...

Not true. Its recommended in every car I've driven (and I'd bet every car out there with an auto), that you can safely shift to D2 or D1 while going down steep grades to allow the engine to assist in braking.


Paragraph 4

Paragraphs 3 and 4

6th post

etc
 
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Pacfanweb

Lifer
Jan 2, 2000
13,155
59
91
Originally posted by: jumpr
Originally posted by: sm8000
Does this apply to automatics any? I don't have a stickshift to drive ATM.
Click to expand...
You cannot and should not engine brake in any way while driving an automatic. The best thing you can possibly do is just leave the transmission in D.
Click to expand...
Complete horseshlt. What the hell do you think they have other gear positions besides "D" for?

Of course it's okay to downshift your automatic. You think people that live in the mountains just ride the brakes all the time and never downshift?
 
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Pacfanweb

Lifer
Jan 2, 2000
13,155
59
91
Originally posted by: sm8000
Good to know. Reminds me of the time some of us tried to jump-start a diesel minibus :D
Click to expand...
Jump starting an automatic? Can't be done, guess you found that out.
 
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mjrpes2

Member
Apr 1, 2004
37
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When I got my Class B one on the things required on the test is to remember to downshift while go up and down hills. And this is on Class B vehicles with an automatic transmission. You don't want brake fade.
 
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