Engine braking is an important safety feature on most cars. It allows the driver to slow down or stop the car by applying the brakes through the engine. But what is engine braking and can it harm your car?
Engine braking can actually wear down your car’s engine over time, which can lead to decreased performance and even damage. Make sure you understand how engine braking works on your car and use it sparingly to avoid any potential damage.
What exactly does “engine braking” mean?
The term “engine braking” refers to the process of slowing down a vehicle by letting off of the accelerator pedal and shifting down through the gears, as opposed to applying the footbrake. To speak in more precise words, it is utilizing declarative forces within the engine in order to lower the speed at which the wheels are turning.
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This occurs when the accelerator pedal is released, which causes the air intake valve to close, so producing a vacuum. It reduces the amount of air that can flow into the cylinders, which in turn creates a force that acts as a brake and brings the vehicle to a halt.
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The engine brake can only be used when the vehicle is in gear. Because the deceleration force produced by letting off of the accelerator is not transferred to the drivetrain when the clutch is disengaged, the wheels continue to rotate at the same rate as before.
If you move down into a lower gear, you will be able to accelerate the engine braking process. When the revolutions per minute (RPM) are increased, the amount of torque that is transferred through the transmission increases as well, which helps the vehicle come to a controlled stop more quickly.
Engine braking is a common and necessary practice in automotive engineering. It allows a car to stop more quickly by reducing the rotational speed of the engine.
However, engine braking may also harm your car. Here are some things to keep in mind:
- Engine braking can reduce the lifespan of your car’s brake pads and rotors
- It can also cause your ABS (antilock braking system) to malfunction, leading to skidding and accidents
- Can wear out your brakes
- It May causes your car to skid
- It can make it difficult to control your car
- It can also increase your risk of getting a ticket
How to apply Engine Brake
The technique of applying the brakes to the engine in a manual transmission vehicle is straightforward, although it may need novice drivers several tries to perfect.
Let’s say you’re driving toward a traffic light at a speed of 40 miles per hour while in the fifth gear. If you wish to come to a stop in a more controlled manner, remove your foot from the accelerator and shift down to a gear with a lower ratio, such as second or third (remembering to rev-match as you downshift). This will cause the automobile to slow down without requiring you to apply pressure to the brake pedal. After that, you can utilize the clutch and brake technique to safely stop the vehicle while reducing the amount of wear on the brake pads.
Because of the importance of timing and smoothness in engine braking, it is essential to have plenty of experience.
What are the advantages of using the engine braking to slow down?
One of the most significant advantages of using the engine to slow down is the reduction in wear that it causes to the brakes. Because friction is what causes brakes like caliper and drum brakes to work, they wear down anytime the brake pedal is pressed.
You may drive more safely and also reduce the amount of wear that is put on your brake pads by employing a combination of engine braking and the traditional method of braking with the foot pedal. This will give your brakes a longer life and provide you with an improved driving experience.
The level of control it affords you as a driver is another advantage that some people find appealing, particularly when driving downhill. By shifting down into a lower gear before beginning a descent, you can maintain control of the vehicle’s speed through the engine rather than relying solely on the brakes. This reduces the likelihood that the brake calipers will become overheated or, in the worst-case scenario, stop functioning entirely.
In slippery situations, engine braking can also be an extremely helpful tool. When driving on roads that are slick, applying the brakes puts you in danger of the wheels locking up and the vehicle sliding, and this risk is increased if you panic and bang on the brake pedal. When driving in snowy or icy conditions, using engine braking can assist lessen this risk by allowing you to slow down without having to apply the brakes themselves. This allows you to maintain control of the vehicle’s speed while keeping the wheels moving.
When is engine braking better than conventional braking?
In normal driving conditions, utilizing the footbrake is virtually always the safest and fastest way to slow the car down. You can engine brake in normal driving situations, however, this is only employed as a technique to save brake wear – not as a safety feature.
There are rare occasions, however, where engine braking is a safer and more efficient alternative than using the footbrake, and will help to slow the car down without the risk of skidding or scorching the brake pads to the point where they cease working.
Driving Downhill
If you’re driving downhill for long durations, it’s vital that you don’t misuse the brakes to slow the automobile. As the automobile acquires momentum with the force of gravity, more braking is needed to slow it, meaning that the brakes might start to ‘fade’ through overheating and reduced friction – which is the last thing you want driving down a steep hill.
In this circumstance, engine braking can be a true lifesaver; that’s why you constantly see signs at the top of steep hill instructing you to change into a low gear. Third or even second gear will assist the car keep at a consistent speed, and will allow you to just softly tap the brakes to moderate your descent – ensuring they aren’t subjected to any severe wear.
Driving in Snow and Ice
Driving in snow and ice may take a lot of getting accustomed to, and we all naturally want to apply the brake pedal when we feel like we’re losing control of the car in these tough conditions. The issue is, that applying the footbrake will actually make matters worse when roads are slippery, as the car will enter a slide more easily if the wheels lock up or are slowed unexpectedly.
In snowy circumstances, you need to find the appropriate balance between being in a high enough gear to minimize wheel spin, but also remembering to change down ratios nice and early to keep the wheels rolling rather than coming to a complete stop. Always set out in second gear, as this will assist prevent wheel spin. You should also keep a decent distance from the car in front, and anticipate difficulties so that you can change down and use engine braking to slow the car, rather than relying on the foot brake.
