Genesis_26317

iTrader: (2)

Engine braking though.

Extreme Example:

If you are driving at ~75 mph (this applies to the A4) and you go from 4th gear OD to 2nd gear the car is going to seriously slow down.

I would have to say if you drop to second at ~75 mph without touching the gas you might slow down faster than the brakes by themselves (initially). If you just drop one gear though it allows you to be lazy and not have to touch the brake pedal if you want to slow down.

You drop a lot of speed fast. I mean you drop speed FAST, you jump to close to the stock rev limit on the LS1.

Semi's do it all the time, hence the big *** NO ENGINE BRAKING sign on the road inbetween the two cliffs a bit before the Hoover Dam going into Las Vegas.

I have no reason to mention this specific one except that I sat staring at it for like a freakin' hour due to police check points preceeding the dam on New Years.

You probably know all that already though (except maybe the Vegas part...)

There used to be a post that a guy was telling about a time he was driving his Le Baron and wanted to be lazy so instead of braking he engine braked. Instead of dropping one gear he dropped to some ridiculously low gear like 1st or 2nd.

He ended up dropping his nose and ripping off his front bumper, not including psycotic engine damage. Something like it should have been at ~14k rpm's. It was a good story. It probably would have been ~14k rpm's is the entire engine didn't pop like a firecracker first.

Dex

iTrader: (5)

Well if your brakes suck it would help you slow down. Thats it.



Semi's do engine brake but it nothing like how you do it in a car. In a car you must use the transmission to engine brake. In a semi you flip a switch and let off the gas you don't downshift to slow down.

Justin00SS

iTrader: (5)

Yeah but you don't need the extra braking of the engine drag for normal stopping.

If its not an emergency stop then why do it?

99blancoSS

iTrader: (115)

I had a friend who said he's rather wear out the brakes than the clutch. I never blip the throttle to match revs'. Thats what the syncros and clutch are for. In a tractor its more important. You've a lot of weight, those tranys dont like to mesh unless you speed match the gears. But in a car I've never had trouble shoving the stick down a gear so I really dont see any sense in blipping the throttle unless your arent using the clutch. Then you need to match gear speed.

kookamunga

it's so you don't upset the chassis when entering a corner under braking. since the only time you have to select the proper gear to exit a corner is when your'e braking and starting your turn. thus one canmake the downhift as seamless as possible letting the brakes do the slowing.

99blancoSS

iTrader: (115)

bahhhhh!! maybe in a f1 race car its important but in an fbody I dont see any effect at all. None. Push the gas as your lifting your foot and you'll have a smooth transition.

Dex

iTrader: (5)

Exactly

styoung

iTrader: (4)

to me down shifting cant put any more strain on the trans and clutch than blasting through the gears at 6000 rpms. i dont see anything wrong with it.

BlkLs1WS6

i kinda taught myself how to drive stick, and i've always just put the clutch in, putting the car in neutral and then using the brakes. if im going around a corner or something where i need to slow down just a little, ill put the clutch in and then let it back out after. ive heard doing stuff like this is bad for the the throw out bearing, but like they say, old habbits are hard to break.

Blown2000SS

well said

LS1LOVER500

i always downshift but you GOT TO rev match..

Fbody98

iTrader: (2)

I always down shift especially if theres like a honda or ford next to me that way you show them up if your lookin to have some fun!!

kookamunga

in open track events and some Autox it makes a big difference. to that end using the drivetrain to slow you down is not what the downshifting is for rather that's the job of the brakes. downshifting in our application is simply to find the correct gear that allows forthe most drive out of a corner. as others have stated brakes are cheap compared to driveline components. that said I have been guilty of using excessive engine braking to aid in braking due to sevearly overheated brakes and in at least one case to rotate the car thrugh a very tight turn after botching the entry.

Justin00SS

iTrader: (5)

Yes. In racing downshifting is critical to turning fast laps.

I am just wanting to know the advantage of downshifting when coming to say a red light or stop sign.

Genesis_26317

iTrader: (2)

There isn't.

I downshift from 50-40 mph speed changes (5th to 4th gear)... heh... yeah, I didn't think so.

N4cer

iTrader: (11)

Of course I downshift. That way as I accelerate out of whatever I was slowing for, I'm already in the proper gear. I never knew this was even a question with male drivers.

N4cer

iTrader: (11)

Not very often do 99blancoSS and I agree, I have to agree with this one. Just downshift like a normal car (if you were in an auto it would downshift) and drive.

Justin00SS

iTrader: (5)

Yeah but do you go all the way down to first?

4-3-2-1 ?

Then brake? What's the point in that if you know you are stopping. But if the traffic is just moving a little slower then yeah downshift instead of brake but if its a stop preplanned stop then why?

N4cer

iTrader: (11)

Um, because it's just easier. People who know how to drive a standard are taught to downshift when slowing because you never know when you'll need to accelerate again and you want to be in the proper gear. But if you like to dig for gears, go for it. You guys who don't downshift always end up being the guy at the red light trying to take off in 4th gear and slowing everyone down while you're accelerating by burning up your clutch that you just saved by not downshifting.

Justin00SS

iTrader: (5)

I'm still not understanding this.

Anyone who knows how to drive a stick or has driven one for any amount of time knows when to downshift and when not too.

Do you downshift when pulling into a parking spot?

I downshift all the time. When I know I will probably not be stopping. But if I know I will be stopping I just let her idle.