Car Care Tips

Tips to keep your car on the road.

Maintenance February 9, 2021

What is Engine Braking & Why Should You Use It?

What is engine braking?

Using the footbrake is the most common way to reduce your speed, both in an emergency and in normal conditions. Depending on how hard you press the brake pedal, you control the speed at which you slow down, when you stop, and when you start again.

But using the footbrake isn’t the only way to slow down. Though less commonly used, engine braking is a great way to improve your vehicle’s efficiency and help your brakes last longer.

What Is Engine Braking?

Engine braking is the process of slowing down your car by taking your foot off the accelerator pedal and shifting down through the gears.

In standard gasoline vehicles, engine braking works by limiting airflow to the engine, causing decelerative forces in the engine to decrease the speed at which the wheels are rotating.

When you take your foot off the accelerator/gas pedal, the throttle body valve closes suddenly. The engine will continue to try to suck in air, but since the throttle body valve is closed, only a small amount of air will reach the engine.

This causes a high manifold vacuum that the cylinders have to work against. Due to the vacuum, the energy in the engine lowers, which causes the engine to drop in power and slows the wheels.

While engine braking is more effective in cars with a manual transmission, it works with an automatic transmission as well.

Benefits of Engine Braking

  • It reduces wear and tear on your brakes.

The brake system relies on friction to slow down your vehicle. Over time, brake pads and rotors wear down and lose their effectiveness. When you use engine braking in addition to normal braking, you will be able to apply the footbrake at a slower pace for a shorter amount of time.

Engine braking is especially helpful on long descents on mountains or hills. Riding the brakes down a long slope can cause them to overheat, which decreases braking ability and damages the braking system. (This is also known as brake fade.)

When you engine brake while driving downhill, there’s less heat, wear, and fade on the brakes. As a result, your brakes will last longer and you’ll descend safely.

Read: 7 Ways to Maximize Brake Life

  • It increases fuel economy.

Engine braking is more fuel-efficient than normal braking. This is because when you engine brake, the engine stops consuming fuel.

Engine braking only saves a little fuel here and there, but those savings can add up quickly, especially on long trips!

  • It doesn’t harm the vehicle.

There is a common myth that engine braking is harmful to your car and a bad practice. However, engine braking won’t damage your car as long as you follow safe, sensible driving practices.

When you engine brake for the first time, it can sound a little scary! That’s because when you shift down, it often causes the engine to rev loudly. But the high revs are totally normal and won’t damage your vehicle.

Engines run at thousands of revs per minute for sometimes hours and hours at a time when you take road trips. They’re designed to handle a LOT of power and heat. So as long as the RPMs don’t go near or above the red line on your dash gauge, you should be fine.

The greatest risk when engine braking is damaging your transmission. To avoid damage, simply follow a few good driving principles:

  • Don’t shift to a low gear at high speeds. Shifting to a low gear when you’re going 60 mph down the highway will not only be uncomfortable to your passengers but also strain the transmission and engine.
  • Don’t skip gears. Shift down one gear at a time and give ample time for the vehicle to adjust before shifting again.
  • Don’t overuse engine braking, especially with an automatic transmission.

Need Brake Service?

No matter how well you use engine braking, your regular brakes will eventually need to be replaced.

If you think that your brakes may need to be replaced soon, bring your car to the experts at Virginia Tire & Auto for a free visual brake inspection! We’ll make sure your brakes are in good condition and will keep you stopping safely. Find your local Virginia Tire & Auto and visit us today!

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