Engine Braking, recommended?

[kRaZyK!Rb]

In the owner's manual it explains what engine braking is and how to use it. My questions is, is it recommended? I understand that it saves on the wear and tear of the brakes but am I sacrificing the engine in return? If applied properly, with it be beneficial to both brakes, engine and possible gas consumption?

[geoff5093]

I assume you mean manually shifting it if you have an auto, right? I can't say if its good or bad, but sometimes I manually downshift mine when i'm coming up on slower traffic. Engine braking doesnt work well at all if your trying to stop quickly, but it's good to downshift a gear so you dont have to ride your brakes down a hill for instance.

As for gas mileage, I think you may get slightly better mileage when the engine is revving higher if your just coasting, at least thats my interpretation when I took O/D off on my '94 and watched the engine load percentage go down on my scanguage.

[kRaZyK!Rb]

Originally Posted by geoff5093

I assume you mean manually shifting it if you have an auto, right?

Yes! It's an automatic.

Originally Posted by geoff5093

I can't say if its good or bad, but sometimes I manually downshift mine when i'm coming up on slower traffic. Engine braking doesnt work well at all if your trying to stop quickly...

Yup, I currently use it in the exact same way, I just don't hear very many people talking about it so I was wondering if it's a good thing or not.

Originally Posted by geoff5093

As for gas mileage, I think you may get slightly better mileage when the engine is revving higher if your just coasting...

Agree! There's no need to go from gas pedal to brakes everytime unless it's an emergency situation.

Thanks geoff5093.

Can anyone else say for certain if engine braking has any adverse reactions? I enjoy its benefits but I don't want to pay for it in the long run!

[marc780]

In the owner's manual it explains what engine braking is and how to use it. My questions is, is it recommended? I understand that it saves on the wear and tear of the brakes but am I sacrificing the engine in return?

I think your hunch is correct insofar as using engine compression for braking, is VERY tough on the engine. You are putting a huge strain on most of the engine parts from the pistons and valves to the crankshaft just to slow your car a little. I know big rig trucks use engine braking as a matter of course - but the engines in these trucks are built strong enough to take this treatment.
I'd use it in an emergency if the brakes failed or something, but as a general practice, i think it's not only bad but completely unecessary. I just use the brakes, thats what they are there for...

You only have to look at the simple cost of doing this, Brake job = $200, new engine = ALOT MORE

[TRD VVTi]

It does NOT hurt the engine!

I still don't get why you would really want to engine brake an automatic. I can understand doing that in the mountains so you don't overheat your brakes. Other than that it's really pointless.

I am guessing that the owner's manual was talking about downshifting a manual transmission or driving in hilly/mountainous terrain?

If you really want to do it, sell your car and get a manual transmissioned vehicle.

[Chunger]

I'll disagree...

Engine braking works but is horrible for the engine (manual or auto).

$Buying new pads < $New valve job for engine...

[gdanaher]

This started out with a question from a guy in New Jersey. There just aren't many places in NJ where you would need to use the engine to break, but there might be a stretch somewhere and if you are pulling a small trailer loaded with bricks, well, maybe. It isn't going to hurt the engine. How could it? Using engine compression to create resistance in the drive train is not a problem. Instead of someone who has never torqued a rod cap telling me it injurious, let's hear from someone who has saying the same thing. Engine is turning, oil is being pumped. That's pretty much all you need. Damage valves? Hardly. They will actually cool off a bit. But New Jersey? Now if you are in BC on TC1 or crossing over the Sierras in California, you will need to use engine braking or you will tear up and burn out your brakes. Period. There are some small roads in Colorado, Nevada, and New Mexico that demand engine breaking. Don't worry about it. But don't do it just to say you did it either.

[Yazovets]

Originally Posted by geoff5093

Engine braking doesnt work well at all if your trying to stop quickly, but it's good to downshift a gear so you dont have to ride your brakes down a hill for instance.

Engine braking works just fine; not on the Camry though. The engine is too flexible, and there are too many gears.

I use engine braking in the winter very often because it's a safer way to slow down rather than touching the brakes.

My family's other car - the Benz ML500 can almost come to a complete stop with engine braking. The 5L V8 is paired to a 5-speed manumatic which works so much better than the Camry's 6-speed.

With the Camry (V6 anyway) in order to start slowing down, you must be in 2nd gear. Else, the best you'll do is just maintain your speed in 3rd. If you're in 4th or above, then you'll just speed up. This is all supposing you're coming down a hill.

[marc780]

It isn't going to hurt the engine. How could it? Using engine compression to create resistance in the drive train is not a problem.

You can use engine braking if you want to! But me, never. If you slam the trans into a lower gear while going downhill, imagine what is happening to your engine: you are applying a whole bunch of strain to the engine mounts, the transmission mounts, the clutch, and the crankshaft, and who knows what else in the drive train - you can just feel it. (Or at least i can).

Its easily avoidable and so to my mind, why do it, except in an emergency? I use the brakes - thats what they are for! If the brakes start to fade, i just stop the car for a few minutes to let them cool. But hey, its your car - do whatever you want to it.

[Punks_Not_Dead5]

I use it when i go up to the cottage on the back roads that are twisty and turny, i hardly have to touch the brakes, which in turn will save them.. I don't think it would do any damage. I also use it in the winter.

[toyomoho]

If an auto, suggest leaving things in Drive rather then constantly downshifting, then let the brakes do the job. Brakes are cheaper to replace then a transmission. If stuck in traffic you can downshift to keep the MPH down. This keeps the trans from constantly up and down shifting and lets the engine slow the car instead of riding the brakes.

I don't think engine braking harms an engine, if it did many a stick shift engine would be in trouble.

[touringcamry]

I don't slam the engine into lower gears unless the RPM will be very close (when I'm going slow for a gear) without some type of rev matching. I'm sure you do equivalent damage when you floor the gas or do some spirited driving.

There is a hill nearby where I have to descend about 2000 ft over 2 miles. At the top of the hill, I am usually going about 60 MPH and I'll down shift into 4th. The car will never exceed 75 MPH while descending. The revs will a tad over 3500 but that's just fine. It saves gas and prevents brake fade (there is no shoulder) and I sure as hell wouldn't go down that hill in neutral to prevent engine wear. That's just plain stupid because the car will be going at well over 100 at the bottom. Did I mention the only thing separating opposing traffic is a double yellow line?

My ECU cuts fuel when the wheels turn the engine faster than 1200 RPMs or so. I have tested this to be true. There was no additional engine braking when I turned the key to ACC. I turned the key back to ON and there was absolutely no difference aside from the gauges turning back on.

Those who think engine braking should not be used, you should not coast in gear either because that is basically the same thing.

[DoubleEdgedWomb]

It's the downshifting without rev-matching (which is basically any downshift in an automatic) that puts strain on the drivetrain, not the act of coasting with the car in gear (which is commonly called engine braking).

[touringcamry]

I normally single clutch rev match when I can. This match the speed between the engine and the transmission but the synchros still have to do their job.

[articledon]

where I live it is all steep hills. so 50% of the time I am engine breaking