How to brake properly
In short, everyone who has been trained in driving is familiar with the concept. The point is to reduce the engine speed when the gear is engaged. The driver releases the gas pedal without depressing the clutch, the fuel supply to the engine is reduced to a minimum, and he no longer gives energy, but receives it from the transmission, resisting inertia, seeking to increase the speed. The lower the gear, the faster the energy is extinguished, respectively, the more effective engine braking.
WHEN TO BRAK THE ENGINE
Is it possible or not to brake the engine on modern cars?
The first thing that comes to mind is when the standard brake system fails (for example, when the brake pedal fails). Yes, engine braking skills will really come in handy in case of a malfunction, but this is not the only and not even the main use case.
Deceleration without using the brake pedal is effective:
on slippery roads, in order to avoid wheel lock or uneven distribution of braking forces (the working brake system brakes first with the front axle);
on long descents, when normal braking is fraught with overheating of the system (on trucks and buses, in this case, there is even a special retarder - retarder / intarder);
in cases where further movement is prohibited (before traffic lights, railway crossings, customs points), the prohibition signal is visible from afar, and it is possible to smoothly slow down.
Engine braking in these cases can be used either separately or combined with regular braking: if you cannot effectively slow down or stop in the right place, and also (more often in the latter case) with coasting, that is, in neutral gear .
PROCEDURE
The easiest way to understand the engine braking algorithm is to use a manual transmission as an example. In order to reduce the speed of the car, it is necessary to release the accelerator (gas) pedal and wait for the engine speed to decrease, as close as possible to the idle speed.
Since in direct gear (usually 4th) and, especially, increased (5th and subsequent) gear ratio is too small, the efficiency of engine braking on them will be low. Therefore, it is necessary to switch to lower gears - sequentially, so as not to break the wheels into a skid and not “twist” the engine, which can lead to serious damage.
At the same time, it is important to choose the right moment when shifting gears in order to avoid excessive braking effect (“peck”), which also adversely affects the transmission and engine. This unpleasant effect can be smoothed out by briefly raising the speed with the gas pedal, subsequently continuing engine braking.
In this way, you can quite effectively reduce the speed of the car up to a complete stop, in the final, using the parking brake or turning off the car in gear. It should be borne in mind that the braking distance during engine braking is very large, and in no case should it be considered as an emergency braking option.
Contrary to popular belief, engine braking is effective not only on cars with a manual transmission, but also with an automatic one. However, in the latter case, there are certain nuances, depending on the type of automatic transmission. On boxes with the possibility of manual shifting (using paddle shifters or a selector lever switched to M mode) and on “robots”, the braking process practically does not differ from mechanics - it is also necessary to shift gears one by one.
On automatic transmissions of the classic planetary (torque converter) type, some CVTs, the possibility of engine braking depends on their design and, before using it, you need to study the instructions. Often in position D, when the gas is released, the transmission goes into a neutral position, and the car seems to be coasting, and for full engine braking, the selector must be moved to the lowest position: D2, S, L and similar.
PROS AND CONS OF ENGINE BRAKING
What is engine braking, pros and cons, how to do it
The advantages of the above described method of braking include, firstly, a decrease in the load on the vehicle's working brake system and, as a result, a significant increase in the resource of components. Proper use of engine braking and coasting can extend the life of brake pads and discs by 1.5-2 times.
Secondly, the method has a positive effect on fuel consumption. In order to save fuel, it is most effective to use engine braking in urban conditions, with frequent stops at traffic lights.
Of the minuses, it should be noted an increase in the risk of emergency situations (when the engine is braking, the brake light does not light up), increased engine wear, which is not designed for reverse operation and does not tolerate lateral loads of the pistons. Also, despite the fact that the method is designed to deal with skids, if it is used incorrectly, the risk of pulling the car to the side, on the contrary, increases.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Engine braking - additional control
of the vehicle, and not the main way to slow the vehicle. It is worth using it “without fanaticism”, mainly when road conditions really require it, or it is impossible to slow down in another way (for example, using a parking brake). In other cases, it is better to rely on a regular braking system, specially designed and equipped with additional functions (ABS, anti-skid, and others).
Before applying the method in practice, it is advisable to practice in calm conditions: on the site, on an empty road. It should be remembered that one wrong step can lead to losses that years of savings cannot compensate. However, in case of any malfunction, competent and qualified employees of the Wilgood smart car service network will always help you.