[Shotimes] 7000RPM, Man , I'd have to spin a bearing

[Donald Mallinson]

Paul,

All your comments are valid, except the fuel thing.  More 
rpm's mean more cycles of the fuel injectors that do put 
some fuel in even with the throttle is closed.  Proven many 
times over in fuel economy runs.

As for the other stuff.  I didn't ever say that using engine 
braking would wear out stuff RIGHT NOW, but the extra 
wear/tear is not debatable.  More rpms' per mile mean more 
wear period.  More use of the clutch means more wear period. 
   More use of the syncro's means more wear period.  and if 
you  argue that you rpm match, then you are using even MORE 
fuel and more rpm's than if just letting the clutch out.

  How MUCH wear/tear and fuel used depends on how good you 
are and how often you do it.  The extra wear might not be 
measurable by anything other than scientific methods.  Over 
the course of a cars life, I don't know how you would tell 
if you had ever had extra wear without having a second car 
driven alongside every mile for the life of both cars!

I commend the excellent longevity of your cars, but that has 
nothing to do with how using the engine as a brake isn't the 
best use of the parts.

Again, the extra wear and fuel used is just not open to 
question.  It happens.  and Again: I use the engine as a 
brake quite often myself.  It is fun, and another way to 
enjoy a car.

I was just making the point that it isn't the most efficient 
use of the parts involved, and again, that can't be questioned.

Don Mallinson

Paul Nimz wrote:

> I have had cars with clutches.  Can't say as I have ever worn one out.  Drag
> racing will ruin a clutch 100 times faster than engine braking.
> 
> If I don't get 150k on used motors and over 200k on new ones then I feel I
> got screwed somehow.  I have yet to have an engine wear out before the body
> disappeared.
> 
> Never had a mtx tranny problem in over a million miles.
> 
> If done at the right time and place and with finesse it will set the
> chassis.
> 
> To use the compression of the engine to slow the car down does not use more
> fuel.  The throttle is closed and you are making good use of the fuel
> already spent.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Donald Mallinson" <dmall@mwonline.net>
> To: <SHOTIMES@autox.team.net>
> Sent: Thursday, August 12, 2004 10:19 AM
> Subject: Re: [Shotimes] 7000RPM, Man , I'd have to spin a bearing
> 
> 
> 
>>Paul,
>>
>>What is bad about using the engine as a brake?
>>
>>1.  It wears the clutch out sooner
>>2.  It wears the engine out sooner
>>3.  It wears the tranny out sooner (syncro's mainly)
>>4.  in racing situations is upsets the chassis something awful!
>>5.  It uses more fuel.
>>
>>Brake pads/shoes are cheaper than any of the above parts.
>>
>>Driving a semi is different from driving a car, in that
>>using the tranny IS accepted because of the total weight and
>>the fact that semi brakes will fail a lot sooner than
>>lighter car brakes on things like mountains.
>>
>>I never said people can't do it or that it kills the car
>>instantly, but it is accepted advice to use the brakes for
>>what they are designed (to stop) and the engine for what it
>>is made for (to go).
>>
>>ONe major bad by product of using engine braking in the SHO
>>is when the cat converters are failing, you can suck that
>>dust back into the engine!
>>
>>I use engine braking, match rev's and generally have fun
>>with my manual transmission cars from time to time.  So I
>>understand how it can be fun.
>>
>>But really, even race drivers don't use engine braking, and
>>in fact they stay away from it whenever possible.  They do
>>heel/toe/rev matching to get in the right gear for the next
>>acceleration phaze, but do NOT use the engine for braking!
>>
>>I fully support your right to use the engine as a brake, but
>>when someone that is learning to drive with style asks, the
>>correct answer to "should I use the engine to slow the car
>>down on a regular basis" (or whatever the question was at
>>the start of this discussion) is:  NO, learn to match rev's
>>to be in the correct gear/rpm range when coming out of a
>>corner, but use the brakes to slow and the engine to go!
>>
>>(more poetry.... must be the cool fall air?)
>>
>>Don Mallinson
>>
>>
>>Paul Nimz wrote:
>>
>>
>>>Personally having learned to drive in an 18 wheeler, downshifting to use
>>>engine braking is the way I drive.  Done that for the last 35 years and
> 
> over
> 
>>>1,000,000 miles with no bad effects.  ATX or MTX it how I do it.
>>>
>>>Just exactly what is suppose to be bad about it????
>>>
>>>Paul Nimz
>>
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