Manual transmission: Okay to slow by down-shifting?

Question

Is it okay to slow down a manual-transmission car solely by down-shifting, instead of using the break?

I know the energy to slow the car has to be taken up somewhere... does this damage the transmission, or possibly the engine, or is it a perfectly safe and legitimate way to drive?

Answer 1

Yes. Just don't let it rev up too high. Viz., shifting into third when you are doing 60mph. Take a look at where you would let the rpms go to when accelerating hard - which it's best to not go over 4 grand. (depending on the car, but I personally don't want to shorten the life of my engine by running up to redline.) Otherwise, downshifting to a gear where it revs up to say 3 1/2 won't hurt engine or tranny.

In response to "The winna", it can be fun to downshift, and it does save on gas, because if the engine is above a certain rpm the fuel actually shuts off. If you pay attention to when you are slowing down you will feel the point where the injectors kick back in.

Answer 2

Ok, sport, listen up. You can get a complete brake job, front and back, for 200 bucks. If you have ever handled a tool, you can do it for under a hundred bucks yourself. Using up your clutch to slow down all the time? Replacing your clutch will cost you several hundred bucks, and unless you have a buttload of special equipment, you won't be able to do it yourself. Any time you use your transmission for accelerating, you wear down the clutch, throwout bearing, gears, syncros, and bearings. If you use the transmission to slow down, you're close to doubling the wear. Try shifting a transmission with worn or chipped gears, a toasted clutch, and worn syncros. You'll sound like it's your first time. Transmission work doesn't come cheap. You can use your brakes all day long and the most it's going to cost you is 200 bucks for a brake job. Keep stopping your 2,500 pound car with a clutch disc that is smaller than any one of your brake discs and start saving for that new clutch you always wanted. Plus, try that "slow down by downshifting" trick in the rain and watch helplessly as your car swaps ends right into a wall because there's no such thing as "anti-lock clutching", and I'll bet you don't have full-time 4-wheel drive, which means you're only slowing down with 2 wheels.

Answer 3

Yes, you can with using your clutch, but remember only down shift when driving at certain speed is at appropriate speed or you could harm you engine and transmission. When speeding up, you have to shift gears, which is the same way when down shifting. You could also put gear in neutral to slow down and when approaching at stop sign or yellow or red lights and stop at an intersection, but remember to put into 1st gear when taking off. When road are very slippery like ice, it better to put it into neutral which will help stop transmission from over riding the wheels when in motion otherwise you would slide a long way with applying breaks while in gear. Going slow while driving in 4th or 5th gear will also cause lagging. So again drive in right gears, and right speed and you will be ok. Good luck driving.

Answer 4

because if the engine is above a certain rpm the fuel actually shuts off. If you pay attention to when you are slowing down you will feel the point where the injectors kick back in.

This is just not true. The engine governor utilizes vehicle speed for this feature, not engine speed. Your engine, however, does have whats call a rev limiter, which won't allow you to rev too far above red line, preventing costly damage to your engine. Neither function cuts off the fuel, it cuts off the ignition.

Answer 5

It is absolutely Ok to slow the car by Downshifting.. Ask any truck driver.. They do it all the time..Its also saves wear and tear on your breaks..Today 's manuel transmissisions won't let you down shift too sharply..You may be able to go from fifth to 3rd but not to second..Its a more graceful way to drive when you get the hang of it .Because your always aware of what gear your in and how fast you re going. Thats my opinion anyway..

Answer 6

Down shifting is one of the ways those F1 drivers slow down their cars-you can hear the engines doing that actually if you pay attention. Nothing wrong with downshifting if you do it step at a time specially coming off high speeds.

Answer 7

You have to slow the car with the brakes a little bit so that you don't red-line your engine.

Answer 8

If done slowly so the engine is not over stressed it is ok I have always done this.
Brakes are there for sudden stops and your brake liners last a lot longer.

Answer 9

if done properly it will not harm your engine or transmission, but it will drastically shorten the life of your clutch.

use your brakes whenever possible. that is what they were designed for.

Answer 10

My driveing instructor taught me that this was the correct way to do it, but that you should just touch the brake pedal to make the lights show.

It seems to work, so why not?