Engine Braking

[samdajellybeenie14]

I've been looking everywhere for this and I have yet to come up with anything, but my question is: Is it bad for the transmission to use the engine braking gears on a flat street like a "automatic manual" mode? For example, shifting up through the gears when pulling off from a stop sign like the car was a 5-speed. My friend does this sometimes and it seems like it would be bad for the car because you're not doing it while on a slope... Someone tell me if this is bad or not because I want at least know a little bit about whether it's bad or not before I haggle my friend about it hehe. :roadkill:

 

[DC runner]

Ok. I tried real hard to really get what you are asking, but I couldn't. Are you asking if engine braking is bad?

No. The term engine braking refers to when you use the engine RPM/Transmission drive line movement as a physical limiter to your truck. Unless you have 10k worth of tow behind you, it shouldn't do any damage.


Also, what exactly are you talking about? Engine breaking gears? I think you might be asking several questions into one.

Shifting up through gears? That is what you are supposed to do.... ??? You mean is he flooring it and causing his auto or manual to high RPM??


Usually, those auto "manuals" are just another cool word for a shift limiter. They are not manuals. Manual transmission connect to the engine in a totally different way and auto's, including SCIONS or Mitsubishi lancers with "shift paddles" to make youngsters who can't drive a stick feel cool, still connect to the drive-line via an liquid power distribution method in the transmission using the pressure created within the torque converter.

There is no such thing as engine braking gears. When you give the engine X amount of gas, the engine is going to move the engine side drive line X times. In an automatic transmission, that will turn the engine side torque converter. That side is static and will not variable. 300 rpm will always turn that side X. The "multiplier" effect you get in gearing is all transmission side. The transmission side of the torque converter is turned via fluid pressure. The gear selected, or not (N or P) determines how fast you move.

Engine braking in an AUTO operates when you, off brake, allows the engine to forcibly restrain the movement of the vehicle.


Ok. Sorry. That might have not helped, but honestly, I wasn't sure what you were exactly asking.

 

[PitbullRescuer]

Not sure if I understand your question either. But, if you're asking if it's okay to manually shift an automatic transmission, yes it's okay. I wouldn't redline it all the time or anything but it's actually good to do it once in a while. However, I wouldn't be cruising along and all the sudden through it into a lower gear to slow it down. Within reason it's okay but I wouldn't drop it into 1st or 2nd at like 60 or anything like that.

 

[DC runner]

More to it, I don't think many modern auto transmissions will actually allow you to shift into a gear at an unsafe speed. If it lets you, I think you are good. Hell, most modern manual's won't let you go R to D while moving. My OLD, OLD car... well it would.

I too was once 15.

 

[samdajellybeenie14]

Hmmm... Let me see if I can phrase this less awkwardly. It's kind of hard to explain. Here goes nothing. Yes I agree that there is no such thing as "engine braking gears" because when you shift in "2" or "L", the tranny is just shifting into 2nd or 1st gear. What I am trying to ask is: Is it bad to (bear with me here (not to be patronizing)) take off from 0 mph in "L" and run the engine up to say 3500 rpm, then shift into "2", and so on. Basically, is it bad to engine brake backwards meaning instead of decelerating using "2" or "L", you accelerate while shifting from "L" to "2"? Using the engine braking function of the transmission in a way that simulates paddle shifters? Does that make more sense? Hit me up.

 

[PitbullRescuer]

Your rephrasing didn't help. Not to be patronizing either. If you're asking us if it's bad to start in L and upshift yourself (as opposed to just leaving it in D) the answer is no. It's perfectly fine to do the shifting yourself.

 

[tv4184]

I think he means shifting down from OD to D to 2 to L while slowing down.

 

[awdjunkies]

I think he means shifting down from OD to D to 2 to L while slowing down.

No, I think what he means to say is, can he start from a dead stop and accelerate BUT instead of letting the "Auto" tranny do the gear shifting/searching while in "D", shift from(From a dead stop) L, to 2, then to D.. Basically he wants to up-shift himself as if it was a manual tranny(Again, from a dead stop).
Which is the same thing PitbullRescuer explains...

 

[tv4184]

Oops I thought he was saying both ways.

 

[DC runner]

Yea. It isn't hurting anything as long as your are not over revv'ing the engine. Keeping it in L and revving to 5k before you shift is bad for your engine. If he is waiting till 3k, then he is burning more gas, but isn't really hurting anyone.

But the phrasing "engine braking" is still inaccurate, as in this instance; it is the transmission gear being used that is limiting the speed. You are not "engine braking" if the engine isn't the one limiting the speed of the vehicle.

 

[theizzardking]

just let the tranny do it's job, if you want to hold rev's for a better launch off the line just use the o/d switch and let that take care of holding a higher rev through the range, i would suggest it is bad to run up through the gears from a dead stop, to much of a chance of over rev'ing and shifting at a inopportune time, and to be honest i think the trans will shift quicker then you can move the the lever from 1st-2nd anyways.....

manually shifting is great for 4wd and going slow controlling the vehicle, but using it the way described ..while there's nothing inherently wrong with it , i would personally not feel to great about doing that with my transmission...personally...lol

on the other hand do what you want, there shouldn't be any issues if you do it right, i'm just more worried about what if you do it wrong, what happens then ? you know?

 

[brian2sun]

You'll wear out the shifter mechanism itself faster, but the tranny and motor will be fine. Just don't over-rev. I manually shift my runner a lot living in the mtns.