Braking, but what?

The question posed in the title of this article will surely seem meaningless to many motorists. After all, it is known that the brakes are used to slow down. However, should they always be used? It turns out that you can slow down without pressing the brake pedal, gradually losing speed with the help of the drive. The latter method, however, is the subject of much controversy. As usual in such cases, the arguments for the economy of such driving techniques and the belief that they are harmful to the mechanical system of the car clash.

What convince enthusiasts?

Proponents of engine braking (or engine braking in gear), as it is a short term used for a method of deceleration without the use of brake pads and discs, make a number of arguments in favor of its use. One of them is reduced fuel consumption - in their opinion, this consumes less fuel than with traditional use of the brakes. Limiting the use of the latter also results in savings in wear on the brake pads and hence the discs. We don't overheat them with engine braking. which prolongs the life of the brake discs. Proponents of such a slowdown also mention two methods of braking: when driving on a straight road and when driving downhill. In the first case, you should slow down without sharply removing your foot from the accelerator pedal, and in the second case, go down with the gear engaged - just like when going uphill.

What are the opponents warning against?

Engine braking, according to supporters of the traditional use of the braking system, only brings harm. They argue that the unnatural operation of the engine, opposite to the movement of the wheels of the car, negatively affects the operation of the lubrication and cooling systems of the car. In addition, braking using the power unit is harmful to the engine units. In particular, we are talking about the possibility of faster failure of the fuel pump. Opponents of engine braking argue that the brake pedal should always be used - that is, both when driving on a straight road and when driving downhill. In the first case, we brake in the gear in which we are moving. However, when going downhill, before going uphill, downshift to one gear and then move out in that gear, using the brake pedal to slow down.

Hybrids means no theme

Supporters and opponents of engine braking put up ... the so-called. hybrid cars. With the advent of cars equipped with both internal combustion engines and an electric motor, this dispute has become completely groundless (see photo). In hybrid vehicles, the batteries in the electric motors must be constantly charged. This is done using the kinetic energy generated during braking. So they just need to press the brake pedal - the more often, the better for the battery.

Forgotten "free move"

Today, only the oldest car enthusiasts remember that the mechanical systems of some car models were designed in such a way that they made it possible to brake without pressing the brake pedal. So it was, for example, in the "Wartburgs" and "Trabants" (to whom else do the names of these models say something?), Equipped with two-stroke engines. How it works? The so-called free wheel. After removing the foot from the accelerator pedal, the latter disconnected the engine from the drive system, and after adding the throttle again, turned it on again. So engine braking is nothing new, and the debate about its use is sure to continue for a long time to come...