Anyone else out there with a 6 speed manual who agrees that the engine braking abilities in 2WD on paved roads going down a grade are intermittient and almost non-existient?

I will put my money on the fact that there is NO throttle cable.

I want to hear what others have to say ! !

 

i dont know about you... but if my engine was good at breaking... i would be pissed!

 

Definitely agree, and you're right on the no throttle cable too, it's call fly-by-wire and its all electronic... takes some getting used to, but there's no turning back now

 

I hava a manual and am not impressed with the engine braking either. You have to downshift BIG to get any real braking out of it. Just like how it doesnt make a whole lot of pulling power until around 2500+, it doesnt make alot of slowing power until 2500+ and even then its lacking. I got the 'stop' option from Mopar though, to help out with that - got discs at all 4 corners!!

 

I really hadn't noticed a problem, but I do have the 4.10 gears. And I live in Oklahoma. What's a grade?

Regardless, wouldn't this be expected for a low compression engine that is typical of today's technology (lower compression engines have fewer pollutants)?

 

I know what you mean and I agree with the above posts regarding the low comp motor not having enough umph to create much engine braking especially at low RPM.

 

A friend of mine who painted my 10th Anniversary Edition Trans Am, and who rebuilds Trans Ams and their motors as a hobby, once told me: "Brakes are designed for braking. Engines are not designed for braking. Don't use the engine to brake; use the brakes."

He went on to explain that every motor from a manual transmission vehicle that he'd rebuilt had significant, unrecoverable damage from engine braking--not enough to make the motor unusable, but making them unsuitable for blue-printing. He no longer will rebuild motors from manual transmission vehicles, though he himself prefers to drive them. But he never uses engine braking to slow down for a turn. Only to maintain a safe speed on a steep downhill.

I've followed his advice and have found, that in concert with Jackie Stewart's advice to complete all braking before entering a turn, that I can proceed much faster, and more in control through turns by using the brakes before the turn, and the accelerator in and after the turn.

 

I hate engine braking, it seems really hard on the engine.

Breaks are also a lot cheaper.

 

I wonder if the trucking industry know this?
Sorry, but I guess it depends on how hard you engine brake and motor toughness, maybe it's a Transam weakness, I've never heard of any engine builder before knocking back manual motors due to unrecoverable engine braking damage.
If that many manual transmission Transams are stuffed so badly then I'd say it's an engine defecr with all manuals, as I doubt that many Transam drivers do heavy compression braking.

 

You must not live around mountains.

Compression breaking while descending a long hill is preferred to using your breaks. In fact if you use your breaks all the way down, they may get too hot to stop you when you really need them. I have noticed that I have to downshift 2 gears to get any appreciable breaking.