Since the Preludes are no longer made, what is the equivalent?

As far as downshifting to let your engine slow the car, I would normally say
don't. Only time I would do it is if I'm going down a long steep hill, and
wanted to use the engine to slow it a bit. Either that or in an emergency.
Otherwise it's a matter of cost. Cheaper to throw on new brake pads than
replacing a clutch.

My .03 cents (penny added due to inflation).
-Dave

 

When the car is moving, you should always be in gear with the clutch out,
finally dipping the clutch as you come to a standstill. Whether you use
the gear to slow you down or not is a choice. If you coast, either in
neutral or with the clutch in, for a distance more than the length of the
car, it would fail you a driving test in any test worth the name... because
it's considered a dangerous practice.

Personally I use the gear to slow down somewhat - IOW I don't rev the thing
up to near red line on the way down the box but it is good driving practice
to always be in a gear such that you could re-accelerate smoothly from
slowing down, without having to go select a gear.

Rgds, George Macdonald

"Just because they're paranoid doesn't mean you're not psychotic" - Who, me??

 

The main benefit of engine braking is not about saving brake wear, it's about cooling the pistons and rings.
High vacuum developed during engine braking draws more oil pass the rings. This cool and clean the rings and
piston. One drawback is that you have to add a bit of oil between oil change.

LovingPerson wrote:
The other thing is about slowing down: I currently don't

 

Hmmm. Never heard this before but it sounds plausible. In the
automotive area it is always hard for amateurs to determine which
theories have just been hypothesized and which have been proven
through actual research.

The argument about clutches being more expensive than brake pads is
not really valid IMO. You should be double clutching or at least
matching the revs in neutral when you downshift. Done properly, there
should be virtually no wear on the clutch. Then you are using engine
compression to slow the car. Unlike brake pads, engine compression is
virtually free - or even saves money if you are right about its
benefits for the rings.

 

Heheh:

"Just because you are a paranoid doesn't mean that there isn't there
someone following you."

Think about that!



No. Seriously, thanks for the gearing thing. I always felt that
if need be, I can throw the car in gear from neutral in a split
second.

In CA, there is a stretch of the 405 freeway that has a nice down
hill coming out of the Molholland drive/ventura area. When I used to
drive my automatic corrolla, I would always pop it in neutral and
coast down that hill. It was such a steep hill that the car would hit
80 mph just from coasting. I was always on the ready to pop it into
drive if I needed it.

You are correct in one sense: whenever I did the coasting thing, I
never felt comfortable to pass other cars. I tend to stay in my lane
and not move from lane to lane. So, in that sense, maybe you are
right. If something up ahead happened and I needed to jam out of the
present lane, I may need the engine to pull me.

The reason I never passed other cars while I did the coasting thing
is that intuitively, I just didn't feel right. I feel that to pass a
car, you need the engine to pull you.

Thanks for your input. I will be more conscientious about the
gearing. I do need to continue to work on being a safe driver.

sincerely, Loving Perosn.

 

I remember way back<sigh>, VW used to advise, for the air-cooled engines,
that when cruising for long periods at highway speeds (cruising speed was
pretty close to top speed), that it was good to lift slightly off the
throttle from time to time to allow better lubrication of the rings and
valves. This was not especially a break-in advice.

Rgds, George Macdonald

"Just because they're paranoid doesn't mean you're not psychotic" - Who, me??

 

Abuse! Difficult to quantify. Hondas can be routinely driven to redline
with no problems, but that does not mean every stop light. Running the revs
up to 4000 rpm and dropping the clutch on take-off is not a good idea as a
rule around town, for example. Hard on tires, clutches and transmissions.
Slamming on brakes (unless and emergency) also hard on the car. Drive
sanely, but have fun with the car -- run it up and take it around the curves
at speed. That's what its for. Keep the maintenance up as well. If you
are in 5th at 3500, you probably ought to downshift to use your power more
effectively. Downshift smoothly -- rev the engine to ensure a smooth
transition. Always make sure you are in the right gear before you go into a
corner -- bad idea to be in 5th at 20 mph when you ought to be in 2nd. Don't
try to beat the synchros...... etc. etc. I routinely shift mine at around
4500 to 5,000 around town. When I want some acceleration -- I run it to 6
plus. Getting on the freeway -- go for 7k or so. I shift by ear and feel,
but keep a corner of my eye on the tach. Good luck

 

Not to be argumentative, but my experience has been that the cost on
replacing break pads is similar to replacing a clutch. But, if you are
using only breaks to stop, it might be more than the pads you are replacing,
in which case the clutch can be a cheap replacement..

That said, the wear on a clutch in downshifting is less than the wear on
breaks by using only the breaks. My 'authority' on the subject would be the
boys on Car Talk who say you should always down-shift, but especially if it
is any distance. Braking long distances can overheat the breaks and cause
them to wear down extremely quickly, or in rare circumstances, fail
entirely. If you consider them experts, then you should consider
down-shifting.

Note that automatic transmissions always down-shift, they do not go into
neutral when you hit the breaks. They use the engine to slow down the
vehicle as well as the breaks. Manual transmissions should do the same.

--Monty

 

Why I used "break" instead of "brake" is beyond me.. Clearly I need a
break.

--Monty

 

Hmm.... I didn't hear that one. I normally replace the pads myself using
Honda pads so no labor costs involved. However, when I had my clutch
replaced several years ago it was $$$$.... New clutch with labor on a FWD
is not normally cheap - then you need the alignment afterwards.

When stopping I usually let the engine slow the car *without* downshifting,
and then using the brakes. IOW, if I'm going 60 and come upon much slower
traffic ahead, I'll normally ease off of the gas but keep it in gear. Once
I'm upon the traffic I'll use my brakes if needed, and *then* downshift to
the appropriate gear.

You're right about braking long distances. On the other hand, wouldn't
jamming on the brakes at the last second also cause premature wear?

Another thing I've always wondered - why do some people like to constantly
tap the brakes when going *uphill* - with no cars in front of them and no
one tailing them????

-Dave