W. K. Lis
Superstar
I seen these signs on highways and wondered what are they talking about?
Avoid Engine Brakes
Essentially, engine braking is when you down shift the transmission in order to slow down your vehicle. For example, you’re going down a road in fifth gear, you see a red light ahead and instead of slowing your car by using the breaks, you down shift into third gear.
While down shifting is an easy way to take it easy on your brakes, it’s also a great way to needlessly waste gas.
Anytime your engine revs and the RPMs increase (which is what happens when you down shift), you will use more gas than you would at the same speed but in a higher gear (lower RPMs).
So, instead of using your engine to brake go ahead and ease on to your brake pedal and smoothly come to a stop.
In trucks, it's something more. Check this out.
Turns out that on trucks it could go out of control, if used improperly. An engine brake is designed to assist the service brakes in controlling the speed of a loaded tractor trailer as it descends a steep grade, and should be used only for this purpose.
Apparently, the signs are for the trucks not to use their engine brakes, especially if there is a curve ahead and they have to slow down.
Avoid Engine Brakes
Essentially, engine braking is when you down shift the transmission in order to slow down your vehicle. For example, you’re going down a road in fifth gear, you see a red light ahead and instead of slowing your car by using the breaks, you down shift into third gear.
While down shifting is an easy way to take it easy on your brakes, it’s also a great way to needlessly waste gas.
Anytime your engine revs and the RPMs increase (which is what happens when you down shift), you will use more gas than you would at the same speed but in a higher gear (lower RPMs).
So, instead of using your engine to brake go ahead and ease on to your brake pedal and smoothly come to a stop.
In trucks, it's something more. Check this out.
Turns out that on trucks it could go out of control, if used improperly. An engine brake is designed to assist the service brakes in controlling the speed of a loaded tractor trailer as it descends a steep grade, and should be used only for this purpose.
Apparently, the signs are for the trucks not to use their engine brakes, especially if there is a curve ahead and they have to slow down.