Jim Felder <felder@KNOLOGY.NET> wrote:
On Sep 6, 2005, at 11:58 AM, Robert Cardo wrote:

> <>
> 5. Use the brakes, not the throttle plate, to slow down the car. Push
> the clutch in when approaching a stop instead of depending on the drag
> of the engine.>>

>
> The minimal fuel savings from free wheeling is nill, and all your going
> to be doing more brake jobs than the fuel savings are going to be .

Done the math on that? You know that you're sucking fuel through the
system when you don't have to. Don't want to do it? Don't . I'm just
telling you what I did to get the improvement I'm getting.
>
> A Real Bad idea.
>
>

Overstating the case.

Jim

>

Yes, there would be a difference if you have a carburated engine - not much, but a little. With fuel injection, the difference drops even lower, and falls into the "limits of data collection noise" zone. Our stock injection set-up has an "idle switch" that tells the ECU that the throttle is closed, and will not inject more than "idling" quantities of fuel - regardless of RPM. So, using the engine compression as braking force is generally an O.K. idea. It does not wear out the way brakes do. Long ago,  VW guru Muir told us about brakes performing a negative function, so try to drive as though you do not have brakes. Not to the point of running into things, but by using the engine as much as practical.

Evan Mac Donald

1984 Wolfburg
1985 GL 7 Pass.
1991 Carat Weekender