How To Drive A Motorcar
A Key To The Subtleties Of Motoring

GEAR-CHANGING FOR BRAKING good speed, and suddenly encounters what looks as if it is going to be a very steep and treacherous hill, it is quite a good thing to use the engine as a braking medium. The worse the hill, the lower tbe gear which should be engaged. If it is thought that the third, speed will be sufficient check to the momentum of the car, then the engine should be quickly accelerated with the gear lever in the neutral and the third speed en- gaged. If the hill is a very bad one and it is deemed necessary to engage the second then greater accelera- tion is necessary in the neutral position in order to do so. Similarly with the low gear, though none but an expert driver should try to engage the low gear from tbe top without slowing down considerably. On the vast majority of cars the low gear will act as a sufficient brake for practically any hill encountered in ordinary toui’ing work. The throttle is, of course, left closed if one wishes to save petrol, and the spark may be switched off if desired so as to cool the engine. On the other hand, if the rings are not a very good fit, then driving the engine by the momentum of the car down a hill with the throttle closed may have the effect of drawing oil past the rings on to the top of the piston owing to the partial vacuum, if the switch is turned off for the descent. Care must be taken when switching on again so as not to jar the driving mechanism ; in fact, it is preferable just to declutch as one makes the electrical contact. There are pros and cons to the question of using the engine as a brake, but from an all-round standpoint the writer would advocate its adoption in any case where there is a bad hill to be encountered, and where there is the faintest shadow of doubt as to the brakes ; otherwise the practice would, only receive sanction. 103