i was just wondering what exactly can happen from letting off the gas("engine breaking") as i call it, at high rpms. high being around 5-7k. i've heard of people blowing seals and things, but can anyone explain what exactly is happening when that's done. i have an idea of it, but don't really know the details. how hard is it to mess something up by doing this? and what would be the symptoms of whatever it is that would result from high rmp throttle release? i'm just kinda curious, cuz i did this at about 6k in second gear today, and nothing happened that would make me think anything got messed up, but it just didn't feel like it was too good for the engine.

i always 'engine brake' and often starting at like 4K-4.5K but nothing higher.. i've never heard of problems from doing this.. UNLESS you accidently over-rev your motor when you do a downshift like that from too high of a speed into too low of a gear.

yeah i always engine break too, but like you said, nothing usually over 4kish. i've just heard that bad things can happen from doing it at very high rpm, and i think i remember reading about someone on here that tried to let off and punch the throttle at high rpm's and blew a seal or gasket or something.

yeah, and also your engine looses it's 'breaking' capabilities at high rpms.. so there is no point at all of engine breaking in the high rpms.

I do it all the time autocrossing. I don't do it for the breaking effect though. I have to wind second gear up over 5K all the time, keep it at that rev, go higher, hit the brakes, then back on the gas up to whatever again. I don't push the clutch in - no time for that, plus it upsets the balance when you put it back in gear unless you are really quick and accurate with heal-toe shifting.

The motor is not winding down on its own from say 7K to idle. It's usually just for a few thousand RPM. I haven't destroyed anything ... yet :\