I'm almost embarrassed to ask this, but...

What is engine braking? From what I have read, it seems to me that it means when you take your engine to redline and then put it into neutral and let the RPMs fall back to normal coasting.... am I right or wrong?

Also, is it harmful to the engine to do this?

 

engine braking is when you leave the transmission in gear and let off the gas, usually done at a high rpm. as the engine revs drop down to idle it will slow down the car as well. this is really helpful when on the track or autocrossing when you get good a heel-toeing and rev matching when you downshift. if you master this technique, you can stop or slow down using the brakes and the engine, which greatly reduces stopping distances when done properly.

 

try it when you come up to a stop light down shift and feel it slow down