# Tom and Ray vs. the Oracles **URL:** \ **Category:** The Show\ **Created:** [July 5, 2010, 5:25am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tom-and-ray-vs-the-oracles/51314 "2010-07-05T05:25:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ZombieWoof](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/91b2a8/32.png) [@ZombieWoof](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ZombieWoof)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2010, 5:25am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tom-and-ray-vs-the-oracles/51314/1 "2010-07-05T05:25:31Z")
Once again, Tom & Ray have contradicted the oracles of this board, just like last week when they totally didn’t think the timing thingy was important in a car with \>100K miles… This week, in Segment 2, they recommended using engine breaking on a long decline rather than riding the brakes. The oracles would say “but brakes are cheaper than transmissions!” Tom & Ray said “If you stand on your brakes too long the brake fluid may boil and then you won’t have any brakes at all.” I always knew I was right. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2010, 2:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tom-and-ray-vs-the-oracles/51314/2 "2010-07-05T14:05:24Z")
Nobody here has said to use brakes for a long descent. Downshifting to an appropriate gear to hold the desired speed is always recommended. The recommendation against downshifting is for when rolling up to a stop light. ---
**Author:** ![Wes\_Sprinkle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Wes\_Sprinkle](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Wes_Sprinkle)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2010, 9:19pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tom-and-ray-vs-the-oracles/51314/3 "2010-07-05T21:19:52Z")
How do you define oracle? Someone who posts frequently, perhaps? If you include the quality of advice in your definition I don’t really understand your observation. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2010, 10:49pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tom-and-ray-vs-the-oracles/51314/4 "2010-07-05T22:49:50Z")
“they recommended using engine breaking on a long decline” Whether it was on a long decline, or a short decline, or a level roadway, I rather doubt that Tom & Ray suggested that someone break his/her engine. However, if this is what you believe that they recommended, I am not about to try to disabuse you of this notion. Specifically, in regard to this issue, most of the regulars on this board–me included–have consistently recommended downshifting the transmission on long downgrades in order to prevent overheating of the brakes and the brake fluid. ---
**Author:** ![waterboy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/waterboy/32/764_2.png) [@waterboy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/waterboy)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 12:07am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tom-and-ray-vs-the-oracles/51314/5 "2010-07-06T00:07:55Z")
What is a timing thingy? ---
**Author:** ![hallkbrdz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/46a35a/32.png) [@hallkbrdz](https://community.cartalk.com/u/hallkbrdz)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2010, 2:31pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tom-and-ray-vs-the-oracles/51314/6 "2010-07-10T14:31:57Z")
Once again, Tom & Ray have contradicted the oracles of this board, just like last week when they totally didn’t think the timing thingy was important in a car with \>100K miles… It’s not. Computers control the timing, but you will need Oxygen sensors around 100K. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2010, 2:52pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tom-and-ray-vs-the-oracles/51314/7 "2010-07-10T14:52:59Z")
Once you become more familiar with the posts written by the OP (Zombie Woof), you will realize that he/she refers to timing belts and/or timing chains as “the timing thingy”. He/she has frequently questioned the advice of veterans of this board, relating to proactive timing belt replacement. ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2010, 7:13pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/tom-and-ray-vs-the-oracles/51314/8 "2010-07-10T19:13:38Z")
Gosh, is that why there’s a D2 and D3 in my transmission thingy?