Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) 60 lb Exhaust Springs

[Grinder1]

sstefanini, do you know if you had the 60# Ex valve springs installed? From what I'm hearing they make all the difference. You might consider installing the mystery switch (very inexpensive) before yanking the exhaust brake. There's too much braking HP loss through the converter unless it's locked.

 

[Joseph Donnelly]

As a rule of thumb, the brake won't be more than 70% as effective with stock 35 psi springs as with 60 psi springs. The numerical rating relates to the psi of back pressure they will resist, holding the valves closed. The easiest to use valve spring tool is the KD 3271 with a screw and bracket that fits the valve retainer, and two hooks that fit onto valve spring coils. The knob that you turn is plastic and pops off so you can use a short ratchet and socket where that works better than the handle.

 

[JKosten]

The knob that you turn is plastic and pops off so you can use a short ratchet and socket where that works better than the handle.

Exactly. Don't trust the plastic knob part.



How well would this work? It was not available when I swapped my springs.



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TORK TOOL 12-VALVE SPRING COMPRESSOR



Valve spring compressor for 12-valve Cummins diesel engines-Geno's Garage

 

[sstefanini]

sstefanini, do you know if you had the 60# Ex valve springs installed? From what I'm hearing they make all the difference. You might consider installing the mystery switch (very inexpensive) before yanking the exhaust brake. There's too much braking HP loss through the converter unless it's locked.

Yes, the brake was installed with the 60# springs according to the PO and the paperwork that came with the truck. I've been playing with the brake since I got the truck and use it primarily as a commuter vehicle for now. It seems like downshifting into a lower gear and use of the service brakes will be enough for what we will encounter once we do buy another 5th wheel.

 

[HBarlow]

Yes, the brake was installed with the 60# springs according to the PO and the paperwork that came with the truck. I've been playing with the brake since I got the truck and use it primarily as a commuter vehicle for now. It seems like downshifting into a lower gear and use of the service brakes will be enough for what we will encounter once we do buy another 5th wheel.

Your truck probably has 3. 54 gears which will not provide a lot of exhaust braking unless you downshift manually. What brand of trailer brake controller do you have?

 

[Grinder1]

Your truck probably has 3. 54 gears which will not provide a lot of exhaust braking unless you downshift manually. What brand of trailer brake controller do you have?

First, I want to thank all my fellow TDR Gearheads for the great input regarding this 60# thread. Now that we're talking about downshifting, I've got another question. With the TC locked, can you use all gears for exhaust braking? I have the 47RH. I've heard in the past that you can cause trans damage if you use 2nd or 1st locked up. Maybe we should start a new thread on the subject?

 

[HBarlow]

Grinder,

I don't think your 47RE can safely use 1st or 2nd for exhaust braking. It won't lock and will churn the ATF.

My '06 48RE would lock in second gear accelerating under load as well as decelerating and the current Aisin does also.

Its your thread. You can highjack it in any direction you want it to go.

 

[CKelley1]

my thinking on this has always been to sell the 47re for scrap metal and put in a real transmission. the tool joseph donnelly recomended is what we use. the sequence i posted is to have the pistons at top when changing the springs

 

[sstefanini]

Your truck probably has 3. 54 gears which will not provide a lot of exhaust braking unless you downshift manually. What brand of trailer brake controller do you have?

It currently has a Reese which will be swapped for a Tekonsha once we purchase a camper, and yes it does have the 3. 54's. The truck has a rebuilt trans with an upgraded PTC? TC and Suncoast valve body.





Can I hold the truck back in 2nd gear safely with the TC locked up via the switch? I installed one on my old '94 and that made a noticeable engine braking difference, much more than the Pacbrake.

 

[HBarlow]

If I had to guess I would guess that with the lockup switch you could use 2nd gear but will defer to the members who really know Dodge automatic transmissions. I don't really know.

If you want a real brake controller that will provide perfect immediate, matching, modulated trailer brakes to match the truck's brakes buy a MaxBrake. Tekonsha controllers are great for lining shelves or the bottom of a dumpster.

 

[Grinder1]

Grinder,



I don't think your 47RE can safely use 1st or 2nd for exhaust braking. It won't lock and will churn the ATF.



My '06 48RE would lock in second gear accelerating under load as well as decelerating and the current Aisin does also.



Its your thread. You can highjack it in any direction you want it to go.

Harry mines a 47RH, which as Kelly says is probably best for scrap. But I gotta say that it's held up amazingly well. I wish someone would figure out how to put that 6 speed Aisin behind a 12 valve. Geez what an upgrade that would be. I'm gonna highjack this chat to a new topic "Downshifting with converter locked?" Really need some Auto transmission guys to chime in.

 

[HBarlow]

Harry mines a 47RH, which as Kelly says is probably best for scrap. But I gotta say that it's held up amazingly well. I wish someone would figure out how to put that 6 speed Aisin behind a 12 valve. Geez what an upgrade that would be. I'm gonna highjack this chat to a new topic "Downshifting with converter locked?" Really need some Auto transmission guys to chime in.

TDR member GAmes installed a G-56 in a '97 dually recently. He wrote extensive posts and provided good photos of his installation process. Gary is a good backyard mechanic but I think almost all of the parts were OEM scavenged from various sources.

No, you can't downshift with a locked converter.

 

[CKelley1]

the maxbrake controler is the only good one made. it makes the others look like junk toys and is the only safe one on the market

 

[sstefanini]

I'll definitely look into the Maxbrake, Thanks.

 

[JMcCoy]

I have and ATS lock-up commander. It allows me to adjust what speed it locks up, regardless of gear. And yes, it can be down shifted with the converter locked.

 

[Bob4x4]

Downshifting or upshifting for that matter is very stressful on hard parts. The reason why the OEM's do not allow it

 

[ewcmr2]

We're getting off topic on this thread...

The G-56 is a 6 speed manual transmission, the OP is asking about exhaust brakes with automatics transmissions.
Maxbrake is an electric trailer brake controller not an exhaust brake.

 

[HBarlow]

Did someone appoint you thread topic moderator?

 

[Cosmo]

UPDATE TIME!!

Pacbrake's tech support called me today and while we were hashing through things we figured it out. The newer brakes come with 2 tapped ports - one for an egt probe, one for a test port for a pressure gauge.

The one for my truck only has one port. My EGT probe was installed in that port, and the brake butterfly was closing on it. Tonight I pulled my probe out - it's bent about 45 degrees now - and plugged up the hole.

What a difference. When going into warmup mode before I could tell the brake was actuating, but it wasn't really doing much. Now it drops the RPMs significantly when it engages.

Also noted: Before when in 3rd with the brake on, I could drop it down into 2nd and the RPMs stayed high like the TC was locked up. With the brake working properly, the RPMs plummet back close to idle and it's clear that the TC isn't staying locked in 2nd.

 

[Bob4x4]

Sounds like some one rushed through an install and didn't go back and check his work