Exhaust brake gauge

[JackFate]

Have 2016 3500 tradesmen set to tow/haul & full exhaust brake
When cycling through gauge menu I stopped at the exhaust brake to see what it was reading. As I was going up and down hills the exhaust brake was working as it should but gauge registered nothing?
I never looked at this gauge before while the brake was doing it’s thing .
Not a big deal and probably won’t do anything about it as long as the brake continues to function correctly.
Ideas? Operator error? Maybe a option I don’t have on this truck?

 

[Newsa]

Have 2016 3500 tradesmen set to tow/haul & full exhaust brake
When cycling through gauge menu I stopped at the exhaust brake to see what it was reading. As I was going up and down hills the exhaust brake was working as it should but gauge registered nothing?
I never looked at this gauge before while the brake was doing it’s thing .
Not a big deal and probably won’t do anything about it as long as the brake continues to function correctly.
Ideas? Operator error? Maybe a option I don’t have on this truck?

If It's under warranty, take it in to get it fixed. Might be an electrical issue, sensor issue or physical issue that you want addressed before warranty expires

 

[6V92TA]

maximum exhaust brake effectiveness is at high rpms.
tell ya what to do, lock your truck in 3rd or 4th gear, run it up against the governor and let off the accelerator pedal and see what sort of gage reading you have.

basically coasting unloaded at low RPM there really isn't any measurable exhaust braking.
think of exhaust braking as the inverse function of high boost pressure, but it needs the same factors to have maximum power... ie more load, more rpm more braking.

 

[JackFate]

Ok oddly enough with no trailer hooked up it is registering now. Tomorrow I’m pulling again so will see.

 

[6V92TA]

Jack, I suspect that HP reading the brake gage shows is just something inferred thru some algorithm and as long as you can feel the brake working it shouldn't be a concern.

 

[JackFate]

All good now, I knew the brake was working as it should. Just that at the first time I actually looked at the gauge it wasn’t registering and the brake was really doing it’s thing at the time. Just one of them computer glitches
Cheers

 

[Wiredawg]

6V92A, Ref your comment about "...run it up against the governor and let off the accelerator pedal...", isn't the governor electronic to prevent addition fueling at set RPMs and not mechanical that prevents over speeding RPMs? The reason I ask on my last trip out with my 5500 and 5th wheel at ~33K Lbs, I had to hit the brakes a few times while descending 10% grade to keep the engine from exceeding 3K RPMs. Just reconfirming the need to prevent over speeding the engine while using the EB. I've done this on previous 2009 4500 EB and aftermarket BD EB on my 2002 3500. Is this your practice too? Thanks, Ron

 

[SnoKing]

6V92A, Ref your comment about "...run it up against the governor and let off the accelerator pedal...", isn't the governor electronic to prevent addition fueling at set RPMs and not mechanical that prevents over speeding RPMs? The reason I ask on my last trip out with my 5500 and 5th wheel at ~33K Lbs, I had to hit the brakes a few times while descending 10% grade to keep the engine from exceeding 3K RPMs. Just reconfirming the need to prevent over speeding the engine while using the EB. I've done this on previous 2009 4500 EB and aftermarket BD EB on my 2002 3500. Is this your practice too? Thanks, Ron

He(6V92TA) is gone from the forum!

You need to select a lower gear going down hills at slower speeds, to keep RPMs in order. This takes planning at the top of the hill.

 

[Wiredawg]

SnoKing, copy, topping hill 40-45 MPH, dropping to 3rd or 2nd going downhill , engine will speed up to redline. I just hit the brakes pretty hard to slow down the engine, the vehicle speed is slow.

 

[Wiredawg]

Interesting YouTube video of trucker weighing 80K Lbs with an auto using the same technique of letting engine brake hold the truck until it gets near the redline, then talks about firmly using brakes about 3 seconds, then going through the cycle over and over until past the grade. He also spoke of not going to fast cresting the hill. But us seasoned RVers know this, with 19 years of towing heavy 5th wheels with the might Cummins. One of the points I was making is not over speeding the engine going down hill, because the governor has no affect on controlling the RPMs on it.

 

[SnoKing]

Interesting YouTube video of trucker weighing 80K Lbs with an auto using the same technique of letting engine brake hold the truck until it gets near the redline, then talks about firmly using brakes about 3 seconds, then going through the cycle over and over until past the grade. He also spoke of not going to fast cresting the hill. But us seasoned RVers know this, with 19 years of towing heavy 5th wheels with the might Cummins. One of the points I was making is not over speeding the engine going down hill, because the governor has no affect on controlling the RPMs on it.

The lower the gear, the more effect the EB has on hold down speed. Kind of the reverse of starting a load moving. So if you are having to brake with the service brakes, then going slower in one or two gears lower, then you may not have to use the service brakes.

 

[NIsaacs]

6V92A, Ref your comment about "...run it up against the governor and let off the accelerator pedal...", isn't the governor electronic to prevent addition fueling at set RPMs and not mechanical that prevents over speeding RPMs? Thanks, Ron

He was talking about accelerating to red line to test the exhaust brake, not decelerating to red line.

10% down grade with 33k is a serious hill with an auto. Will the exhaust brake work in first? 2nd gear (2.00) x 4.88 x 33" tire @ 3k rpm is 30 mph. This is where the 4500/5500 shines, those big brakes are on there to use.

 

[Wiredawg]

Yep, and kind of to the point, I've had to use service brakes in conjunction with EB to keep from over revving the engine. My EB works great, but on long step grades, I need to step on the brakes a few times. I do run it right to 3K RPM and does work well. On the C&Cs, if you have it on when you shut down, it's on when you start up. I use mine always. Saves brakes and keep VGT moving.

 

[Cummins12V98]

Use cruise control when descending steep grades.

 

[Wiredawg]

Cruise control on mine works better climbing, but I tend to like going a bit slower going down hill on steeper grades. I found the auto setting on the smart brake actually let's me gain 5 to 8 mph on moderate grades. I generally follow 18 wheeler speed limits on steep grades, usually 25 mph since I weigh almost 33K lbs. I'm pretty cautious and conservative about running steep grades... old saying: easier to stay out of trouble than to get out of trouble.