Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) 2001 jake brake maintenance

[Cowboy7]

I just purchased a 2001 Dodge Ram 4x2 6 speed with a Jake Brake. Is there any maintenance I should perform on the Jake Brake?

 

[ScottLewis]

Regular use, occasional lube of linkage w/ Hi Temp lube, and periodic cleaning of the vacuum valve.

 

[KATOOM]

I just purchased a 2001 Dodge Ram 4x2 6 speed with a Jake Brake. Is there any maintenance I should perform on the Jake Brake?

Just for clarification, there are no "Jake Brakes" for the 5.9. The company "Jacobs" offered an exhaust brake for the 5.9 at the dealer but these are exhaust brakes and not engine brakes. Totally different. Not that it makes a difference in the thread but merely passing along information you may or may not care about.....

As for yours, congratulations on the purchase. There are various exhaust brake manufactures out there so you could have any one of them. The Jacobs version was operated by a vacuum on / spring off type configuration. Other brands were operated by either vacuum on / vacuum off, or pressure on / pressure off with the addition of an on board air compressor.

To make sure exhaust brakes remain reliable you need to use them often so the linkage doesnt corrode up, the pod functions, and carbon doesnt build up around the butterfly valve. At least every time the engine is run they should be cycled once or twice. But you'll probably find that the exhaust brake is a fantastic tool for braking and use it all the time no matter if your towing or not. This will result in the service brakes lasting a looooong time too.

 

[Cowboy7]

Thanks for the replies and the good info!

 

[SAndreasen]

Just for clarification, there are no "Jake Brakes" for the 5.9. The company "Jacobs" offered an exhaust brake for the 5.9 at the dealer but these are exhaust brakes and not engine brakes. Totally different. Not that it makes a difference in the thread but merely passing along information you may or may not care about.....

As for yours, congratulations on the purchase. There are various exhaust brake manufactures out there so you could have any one of them. The Jacobs version was operated by a vacuum on / spring off type configuration. Other brands were operated by either vacuum on / vacuum off, or pressure on / pressure off with the addition of an on board air compressor.

To make sure exhaust brakes remain reliable you need to use them often so the linkage doesnt corrode up, the pod functions, and carbon doesnt build up around the butterfly valve. At least every time the engine is run they should be cycled once or twice. But you'll probably find that the exhaust brake is a fantastic tool for braking and use it all the time no matter if your towing or not. This will result in the service brakes lasting a looooong time too.

Actually the 5.9 used some in some articulated dump trucks do have a Jake not sure if it's factory or something the dump truck manufacturer added

 

[KATOOM]

There isnt enough room under the hood for an engine brake on these trucks. The extra head would cause the top of the engine to hit the hood/firewall. The 6.7's have the LoadLeash though and I understand its pretty cool.

 

[ScottLewis]

Jacobs made the exhaust brake approved for installation on our trucks. They even provided a plate that says "JAKE" to apply as a fender identification. The term Jake brake was traditionally used to identify engine brakes but Jacobs has discouraged that usage, even asking that those who see a sign that says "no Jake brakes" to contact them so they could inform those places to desist that practice. In their installation and owners manual's, Jacobs calls their exhaust brake a "Jake". That's good enough for me to refer to them as a Jake" also, signifying the brand, not necessarily the type of brake.

 

[KATOOM]

Actually Cummins owns Jacobs Vehicle System so the EB for these engines is not just approved for the Dodge but simply a 5.9 application throughout. And because Cummins and Jacobs are one in the same, Dodge would install the EB on the Dodge truck at the dealer upon delivery as an option. Although it was not an "OEM" item..... Jacobs doesnt even call it a Jake Brake on their website but rather differentiates their "exhaust brakes" and "compression release brakes".

And the reason Jacobs doesnt want the term "Jake brake" used on signs and stickers is because its a proprietary trademarked word and the use of it by anyone other than Cummins/Jacobs is wrong. The term Jake Brake originated about some 50 years ago as people nicknamed the engine braking system, but since then society has continued to coin the phrase "Jake Brake" which has stuck around incorrectly like Tissue Paper or Jet Ski's. So all those road signs and non Cummins/Jabocs stickers are infringing on copywrites. Yes, there was a green "Jake Brake" sticker you referred too which the Dodge dealer could stick on the truck, but again this was something Cummins/Jacobs came up with as its their own trademark product so they can do what they want. Doesnt mean its an actual Jacobs engine brake but merely stating that its a Jacobs product.

I'm not trying to stop you from calling it whatever you like but just letting you know that the term "Jake" brake is not for an exhaust brake and if you go anywhere looking for parts or questions about your "Jake Brake" they're either going to correct you or ask you what brand Jake Brake you have. Because they wont just assume that you're referring to the Jacobs model as there's many versions of the exhaust brake out there for the 5.9.

 

[BSeyler]

Actually Cummins owns Jacobs Vehicle System so the EB for these engines is not just approved for the Dodge but simply a 5.9 application throughout. And because Cummins and Jacobs are one in the same, Dodge would install the EB on the Dodge truck at the dealer upon delivery as an option. Although it was not an "OEM" item..... Jacobs doesnt even call it a Jake Brake on their website but rather differentiates their "exhaust brakes" and "compression release brakes".

And the reason Jacobs doesnt want the term "Jake brake" used on signs and stickers is because its a proprietary trademarked word and the use of it by anyone other than Cummins/Jacobs is wrong. The term Jake Brake originated about some 50 years ago as people nicknamed the engine braking system, but since then society has continued to coin the phrase "Jake Brake" which has stuck around incorrectly like Tissue Paper or Jet Ski's. So all those road signs and non Cummins/Jabocs stickers are infringing on copywrites. Yes, there was a green "Jake Brake" sticker you referred too which the Dodge dealer could stick on the truck, but again this was something Cummins/Jacobs came up with as its their own trademark product so they can do what they want. Doesnt mean its an actual Jacobs engine brake but merely stating that its a Jacobs product.

I'm not trying to stop you from calling it whatever you like but just letting you know that the term "Jake" brake is not for an exhaust brake and if you go anywhere looking for parts or questions about your "Jake Brake" they're either going to correct you or ask you what brand Jake Brake you have. Because they wont just assume that you're referring to the Jacobs model as there's many versions of the exhaust brake out there for the 5.9.

Cummins is a customer. Danaher is the parent company of Jacobs:

http://www.jacobsvehiclesystems.com/news/new-website-marks-jacobs-vehicle-systems-50th-anniversary/

 

[SAndreasen]

There isnt enough room under the hood for an engine brake on these trucks. The extra head would cause the top of the engine to hit the hood/firewall. The 6.7's have the LoadLeash though and I understand its pretty cool.

Wouldn't it be something I'f we could have a real Jake in a pickup

 

[KATOOM]

Cummins is a customer. Danaher is the parent company of Jacobs:

http://www.jacobsvehiclesystems.com/news/new-website-marks-jacobs-vehicle-systems-50th-anniversary/

Cummins is a division of Jacobs. http://www.jacobsvehiclesystems.com/about-us/history/

Wouldn't it be something I'f we could have a real Jake in a pickup

You can but its currently only available on the Dodge Cummins 6.7. Pacbrake makes a product called the Loadleash which is an engine brake.

 

[BSeyler]

Cummins is a division of Jacobs. http://www.jacobsvehiclesystems.com/about-us/history/

Cummins is wholly owned by Cummins - NYSE: CMI

Jacobs is a wholly owned subsidiary of Danaher Corporation - NYSE: DHR

Clessie Cummins went to Cummins with his idea first and they rejected it. "As a result of prior contractual arrangement, Clessie was obligated to show his ideas first to Cummins Engine Company. The novelty of the idea, which broke into untried mechanical areas, plus the uncertainty of its commercial merit caused it to be rejected by Cummins Engine Company." He took his idea to Jacobs Manufacturing and "In April of 1960, Jacobs Mfg. Company made the decision to establish its new Clessie L. Cummins Division, (now named Jacobs Vehicle Systems) for the manufacture of the engine brake."

It's all there in the link you provided. Cummins does not own Jacobs. Jacobs does not own Cummins. Neither does Ford. :-laf

 

[KATOOM]

It seems I was mistaken all these years.....

You're correct because from what I've found out through additional research, I understand that Clessie Cummins invented the engine brake but in 1959 Cummins sold his patent to the Jacobs Manufacturing Company who then commercialized the product and started selling it in 1961. Apparently there was a marriage between Cummins and Jacobs which had a lot to do with the original partnership. There's even books about Cummins and the engine brake and the whole Cummins/Jacobs relationship.

There was even a time where other engineers tried desperately to come up with another type of braking system to compete with the compression release design.....but nothing. Amazing as it became, it seemed Clessie had created the best design in his garage.

And digging into who owns Cummins is another crazy rabbit hole. It seems that throughout the years there was a very large number of mergers and partnerships and takeovers involving Cummins and many other companies. Even Ford who, yes, did own some of Cummins at on point in time but sold their portion not long after. If I remember right from everything I was reading, Cummins owns about 75% of the interest in all the trucks and engines on the road.

Good discussion though.....

 

[mwilson]

Wouldn't it be something I'f we could have a real Jake in a pickup

Not so much, locking up the drive tires every time you switched it on would get old real fast. Too powerful for a light vehicle.