BD brake killing engine?

[red1ton]

Went camping last weekend. I was backing into the camp site, with the brake ON, and I noticed that the engine almost died each time I hit the trottle to back up the rig. It stopped when I turned off the brake. Since I was near 0 mph, the brake was not active. Has anyone seen this with the BD brake?

 

[TowPro]

I have the BD, but a Manual. With the Auto, I bet you have to push the go pedal before it will move with a camper behind it. As soon as you push the pedal the brake should go off. I don't think the engine will stall if you had the switch out of adjustment and the brake stayed on with a little throtal. I have read of guys using the (insert brand here that sticks at times) where they had it stick on going down the highway. From what I read the engine did not run to well, but it still tried to move the truck.



When I get to a campsite, the brake is shut off before I start into the campground (slow speed limit, and the brake makes more noise) plus it allowes the exhaust side to cool off while I drive through the campground, and park my RV. My gole is to have my camper parked, and diesel shut off as soon as possable. Even though I love the sound of a Cummins, most other campers don't. (especialy if its late at night)

Originally posted by red1ton

Went camping last weekend. I was backing into the camp site, with the brake ON, and I noticed that the engine almost died each time I hit the trottle to back up the rig. It stopped when I turned off the brake. Since I was near 0 mph, the brake was not active. Has anyone seen this with the BD brake?

 

[Extreme1]

Re: Re: BD brake killing engine?

Originally posted by TowPro

Even though I love the sound of a Cummins, most other campers don't.

At a get together at Goerend's earlier this year, about 8 of us pulled into the campground and stopped in the same area (trucks running) for about 2 minutes. I wasn't too late but MAN, 8 at once is LOUD! Sounded like a truck stop!

 

[BC]

Red1ton, I have a BD exhaust and pull my 5er regularly. It's about 14,000 lbs.



First, when I know my speed will be under or right around 30 mph (getting off the interstate to fill up, pulling in for food, going into a rv park, etc) I turn my BD brake off.



Second, after my BD exhaust brake had been in place for several months I had the same problem you're having, when I came to a stop with the BD brake on and then tried to accelerate, my truck would stall. It got to the point where my truck would stall (even with the BD exhaust brake off) when I was backing my 5er into a spot at a rv park.



I came to this board and was asked what to do. Simple, my idle rpms had gotten too low. I turned my idle up to where it should be then no more problems.



I suggest you do a search on "adjusting idle" or something similar. You will see good info. It's not hard to do... and I am not a mechanic.



Bill Cook

 

[John]

I would check the idle back pressure of your BD exhaust brake. It sounds as if it is set too aggressive. Additionally, did you properly adjust the exhaust brake micro switch?

 

[Andy Perreault]

There are only two reasons to turn on the exhaust brake:

1) to slow the truck down,

2) to warm up the engine on a cold day.

If your engine's already warmed up, and you're stopped and/or doing slow maneuvering, why do you need to have the exhaust brake on? You're just building up a lot of unnecessary heat in the turbo and exhaust manifold.

I'm not trying to look like a know-it-all, but I have seen a lot of CTD owners leaving their exhaust brakes on all the time, and I don't understand why they do that. To the best of my knowledge, nothing is gained from it, unless someone can point me wrong.

Andy