BD EBrake/TowLoc 48re Installed

[CBrittan]

My Dodge dealer installed a BD ebrake and the TowLoc controller the other day. My CTD has the 48re transmission.



The manuals provided by BD offer little advice as to operating this ebrake/transmission controller.



For example, the brake has a constant loud hiss when operating.



The electric compressor cycles on/off constantly when operating.



The engine warm up feature is nice, but noisy given the hiss and vibration/noise from the compressor during warm up idle. The hiss and compressor noise is masked but present when the ebrake is operating at highway speeds.



I have no idea whether the ebrake is supposed to make the noises I describe above, and the manual has no mention of what I should expect when the ebrake is operating.



My dealer has never done this install before, and they do not know any more than I do.



BD ebrake/towloc users. Can you share your operating experience with me?

 

[p-Bar]

The cycling of the compressor sounds like you have an air leak, the hissing could be normal or you may have an exhaust leak, Iam just speculating. CALL THE MANUFACTURER (BD) I am amazed that the dealer would install this on an auto 05. Make sure that converter is locked before using it or you tear up the trans as you probably know.

 

[Cattletrkr]

Go to BD's forum, lotsa help there from the BD guys themselves.



There should be some hissing, but not a lot. I usually don't hear the hissing from inside the cab, whether at idle or on the freeway. If it's really that loud, you probably have an exhaust leak. Check the elbow couplings.



I run my compressor into an air tank, so I don't have any constant on/off with it. I did blow an air line once and had to hook it up direct and I can see where that might geta little annoying, but it's made to operate that way, so it shouldn't be a problem.

 

[BHolm]

For example, the brake has a constant loud hiss when operating.

This is normal. The exhaust brake closes a flap in the exhaust stream yet must let some exhaust pass. This is what you hear.

The engine warm up feature is nice, but noisy given the hiss and vibration/noise from the compressor during warm up idle. The hiss and compressor noise is masked but present when the ebrake is operating at highway speeds.

It is going to make some noise, that is normal. I can't answer on the compressor noise as my Jacobs version uses a vacuum pump instead. That said, the vacuum pump makes noise and the brake makes noise whenever they are engaged. I find that when I engage the brake for warm-up that there is quite a bit more noise due to the brake and pump working, not to mention it is putting a load on the engine which increases noise.

 

[PHeadings]

It should not hiss all the time. The best way to tell if you have a exhaust leak is to flip the switch to turn the e-brake off and go drive it. If you still hear the hissing you have a e-leak.

Second, the compressor will cycle the more the brake is engaging and disengaging. Drive down the freeway with the cruise control on and see if you compressor cycles. If it does you have a air leak.

The only time you should hear a hiss or a blow of sound is when the brake engages and disengages.

I hope you have a transmission upgrade or the 2006 flash on your ECM.

 

[BHolm]

It should not hiss all the time. The best way to tell if you have a exhaust leak is to flip the switch to turn the e-brake off and go drive it. If you still hear the hissing you have a e-leak.

Second, the compressor will cycle the more the brake is engaging and disengaging. Drive down the freeway with the cruise control on and see if you compressor cycles. If it does you have a air leak.

The only time you should hear a hiss or a blow of sound is when the brake engages and disengages.

I hope you have a transmission upgrade or the 2006 flash on your ECM.

He never stated that it hisses all the time. He said it hisses when the brake is on which is correct. It will make noise all the time when engaged.



I don't know why you think he should have a 2006 flash or transmission up grade either? First, I am pretty sure the software for '06 is different so an '06 flash wont work on an '05 at all. Second, the '05 transmission has the mechanical upgrades need to handle an exhaust brake from the factory. What it lacks is the computer programming to lock the convertor when needed. That is what the BD towloc box does for him. It works with the brake and the transmission to do exactly what the factory programmed in for 2006.



The guys is concerned enough, lets not give him bad info and make it worse. It sounds to me like his brake is working fine. The system he chose should integrate very well in the absence of official DC updates. Just a matter of figuring out how it all works and what may or may not be normal operation.

 

[CBrittan]

Thank you for your comments. I am not a newby with respect to my CTD, transmission or ebrakes in general. However, this is my first use of a BD ebrake having had a Jake before.



The manuals provided with the BD ebrake and BD TowLoc are more than adequate for the installer, but give little info to the user. The BD website is also useful to the installer but like the paper manuals, assumes the end user understands through osmosis how things work.



Again, thanks for your advice.



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