Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Brand new BD E-Brake......please help!!

[AClayton]

I had my mechanic install a new BD E-Brake on my truck and took delivery of it this evening. On my way home I used it and it sounds like a huge air horn on a steam train or maybe an opera singer..... very loud whistle. I have no muffler and 5" stacks and everything else in my sig... ... is this normal??? I am thinking no... ... ... I cannot see myself using this thing when it is that loud. It literally frightens people!!!! Can someone please help?



Alan

 

[DMillard]

My PacBrake isn't exactly quiet and it does make a whistling noise. That's why you see all the signs prohibiting e-brakes near homes. They sure are nice though when coming down steep grades with a lot of weight.

 

[NIsaacs]

Where do you hear the sound coming from? The stacks or near the brake somewhere? I have one on all three trucks in my sig, none are loud.



Nick

 

[AClayton]

Very loud squealing noise right from the exhaust. And VERY loud!!! I am not exaggerating here! Is there something to adjust??



Alan

 

[Ram4Sam]

With no muffler and two 5" echo chambers, I'd say it's the nature of the beast. My stock exhaust less muffler makes quite a bit of noise.



Sam

 

[NIsaacs]

I see you have twins. Is the brake a turbo mount or mounted in the pipe. I would use a pressure gauge at idle and watch it while you adjust the back pressure. More or less will probably quiet it down. Try for about 30 psi at idle.



The brake should have two pipe plugs. One in front of the butterfly for pressure checking and one after for pyro. Maybe you can adjust the noise out.



Nick

 

[AClayton]

Thanks for the help Nick... ... I am convinced that this is not normal. I talked to my mech. last night and he said he was going to check the BD techline and see if there is anything to do. This appears to be something I may be able to handle just based on all the adjustments and gauges that you are telling me can be done. It offers very little resistance empty or loaded ... ... . 6k trailer! It wouldn't even maintain my speed on a backroad going down a little hill last night. No trailer,just the truck... . and it offers very little slowing. I think it is just a simple adjustment and I need to find a manual that spells it all out.



Just for reference: At idle with brake on and in Park..... EGT goes to about 400 and that is it. I was told it should hit 700 or so! Sounds like I need to get some gauges for testing purposes before anybody can help me. I will do that today at work!





Alan

 

[Ram4Sam]

Alan, mine is a turbo mount, If yours is an in line mount, I don't know if the procedure is the same. When I installed mine, per the instructions, I set it at 25 lbs at idle, using the tapped holes like Nick said. As far as EGT,300- 400 degrees is about what I see at idle, and chugging down a grade loaded, I will see around 700-800 degrees. This is with a six speed, I don't know if a auto will produce different numbers. Being the packrat that I am, I have my manual around somewhere in the garage, holler if don't have access to one and I can look for it.



Sam

 

[AH64ID]

The noise sounds very normal. The brake makes a LOT of noise blocking the exhaust off.

I had just a 40" donaldson on mine and the whistle was insane. I couldn't stand outside the truck with the brake on at idle without earplugs, and it was really annoying with the windows down, especially on a FS road with the embankment on the exhaust side.

I added a resonator and now the EB is SUPER quite.

So nature of the beast, muffle it or live with it.

You may need some adjustment on it, set if for 60-65 psi max. But if it's inline you will lose efficiency thru twins. But a backpressure gauge will help you out.

 

[Bob Cochran]

My PacBrake isn't exactly quiet and it does make a whistling noise. That's why you see all the signs prohibiting e-brakes near homes. They sure are nice though when coming down steep grades with a lot of weight.

Most of the signs you are talking about is for "engine brakes" a completely different animal than "exhaust brake". The engine brake is huge and mounted mostly on class 8 trucks and they are way more noisy than an exhaust brake.



Just wanted to clarify for those thinking the signage prohibited exhaust brakes. While there maybe a few that do it is not very many. FYI

 

[AClayton]

Most people prefer not to purchase a home near a railroad for fear of noise. Well, when I fire this thing off and it sounds like a steam locomotive whistle, I know it will wake everybody up!! I was going down a hill yesterday coming into a small town and some unsuspecting citizen was walking his dog. I accidently had the switch on and let off the throttle and 'HOOOOOONNNNNNNNK' ... ... scared the poor dog to death and yanked his leash right out of his Master's hand and ran away in terror!!



Hopefully today I can make time to figure out these adjustments and get this resolved!



Alan

 

[Pacbrake]

A loud squealing noise can be caused by an exhaust leak on the pressure side of the exhaust system, somewhere between the brake and exhaust manifold. If that is the case, you should mainly hear it when the brake is on.

 

[AClayton]

That is only when I hear this horrific squealing noise. I will check for a leak though..... Thx!!



Alan

 

[Rogan]

My Jacobs E-brake sounds like a potato in the tailpipe. This is on a single turbo (mounted to back of turbo), 4" dp, no cat, no muffler, and a 7" stack. . It's loud-ish, but no whistle. . just a loud 'pshhhhhhhhhhhhhh... ' when it's on.

 

[AH64ID]

My Jacobs E-brake sounds like a potato in the tailpipe. This is on a single turbo (mounted to back of turbo), 4" dp, no cat, no muffler, and a 7" stack. . It's loud-ish, but no whistle. . just a loud 'pshhhhhhhhhhhhhh... ' when it's on.

Interesting, I wonder if my 40" Donaldson induced the whistle???

 

[ScottLewis]

My truck has the dealer installed Jacobs EB and a stock exhaust. Most of the noise I hear comes from the air cleaner (a throaty rumble) with just a very mild whistling near the tail pipe. A loud sound seems abnormal to me. Have you contacted BD and asked them?



Dan

 

[AClayton]

Just as an update... . contacted BD techline and they were very helpful. They gave a long list of things to try and it turns out that the O-ring for the shaft was leaking. Put that on this evening and it was so much better but still had that obnoxious squealing sound. Turns out the bottom turbo to downpipe connection is leaking. Loosened the clamp and re-installed a bit tighter and it seemed to solve my problem temporarily. At idle,the brake appears to be quiet but a test drive revealed the same darn noise#@$%! This is very irritating to say the least!! Got home and tried re-working the clamp with no luck again.



Are these clamps designed to bring the joint together as they are tightened or should I get a new clamp? The downpipe came with my BD towing twins and does not appear to be warped or damaged. Should I just get a new clamp from BD?? Any help would be appreciated.



Alan

 

[PFlory]

My Jacobs E-brake sounds like a potato in the tailpipe. This is on a single turbo (mounted to back of turbo), 4" dp, no cat, no muffler, and a 7" stack. . It's loud-ish, but no whistle. . just a loud 'pshhhhhhhhhhhhhh... ' when it's on.

Not to steal the thread, but how may miles on your jake, and how many vacuum pumps have you been through?

 

[seafish]

It seems to me possible to me that maybe your oem downpipe is slightly nicked, out of round, or slightly warped, OR maybe it only need to be loosened a little farther down the line BEFORE you tighten the clamp so that the clamp can draw the downpipe and EB in and together as you tighten it???



Just my $. 02.



That being said, If there was any damage to any parts on the new EB, I would think that BD would want to replace any damaged parts just to stand behind their products. Of course, if your mechanic damaged the EB putting it in (not saying so, just saying IF... ) then BD wouldn't have to do it at their expense, but certainly should still be able to send you the new parts, I'd HOPE!!!



Good Luck... Let us know how it turns out, but it sounds like you have to mess with the alignment of the brake to the the downpipe somehow.