Dcelerator

[SixShooter]

Since the D-celerator has 100% exhaust braking with a wastegate, what does it sound like? Can someone tell me wha the exhaust brake sounds like-is it like a low rumble?

 

[RobG]

I have the US Gear "D-Celerator" (what a stupid name) on my truck. It's the 4" model.



The sucker is NOISY. If it didn't work so damn well, I'd hate it. It slows the truck every bit as well at 1500 RPM as it does at 3000, unlike the PacBrake I had on my '96.



For one, when you start the truck, it'll test cycle twice. This is a loud clanking noise that can be heard two miles away. This is the same noise you hear whenever it disengeages. You can defeat the test cycle by pressing the main power switch to it, but it's not easy to remember. The noise tends to make anybody nearby stare.



Next, the noise when braking is a low-pitched sound, which sounds like like an exhaust blockage from under the truck. You don't really notice it unless the windows are down and the stereo is off, but when that is how you're driving, you can hear it echoing off of other vehicles. Between the clanking and that noise, everybody has to know you've got an exhaust brake.



Lastly... US Gear has no provisions for wiring to the ECM. I still have the cheesy pedal switch in place, which means I can't use the brake with the cruise set (since the ISB has electronic cruise). I emailed them about it and got a pointless response, so I'll have to figure it out myself.



So there you have it. From a purely functional standpoint, it's a great brake. But it has some idiosynchrocies that you have to deal with.



Rob

 

[SixShooter]

So you are telling me that it sounds like a semi? Driving down the interstate and coming up to a traffic jamb, and all you hear is all the semi's growling at you. Is this what it is like?

 

[RobG]

No, it's not as obnoxious as a semi's jake brake. Nowhere near that bad. It's just noisier than the turbo-mount brakes.



Rob

 

[SixShooter]

Do you have the standard duty or the super duty? The standard duty has holes in the butterfly and the super duty is the one with the wastegate.

 

[RobG]

Umm... . I dunno. I think it's the wastegate model, since it works so well at low RPM. It's the 4" model and cost was just under a kilobuck.



I don't remember seeing any holes in the butterfly when I installed it.



Rob