Exhaust Brake Question

[Mike Ellis]

For those of you with an exhaust brake, a quick question: When you activate the brake, what happens to the EGT? Do temps go through the roof due to the restricted exhaust?

 

[Slow Six]

NO. EGTs. drop as soon as you get off the go pedal. On a descent the EGTs will come up 2 to 300 degrees but are still far below normal working range. The original Jake was designed to keep temps. up on long descents.

 

[BFaoro]

As slow Six stated mine does the same, in fact if I am pulling a load of cattle and then put on the exhaust brake the engine will cool down to about 600 from 1000. But it never cools down less than 400 with the brake on, this includes idling in front of the barn.

 

[Loren]

Ditto the previous posts.



On a hill near me, I can get the EGT down to about 200 degrees with the brake off. When I go down the same hill with the brake on, EGT runs about 400 degrees or so. Still plenty cool.



Loren

 

[TRLRTRSH]

exhaust brake

ditto all the others, on a long downhill, 400 to 450 max



Bill

 

[dresslered]

It's the best 'go slow' accessory available!



As previously posted, no EGT issues with the GO pedal lifted.

 

[moparguy]

On the other hand, if you have the bad luck of the brake not disengaging and you can't pull over, say due to a narrow mountain road and you have to make it to the top to pull over... ... ... Big egt issues.



In almost 100k of PacBrake use, I haven't had this happen, but some have reported that they have.



added in edit; Don't misunderstand, I'm not saying this remote possibility should influence a decision to add a exhaust brake, It's one of the best additions possible if you pull any kind of trailer in the hills.

 

[PKleine]

In fact you can use the exhaust brake to assist in warming up the engine. Just let it idle with the exhaust brake on while you finish that cup-o-java in the warm house. (Winter time is assumed here)



Idling with the exhaust brake on puts enough load on the engine to keep it running warm enough to allow extended idling time. Without it, the engine will run too cool at idle, creating problems from incomplete combustion of the fuel.



While driving, applying the exhaust brake with the foot off the go peddle keeps the egt from dropping excessively. That (egt dropping) isn't necessary a problem, just another heat cycle that could have been avoided.



PK

 

[Mike Ellis]

Thanks fellas, I appreciate all the info!

 

[dresslered]

On the other hand, if you have the bad luck of the brake not disengaging and you can't pull over...

I've heard of this happening a couple of times on some of the other brands. One nice thing about the Jacob's E-brake is that should there ever be a fail condition, the brake returns to the 'open' position.