exhaust brake questions...

[Forrest Nearing]

ok, I understand the theory behind an exhaust brake... acts sorta like a Jake for our trucks to give engine braking, etc. etc.



but what I'm wondering is... is it a constant type thing? IE, does the truck act like a gasser all the time, or can you choose when to run the brake and when not to? one of the great things about diesels are their lack of engine braking to help with fuel consumption...



I guess I should read up on them more, but I figured this would be a guaranteed way to get some good info on them!



thanks,



Forrest

 

[DRR-24V]

It Has A Switch

They have a toggle switch to turn them on or off. Someguys leave them on, I just use mine when towing. It is the single best Bomb I have done. (love the EZ though)

 

[rwilliams4]

Leave PacBrake switch on!

I've had a PacBrake in my '97 3500 for three years now and for the first two and a half years, I left the control switch in the off position, except,of course, when I was towing or needed the extra braking. Anyways, after a long period on non-use, the butterfly froze up on me and I darn near had to but a $500 replacement elbow from PacBrake. A friend of mine took it to work with him and soaked it and heated it up and it finally unfroze. Now, I leave the switch on all the time and use hi-temp grease on it occasionally.

 

[WCrovo]

ON 90%

Leave it on. The instructions tell you too. I hardly ever use my service brakes anymore. I don't know how I lived without my Pacbrake.

 

[Forrest Nearing]

that's what I was worried about... it seizing up from carbon deposits if not used regularly...



hmm...



Forrest

 

[DRR-24V]

They Have A Point !

I do turn mine on each day just so it won't freeze up.

 

[Deezul1]

I love my BD brake, I took it off of my old truck when I sold it and couldnt get on the replacement truck fast enough, boy did I miss it. I have a shifter mounted switch so its real easy to turn on + off. It only activates with the switch on and the throttle completly off, as soon as you give it a tiny bit of throttle the brake is off or turn it off with the switch. Driving around town it is great and saves a lot of wear on brakes. It shouldnt make any diff on fuel mileage as Diesels dont use manifold vacum to adjust fuel flow.

 

[Bob Cochran]

I turn mine off before shut down as it being off helps turbo cool and I don't turn on until after starting. I don't believe it is good idea to have the back pressure when starting. Waht does everyone else do when starting and stopping with Exhaust brake?

 

[Deezul1]

Bob is right, forgot to mention that. It just wont cool down much below 425 with the brake on but it helps with the warm up on cold mornings too.

 

[Forrest Nearing]

what I meant by fuel consumption is say you're cruising along and the road isn't perfectly flat... you're in a hilly area... the great thing about a diesel is that when you're going down hill, it's essentially the same as neutral in a gasser... that lack of engine braking coming down hills ups consumption over an engine that is braking...



I was just wondering if it could be easily switched on and off... and aparently it can!



thanks guys!



Forrest

 

[Doubleclutch]

Forrest- it sounds like you have an Auto. Leave it on all the time. With a manual transmission, lifting the throttle between gears changes engages the brake, giving the turbo a thrill. For manual tranmissions, a switch on the stick is the ticket! Switch on and off as needed.

 

[BigMike]

I have a BD brake. I don't usually don't turn it on when not towing, however, I do flip the switch on and off a couple of times a week to keep things working. That's what my owners manual said I should do.



Last weekend I was coming over the pass from Seattle and it was snowing like crazy. I wasn't towing, but I flipped on my ebrake while coming down the hill on very slick roads. It worked great. I never had to touch my hydraulic brakes the whole way to Ellensburg. Just took my foot off the accelerator and got an immediate slowdown. Seems like a safer way to go. Touch your hydraulic brakes and you could be in the ditch. Saw a big Ford on it's top in the median.



I love my brake and I love my Ram.

 

[Forrest Nearing]

Doubleclutch... I've got a 1st gen with an a518, so a brake wouldn't really do much for me now! BUT, I'm in the middle of putting together the stuff for an NV4500 swap.



Forrest

 

[billr]

I have the Jake brake which has a 2 - 3 second delay in activation after lifting my foot off the accelerator. I can shift twice in that time. Mine is on all of the time.