exhaust brake use 100% of the time

[ckusy]

Have posted a thread similar to this one a short time ago but really confused now. Had my exhaust brake installed on my 06 mega-cab with auto today. Had a conversation with the two mechanics that install exhaust brakes at this dealership. Both mechanics said it was a bad idea to run the ehaust brake 100% of the time. They claimed heat buildup as the culprit and in time would be a detrament. From answers to my first post on this subject there where several members who replied and said they use there exhaust brake a 100% of the time with no problems. Is there someone out there that is knowledgable about the jacobs brake on the 06 and can ease my mind as to whether this brake can be used 100% of the time with no problems. Driving instructions read, use of jacobs exhaust brake for vehicle downhill control and slowing down on level terrain,dose this qualify as 100% full time use?



ONCE AGAIN THANK YOU

 

[Prairie Dog]

Heat actually keeps the e-brake clean, not using it for extended periods can make it stick.

Just use it like a brake, when you need it, turn it on and when you want to coast a little faster just turn it off.

There's nothing you can do to hurt the brake, the CPU see's to that.



Scotty

 

[Silver600]

Both mechanics said it was a bad idea to run the ehaust brake 100% of the time. They claimed heat buildup as the culprit and in time would be a detrament.

Heat buildup in what? My pre-turbo pyro reads lower with the exhaust brake engaged than it does when I stomp on the go pedal. I have run mine all the time for almost 2 years with no problems.

 

[GWBourne]

i use mine 100% of the time. well... ok, NOT in snow or ice. it can be fun on a wet road as well, but bad on tires... .



never had any problems with it though. had it over a year now and have put 38k on since i got it. truck has 45k on it now.

Grant

 

[Ol'TrailDog]

I had a Jake on my 02 but with no gauges. I was always worried about heat build up. Until I had both gauges and ebrake on the 04 -- as previously mentioned the pre-pyro a significant drop in temps and no heat build up. Unless the heat is slowly building from the ebrake end toward the turbo and after a very very long time ..... some heat build up.



Having said that I never leave it on 100% of the time. 99% is on when needed - off when not. Maybe 1% of the time I'll leave it on for an extended curvy grade. I think it is especially important not to leave it on all the time for icy roads... . just in case the retard is enough to get you sliding. Even though the instructions say not to use it on icy roads I haven't had a problem by judicious application at selected moments, e. g. on a straight not a curve.



Heck, half the fun of an ebrake is popping up the red shift knob... BBBRRRrrrrrr Especially, when you pass another CTD, SD, or DMAX coming up the other side (just to let them know you are WAY cool ). Or as you pass the "NO ENGINE BRAKES" sign. I know, I know. . it's not an engine brake, but let the imaginary OTR in the OTD go wild for a brief moment :-laf

 

[Prairie Dog]

Ckusky, there's a small hole in the middle of the butterfly valve that allows enough exhaust heat to escape so that it wont back up into the engine and over heat things. Also, once your water temp gets to a certain point it will shut off the brake as well. You mechanic didnt know what he was talking about.

So I'd just say dont sweat it. :-laf

 

[TowPro]

Besides, at idle the jake brake turns off when the engine is above 140 deg. When you pull up to a stop, it works until your truck comes to a complete stop, then it shuts off. I use it to let me know I did stop all the way because the cops in this one town I go through like to hide and watch for people rolling through the stop signs.

 

[CROW]

My truck is an 05 with a 6 speed, I leave Jacobs brake on practically all the time. Only turn it off when want to cool the turbo and that is not really necessary since the puter will turn the brake off when the engine temperature gets to 170-175. Had an 03 truck with the same engine/transmission and a Jacobs exhaust brake and am not sure that it would turn off at a certain temperature as the 05 will. They should have given you a little Jacobs brochure that explained all this.

 

[jelag]

The design of an engine brake or exhaust brake is based on engine manufacture specifications... Both the pacbrake and jacobs connect to the ECM and it turns it on. .



If Cummins didn't want it to be used at all times they would provide software in the ECM to limit its operation... . My current trucks include an 01, 04, 04. 5 and 05. . all use the brake all the time... . the 01 is at 350 K the 04 is at 177K and so on... we've had no problems... oh btw I sold my 93 Dodge with 450K and my 00 F550 has 350K. .



These are working trucks... like mentioned above, the heat keeps them clean... sometimes in the winter in Canada... . the 04 might sit for 30 to 45 min at a time in -20 weather with the brake on to keep the motor warm... We just don't have problems. .



What I personally think is your getting feed back from dealer personal who really don't have the full picture..... Talk to Cummins, even though I sell pacbrake they function the same as they connect to the ECM... .



Hope this has helped...