Jake Brake issue

[AMink]

A while back I posted about a fast ticking under acceleration. Never did figure out what it was and the engine seemed fine. I towed for the first time in a while this past weekend and the ticking came back, then went away, then came back. No loss of power, no weird grinding or anything else, then it would go away.



On the last offramp to the house, the Jake Brake TRIED to engage but all I got was a high pitched whistley noise. No stopping power. Nest stop light it made the brrprrrp that it usually does but no stopping power. Is there a way to check and see if the valve isn't working or if the pump is going out. What could cause this ticking/whistle combo?

 

[jelag]

You install a vacuum gauge on the pump by installing a tee in the line and check for 25 - 27" of vacuum... . We had a lot of the same style vacuum pumps (delco) on the Fords that I owned and found they wanted to die every 3-4 years... we found with the Fords that if you pulled a vacuum line... once a year... we did it when we checked the trucks for anti-freeze in the winter... . we'd give them a couple of table spoons of a good quality 30 w oil... it would suck the oil into the pump... . and than spit the oil out the exhaust port... you can't imagine how dirty the clean oil would be... and what a mess it can be... . but we doubled the life of the pumps... BTW on the Ford's it ran the power brake booster, exhaust brake and all the doors in the HVAC system... You won't find my suggestion in a manual but it sure worked for us... .

When I sold and installed PacBrake's we'd try this fix on many of the Dodge guys who came into the shop... if its just dirt and crud in the pump this really helps... we've seen the vacuum change from 15" to 26" in a minute of running and clearing the crud out of the pump...

If your past that... . than it's either a replacement pump... . or an electric that mounts on the firewall... We used to carry those as well... . But for now I'm retired and those days are behind me... .

Hope my thoughts help... .