Diesel Exhaust Brakes?

[honk]

I've searched the forum for anything about exhaust brakes for the diesel powered cruisers and found exactly nothing.

An exhaust brake is a relatively simple thing which places a flapper valve into the exhaust flow from a diesel. The valve closed can dramatically slow a vehicle without the use of gears or service brakes saving wear on those without bringing unusual damage to the engine. I use one on each of my diesel Dodge pickups and have become addicted to their power and utility.

It seems to me that such a system would be a very useful addition to any diesel powered vehicle, but are there none and has there been no experimentation with them in cruisers? Are they thought to be unnecessary given the relatively light weight of these trucks?

[Exiled]

The Aussie magazines advertise an exhaust (Jake) brake for Cruisers. I've been thinking about one for mine, too, I agree that it's very utilitarian, especially for people that drive a lot of mountains or tow.

[honk]

Originally Posted by Exiled

The Aussie magazines advertise an exhaust (Jake) brake for Cruisers. I've been thinking about one for mine, too, I agree that it's very utilitarian, especially for people that drive a lot of mountains or tow.

I'd like to see one of those. Do they list awebsite in the ads and if so do you think that you could find and post one of them here?

I've used two types in my trucks that both do the same basic thing. One works inside the exhaust pipe near a muffler and the other is mounted at the output of the turbo. although the kits I've used provide automatic electric control of the brake application by sensing when the driver has let off the accelerator to decellerate, I think that a very simple hand cable operated valve a lot like a manual choke in a carburated engine could be devised fairly easily. I was hoping that someone had done it to provide an example.

[bigbrowndog]

http://www.gearingdynamics.com/exhaustbrake.htm
http://www.a1.nl/phomepag/markerink/main_4x4.htm
Try these for starters, cheers.

[Poser]

Originally Posted by silvercrusher

Silly if it only comes in 4"

Seems small....

[coldtaco]

Iv'e been interested in something like this too. The only thing I could find that I think would work is from www.usgear.com It would be placed in the exhaust downstream from the header(?). But the only thing I don't know about is the actuation, which I believe is electric. Some thing that was manually activated would be the way to go for me anyway. If anyone knows of something like that I would like to know, too.

[brownbear]

come on guys now admit it, you want that sound coming down a hill!!!!!

actually not a bad idea. but the engine does provide pretty darn good engine braking on its own.

at least a 3b does.... not sur on the others.

[SamB]

Would an exhaust brake be usable with an auto? I guess you would need to be able to hold it in gear and have the torque converter locked up??

[honk]

Originally Posted by SamB

Would an exhaust brake be usable with an auto? I guess you would need to be able to hold it in gear and have the torque converter locked up??

Right, the torque converter has to be locked and there's a school of thought that holds that locking the converter artificially can generate heat levels dangerous to an auto trans.

I installed a manual switch into the Dodge of mine that is auto to do this. It grounds the trans ECM circuit that normally controls converter lockup allowing me to lock it at will. This works fine so long as I remember to unlock before coming to a stop or it'll stall the engine (there are now aftermarket boxes that will do the remembering for the driver). The exhaust brake works with the auto trans. but it can't generate the kind of slowing power of one used with a manual transmission because of the fluid connection nature of the driveline. I'd estimate the slowing power of the exhaust brake in my auto trans. truck to be only about half that of the one in my manual trans. truck. Still a big help when coming down a mountain pass with a load on the truck.

[cruiser_guy]

They are available in Central America off of used Dyna trucks that had 3B or H/2H engines.

I'm not so sure I'll get one though as the heat in the exhaust tends to get anything that's supposed to move there stuck due to corrosion like the F/2F heater flapper for example.

[Technikev]

Generally, these have a sensor that lets the exhaust brake know when the throttle is closed (foot off the go pedal) and activates the brake. It is also prudent to install a switch to turn off the unit when it's operation is not desired.

One other benefit to these units is that when switched on when its cold and the vehicles is just turned on and idling will warm up your vehicle quicker.

-Kevin

[honk]

Originally Posted by cruiser_guy

They are available in Central America off of used Dyna trucks that had 3B or H/2H engines.

I'm not so sure I'll get one though as the heat in the exhaust tends to get anything that's supposed to move there stuck due to corrosion like the F/2F heater flapper for example.

The parts inside the pipe are or should be stainless. I have "PacBrake"s on my trucks now and both have the valves, rods, and screws made in stainless. There's a danger of the valve sticking if it isn't used or cycled so Pacbrake recommends leaving the system operational whenever the engine is running. That doesn't mean that the brake is applied, of course, only that it does cycle when the driver decellerates.

I used to use mine with the sensors in play but now I just have one of the switches on a Fuller shiftknob turn it on when I want it in my stickshift truck. I can flick the switch with my thumb when shifting down very easily and I like using the brake this way. I did wire a toggle into the switch circuit to shut down the whole system in case something goes wrong with my shifter switch but I haven't had a problem in almost 50K miles.

I wouldn't tow over 5000 lbs anymore without an exhaust brake. I brought a 13,000 lb fifth wheel trailer up from Calif once and never touched the service brake all the way down the northbound I5 route through the Siskiyous - not the steepest grade, but steep as all get out with that much weight pushing a pickup truck. IMO they're one of the best parts about driving diesel powered stuff.

Maybe the thing to do is neck down a Pacbrake to weld into the exhaust pipe of one of these little diesels.

[bigbrowndog]

How do these exhaust brakes respond to a water crossing when they are hot? Does it bother them at all?

[honk]

Originally Posted by bigbrowndog

How do these exhaust brakes respond to a water crossing when they are hot? Does it bother them at all?

Good question. Doubt it'd bother it any - it's inside the exhaust pipe, sealed by a tight bushing and the exhaust pressure would tend to keep water out of the small clearance between the valve's shaft and the bushing.

[dieseldog]

I have a Jake on my 91 Dodge Cummins and even though I have the Torqueflite 727 auto tranny, I still get good use out of the Jake. There is a lot of slippage; however, when I'm towing and coming down a long hill, that Jake pays for itself. My service brakes last a lot longer because of it. I'd love to have one on my cruisers.

[honk]

dieseldog,
I still don't think that the correct nomenclature for your trans is 727.
Although in a sense every Dodge transmission made since the sixties is a 727 in most of their essential design each application has been given a designative number/name according to it's intended capability. Because yours was put behind a diesel there are differences in some of the input parts, the clutch sealing, and the power path enabling it to deal with the torque of even the early Cummins 160 hp engines. The only ones correctly called 727's are the earliest gas engine installations in both cars and some trucks.
Just the lack of a lockup converter doesn't class your trans in with those installed in 1978 D150 pickups.
Or do you say that you have the same transmission in your truck as the owner of a 1975 CJ5 has in his Jeep?

fun, ain't it?