Exhaust brake service

Just wondering if anybody is having early brakes problems on any truck brand ?

I usually hear of many miles of no brake problems from rv guys that I have talked to.

chevman

mountainsam wrote:
Does anyone besides me run the exhaust brake most of the time except on the open highway when not towing? DW says the salesman said only use it in the mountains or when using tow/haul. Does it create heat or wear? My after market EB on my old 05 didn't work nearly as smoothly as the new one with the 6 speed.

Your salesman is an uninformed idiot!

Run the EB and TH at all times!

Turbo will like it and the exhaust brake really does not work without the TH on.

TH will keep the line pressures up in the transmission and keep the truck in the proper gear for the speed. Also your brakes will last well over 100K using EB and TH all the time.

Only positives to run both all the time!

So what is the downside to turning it on and leaving it on? The unit works continuously preventing sticking, the unit works all the time reducing brake wear, the unit allows the driver more control by the throttle, the operator is more aware of what is happening with his vehicle? There are thousands of posts pertaining to this on the TDR, DTR, Cummins Forums, Ram Chat. Unless it becomes extremely slippery their is no good reason not to have the unit operating and unlike a "Jake Brake" on a big truck it WON'T kill your engine stopping the wheels completely. OEM vehicle manuals are generic information does not make them 100% correct for all situations.

There is less carbon/smoke out the tail pipe with a DEF system but not in the exhaust system where the DEF works. To say there is a lot less less carbon build up to begin with isn't really right. It still makes it but it's treated in the exhaust system with DEF. (DEF never goes near the engine itself).
Long story short, it is still best to follow eHoeflor's guidelines.

eHoefler wrote:
It is recommended to use the exhaust brake anytime the engine is running. In the Ram's Cummins engine, it will send the sliding ring in the turbo from stop to stop, keeping it loose and clear of any carbon build up. I am on my 3rd 6.7 VGT turbo equipped Cummins engine. Never had an issue with carbon build up on any of them. I start it, engage the exhaust brake and the tow/haul every time, regardless of where I am going or towing. This is what was recommended to me by my certified diesel at my dealer back in 2008.

Sounds like good advice, but there is a question remaining here.

Mind you, above noted advice was good for the pre-DEF equipped Ram 6.7L diesel.

Now what about our DEF equipped versions??????? Supposed to be a LOT less of the carbon build up to begin with because of DEF.

I still gotta get to that CD disk I mentioned, as well as browse my owners manual again. Maybe with luck I could spot something to help me and the OP here.

It is recommended to use the exhaust brake anytime the engine is running. In the Ram's Cummins engine, it will send the sliding ring in the turbo from stop to stop, keeping it loose and clear of any carbon build up. I am on my 3rd 6.7 VGT turbo equipped Cummins engine. Never had an issue with carbon build up on any of them. I start it, engage the exhaust brake and the tow/haul every time, regardless of where I am going or towing. This is what was recommended to me by my certified diesel at my dealer back in 2008.

mountainsam wrote:

mountainsam wrote:
Does anyone besides me run the exhaust brake most of the time except on the open highway when not towing?

Does it create heat or wear?

Actually the manual doesn't answer either question.

I've got the 2014 with exhaust brake also.

Does the CD disk that also comes with the manual have anything on it???

I'll have to go browse through my manual also, but surely do not recall seeing anything on it from previous reading.

I've been told to turn it on every time I start the truck. That's what I do, even when not towing or hauling anything. Except in bad driving conditions of course. The EB is a set a variable vanes that move open and closed. Since dirty exhaust and soot is going through those vanes I can see how that might cause the vanes to stick if not used all the time.

mountainsam wrote:
Does anyone besides me run the exhaust brake most of the time except on the open highway when not towing?

Does it create heat or wear?

Actually the manual doesn't answer either question.

What does your owners manual recommend? Engineers that built it know more than most all replies you'll get on a forum.