Exhaust Brake

Cummins12V98 wrote:

It will come on when you let off all the time. It is slightly noticeable just driving around normally. When you let off and apply the brakes or descending a grade it senses what is needed and comes on stronger as required. Now the newer RAM's 13 up have two EB settings that I am looking forward to. Full on and auto. For the EB to work the best the TH should be on. Th makes the trans go into lockup sooner and keeps the trans in the proper gear for your speed. Running without TH in town at 30mph you will find your self in 6th gear. Then when you want to accelerate the engine boggs until the trans downshifts.

If your truck is going into 6th at 30mph, there's a problem in the software. 5th should be the highest at that point. And even then, the engine will be lucky to turn at anything greater than about 1200RPM is the TC is locked.

The Service Manager at Dave Smith Motors told me three things to make my truck perform and last. Run the hell out of it, leave the TH and EB on at all times.

Hmm, he's right about 2 of 3. But, you don't need TH all the time. In fact, you probably DON'T want to run TH unless you're actually hauling or towing a heavy load. What you should be doing it using your Auto-6 controls to limit the trans to 4th and below for city driving. Here's what I do with the Auto-6 system:

1st: parking lots, slow moving areas (max 10kph or 5mph)
2nd: rare use, maybe the old slower construction zone (max 20kph or 10mph)
3rd: construction zones, some off road (max 40kph or 20mph)
4th: city driving, most off road (max 60kph or 35mph)
5th: slower highway driving (max 80kph or 50mph)
6th: higher speed highway (max: whatever the truck can do)

In fact, the only time I don't use the Auto-6 is when I have TH engaged, and THAT only happens if I'm pulling the big trailer. Even then, I sometimes find that the trans "forgets" it's in TH mode and reverts to normal operation, usually after driving for a time at a constant highway speed.

Now, this is for a 2008 MY, but I would assume that newer trucks operate in a similar fashion.

Sometimes, I wish my truck had the Auto-Stick feature the DW's 2006 Pacifica has.

Cheers!