is running exhaust brake all the time ok?

[way2roll]

In my new F350 with the 6.7 I like to run the exhaust brake even when not towing. I find it helps in stop and go traffic and requires me to use less brakes. But is it OK to run it all the time? I mean it's just pressure with no real moving parts right? I've read several forums that have differing opinions, but majority says there is no harm in running it all the time.

[cummins2014]

Cummins12V98 wrote:
Don't think the above applies to the RAM. Anyone know for a fact?

I sure haven't heard anything about brakes being applied along with the exhaust brake on the Rams .

[Cummins12V98]

Don't think the above applies to the RAM. Anyone know for a fact?

[4x4ord]

ford truck guy wrote:

Grit dog wrote:

Jim-Linda wrote:
Have EB on Cat in FL60. Rig is 25 years old. It has BD exhaust brake that is turned off only on downhills in rolling country, EB will engage when not needed. The only drawback I can see is in city type traffic when EB engages, following vehicles are not aware of truck slowing due to no Brake light. No failures, original disk pads.

But it is a nice feature to get tailgators to back off!

Separate note, I've never checked, but the newer OEM integrated exhaust brakes, do they activate the brake lights when they kick in?
Under the right conditions one can scrub some speed pretty quickly without touching the service brakes.

I looked behind the truck when hooked to the fiver during the last night tow and did NOT see any brake lights on the truck... I can see them light up the front of the fiver compartment door.

That is always my concern as well... I kind of like my rear cap in 1, solid piece

Wihen towing heavy down a steep grade the Ford service brakes come on, if needed, to hold the speed back when cruise control is set. Without cruise set the wheel brakes will be applied at the engine red line to slow the engine down some before automatically releasing. So without cruise control set the computer does what an attentive driver should do. Additionally the Ford system uses the time the brakes are applied and the brake application pressure to calculate an approximate brake temperature. If required a warning will be flashed up to inform the driver of potentially hot brakes.

[Grit_dog]

riltri wrote:
I ran mine at all times for 3-4 months then noticed that my fuel economy went down around 2.5 mpg. Now it's only on when towing for going down a mountain.

Seems highly unlikely (edit, impossible) unless you literally let it slow you down way too much going downhill and then have to throttle downhill, all the time...
Or have t set to something like "full" mode on a Ram where it kicks in everytime you let off the accelerator and you're not observant enough to drive around that function by keeping your foot on the go pedal a smidge, nor able to anticipate it's behavior and have to speed up every time to make it all the way to the stop sign!

[riltri]

I ran mine at all times for 3-4 months then noticed that my fuel economy went down around 2.5 mpg. Now it's only on when towing for going down a mountain.

[JRscooby]

Grit dog wrote:

JRscooby wrote:
Every time I see a discussion about exhaust brakes I have to wonder if there has ever been a comparison of the whoa power of like sized diesel w EB/gas with closed throttle. (I know I nearly died the first time I expected a 855 CID Cummins without Jake to hold me back as much as 427 GMC did)
Unless it can be shown the exhaust brake ******* a lot more than the throttle plate, slick roads with it on would be no more dangerous than gas engine.

Idk about any of the GM L5Ps or the newer Powerstrokes, and it feels like you’re just fishing for a response to reply to about how these “little” pickups aren’t “real” trucks like you the pro truck driver, drive.

No, I have always owned light duty and heavy duty trucks. And a good percentage of the time I had medium duty. Back when I bought my first class 8, Ford, GMC and Chevy where all selling class 8s with spark plug engines. If I could of made a living driving no more miles than the average RVer puts on their rig in a year, I would of parked a 427 GMC the day I retired.

But I can assure you that both the aftermarket in-line brake I put on our old truck and the turbo brakes on the newer Rams have significantly more whoa power than any of my gassers, even the 10 speed that drops 3 or 4 gears when descending a hill with a trailer pushing it down the hill.

Yes, a EB works. I retro fitted 2 3306 Cats and a M11 Cumapart, and they all would slow the vehicle better than the little GMC. But if my memory/math are close, I'm comparing them to about 7 L engine.
A compression engine, speed and power is controlled by fuel flow. Unless something is added to it the only whoa is friction, air can freely flow thru. OTOH, spark fired, speed and power is controlled by controlling air flow.

Cummins12V98 wrote:



UH YEA, I towed 34k combined with my 15 down several miles 14% grade locked in 2nd gear not touching my brakes. I thinks me EB works just fine!!!

The Friday before the Monday I nearly died, I pulled up out of the pit, grossing 110,000 Lbs with the GMC in 1 and 1, (Yes, for that 1/2 mile you had to drive a stake in the ground to tell I was moving) When topped the hill, start down, shift aux to 2. When get down that 1/4 mile long grade, without touching brakes, I was doing walking speed when pulled on scale. Monday, with the Cummins, same load, climb hill in low, shift up to first at top (13 speed Road Ranger) realize I had to stand on the big pedal hard all the way down, could not stop so turned out into the parking area.

[spoon059]

dedmiston wrote:

Lwiddis wrote:
But if it turns on automatically, you’ll forget to turn it off. That’s dangerous.

No it isn't. You don't forget to turn on your headlights, turn on your wipers, and roll up your windows.

There's a difference between risk and danger.

Its dangerous for people that don't think, but I would argue that the danger is in the lack of thinking, not the exhaust brake...

[Cummins12V98]

ford truck guy wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:

ford truck guy wrote:

NamMedevac 70 wrote:
Are they loud Jo like the 18 wheelers. I do see signs everywhere. This from a newbie.

NO, you cant hear them , the only way to know you have one engaged is feeling it slow you down......

Are you sure you have one? I can hear mine, maybe that’s why it works so well. 😉

Perhaps "IF" I turned down XM-350 to a lower decibel I would in fact hear it ! :B

HAAAAA, I love that station "Red White and Booze"

[Cummins12V98]

Grit dog wrote:

JRscooby wrote:
Every time I see a discussion about exhaust brakes I have to wonder if there has ever been a comparison of the whoa power of like sized diesel w EB/gas with closed throttle. (I know I nearly died the first time I expected a 855 CID Cummins without Jake to hold me back as much as 427 GMC did)
Unless it can be shown the exhaust brake ******* a lot more than the throttle plate, slick roads with it on would be no more dangerous than gas engine.

Idk about any of the GM L5Ps or the newer Powerstrokes, and it feels like you’re just fishing for a response to reply to about how these “little” pickups aren’t “real” trucks like you the pro truck driver, drive.
But I can assure you that both the aftermarket in-line brake I put on our old truck and the turbo brakes on the newer Rams have significantly more whoa power than any of my gassers, even the 10 speed that drops 3 or 4 gears when descending a hill with a trailer pushing it down the hill.

UH YEA, I towed 34k combined with my 15 down several miles 14% grade locked in 2nd gear not touching my brakes. I thinks me EB works just fine!!!

[Grit_dog]

@KTMFRS and F T G, that was a stupid question by me....I've pulled enough trailers that I reckon Ida seen the brake lights come on, eh?

[ktmrfs]

But it is a nice feature to get tailgators to back off!

Separate note, I've never checked, but the newer OEM integrated exhaust brakes, do they activate the brake lights when they kick in?
Under the right conditions one can scrub some speed pretty quickly without touching the service brakes.

doesn't activate brake lights on my 2015 Denali. I know because we often travel with a few other people, and they have commented that I was able to go down one steep grade w/o service brakes, and he mentioned he had to touch his a few times. And he has a dodge with exhaust brake and I notice his brake lights don't come on either.

[ford_truck_guy]

Grit dog wrote:

Jim-Linda wrote:
Have EB on Cat in FL60. Rig is 25 years old. It has BD exhaust brake that is turned off only on downhills in rolling country, EB will engage when not needed. The only drawback I can see is in city type traffic when EB engages, following vehicles are not aware of truck slowing due to no Brake light. No failures, original disk pads.

But it is a nice feature to get tailgators to back off!

Separate note, I've never checked, but the newer OEM integrated exhaust brakes, do they activate the brake lights when they kick in?
Under the right conditions one can scrub some speed pretty quickly without touching the service brakes.

I looked behind the truck when hooked to the fiver during the last night tow and did NOT see any brake lights on the truck... I can see them light up the front of the fiver compartment door.

That is always my concern as well... I kind of like my rear cap in 1, solid piece

[Grit_dog]

Jim-Linda wrote:
Have EB on Cat in FL60. Rig is 25 years old. It has BD exhaust brake that is turned off only on downhills in rolling country, EB will engage when not needed. The only drawback I can see is in city type traffic when EB engages, following vehicles are not aware of truck slowing due to no Brake light. No failures, original disk pads.

But it is a nice feature to get tailgators to back off!

Separate note, I've never checked, but the newer OEM integrated exhaust brakes, do they activate the brake lights when they kick in?
Under the right conditions one can scrub some speed pretty quickly without touching the service brakes.

[Grit_dog]

fj12ryder wrote:
The only thing I've noticed is that the EGT's are higher at idle with the engine brake on than they are with the brake off. I usually allow the EGT to hit 300° or below, before I shut the engine down, but with the engine brake on it won't go below about 350°.

That's a bit strange. Not that EGTs are higher with exh brake activated. That is expected and a good engine warmup technique in the winter.
But IMO, these fancy new fangled (LOL) computerated dual function vvt's should not engage at idle (aka warm up mode) once the engine is near or at operating temperature.

Even the old BD inline exhaust brake I installed on our 07 would not activate after the coolant temp was above 160 F IIRC. It was also semi-integrated into the truck's ECM. I only know this as I plumbed an air line off the compressor for airing up my air-bags and bike tires etc while camping and it would only engage if the engine was cold or not fully up to temperature, shutting off once it reached a certain temp.

Newer Ram with OEM turbo does the same.

[fj12ryder]

The only thing I've noticed is that the EGT's are higher at idle with the engine brake on than they are with the brake off. I usually allow the EGT to hit 300° or below, before I shut the engine down, but with the engine brake on it won't go below about 350°.