Just picked up my new truck and I am quite excited about it. I had a Jacobs exhaust brake installed by the dealer. Having never had an EB before I need some help.

On the way down highway 50 from Carson City I would apply the EB on steep down grades. If it made any difference it so subtle I could not tell for sure if it was working. I expected an unmistakable effect when the EB was applied. Is this the normal way an EB works?

jr

 

The Jake works great on my '03 HD. In fact, I use it all the time as it saves brakes, but on my truck, sixth gear is almost like an overdrive and you don't notice the EB quite that much - you will if you down shift to fifth. In fact, when I tow south on 395 and go down the long steep grade into Bishop, I downshift to fifth and maintain 55 just by turning the EB on and off. Good Luck

 

You will not feel a whole lot of difference in lower rpms. It works just like accellerating - - you feel more accelleration in lower gears with higher rpms. You start feeling it above 2000 rpms. The next time you see a stop ahead at about 70, lift your foot, then pull the button. You will hear it and you will feel it. Then drop it down into fifth and get the rpms up about 2500 and pull the switch. You should feel a nice tug slowing you down. When your rpms drop to 2000, drop it back to 4th gear. If you don't feel it then, you need to take it in and get it fixed. Maybe the pump is not working right. You should also hear the difference when it is applied.

 

Bob does yours stay engaged right down to 800 rpm and low mph? I think it must cut the fuel off because if I let it go right down to 800 the truck seems to still slow, but if I shut the brake off the fuel comes back on so it won't lug. Yours the same?

 

Let's stop at Shantz (sp?) and get a sandwich.

Thanks for the input. This morning I had the wife start the engine and watched as she engaged the brake. It seem to be working fine, I was just expecting more at lower RPM.

Today when I drove down to Sacramento I could hear the difference when the EB engaged. Good to listen to the voices of experience.

jr

 

additional fuel is added (around 3-4 cubic millimeters/stroke) when brake is on in idle.

brake will stay on in idle (to assist warm up) until 182deg coolant is reached.