I tow often in the mountainous western US and have been looking at exhaust brakes. However, it seems like they all use an air compressor or vacuum pump. This just seems way too complicated to me.
Couldn't an exhaust brake work with just an electromagnet/solenoid to move the butterfly valve? Maybe even a cable and lever, like the hood release uses. Is there anything like this out there?
I guess I just like simple things so there aren't as many possibilities for problems.

 

Sounds like a great idea, and I'd think somebody who likes to build things should be able to pull something off relatively easily.

I think the actuator would be the easy part. I'd consider using a fuel shutoff solenoid from a 2nd gen P7100 pump. They're electric, powerful, and have a reasonable stroke. I think the hard part would be to fabricate the housing and flap, so it would seal up well, not be restrictive, and able to deal with the tremendous heat.

Good luck if you try it.

 

US Gear make a electrical powered engine brake. Mounts in the exhaust system.

http://www.usgear.cc/dcelerator.htm

 

When I drove a Subaru in a past life, I had an exhaust cutout that would reroute the exhaust from a muffled and filtered path, out a Y pipe and into the atmosphere. It was electric, simple to install, and worked with my forced induction engine. You could research that company. I believe it cost me about $150 when all was said and done.

 

A lot of pressure to hold back with an exhaust brake. That's why the cylinder and about 100psi from the little compressor. Mine is about 100hp of braking as told by Pac Brake owner/designer

 

A guy made a NICE one and wrote a thread about it on CF--

http://www.cumminsforum.com/forum/3r...ml#post5137714

 

remember you don't want to make enough back pressure to lift the exhaust valves, bad things will happen if you do.....

 

There is a simple way to make an exhaust brake. You simply take $1400 and give it to PacBrake and he gives you a bolt in kit.
Seriously - why would you want to do that? My Pacbrake has worked flawlessly now for 5 years or more. And it is connected to the throttle so that you can leave the brake on and simply operate or not operate with throttle control. Plus it turns off when I come to a stop without my intervention. If you left your manual one on you would stall the engine at a stop. PacBrakes have a spring loaded flap inside to bypass exhaust.