Did you hear the 2015 has the same tech as this for their ex brake. Hmm..
Going on 6 months and no problem.

Also have about 20k on my K&N with no issues and all my BlackStone reports all show almost 0 silicon.

I say the K&N and bd exhaust brake stories are bs.
Well maybe not if the installer did a bad job.

 

OK so i ordered BD 6.4 exhaust brake during XDP's black friday sale BD-Power Variable Vane Exhaust Brake 2001100 saved about 80-100 bucks and free shipping total was about 560.00 should be in this friday, i plan on installing it and latching up the gooseneck with about 25K to see how it works or breaks!

 

wow the install was way easier than i thought. i didnt realize it was all plug and play for the most part. i thought you had to add something to the turbo or exhaust. i found this link if anyone needs instructions
http://www.dieselperformance.com/productManual/2001100_-_VVB_brake_Ford_6.4L1.pdf

seeing that it plugs into the vvt when using the vanes as a break are they in the same position as they would be with the vvt connector unhooked or totally opposite?

 

Ok so after I had issues with UPS I finally picked it up from UPS Friday, I had a chance today to put it in. I will say the instructions are clear except for the tee tap on the brake switch wire. I ended up removing the brake switch for better access to the wire.

Now for the results, this information is based on the truck empty with a truck weight around 8900-9000 lbs

The rotary switch offers three different modes:
• Stock
• Vane Control Only
• Vane Control and aggressive downshift


The number one setting Vane Control Only doesn’t seem to do much driving around empty. I actualy didnt even notice it on at first. After playin with it you just dont see much on setting 1 unless you are in the upper rpm range 2500-3400, in that rpm range you can fell it work and the back-pressure is around 52-64 psi actual or about 78 on the dash daq. To get these numbers I had to run third gear to about 3400 and let off the throttle.

Now setting 2 Vane Control and aggressive downshift is a diffrent story, this setting is VERY aggresive the truck down shifts very aggresive as soon as you let off the go pedel and the exhasut back pressure is in the 58-68 or a max reading of 82 on the dash-daq with a rpm range of 2500-3400. The truck slows down really fast. From about 55 mph the unit did all the work I dint have to manual shift at all to get these numbers, all I had to do was let off the throttle

Overall the unit seems to work as intended. I will add that I was running the Spartan 275 tune while running these tests. The only negative thing at this point I can comment on is the trans shift from decel to acceleration, I am running upgraded solenoids and higher line pressure along with a aggressive tune and a aggressive TQ but a few of the up shifts out of a decel where harsh almost similar to a rev slam. I had two notable hard shifts when I got back on the go pedal after a fast decel, probably not something that would normally happen towing a trailer but notable nonetheless.

Hopefully I can grab a trailer tomorrow and load it with 20K or so to come back with some loaded test results.

Another notable issue is if you don’t have tow haul mode on, if you select the number 2 setting on the exhaust brake it will engage tow haul on decel automatically and turn it off on acceleration. This is just the first day i played and i only had about an hour or two if that with it, tomorrow i can play with it more and provide more results loaded and un loaded or any other info yall may wanna know

 

Another notable issue is if you don’t have tow haul mode on, if you select the number 2 setting on the exhaust brake it will engage tow haul on decel automatically and turn it off on acceleration. This is just the first day i played and i only had about an hour or two if that with it, tomorrow i can play with it more and provide more results loaded and un loaded or any other info yall may wanna know[/quote]


sounds interesting on it kicking into tow haul on its own. so i assume the light on the dash comes on and off on its own then right. do you normally run tow haul when loaded?


my big question how does it sound? some videos with it loaded would be AWESOME all i can find is 7.3 and cummins exhaust brake videos.

can you select a exhaust brake setting that engages it like the dodge 6.7 videos i see while ideling, they say it helps warm up quicker?

 

I don't like #2 much as it's a little too aggressive especially on a very heavy load but lighter loads it's not too bad.

 

sounds interesting on it kicking into tow haul on its own. so i assume the light on the dash comes on and off on its own then right. do you normally run tow haul when loaded?


my big question how does it sound? some videos with it loaded would be AWESOME all i can find is 7.3 and cummins exhaust brake videos.

can you select a exhaust brake setting that engages it like the dodge 6.7 videos i see while ideling, they say it helps warm up quicker?{quote}



Yes the tow haul light comes on when using the # 2 setting. No it does not sound like the cummins at idle in that video, it actual wont engauge at idle.
I havent noticed a real change in the exhaust sound. The only time i notice a diffrence is when you have it on and turn it off there is a little bit of a turbo whistle heard.