When using the diesel engine brake I realize the transmission will downshift, my question is when using this function are brakes applied as well? Thanks in advance for your replies.

 

No, engine braking and downshifting do not use the brakes, traction control and yaw control, sway control do thoguh.
Mike

 

To help slow down yes alot of brakes cause Fords exhaust brake is a joke it might as well not even be there.

 

I have to respectfully disagree. My diesel engine brake (exhaust brake) works great. I have a downhill drive where the speed limit is 20mph. I use the engine brake to keep from exceeding the speed limit as it is in a very heavy child populated neighborhood. When I engage the diesel engine brake my speed does not increase while traveling down this steep slope. I use it all the time! My question only pertained if the truck also uses my brakes in addition to the transmission downshift. I don't want to ride my brake on this slope!

 

If you manually downshift, the exhaust brake works better, it needs rpms.

 

The OP didn't ask if you should use your brakes with the exhaust brake, they asked if the exhaust brake uses your brakes when it activates. My exhaust brake works fine, maybe you need to learn how to use yours? The manual should help.

 

My Adaptive Cruise Control and Hill Descent mode both use the brake to maintain speed, as witnessed by the CHMSL brake light I see in the rear view mirror at night when I have a tarp in the back. But I have a 7.3 gasser without engine brake.

I don't think engine braking turns on the brake lights, so you might try your route at night to see if the wheel brakes are applied in engine brake mode, but I suspect not, unless ACC or HDMode are also turned on.

 

I’m very aware of how it works and compared to Dodge exhaust brake its no where near as helpful. You shouldn’t have to use M mode and downshift to get full function of it and something Ford needs to improve on. Regular downshifts in towhaul mode or in just regular drive should make it work somewhat but it don’t like the Dodge brake does. Go drive a Cummins thats how one should work. So go on with BS I know how one should work I have trailers on the back of my truck probably 95% of the time.

 

I had a Cummins, their exhaust brake is very good. The PS isn't as strong but to say it's worthless is inaccurate.

 

lamoon78, you don't have to use M mode and shift down, all you have to do is tap the brake(which will drop one gear) or down shift with the "-" sign and when you drop a gear, you get the RPMs and the hold back. If you put your boost gauge up on the display it will show you how much back pressure. I am able to bring the truck to a stop, or darn close, loaded, empty or towing, if shifting down manually. Not as much hold back as Dodge Ram but when used correctly it works very well. It is load sensitive, so the more weight carried or towed, the more responsive.

 

In my F450 with the truck in tow/haul and exhaust brake in the on position, it works very well. Even the wife has commented that it can be quite loud and aggressive when needed.

 

No it doesn't. That hold back you feel is engine compression. Get the rpm up around 2000 and it works really well.

 

I thought i read in the owners manual that the engine brake uses engine, trans and braking in the auto mode.

 

Something is wrong with your truck and you should bring it in to be fixed. If the engine braking effect is non-existent ("might as well not even be there"), then you definitely have a malfunctioning engine brake.

You can see the Ford engine brake in action in a lot of the Fast Lane Truck videos on YouTube. They take pretty heavy loads up and down the I-70 freeway in Colorado that climbs up to 11,300' and then they monitor for brake applications and such. While some brands may perform better, there is definitely strong performance from Ford's implementation of its engine braking scheme.

When I would travel the Ike Guantlet towing a small 7,000' trailer, I wouldn't have to touch my brakes at all, unless I came up on a semi going 35 mph or something. I love the engine brake on my PSD.

That's the beauty of online manuals ... we don't have to rely on our memories; we can look stuff up. You're conflating engine braking with adaptive cruise control. It functions as described previously in this thread. If you're using engine braking, it will use transmission, engine compression, gears. Done. Engine braking doesn't use the brakes.

If you're using adaptive cruise control with engine braking engaged, the adaptive cruise control will use everything in its arsenal to control speed and following distance: transmission, compression, gears, and, yes, the disc brakes.

 

Do most of you put the engine brake in "auto" or "on." I typically turn it "on" as part of my hook up proceedure for my fifth wheel. The only other time I mess with it unloaded is if I am coming down a long, steep mountain incline, etc.