Exhaust Brake
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Tuned
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 360
Likes: 5
From: Chattanooga
Exhaust Brake
Heading out west and will be going over several tall mountain passes. Even though I've had my truck for almost 5 years, I've never really towed anywhere that I needed the exhaust brake, so not sure how to really use it. I've read the OM (I searched this forum, which was pretty much useless) and see that there are two modes, manual and automatic. I think I understand how to set either mode, but my question is which mode do you normally use and why? Are factors such as what you are hauling or how long or severity of the downhill grade make a difference in which mode you use? Trying to educate myself before I'm at the top of the mountail looking down.
Thanks in advance
Thanks in advance
Cross-Country
Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 68
Likes: 20
Heading out west and will be going over several tall mountain passes. Even though I've had my truck for almost 5 years, I've never really towed anywhere that I needed the exhaust brake, so not sure how to really use it. I've read the OM (I searched this forum, which was pretty much useless) and see that there are two modes, manual and automatic. I think I understand how to set either mode, but my question is which mode do you normally use and why? Are factors such as what you are hauling or how long or severity of the downhill grade make a difference in which mode you use? Trying to educate myself before I'm at the top of the mountail looking down.
Thanks in advance
Thanks in advance
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 1,556
Likes: 878
From: Rome as it burns
I downshift the tranny manually with the lockout toggle on the gear selector.
Additionally I'll be in exhaust brake auto mode.
Rolling up and down a series of mountains last year doing this and seemed like doing this rather than manual mode was one less thing to worry about and it seemed to work as designed
Additionally I'll be in exhaust brake auto mode.
Rolling up and down a series of mountains last year doing this and seemed like doing this rather than manual mode was one less thing to worry about and it seemed to work as designed
Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 8,466
Likes: 4,962
Auto mode makes it come on when you press the brake pedal, or when in cruise if the speed going downhill goes too much above your set speed.
Auto mode will also maintain a downhill speed, out of cruise, by pressing the brake pedal until you slow to the desired speed and release the brake pedal, then auto mode will maintain that speed.
Full on mode works each time you take your foot off the throttle, although there is some lag before it kicks in.
Each mode will only work down to about 1300 rpm, below that it turns off.
I tow a lot, and always use full on, and use it even when not towing.
Cummins exhaust brake works waaaaaaaaayyyyyyy better than on the PowerStroke, one of the biggest things I miss from my RAM.
Auto mode will also maintain a downhill speed, out of cruise, by pressing the brake pedal until you slow to the desired speed and release the brake pedal, then auto mode will maintain that speed.
Full on mode works each time you take your foot off the throttle, although there is some lag before it kicks in.
Each mode will only work down to about 1300 rpm, below that it turns off.
I tow a lot, and always use full on, and use it even when not towing.
Cummins exhaust brake works waaaaaaaaayyyyyyy better than on the PowerStroke, one of the biggest things I miss from my RAM.
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More Turbo
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 736
Likes: 225
If I have the engine brake regular mode on anytime I have the 5th wheel hooked up, but seldom when pulling solo.
I leave the tranny in automatic except when I expect a downhill grade with slow curves. In those cases I switch the tranny to manual mode. I like choosing my gears, and not have the tranny downshift when I hit the brakes for a sharp curve slowdown.
This has worked well for me both in the Rockies and Appalachians.
I leave the tranny in automatic except when I expect a downhill grade with slow curves. In those cases I switch the tranny to manual mode. I like choosing my gears, and not have the tranny downshift when I hit the brakes for a sharp curve slowdown.
This has worked well for me both in the Rockies and Appalachians.
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Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 19,698
Likes: 12,824
From: Wyoming
If I have the engine brake regular mode on anytime I have the 5th wheel hooked up, but seldom when pulling solo.
I leave the tranny in automatic except when I expect a downhill grade with slow curves. In those cases I switch the tranny to manual mode. I like choosing my gears, and not have the tranny downshift when I hit the brakes for a sharp curve slowdown.
This has worked well for me both in the Rockies and Appalachians.
I leave the tranny in automatic except when I expect a downhill grade with slow curves. In those cases I switch the tranny to manual mode. I like choosing my gears, and not have the tranny downshift when I hit the brakes for a sharp curve slowdown.
This has worked well for me both in the Rockies and Appalachians.
There are some downhill runs where I know that the transmission is going to get "stuck" in 3rd gear at the bottom if I leave it in Drive. To get it out of that low gear requires increasing the RPM by about 1,000 RPM, which I'm not wanting to do. Switching to Manual eliminates that problem.
Thread Starter
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Tuned
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 360
Likes: 5
From: Chattanooga
Same for me. When I head out camping, almost every trip involves at least one 11,000' mountain pass.
There are some downhill runs where I know that the transmission is going to get "stuck" in 3rd gear at the bottom if I leave it in Drive. To get it out of that low gear requires increasing the RPM by about 1,000 RPM, which I'm not wanting to do. Switching to Manual eliminates that problem.
There are some downhill runs where I know that the transmission is going to get "stuck" in 3rd gear at the bottom if I leave it in Drive. To get it out of that low gear requires increasing the RPM by about 1,000 RPM, which I'm not wanting to do. Switching to Manual eliminates that problem.
Tuned
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 418
Likes: 134
From: South Texas
My old truck only had one mode not automatic. I liked it and used it a lot. reminded me of using the Jake on my Mac (but not as strong). My new truck has the both exhaust brake features. I only have 5K on new truck and have towed heavy twice. Have not used the Auto feature, as I like the full on with tow-haul. I also have not driven in the mountains because I am "stuck" in South Texas.
Cross-Country
Joined: Jul 2022
Posts: 56
Likes: 20
Auto mode makes it come on when you press the brake pedal, or when in cruise if the speed going downhill goes too much above your set speed.
Auto mode will also maintain a downhill speed, out of cruise, by pressing the brake pedal until you slow to the desired speed and release the brake pedal, then auto mode will maintain that speed.
Full on mode works each time you take your foot off the throttle, although there is some lag before it kicks in.
Each mode will only work down to about 1300 rpm, below that it turns off.
I tow a lot, and always use full on, and use it even when not towing.
Cummins exhaust brake works waaaaaaaaayyyyyyy better than on the PowerStroke, one of the biggest things I miss from my RAM.
Auto mode will also maintain a downhill speed, out of cruise, by pressing the brake pedal until you slow to the desired speed and release the brake pedal, then auto mode will maintain that speed.
Full on mode works each time you take your foot off the throttle, although there is some lag before it kicks in.
Each mode will only work down to about 1300 rpm, below that it turns off.
I tow a lot, and always use full on, and use it even when not towing.
Cummins exhaust brake works waaaaaaaaayyyyyyy better than on the PowerStroke, one of the biggest things I miss from my RAM.
More Turbo
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 736
Likes: 225
Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 19,698
Likes: 12,824
From: Wyoming
I put the transmission in M and the manual engine mode. If you lock out higher gears, the transmission will still shift down from your intended gear when applying the brakes for a sharp curve. I use the engine brake for the majority of my downhill grades, but I don’t mind using the brakes to slow down when needed……the engine brake is doing most of the work.
Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 8,466
Likes: 4,962
The 2020+ PowerStroke EB is better than the earlier ones, maybe about 50% as effective as the RAM Cummins..
I've never driven a GM Duramax except for a short demo deal at the State Fair of Texas about 8 years back.
I've never driven a GM Duramax except for a short demo deal at the State Fair of Texas about 8 years back.