Exhaust Braking
New User
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
From: fillmore usq
Exhaust Braking
I have a 91 F350 7.3L Diesel Auto Trans w/ 8' service body. A lot of driving is done on steep mountain roads, 8 - 10% incline. The trans has been rebuilt 3 times, and still do not have enough braking power when coming down hill. Brakes overheat and using low gear burns out trans. Am looking for an exhaust braking system to used for additional breaking power, but have not found anything that is listed for prior 94 trucks. Any one know of any thing, or any other suggestions to help keep trans and brakes in working order and safe? Any help or suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
Senior User
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 144
Likes: 0
Exhaust Braking
Mine is also a '91 with the E4OD. I'd start by having a long talk with your tranny shop. I'm curious as to how many miles you got out of each rebuild and how much they charged. The E4OD was a piece of crap out of the factory, but a reputable transmission SPECIALIST (not a chain outfit) can transform it into one of the best big-truck transmissions there is, especially if he knows about your severe service requirements. You definitely need a switchable shift kit to keep the torque converter locked when going down hill, the biggest auxillary cooler, high capacity pan, the beefed-up torque converter and planetaries, and all the other upgrades. There may even be a hydraulic tranny brake available. Find an independent specialist who's been in the same location for many years, and tell him exactly what your needs are.
Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 1,465
Likes: 2
From: Indianapolis
Exhaust Braking
I'd be careful putting an exhaust brake on the old IDI engine because we had some head gasket problems with that engine anyway. You should probably upgrade to a Power Stroke with the ZF 6 speed manual (99 or newer).
