Engine braking?

• Jan 22, 2017

• #1

raggdoll

Senior Member

Joined

Aug 16, 2016

Posts

111

Reaction score

56

Location

North of Toronto

Ram Year

2016 Laramie, 2018 Sport, 2021 3500 6.7, 2014 Sport, 2021 Classic Night Express

Engine

hemi 5.7

When I first got my 16' Laramie, I never noticed any engine braking characteristics unless I was in tow haul mode.

Over the past few months, now I notice quite often, and it's NOT in tow haul mode.

Could this be normal?

 

• Jan 22, 2017

• #2

Ram444

Senior Member

Joined

Jul 12, 2016

Posts

191

Reaction score

89

Ram Year

2014

Engine

Cummins 6.7

I assume you know where the exhaust brake switch is at??

 

• Jan 22, 2017

• #3

C

cbsmith

Senior Member

Joined

Mar 9, 2015

Posts

270

Reaction score

162

Location

New Brunswick, Canada

Ram Year

2014 Ram 1500 Outdoorsman

Engine

5.7 Hemi

Do you have the 8 speed? If so it is normal.

 

• Jan 22, 2017

• #4

CostaRam

Senior Member

Joined

Dec 26, 2016

Posts

349

Reaction score

95

Location

Costa Rica

Ram Year

2011

Engine

5.7 HEMI

I have the same with my 2011 5 speed,
going off the gas the transmission stay in the same gear or gear down without tapping the brake and without being in tow mode.
Somehow confusing and i'm not a fan of it, but it seems that there is nothing to do against.
Chris

 

• Jan 22, 2017

• #5

clh1220

Senior Member

Joined

Jul 6, 2014

Posts

1,242

Reaction score

442

Location

st Louis

Ram Year

2016

Engine

hemi 5.7

It's normal with your 8 speed. No need for you looking for a exhaust brake switch. That's a diesel thing not the gas motor.

 

• Jan 22, 2017

• #6

quietpeen

Senior Member

Supporting Member

Joined

Jul 14, 2010

Posts

25,443

Reaction score

3,908

Ram Year

2021 TRX

Engine

Hellcat

I have noticed it more with the 8 speed on my 2016 than I did with the 5 speed on my 2011. It takes getting used to but I kinda like it

 

• Jan 22, 2017

• #7

clh1220

Senior Member

Joined

Jul 6, 2014

Posts

1,242

Reaction score

442

Location

st Louis

Ram Year

2016

Engine

hemi 5.7

The 8 speed and 5 speed is a big difference. The 5 speed wasn't designed like the 8 speed.

 

• Jan 22, 2017

• #8

OP

OP

raggdoll

Senior Member

Joined

Aug 16, 2016

Posts

111

Reaction score

56

Location

North of Toronto

Ram Year

2016 Laramie, 2018 Sport, 2021 3500 6.7, 2014 Sport, 2021 Classic Night Express

Engine

hemi 5.7

cbsmith said:

Do you have the 8 speed? If so it is normal.

Click to expand...

Yes, 8 speed 5.7 hemi.

Funny though, I never noticed this when I first got it...

 

• Jan 23, 2017

• #9

Sportznut

Senior Member

Joined

Jan 3, 2015

Posts

589

Reaction score

248

Ram Year

2019 Laramie

Engine

Hemi 5.7

I like it. Saves my brakes and is safer.

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

 

• Jan 23, 2017

• #10

jvbuttex

Senior Member

Supporting Member

Joined

Aug 5, 2016

Posts

326

Reaction score

162

Ram Year

2018

Engine

I-6

Like others, 8speed yes. When going down steep grades and I'm in the brakes it dies down shift for me limiting the speed. Cool feature. Dad has driven like this for years.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

• Jan 23, 2017

• #11

averageguy

Senior Member

Joined

Dec 15, 2014

Posts

1,233

Reaction score

1,002

Location

Belleville Mi

Ram Year

2015

Engine

hemi

Its not an engine brake, its the transmission down shifting to slow down the truck and the engine rpm goes up. Back in the old days before electric trailer brakes and power disc brakes on all four corners, you would down shift manually often with a manual transmission, remember those anyone? It had the same effect.

 

• Jan 23, 2017

• #12

bubbagumpshrimp

Senior Member

Joined

Dec 25, 2016

Posts

146

Reaction score

32

Ram Year

2016

Engine

Hemi 5.7

scubabill said:

The HEMI doesn't have the exhaust brake.

Click to expand...

I assume they're talking about the transmission. It's not literally an "engine brake," (I've driven plenty of vehicles that have them), but it does feel similar to one when it kicks in.

When you tap the brake, the transmission will drop a gear to keep you from speeding up. It's particularly great when you deal with a lot of stop and go traffic.

http://www.ramforum.com/f44/8_speed_engine_braking_feature-56458/

averageguy said:

Its not an engine brake, its the transmission down shifting to slow down the truck and the engine rpm goes up. Back in the old days before electric trailer brakes and power disc brakes on all four corners, you would down shift manually often with a manual transmission, remember those anyone? It had the same effect.

Click to expand...

Lol. Yup. The car I just sold was a manual. I wasn't expecting this in an automatic, but I have to say that I'm pleasantly surprised with how it performs.

 

• Jan 23, 2017

• #13

averageguy

Senior Member

Joined

Dec 15, 2014

Posts

1,233

Reaction score

1,002

Location

Belleville Mi

Ram Year

2015

Engine

hemi

I drive to West Virginia a lot and on a steep down hill it will rev higher than I care for so I have to tap the gas to get it to shift up. Other than that I like it.

 

• Jan 23, 2017

• #14

R/T_Fire

Senior Member

Joined

Feb 3, 2015

Posts

3,432

Reaction score

1,205

Location

Pleasant Grove

Ram Year

2011

Engine

Hemi 5.7

Yup as others mentioned it is the trans adjusting to other gears and essentially using engine compression to slow the vehicle, the higher the compression mixed with gear ratios makes this more efficient or noticeable, this is probably why it is more noticeable with a 8 speed, I notice it alot with my 545rfe but I'm a reg cab so that may be why and I have 4:10 gears. Maybe that's why the tranny is junk again???