How to get the engine brake to work?

[OLEJOE]

Try 4 low when you get in a situation where you can’t do 30 mph or off road.

 

[06 Dodge]

As I said above, to get the exhaust brake to engage the engine RPM needs to be at or above 1500, vehicle speed needs to be at or above 30 mph, and the torque converter needs to be locked up. Any of these parameters not being present and the exhaust break won’t set.

If you think about it, the most common condition where the exhaust brake would be used is open road towing. Long down slopes on highways, freeways, etc. This is likely the use case they designed around, and the exhaust brake works quite well in these conditions. In slower, tighter back road or off road conditions, it’s much more challenging to get all three parameters set. From my experience using tow/haul mode helps by getting engine rpm up, but the vehicle speed at 30 mph can be tough on tight, twisty, and steep down grades. Without question though, the most challenging parameter to set is the torque converter lock up. You need to have the rpm and speed parameters present long enough to allow the transmission to lock up the torque converter, and with the less than stellar automatic transmissions in these trucks, that isn’t as quick as we would like. Talk with someone with a manual trans, and I assure you they’ll tell you the exhaust brake is awesome.

All that said, when you understand what the TCM/ECM needs to see to set the exhaust brake, you’ll find that will be able to get it to work most of the time you want it to.

My fix for this is going to be doing the ATS Diesel Alison swap. Not cheap, but hands down the right trans to put behind a Cummins.

ATS would not have any of there transmissions in my truck...

 

[GCecchetto]

ATS would not have any of there transmissions in my truck...

Care to elaborate? They’re the only way to get an Alison as a proper direct bolt on with no grinding of the engine block.

 

[Dean2]

Try 4 low when you get in a situation where you can’t do 30 mph or off road.

Spot on. So many folks forget why that is in the truck.

 

[06 Dodge]

Care to elaborate? They’re the only way to get an Alison as a proper direct bolt on with no grinding of the engine block.

AST is known to have poor quality stuff and there are other trans builders who build better transmissions, but if you want one go for it....