Diesel Engine Brakes

[kmk1012]

So I had a discussion with a long time friend who always drives with his engine brake on, 2022 Chev Duramax. I have a 2019 F350 diesel and only use mine while towing or steep down grades. He says there is no extra wear on anything and I think it transfers the wear to things like transmission gears and other parts, eventually causing slop or backlash. So, I guess my question is, is the engine brake "free energy"? I know there are some diesel drivers here who may know better than myself.

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[boattail]

Using too strong a brake setting will cause wear as coming on and off the brake bangs things around.

I have 1.5 million miles on big rig engines running Jake brakes and the one hard thing on drive trains is banging things around. Use them as intended they work fine.

Exhaust brakes are usually soft to apply and let off, Jake's can be adjusted to harshly. Of the two logging trucks I currently drive one is adjusted correctly and one comes on and off with a bang.

 

[parallax]

I drive dodge ram With the 6.7 diesel I like using the engine brake to save my wheel brakes while coming down hills I even use it coming off the freeway One of the many unfounded things I worry about, is if I never use it , will it eventually stop working due to never cycling?

 

[Colt Carbine]

F350's get engine braking through the ECM locking up the torque convertor and applying back pressure into the turbo. I do believe a DirtyMax works the same. Nothing adverse to my 06 F350 transmission yet.

 

[kmk1012]

Using too strong a brake setting will cause wear as coming on and off the brake bangs things around.

I have 1.5 million miles on big rig engines running Jake brakes and the one hard thing on drive trains is banging things around. Use them as intended they work fine.

Exhaust brakes are usually soft to apply and let off, Jake's can be adjusted to harshly. Of the two logging trucks I currently drive one is adjusted correctly and one comes on and off with a bang.

This is a smooth on and off. They aren't like the big rigs, I wasn't sure if they worked similar or not.

 

[kmk1012]

I drive dodge ram With the 6.7 diesel I like using the engine brake to save my wheel brakes while coming down hills I even use it coming off the freeway One of the many unfounded things I worry about, is if I never use it , will it eventually stop working due to never cycling?

My thoughts exactly, use it regularly and it should continue.

 

[MikeInOr]

If the engine brake on the 2020 Duramax is anything like my 2006 Duramax the trailering switch on the Alison transmission just holds the transmission in a lower gear.

I was just driving the hump (McKenzie pass between Eugene and Central Oregon) yesterday. As always I turned the trailering mode on for the descent and let the engine regulate my descent soeed instead of riding the brakes like so many others seem to love to do.

I don't drive in trailer mode when not descending our pulling. This would keep my transmission in a lower gear killing my mpg and running the engine at higher rpm's than needed.

I see no mention of a factory exhaust brake on the 2020 duramax so I assume it uses simular engine braking to my 2006. My 2006 has 186,000 miles on it with plenty of pad left on the original brakes (it has had and easy life). In other words I think your buddy is an idiot or at least, misinformed.

But I could be wrong!

 

[DB is Here]

Big rigs have mechanical or Jake brakes, normal trucks have exhaust or "turbo brake" as I've always understood it. Two different items.

I've seen both with high mileage.

 

[PORSCHE928S4]

I use it every day with or without a load works nice down hill and kinda like the sound not gunna lie

 

[Certaindeaf]

I never drove a big rig or anything but in a regular gas rig for most of my life I'd downshift to hold speed (let it howl!) but then figured brakes are a consumable and cheap and easy to replace compared to an engine and transmission.

 

[kmk1012]

I never drove a big rig or anything but in a regular gas rig for most of my life I'd downshift to hold speed (let it howl!) but then figured brakes are a consumable and cheap and easy to replace compared to an engine and transmission.

Is that how you keep your ankles so nice all these years? Let the engine do the braking for ya?

 

[Nwcid]

On my 2016 Duramax dually I only use the exhaust brake when needed. Typically that is trailering. When not trailering it reduces the rolling factor when letting off the accelerator. Some may like this, I do not. Typically when not towing and driving in hilly areas, I do use the tow/haul switch. This comes from years experimenting with different combinations in setting.

I know lots of people that have large motorhomes with 3 position (1/3, 2/3, 3/3) engine brakes that leave them in a fixed position all the time. I dont understand that either. I routinely switch between all 3 settings in the same way you would use your service brake. You only apply the amount of force needed.

 

[MikeInOr]

On my 2016 Duramax dually I only use the exhaust brake when needed. Typically that is trailering. When not trailering it reduces the rolling factor when letting off the accelerator. Some may like this, I do not. Typically when not towing and driving in hilly areas, I do use the tow/haul switch. This comes from years experimenting with different combinations in setting.

I know lots of people that have large motorhomes with 3 position (1/3, 2/3, 3/3) engine brakes that leave them in a fixed position all the time. I dont understand that either. I routinely switch between all 3 settings in the same way you would use your service brake. You only apply the amount of force needed.

Did you add an exhaust brake (I.e. Jake Brake) to your 2016 Duramax? If an exhaust brake wasn't added then I believe you are just using engine braking which is different.

 

[Provincial]

My old Superduty with the 7.3 diesel has a O/D button on the shift lever. If I push it the button, the overdrive drops out and the torque converter stays locked up, which gives you engine braking just like a standard transmission. This can be handy. I have one hill I come down regularly and this holds me at just the right speed.

I did put in a Transgo "Tugger" shift kit when I rebuilt the transmission, so that may be the reason is works so well.

 

[MikeInOr]

My old Superduty with the 7.3 diesel has a O/D button on the shift lever. If I push it the button, the overdrive drops out and the torque converter stays locked up, which gives you engine braking just like a standard transmission. This can be handy. I have one hill I come down regularly and this holds me at just the right speed.

I did put in a Transgo "Tugger" shift kit when I rebuilt the transmission, so that may be the reason is works so well.

This is what my 2006 Duramax pretty much does, but it is an Alison transmission so it dies it better...

 

[The Heretic]

So I had a discussion with a long time friend who always drives with his engine brake on, 2022 Chev Duramax. I have a 2019 F350 diesel and only use mine while towing or steep down grades. He says there is no extra wear on anything and I think it transfers the wear to things like transmission gears and other parts, eventually causing slop or backlash. So, I guess my question is, is the engine brake "free energy"? I know there are some diesel drivers here who may know better than myself.

Which is more expensive and harder to repair/replace?

Brake pads/rotors and drums/shoes, or a transmission/driveshaft/differential?

Diesel engine brakes are for safety on steep down grades so you don't burn up your brakes when hauling/towing a heavy load.

 

[Provincial]

Which is more expensive and harder to repair/replace?

Brake pads/rotors and drums/shoes, or a transmission/driveshaft/differential?

Diesel engine brakes are for safety on steep down grades so you don't burn up your brakes when hauling/towing a heavy load.

Really, unless you have something slamming, compression braking is the same as coasting in gear with a standard transmission. The gear teeth are contacting on the opposite side from the side under power, so no additional wear going forward. Same for any splines or U-joints, and the clutches are locked up anyway.

 

[P7M13]

I use engine braking and gearing only to keep my pickup at a specific speed on downhills. I do not use it to slow down.
On my motorcycles, I use the gearing to slow down quite often.

 

[TTSX]

I wouldn't worry about it. I fix this crap for a living and can't say I've seen too many power train failures from engine braking.

 

[kmk1012]

Which is more expensive and harder to repair/replace?

Brake pads/rotors and drums/shoes, or a transmission/driveshaft/differential?

Diesel engine brakes are for safety on steep down grades so you don't burn up your brakes when hauling/towing a heavy load.

Hence the entire reason for this thread, I'm certified to do brake work but transmissions are something I only have experience sweeping floors around, at least when I turned 16.