Exhaust brake....exhaust replacement....General EB input

[Haggar]

Guys,A bit of input please. I am very interested in purchasing an exhaust brake. I see that there are some that will work with my existing vacuum system and some that use compressed air..... Not certain that I want to add a compressor and associated cost.(boy it seems nice and would work for the arb in the future....) My question mainly revolves around the connection to the exhaust. I need to replace my exhaust, and I was looking at the 4" diamond eye. Many of the lesser cost Exhaust brakes I am finding (Jacobs, Banks etc...) Say works with stock exhaust only. (I am looking at the elbow type brakes.) Since the Diamond eye would replace a "stock" exhaust, would the above be the correct elbow brakes? (I think I just answered my own question, but input would be greatly appreciated!!!)Also If I am staying basically stock, AND I don't have an automatic (so TCC control is not a worry) is there any REAL difference in each of the different manufacturers approaches?Thanks for your input,Hag

[hd99fxr3]

Good questions. too new to this game to answer, but I will be following along.

[dripley]

I have a Banks EB on my truck. I also have a banks 4" exhaust system. The down pipe is 4" and bolts to the elbow the brake is in. I know they have a brake that will work with a 4" system, thats what is on my truck. I also have a Banks quick turbo ex housing on the HX35 that the elbow bolts onto. I think the stock elbow would bolt to it but I cannot be sure of that. My turbo does not have the v-band clamp connection it is all bolted. Some have the clamp and others do not. I am not sure what you have on yours. I am not sure this is any help.

I do know that the banks brake works good, I am happy with it. I have never driven a truck with a differant brand to compare it with though. I also have a brand new SS Banks 4" down pipe at the house if you go that route and it would help you i would let it go fairly cheap.

I wish i could be of more help, been along time ago since I swapped my exhaust out.

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Looking at your sig and you having a 01.5 I am thinking you and I are the same on how it all connects stock.

Just thinking outloud, wether you get a Banks, Pac, or Jacobs, they all do pretty much the same thing. Iam sure there are some differances in performance, but I would think they have to be pretty close. I think I would get the one that works best for the exhaust system you want and the money you have to spend.

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Also a 4" exhaust may not be neccasary. Mopar Man is till running a 3" straight pipe with very good succes and runs more power than I do.

[Mopar1973Man]

I've got the Jacobs Exhaust brake on my truck which accepts the 3" stock down pipe. Also the EB is ran off of vacuum using a solenoid valve to control vacuum. As for 4" exhaust I've not found a reason to upgrade to 4' pipe yet. I'm getting excellent MPGs roughly 22-23 MPG... EGT's are very controllable with my Edge Comp and RV275 injectors so why mess with it.

[Haggar]

Thanks guys!!No, you guys have me thinking. Which is helping a lot.So that is what the downpipe is for in the banks system. It is because the stock exhaust won't bolt up. I would have to use that with the diamond eye too, as it is designed to connect to the stock elbow.....The only reason I am considering the 4" is the exhaust on the truck now is hosed. Not sure that I can get a stock system for $300 to my door.I missed a Jacobs on fleabay new for 750. I see a few used units ( elbow and actuator only, no controls). I know there is a master "arm" switch to turn it on for a manual, but what tells the solenoid when I am on/off throttle. Does it look at something in the apps? do you add a switch to the throttle mechanicals?Again thanks for the input!!!Hag

[Mopar1973Man]

Jacobs brake plugs into the ECM for its trigger signal. It give 2-3 second delay from the time you release the throttle till the time it arms the exhaust brake allowing the driver enough time to shift without the exhaust brake popping on instant every time you release the throttle.No mechanical triggers...No APPS wiring...Just simple...

[Haggar]

I like simple!!! (never seems to work out that way for me but hey)If I may pick your brains some more. Where /how does it interface with the ECM? The FSM does not show the exhaust brake (probably in a supplement to the standard FSM). So I am having trouble mentally imaging the pickup interface. Part of the reason I ask this is there is a 2 wire connector near the 50 pin ECM connector that has nothing plugged into it. (actually it does have the mating connector plugged in, but the wires are snipped just outside of the connector) I forgot to snap a picture of it when it was much easier to see.This also means buying a used one could be more problematic, if the person has not gotten all the parts.Thanks for the information,Hag

[Mopar1973Man]

I thought I had the install manual but I don't. What you do is remove the ECM plug and there is a rubber plug in one of the pins that you remove then insert the EB lead into the ECM plug and then plug the ECM plug back into the ECM. Like I said it hooks directly with the ECM. Jocbos Brake use to carry the install manuals online in PDF form but they been removed the last I known of it.

[Haggar]

Micheal,Thanks. So theoretically there is a pin on the 50 way, that is for the ECM to fire the brake. I should be able to find it online. If not, I bet a if I take a 6 pack to the local cummins guys, they could let me peek at the drawings and figure it out. I will go back and search the pinout on the 50 way in the FSM. I might accidentally find it there.Do you happen to know what the current carrying capacity of that terminal was, or was it designed mainly for logic, and you therefore run a relay between the ECM and the solenoid?Also do you happen to know if the terminals were Delphi or Packard? The only one on the dodge I tried to get apart wouldn't come apart. ( I it was in the illumination circuit for the instrument cluster to add the gauges. I ended up using a piggyback fuse on the illumination fuse) It looked like a standard Delphi, but I gave up trying to disassemble it, and went another route.ThanksHag

[Mopar1973Man]

Don't quote me but it had enough to directly power the vacuum solenoid on 12V. I don't know of any relay in my setup. I would hop over to Caspers Electronics and given them a call. They would be able to tell from looking at a picture of the plug and how it comes apart.

[dripley]

The Banks brake connects alot diffarantly. I had to tap the Apps, ECT, PCM, and the cruise(i believe for the manual tranny only). It fundtions pretty much the same, but it does cout out at 15mph and below.I kinda wish it di not do that. Probably a way around, I just have not tried do it.

[Haggar]

The pac brake instructions do the sort of the same thing, they tap into the IVS signals in the app. Boy, the manuals for the Jacobs are well hidden. I did find an old file name, but bloople is not finding it... may have to pull out an old web crawler..... I found it 028536C.pdf!!!!! Still reading and digesting. It is pin 20 that is attached (which IS empty in the factory harness.)I found the parts manual P/N 028538 Rev B (Bulletin number3401831) and found it online.Mopar P/N 82205577, Cummins P/N 3800792 is/are the exhaust brake kit numbers for the older system. almost everything easy points to ISB after 2003.... grrrr.Hag