Exhaust brake question

[Dougjpr]

On my 2005 Dutchstar with ISL 8.9 and exhaust brake, the brake activates as soon as I take my food off of accelerator, which can be a bit of a pain if you just want to coast down a slight grade/hill. Can the exhaust brake be programmed to engage when the brake pedal is touched?
On my diesel pick up, when in tow haul mode, the transmission would only downshift when the brake pedal was touched or if the speed of the vehicle increased at too fast a rate with no driver input. I realize that the system is different on a pick up, but really like to be able to engage the exhaust brake when I want it, without constantly turning switch on and off. Don’t like the amount of shifting transmission has to do when on and off the throttle.

If it can be reprogrammed can any Cummins shop do it?

Thanks

[Mr_D]

Yes, it can. I've never had it done though. Something to do with "latching" mode as I remember.

[96 Wideglide]

Don't you have a switch that turns the E.B on and off .

[ditto]

I have had mine reprogrammed on all my coaches by a Cummins shop. I find it much more comfortable to drive programmed this way! Also checked for updates at the same time.

[V3600]

If it's just a slight hill just keep it in cruise and let the computer work for you. Doesn't the DS have a 3 position switch, Low, High, Off? Some coaches have Low, Med, High and Off.

[Dougjpr]

Just an on/off switch for the exhaust brake
I think the low/med/high switches are on engine brake equipped coaches, but I am not 100% certain.
Don’t alway have cruise on when I get into heavy traffic which is when you are on and off the throttle more. Exhaust brake becomes a bit of a pain.
Will check with local Cummins shop
Thanks

[Piker]

I don't know for sure about your programming... but i just recently installed an exhaust brake on our vintage HR. I hooked it up so that the exhaust brake engages only when I touch the brake pedal (before the service brakes actually engage)... and without the tranny automatically down shifting. I really like it this way as opposed to having the brake on and the tranny downshifting every time I lift my foot off the accelerator.

I drove a tandem dump truck of my dad's years ago that had an engine brake - when it was switched on, the engine brake activated as soon as your foot came off the throttle, but you also had the option to ride your foot on the clutch pedal to overide this feature. Without a clutch in the RV, I just don't like the brake coming on all the time.

I think if you program it as Mr D said with the "latching mode" you'll like it... although I believe this keeps the brake off until you touch the brake pedal... but once you do the exhaust brake will stay on and the tranny will downshift until you hit the gas again. Not exacly like the way mine is set up, where the exhaust brake is only on when I touch the brake pedal.

Just my $.02!

-cheers

[Piker]

... sometimes I think the rv would be more fun to drive if it were a stick...

-cheers

[dons2346]

I leave my foot resting on the accelerator just a bit but not enough to add throttle. It will keep the exhaust brake from activating

[Poppy01]

Originally Posted by dons2346

I leave my foot resting on the accelerator just a bit but not enough to add throttle. It will keep the exhaust brake from activating

I do likewise...or just flip the switch off if idling along in traffic.

[MisterT]

Originally Posted by dons2346

I leave my foot resting on the accelerator just a bit but not enough to add throttle. It will keep the exhaust brake from activating

yes, AGREED, the exhaust brake does NOT have to be effective if you don't lift your foot all the way off the pedal, just a slight bit and it does not active, but it also is not adding any fuel, either... it's the 'interim' method to keep the switch ON but not allow the brake to active until you really want it to.

[Piker]

Originally Posted by MisterT

yes, AGREED, the exhaust brake does NOT have to be effective if you don't lift your foot all the way off the pedal, just a slight bit and it does not active, but it also is not adding any fuel, either... it's the 'interim' method to keep the switch ON but not allow the brake to active until you really want it to.

Ya... that would definitely make a difference. When I installed this brake, I actually put it on a 3 position switch - On - Off - and On if brake pedal is pushed.

The brake pedal on our rig has a small amount of movement at the beginning of the stroke, where the lights come and activates the exhaust brake, but doesn't actually move the master cylinder and apply the service brakes.

The throttle pedal on our rig has no such area of motion where I can leave my foot on the pedal to keep the exhaust brake from coming on without adding throttle. Basically there's no slop in it. If I can figure out a way for the pedal to be spring loaded to move upward just a little further than the throttle cable itself pulls the pedal up, it would give me a range of motion to work in a switch on the pedal. Then the three positions would be - On with throttle pedal up - Off - and On with brake pedal down.

-cheers

[Dutch Star Don]

Doug......here is a good article on how the Latching Modes work. You need to go to a Cummins shop that has the Insight computer program. They hook it to your coach and make the changes. You'd be surprised how many parameters they can changed.

Exhaust Brake On/Off Switch

My coach has a 2 speed engine brake that works with my cruise control. When I start to descend a grade, my coach will allow a 6 mph gain in speed and then turn on the engine brake. I thought this was way too fast. A friend has a Cummins contact that sent me a printout on how to reduce that speed to 2 mph over the set speed. I took my coach to Cummins and they said it couldn't be changed. I showed them the printout.....they said they learn something new everyday. They made the adjustment, which works really well. They charged a $100.00.

[Dougjpr]

Thanks Don
I will give it a read. When I contacted Spartan, they said that it can only work the way it is.