exhaust brake/engine brake, not working???

[Ragman]

2001 Tradewinds on a 2000 Freightliner chassis. Last week or returning from Branson Missouri. I noticed my exhaust brake had quit working.( just out of the mountains). Tried them two or three times are coming home but would not click in. I checked the #10 fuse and it was okay.. Have you had a problem like this? If so I would appreciate any information that may help me. Spending the month of October in Branson so I know I will need them. Thanks.
Happy Trails

[Fred Cooper]

Does your transmission downshift when you turn on the exhaust brake? If it does, then I'd start looking at the actual mechanics of the exhaust brake as it may be stuck, maybe a broken wire to it, etc.

If the transmission does not downshift, then it's an electrical or electronic control problem.

Call the Freightliner help desk for some good free troubleshooting advise. Have your VIN number handy when you call. 1 800 385 4357

[Ragman]

Thanks, Fred.
No, it does not shift down, it's just like nothing was on. I checked the #10 fuse with the engine running, but was not hot on either side. Just thought, I wonder if it has to be in gear are possibly running about 50 miles an hour? Wife said she would not check it on the outside At that speed!!! . My thinking, if it was stuck it would blow the fuse. Could be in the switch itself are a Gremlin somewhere. Mechanically I am okay, but I am really electrical challenged. I will try it in running gear and see if anything's hot. Thanks again for your suggestions and will try Freightliner.
Happy Trails – – – Larry

[Ragman]

Heater, did you get my private message regarding campgrounds and Branson?
Larry

[Fred Cooper]

Ragman

Read the thread referenced below, especially the posts by Wolfe10.

RV.Net Open Roads Forum: Class A Motorhomes: Engine brake just quit working

The thread is about a spartan chassis, but I think the comments about the throttle position may apply to your situation also.

For the exhaust brake to work, you do need to be in gear, in motion above a certain speed (about 12 - 15 mph). With the throttle off, exhaust brake on, (cruise off on some coaches), the tranny should immediately begin a downshift to the programmed lower gear. On my coach, it is 2.

Fred

[EngineerMike]

The "shift-hunt" is programmable in the Allison ECU for any lower gear. I believe it could even be disabled (just guessing, but makes programming sense). Very rare to have shift hunt look for 6th or be off, a very few owners have chosen 5th with manual downshifts below that. IIRC default is 4th, but the coach mfgr probably had a standard set of parameters ordered from Allison. I had mine reset from 4th to 2nd for better control in town FWIW.

To see if the shift hunt is active, I think from where your state of knowledge is now, you will need to be doing ~65mph, 6th gear, cruise control off, brake switch ON. Take your foot off the accelerator & check the Allison shift pad. What gear shows in the left hand window? If it drops from 6th to any lower # immediately, shift hunt is working. The # it drops to is the shift hunt parameter set in your Allison ECU. If it doesn't move off 6th, the problem is in the switching and not in the PacBrake, which means it can either be a coach mfgr circuit or chassis mfgr circuit but isn't Cummins or Allison (I'm assuming you have an ISC engine that was never offered w/an engine or Jake brake, and therefore have PacBrake, the most popular model for ISC's).

You can check out more in this thread and this one here (exclusive to exhaust brake) on iRV2.

[Chaffeekid]

Hey Ragman, Yep as stated, you have to be moving, foot off the throttle, exaust brake switch on, I believe you have to be going faster than a certain speed, kinda like cruise control. I have the same system on mine that you have, I noted that if I touch the brake, the exaust brake light comes on immediately if all the conditions above are met.

There is a couple of lube points on the exaust brake that you might need to address also. I have searched the web but can't find info on it, I believe I read it in the engine manual that came with my motorhome.

On RV Parks in Branson, I have stayed at the Stage Coach RV park several times, it is out on 165 by the Table Rock Dam, current price is 28.00 per night, if you are a good sam member, veteran or several other qualifiers for the discount.

Here's a link to their web site.
Branson Stagecoach - Branson Campground, Branson RV Park, Branson Camping
If you have the new TV's hook up to their cable and you won't need to use your satellite, I scanned the cable and turned up over a hundred cable channels. And most of these are Digital Crystal Clear just like you satellite picture

You get to it by going south on 65 past 76, keep heading south to the Hollister turn off and 165. Don't rely on your GPS as they have changed the off ramp. When you get off at the bottom of the ramp, turn right and then get in the left lane immediately. Turn left at the next stop light and follow the sign to 165. Its about 5 or 6 miles out on 165 and is located only about a mile or so from Table Rock Dam.

It is removed from the hussle and bustle of Branson, and you can get to all the shows and attractions by going the back way, 165 into Branson, much easier. They have long pull throughs, concrete pads we stayed on pad 22. It was long enough that both my Expedition 36T and my Dodge ram Crew Cab fit on the pad with room left over, so a 42 or a 45 would easily fit also.

They have a restruant on site, open Tuesday-Saturday from 0700 to 1400 each day, it is down home cooking and has a really nice breakfast, least I thought so
Hope this helps.
Happy Trails
Jim

[Ragman]

HALLELUJAH !!!!! Thanks to you guys, Fred, Mike and Sarge, I found the problem. Easy fix. One of you sent me to a link and one person said a hose had slipped off.. Sure enough, in checking the engine, there was a 16 inch long rubber holes that was disconnected. It went to one thingamajig to another.Slid it back on, tighten it down real tight, took her for a spin and the exhaust brake worked perfect. Thanks Again guys you took a big worry off my head.
Happy Trails – – – Larry