I just got a new BD exhaust brake and you can apparently use it to warm up the engine on cold mornings.

Does anyone know whether this is better than using a Fast Idle switch to warm up the truck at say 1100 rpm?

Thanks

 

I cant tell you which works best or which is a better method.
However, I can tell you that I have used both... at the same time.

I have defeated the micro switch that turns on the e-brake, thus allowing me to have the e-brake on regardless of throttle possition.
I also have a PVC pipe cut to fit between the seat and throttle which bumps up my rpms to ~1200.
There has been two occasions where I needed to get going and did not have much time to wait for the engine to warm up on its own, so I used the e-brake and the let it run at 1200 rpms for a few minutes (probable around 3 minutes).
It warms up nicely.

However, I do not know what kind of damamge this would cause if you did it on a regular basis.

Rich.

 

I've been using DieselDaze's method (actually it's PacBrake's method) on the work truck. There's a sticker on the dash under the E-brake switch that says something like: "Increase engine speed to 1100 RPM and put the PacBrake switch in the "Warm Up" position until operating temperature is attained." I've been doing this every morning for 2 years with no apparent problems. Gets the Cat up to full operating temp in about 15 minutes.

 

how much warm up is actually needed, sometimes (most of the time) i just hop in, start it up, wait about 20 seconds and get goin

Dave, you have an e-brake?

Oh just realized its on the work truck

Can someone explain the e-brake operation, when its used, why, what exactly its doing, is it blocking the path of exhaust to slow the cylinders down, wouldn't that put a lot of stress on things

 

As far as the engine is concerned, you only need to wait until you have oil pressure. Just keep your RPM's under 2000 or so until you have your coolant temp needle up off the 140* mark. I usually wait to go over 2000 RPM's until my coolant temp needle reaches the "normal operating range" mark on my gauge.

 

I was in Maine this winter and it was the first time that I had the high idle kick in since I installed the BD exhaust brake. I was really surprised at how the high idle kicked off. I was inside saying goodbye and gathering up the family when the high idle kicked off. I thought maybe something happened to the truck since it was the first time I tried both. When I got back out to the truck man was it toasty!! I use the exhaust brake if it is cold to warm up the truck and with the factory high idle program it works really fast. It even had kicked in the three cyclinder drop for a couple of minutes, while in Maine, but it warmed up so quick it dropped out of it faster than I have ever seen it.

 

I'll use my e-brake to warm the truck before we pull out of a campground towing our 5th wheel. Having said that, one downside of using the e-brake for warm-up is that the IAT sensor will tend to "soot up" faster due to flow reversion during valve overlap. Not a big deal, but one will probably have to clean the IAT more frequently using the e-brake for warm-up.

Rusty

 

Thanks for the feedback Fellas

Rusty - about that IAT valve, could you tell me what it does and how to clean it?

Guess I have no clue where it is either...I have a 2002 HO

Thanks for all your help this site is GREAT

Yannick

 

The IAT (inlet air temperature) sensor is on the driver's side of the engine at the extreme rear (firewall) area. It's not easy to see or reach for removal and reinstallation! As the name implies, it senses air manifold temperature and transmits that information to the ECM. If it is carboned up, fuel mileage will generally suffer, and performance may fall off.

I clean mine with carburetor cleaner (the spray can stuff) and haven't had a problem. Some of the electronics guys, however, will recommend using electrical contact cleaner instead.

Rusty

 

You've got the right idea, it's just a flapper that closes off the exhaust pipe. There is an orifice in the flapper to control the amount of backpressure. A Cummins runs 60 psi. E-brakes don't hurt the engine, think about how much pressure the engine holds every time a cylinder fires, 60 psi is nothing. An e-brake is used to slow the truck down, it's only closed when you're not pushing on the accelerator. That is, except when it's in warm-up mode. Diesels have lousy engine braking because there's no restriction in the intake like the throttle plate on a gasser. On a diesel, you use energy compressing air in the cylinders on the upstroke, but you get almost all of it back on the downstroke. When towing a heavy trailer in hilly country this can be downright dangerous. Most guys who have exhaust brakes use them all the time, you get used to keeping just enough pressure on the accelerator to prevent the e-brake from kicking in until you're ready to slow down.

 

FWIW the 3rd gen 6 spds will operate the fast idle and e brake at the same time for warmup. Great for stopping wet stacking also.

 

I usually just start er up and run it at redline until the grey smoke stops coming out, then head out to walmart