Exhaust Brake

[Glennman]

Anyone here ever install an exhaust brake on a Series 60? (I'm not referring to compression brakes). Thank you!

[Utahclaimjumper]

 Look into PAC brake systems. Recently upgraded, now 60% more efficient than before the upgrade >>>Dan

[luvrbus]

You very seldom see  exhaust pacbrake on larger diesel engines ,Pacbrake still makes one for series 60 but the $2000.00 price tag is for the brake only and you spend another 2 or 3 grand to make the thing work.The disadvantage is all 6 cylinders keep firing just trapping the exhaust on all 6 cylinders, I have seen rods through the block on series 60 and 3406 Cat engines using one .Cummins won't use one on their ISX engine they break the head bolts, all the truck and bus engine come from the factory now with compression engine brakes and have for years. I would pass on it even if Youtube says it works, they are not good for the Detroit electronic engines but it is your money JMO

[Glennman]

I could not imagine what it would take to install a compression brake system. When we go down White Pass here in Washington State heading west, it gets a bit hairy. You almost need to keep the bus to about 25 mph all the way down, as trying to use the brakes to slow down is almost impossible if you go too fast. We've done it once and it would have been nice to have an alternative way to slow down. The transmission automatically downshifts to 4th gear once the brakes are applied. That helps, but it will only hold you for so long.

[dtcerrato]

We sometimes wish we had Jake brakes but the supplemental braking on the toads & trailers pulled take the edge off on the downhills. We try and take downhills in the highest gear possible as it gives some room for coasting unless it's winding then lower gears are a must and more frequent braking is required.

[luvrbus]

Are you sure the MCI 4500 you own doesn't have retarder on the Allison and you haven't figured out how to engage it, they don't need to have the joy stick control to have a retarder just a rocker switch on the dash for the preset retarders ,My CC motor home would down shift to 4 th with Jakes and was a real pain I had it reprogramed do Jakes would work in 5th and 6th gear . I never saw a bus that would down shift to 4th by touching the brakes without Jakes  or a retarder ,weird programing on that one what prevents the engine from over speeding ?,it does sound like you have preset retarder have some body scan it for you they have 3 setting 35%,65% and 80% the 65% is what most owners prefer to keep the heat down

[Glennman]

That's interesting luvrbus. My son borrowed a unit called "Can Do" (something like that) that reads computer codes from the local Corwell tool rep. It has a price tag on it of just under $500. We hooked it up yesterday just to see if it works. It loaded up the bus information such as the VIN, engine model #, things like that. It seems to work for the bus, but I have no idea on how to use it. We did manage to confirm that there are no codes on the engine or transmission. At any rate, a code reader like that would tell me if the transmission has a retarder? That would be awesome if it did. I just need to enter myself in a college somewhere to figure out how to use it! I suppose I could contact a local truck outfit and see if they would be able to look into it and see if I have a retarder or not. Thanks!

[luvrbus]

Find the tag on side of the transmission it will tell you  model B500R if it has a retarder

[Glennman]

I'll take a look at that this weekend!

[Glennman]

Well, I would have gotten back to this thread sooner, but we were at the beach for about a week.

I plugged in a new Autel Autolink AL529HD OBD II scanner that I picked up just today ($175). I was not able to verify whether or not I have the B500R (retarder) or just the B500 (I need to learn how to use it). We drove over White Pass here in Washington State (over and back). I just simply didn't let it go much over 30 MPH down the hills. There wasn't much traffic, so it worked out. I suppose I will just have to live without a Jake or retarder. If I did have the B500R Allison retarder, how is it activated? Would there be a switch on the dash? At any rate, we had a great time. Thanks.

[luvrbus]

Should have 2 switches for the retarder 1 on the dash and i on the left side drivers panel ,you are not going to any info on the transmission without the Allison software for a scanner