Ford Engine Brake???

[atom ant]

I need to get the other one off to get a number - I got my fingers in those holes and gave it a few tugs and when it came off it sent me rolling across the campground. Definitely need something that hooks.

[johnboytoo]

Dang - Did DW get a video ?!?

Now that you have the new 6.7 - go register at ford-trucks.com and learn all about it

[Dave&Ginny]

You can go to Harbor Freight and for about $3 you can buy a tool used for removing radiator hoses. This tool is shaped like a screw driver with a "U" shape on the end to break the seals on the rubber radiator hoses. Works great for the plastic hubs while changing a tire.

[TexasRver]

So much to talk about when talking about handling terrain with the heavy Redwood in tow. We are on our first mountain voyage in our new 2014 F350 (NM Hwy 64 between Eagle Nest and Chama). Our truck has the FX4 package. When engaging the Hill Descent feature, it would tell me that the speed had to be below 20mph. Most of the hills were not that steep, probably 6% so did not use that feature. In Tow Haul coming down grades, the truck would really wind up (about 3,500rpm) and I don't think that is good for the engine, so I stayed in Drive and manually shifted, keeping an eye on the tach. I had to use some brake at times to keep the rpms down while the transmission was locked down in 3rd gear. It was a very safe descent. Also, I don't use the cruise control unless I am on gentle terrain to keep it from trying to hold speed and unnecessary upshifts/downshifts. I also have burned a transmission out, in our old truck, by pulling in overdrive. I travel in 5th gear/tow haul mode doing 60mph. The engine turns about 2,000 rpm. I believe that pulling heavy loads while the rpms are too low is bad for the transmission. In regard to 60mph, it gives me more reaction time if something develops and I can view the scenery in a relaxed style. I am retired and not in a huge hurry to get anywhere....just my thoughts.

[lwg]

Hill descent is really on Off-Road use only item. My Land Rover has it, circa 1999 (they actually invented it) and it is only useful at really, really slow speeds. Think very steep declines (15%+) where speed will kill you. Can't imagine using it while towing to be honest.

[Dave&Ginny]

Originally Posted by TexasRver

So much to talk about when talking about handling terrain with the heavy Redwood in tow. We are on our first mountain voyage in our new 2014 F350 (NM Hwy 64 between Eagle Nest and Chama). Our truck has the FX4 package. When engaging the Hill Descent feature, it would tell me that the speed had to be below 20mph. Most of the hills were not that steep, probably 6% so did not use that feature. In Tow Haul coming down grades, the truck would really wind up (about 3,500rpm) and I don't think that is good for the engine, so I stayed in Drive and manually shifted, keeping an eye on the tach. I had to use some brake at times to keep the rpms down while the transmission was locked down in 3rd gear. It was a very safe descent. Also, I don't use the cruise control unless I am on gentle terrain to keep it from trying to hold speed and unnecessary upshifts/downshifts. I also have burned a transmission out, in our old truck, by pulling in overdrive. I travel in 5th gear/tow haul mode doing 60mph. The engine turns about 2,000 rpm. I believe that pulling heavy loads while the rpms are too low is bad for the transmission. In regard to 60mph, it gives me more reaction time if something develops and I can view the scenery in a relaxed style. I am retired and not in a huge hurry to get anywhere....just my thoughts.

All the new trucks have transmission temperature gauges so you don't have to worry about burning up the transmission without warning. Also the computers in these trucks are designed to prevent the truck from self destructing.

[Blue Dogs]

Originally Posted by TexasRver

So much to talk about when talking about handling terrain with the heavy Redwood in tow. We are on our first mountain voyage in our new 2014 F350 (NM Hwy 64 between Eagle Nest and Chama). Our truck has the FX4 package. When engaging the Hill Descent feature, it would tell me that the speed had to be below 20mph. Most of the hills were not that steep, probably 6% so did not use that feature. In Tow Haul coming down grades, the truck would really wind up (about 3,500rpm) and I don't think that is good for the engine, so I stayed in Drive and manually shifted, keeping an eye on the tach. I had to use some brake at times to keep the rpms down while the transmission was locked down in 3rd gear. It was a very safe descent. Also, I don't use the cruise control unless I am on gentle terrain to keep it from trying to hold speed and unnecessary upshifts/downshifts. I also have burned a transmission out, in our old truck, by pulling in overdrive. I travel in 5th gear/tow haul mode doing 60mph. The engine turns about 2,000 rpm. I believe that pulling heavy loads while the rpms are too low is bad for the transmission. In regard to 60mph, it gives me more reaction time if something develops and I can view the scenery in a relaxed style. I am retired and not in a huge hurry to get anywhere....just my thoughts.

So when you say you stayed in drive does that mean you did not use tow/haul? If so then you disabled the engine brake. In 2014 and older ford trucks it is only activated when in tow haul so buy not using tow haul you are actually putting more stress on your engine. If you are concerned about over revving then you should use tow haul and the manual setting that way you can keep it in what ever gear you like then suppliments with foot brake. FWIW I don't think the computer will allow an over rev, if it hits to high of rpm it should up shift, might check with your dealer to be sure on that. The higher RPM the better hold back you have from the engine/exhaust brake.

[lwg]

One other thing. There's not really an overdrive anymore in these trucks. You have six gears, other than that you either have the torque converter locked or you don't. These trucks are built to tow, stick it in drive, set it to two/haul if your not in flat ground and just drive. I tend to set the cruise at 60-65 and let the truck do it's thing. With the exception of big hills everything works perfectly, super easy towing.

[atom ant]

OK,

Took this rig over the divide on I-70 yesterday, loaded to the max. I didn't notice anything different on descent than my 2008 6.4. They felt the same, in fact this one tended to pull a little harder uphill with these 3.73 gears vs my old 4.10s.

Is there really some type of automatic brake?

[hoosierguy]

Originally Posted by atom ant

OK,

Took this rig over the divide on I-70 yesterday, loaded to the max. I didn't notice anything different on descent than my 2008 6.4. They felt the same, in fact this one tended to pull a little harder uphill with these 3.73 gears vs my old 4.10s.

Is there really some type of automatic brake?

Brad,

I can't speak directly to your Ford about your controls but here is what I discovered about my RAM 3500 last summer when we went to Gunnison, CO. I knew I had a button to turn ON/OFF the "Tow/Haul" mode but did not know if there was a button to turn ON/OFF the "Exhaust Brake". I had seen a button on the dash but had no clue what the symbol was indicating or for what it was to be used. Finally read the manual and, sure enough, it was for the exhaust brake. Now each time I hook up to the RW, I turn on those functions and place the transmission into manual using the "+/-" button on the gear shift. On level terrain, and at 62 MPH, I set the cruise control. If in hilly country, I usually use 5th gear. In very hilly terrain or mountainous terrain, I will set the cruise to an appropriate speed and the cruise, exhaust brake and the transmission shifting up and down under cruise control maintains the speed within +/- 5 MPH of set speed.

Guy

[piper guy]

Brad ~ on the downhill were you in tow/haul ? When you are in Tow/haul, you brake down to the speed you would like to maintain and the truck will do it's best to stay at that speed with exhaust brake through the variable vanes in the turbo and also downshifting. If you find it downshifts to the point where it's up around 3k or so and bothering you, just manually bring it up a gear.

System works like a champ.

[atom ant]

I'll try it again tomorrow going the other way. I was in tow haul, but didn't have the cruise set. There were times it seemed to hold well, other times it wanted to run well past 3500 rpm and I would have to brake. I didn't notice it being an different than my 6.4, 6.0, or even the 7.3. I'll play some more.

[Oriana]

Brad - I don't use cruise control either and find it works without touching the brakes on hills up to 6%. We have a long 8% grade in BC and in 2nd gear I have to tap the brakes occasionally to keep the revs below 3,500.

[almcc]

Originally Posted by atom ant

I'll try it again tomorrow going the other way. I was in tow haul, but didn't have the cruise set. There were times it seemed to hold well, other times it wanted to run well past 3500 rpm and I would have to brake. I didn't notice it being an different than my 6.4, 6.0, or even the 7.3. I'll play some more.

I went from a 2003 F-350 with a 6.0 liter engine and a manual transmission to our 2011 F-450, the difference in engine braking is amazing. Even with the manual transmission the 6.0 diesel had virtually no braking, almost like putting a gas engine in neutral going down a hill.

You should be getting braking if you are in cruise or in tow/haul with or without cruise. If not, something is wrong with your truck.

[johnboytoo]

I use tow haul to assist in stopping most times, towing or not...
my logic ? I am lazy and easier to move my finger to punch the button than my leg to hit the brakes

but seriously, I have a 100k warranty on the drive train and NONE on brake pads as they are a 'wear item', so I let the drive train take some wear off the pads...

Not a technical solution, but what I have gathered from the retired ford drive train engineer on the ford trucks site...

Fords before 2015 did not have an exhaust brake (in stock form at least)..
they opted for a variable vane turbo instead.

in simplest terms, all engines are just air pumps...
free flowing air through the engine allows for better power, etc...
restricted air flow through the engine lessens power and CAN slow down like an exhaust brake...

Ford chose to put on a variable vane turbo to
1) allow it to act as a smaller turbo for quicker spool up at low rpms and
2) allow it to act as a larger turbo for more power once spooled up.
3) and secondarily to act as a air flow restrictor to add back pressure in the exhaust.

on my 2013
(which I THINK is close to yours, except for some programming updates)
the tow haul is just a change in the normal programming...

i.e.
when accelerating it will hold gears longer to get up in the power curve a little further,
and when slowing or braking, it will downshift sooner AND close the variable vane turbo to create back pressure in the engine..

as soon as I hit the tow haul button in drive, the tranny may chose to drop down a gear and start slowing if I am at a speed slower than say 60 mph...

if I tap the brakes it will downshift almost immediately...
and the more I stab the brakes and slow down, the faster it downshifts to further slow me down...

Have had times when I had to slow quickly when in tow haul and the tranny will boom, boom, boom,.... thru the downshifts as I brake and it slows.

really helps the braking distance... hope my ramblings help while waiting for the rest of the house to wake up

[lwg]

Johnboytoo is spot on with his explanation of how everything works in the new Fords.

[atom ant]

OK, came back over the hill again today to get home. Still nothing remarkable over what we had before...

Maybe because this one is so quiet Dory thought it felt like it was running away a little more than the old truck, and I think I agree. Maybe it's just the higher gears we aren't used to. Nothing unsafe, and like John says the transmission downshifted and did it's thing, but I was expected to feel something more like an exhaust brake on this 6.7.

[spindrift]

Originally Posted by atom ant

. Nothing unsafe, and like John says the transmission downshifted and did it's thing, but I was expected to feel something more like an exhaust brake on this 6.7.

Don't expect anything more or you'll be disappointed. As I said before, this turbo "brake" is the weakest link in the Super Duty platform.

[Dan]

Originally Posted by atom ant

OK, came back over the hill again today to get home. Still nothing remarkable over what we had before...

Maybe because this one is so quiet Dory thought it felt like it was running away a little more than the old truck, and I think I agree. Maybe it's just the higher gears we aren't used to. Nothing unsafe, and like John says the transmission downshifted and did it's thing, but I was expected to feel something more like an exhaust brake on this 6.7.

Brad
I wonder if they make an aftermarket exhaust brake for your year? It may help the variable vane turbo do its thing
With my setup up I usually have to hit the gas on the down hill. I have 373 gears and find when you hit the "sweet" spot I am running just over 70, not bad but just a little higher than i like

Dan

[atom ant]

Ya I was wondering that too Dan. However it certainly is useable as is. I'm running heavy, and I can snub brake it like the old one on the really steep descents.