Does Exhaust Braking Harm the Engine?
2 Answers
Exhaust braking does not harm the engine. Here is the relevant introduction to exhaust braking: 1. The exhaust brake butterfly valve is installed on the engine exhaust manifold. By closing the engine exhaust passage, it creates reverse pressure on the engine piston during the exhaust stroke, slowing down the engine speed and generating a braking effect, thereby achieving the purpose of controlling the vehicle speed; 2. When using exhaust braking, the engine continues to operate, so components such as the water pump, oil pump, power steering pump, air pump, and generator remain working normally. Therefore, functions such as cooling, lubrication, steering, air pressure, and charging are not affected, nor is safe operation compromised.
I've been driving trucks for over 20 years, and exhaust brakes really don't harm the engine. It's just a valve added to the exhaust pipe that holds back the exhaust gases to slow down the engine, working on a similar principle as downshifting on a downhill slope. Think about it—trucks often run on mountain roads, relying entirely on it to reduce brake pad pressure. If it damaged the engine, we'd have raised hell long ago! The key is to use it correctly—engine RPM shouldn't be too low, and coolant temperature needs attention too. My old truck has run 500,000 kilometers, with the exhaust brake used for nine years, and the engine is still going strong. However, installation quality is crucial. Remember last year when our team's Xiao Li cheaped out and installed an aftermarket part? The exhaust valve got stuck and damaged the turbo. That taught us not to skimp on this.
