Turbo brake installed.
Cab portion is relatively straight forward, that took about 30 minutes.
Most of the wire connections are jumpers, e.g. pass through connectors, 1 plug for the switch and + & - battery connections.
Under hood was a bit more of a challenge. Access is tough on these newer trucks. Just getting to the firewall pass-through boot is a challenge.
The intake manifold has to come off to get to the turbo charger oil control solenoid harness connection. This is the solenoid the moves the vanes open and close (these are not the turbine vanes).
Reading the instructions it would seem as simple as remove 16 bolts and add the harness jump in connection. The manifold is a chore to remove.
If you try this yourself - the manifold will come off, just not easily. Once all screws are removed, lift and rotate counter clockwise as you tilt the right side up (this is as you are looking at the manifold, sitting on the engine facing rearward). And, you are forcing this against other parts, difficult, but just keep rotating.
Once off the turbo is visible, but the connector you have to remove is barely visible. The instructions note that if the connector retainer is damaged, to use a wire tie to secure it. There is a good reason for that. You can only see half the connecter and cannot access the second side clip.
The 5th picture is the tool I made to pop that clip. You are working blind but the bend and flat on the wire will allow popping the clip open.
Word of advise - do not store the screws on the cowling. I did that, slipped and knocked one of the screws off. But I didn't realize it until I had the manifold back on and came up one screw short. Pulled the manifold back off just to make sure nothing dropped down the intake and to look underneath for the screw. Took about a half hour but I found it and needed two pencil magnets to retrieve.
The intake seals are formed silicone rubber seals that are reusable.
The screws in the rear are very tough to get to.
The rest of the install was straight forward.
Pic 1
The dash switch, 3 positions, off, turbo control only and turbo plus brake
Pic 2
Bottom side of the intake manifold. Notice all the carbon buildup inside the runners? The glory of EGR
Pic 3
The 3 intake ports and 2 unknown ports
Pic 4
Right rear port
Pic 5
Stainless welding rod I used to make the clip removal tool.
Pic 6
Showing location of the solenoid connector. That silver foil tube is an insulator for the connector.
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Road test showed that the control does work, but I was unable to give it a real test. That will come later this week.
But, something to note, the brake is more effective with higher RPM's. That said, it was barely noticeable under 2500 RPM. Really need 3000 or mor to be most effective.
Unlike the factory turbo brakes, this kit remembers the ignition off setting.
Position 1 is turbo brake only and position 2 adds "braking".
What it is doing in mode 2 is automatically applying the truck's "Tow/Haul" mode.
So, in mode two, if you let up on the throttle the brake begins to retard. If you tap the brakes, the truck goes into T/H mode, downshifts and applies the turbo brake. Just the action of entering T/H and immediate downshifting makes the brake very noticeable.
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These two videos will give you an idea of what the vanes are and what is moving.
