You should be able to adjust the actuator, what sort of performance were you expecting. Exhaust brakes only improve braking ability by restricting exhaust gas from escaping and creating back pressure in the cylinders. You have to have a certain amount of gas escape, or you could cause internal damage with large pressure build up. As a rough rule, they should increase your braking power by about 20-25%.

Practice driving your bus round to get used to how much assistance you get and how to use it properly, if you can adjust it, you'll be able to try different settings. When you come to a stop with the engine brake on, you should only lose a couple of hundred revs, compared to when not using it. Do you have a switch to shut if of and on, as many places take a dim view of engine brake use in their towns etc.

PeterD wrote:

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native pepper wrote:

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 Do you have a switch to shut if of and on, as many places take a dim view of engine brake use in their towns etc.

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 I thought it was the Jacob's type braking that was the noise problem, not the ones in the exhaust pipe.

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 Your right PeterD the exhaust brake you can hardly hear just a bit of air hissing, the Jacob brake is the noisy one, x truckie.

lance c

Firstly, thank you for all your comments!
However, nothing any of you have spoken about is remotely relevant to my question!

I thought my question was fairly str8t forward!

It is factory fitted so yes it does have a switch, in fact it has three! 

One on the steering column, one on the clutch and one on the throttle.

It even has a device that stops it operating at idle!

It is no way, or could not be associated with jake brakes!

Jake brakes are engine brakes! In short they stop the vales from expelling exhaust gas from the motor, thus slowing the vehicle down, very efficient. Except for the noise, this is what the towns people get crapy about.

Exhaust brakes are just that! They brake the exhaust, that means slow it up from leaving the engine and manifold, thus, slowing the motor because the exhaust is restricted.

Exhaust brakes are fitted to most commercial vehicles over 2 T and used every day in suburbia and towns all over the country, mostly un audible!

Now, we have had a lesion in how these brakes work.

With respect, the comments posted have Nothing, Zero, Didally Squat to do with the question I asked.

I am a professional driver with many years experience working on heavy vehicles and do know how efficiently they should work.

The question to all you good people was, is the unit fitted with the actuator to the gearbox side or the near side.

If you can answer this please do, but not interested in dribble.

Some one must have or know someone that does have one of these vehicles!

Could you please look underneath and let me know.

Thanks, Gadge

Sorry, your post gave me the impression you didn't understand exhaust brakes and how they work.

With all that driving experience, you'd know where the best position for an exhaust brake actuator is. Every vehicle I've been associated with that had them, is pretty much the same place. Before we had prime movers with engine brakes, our road trains only had exhaust brakes and they were all in relatively the same position, no matter the model or make of truck. Same with the coaches, all pretty much situated in the same place, as I expect anyone who has worked on or driven trucks would know.

Thanks for your quick response, as said, thanks for your responses.

I thought my original question was clear! But clearly by the response I got it wasn't clear.

The reason for using this forum was to call on on the knowledge stored in the mind's of us wonderful  Grey Nomads!

My intent was not to upset anyone, but with respect if you can't answer the question don't respond. ( This is in know way directly directed to you. As said thanks!)

I just get frustrated when you ask what I thought was a straight forward question, the responses I got, there was no relevance to my dilemma.

Thanks Gadge

hi gadge

if what your calling the actuator is the butterfly that stops the air in the exhaust . well that would depend on which side your exhaust is on . if thats what your after theres a problem a lot of people over look . SOOT build up on the butterfly and in the housing i give the ones on my truck a bash with a hammer now and them and they seam to work gr8.
i have a 4.5 tonne tipper it will compression lock in the wet . and both my big trucks 15 tonne suck trucks can come down Maleny range without touching the brakes ( i do dab them from time to time just to make sure theresa good peddle . but i do that with what ever i drive ) i love em they save your brakes and in some cases can stop accidents . wish they were on all diesel vehicles

dibs

If as you say it if factory fitted then whats your problem????  if the manufacturer fitted it where it is then they thought it was the best place...
If it isn't stopping you like you expected them maybe you have an adjustment problem or even a compression problem..

-- Edited by oldbobsbus on Thursday 12th of December 2013 08:30:17 PM

oldbobsbus wrote:

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If as you say it if factory fitted then whats your problem????  if the manufacturer fitted it where it is then they thought it was the best place...
If it isn't stopping you like you expected them maybe you have an adjustment problem or even a compression problem..

-- Edited by oldbobsbus on Thursday 12th of December 2013 08:30:17 PM

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 Thanks Oldbobsbus,

my problem is I want someone to have a look underneath a bus like mine! And just tell me if the vacuum cylinder is on the gearbox side or the near side.

As said in my first post the thing has been serviced and is adjusted to maximum closure when operated.

But instead of getting underneath, undoing four bolts, thanking it out and turning it around I thought I might ask all you learned Gray Nomads if you could tell me!

Well here's the wiring diagram for exhaust brakes on Coasters.

https://www.google.com.au/search?q=coaster+exhaust+brake+diagram&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=W5iqUr2tJ4OllQX51IGoBw&ved=0CDsQsAQ

here's how to mount it - diag from Toyota

http://www.toyodiy.com/parts/p_J_2007_TOYOTA_COASTER_XZB51-ZRPQH5_4711.html

The way I see this being fitted is look toward the exhaust manifold and the operating crank faces left.

Hope this helps.

Cheers Baz

If anyone was watching this arvo they would have thought I was up to no good...lol
There was a Coaster parked on the side of the road and nobody was about so I laid down beside it and had a look under it but alas it had a petrol motor and NO exhaust brake...
Never mind I tried and it now looks like you have your answer with the above info..

oldbobsbus wrote:

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Just a couple of things come to mind if it doesn't seem to work as well as you would have hoped..

Are there any vacuum leaks between your tanks and the pull cylinder. ( I had a Hino AC140 that worked fine on the workshop floor but under load it didn't pull in properly)

Is there any binding or wear in the butterfly that could cause it to lock part open under load.

Next time I see a Coaster I will have a look for you ..

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 Thanks for your thoughts, was only thinking the same thing.

I don't think any of what you mentioned but am going to stick the camera under the bus then take it for a run. Then, hopefully I can see what's happening.