How to Clean Exhaust Brakes

Single-walled stainless tips will turn a yellow color in time.

Exhaust brakes are used on diesel engines as a means of closing off the exhaust path to the engine. This compresses the exhaust gases in the exhaust manifold and in the cylinder. When no exhaust is compressed, no fuel is applied which reduces the engine's RPM by generating a backpressure. Because the exhaust brakes are placed at the rear of the vehicle, they tend to develop excessive dirt, tar and rubber over time. The simplest solution to maintain clean exhaust brakes is to purchase new tips every couple of years. However, a nice set of stainless steel tips can be cleaned periodically to resurrect the shine.

Things You'll Need

• Double-walled stainless steel tips for each brake
• Ultra fine steel wool
• Car polish
• Car wax

Instructions

1. Turn off the truck engine and allow the vehicle to cool down.

2. 

   Ultra fine steel wool is strong enough to remove debris yet gentle enough to not scratch or damage the stainless tips.

   Use the ultra fine steel wool to remove any visible dirt, tar and excess debris.

3. Apply a thin layer of car polish on each exhaust brake tip.

4. 

   Choosing stainless steel over chrome will reduce the appearance of rust.

   Allow the car polish to sit on the brakes for 15 minutes. Then apply a thin coat of wax to secure the polish and provide a longer lasting shine.

References

• GMFS to Run: Best Way to Clean Brakes
• Doocu: Cleaning Diesel Vacuum Exhaust