Want to add Jake

Adding a Jake to a 290 is a very easy job. There are people on here that hopefully will give you detailed instructions.

This is probably one of the easiest engines to do this to.

 

The Jacobs engine brake was designed by Cummins himself but the board of directors didn't support his indevor, so he sold his shares , bought Jacob chuck built the brake , the rest is history so yes it is easy to put jake heads on the 290 , you need 3 heads that match your cam , a bolt kit some gaskets a couple of microswitches and some wire .

 

I might be a little hard to find a new kit, here is link to the website you can get started collecting information. Jake Brake needs the CPL number with any Cummins engine. If you can get the CPL number off the engine, then you can get the kit part number from Jake Brake, then you go to any Cummins dealer and order that kit.

http://www.jakebrake.com/

 

There are so many of them out there you should have no problem picking up a used set to fit your engine fairly inexpensively. Along with the jake brake housings themselves mentioned in an earlier reply, you will also need to get the exhaust rocker arms that are cut down for the Jake Brake actuators to fit over along with the special jake brake crossheads for the exhaust valves. The set screw that holds the rocker shaft in the rocker box is a special hollow screw as well, thats how the oil gets up to the jake brake. You also need longer rocker box mounting studs.
Small or big cam as well as single or dual entry turbo makes a difference on which model jake brake you need for your engine.
There used to be an installation kit available that had the wiring harness, dash switches, clutch and fuel pump switches. Basically all the electrical parts. I don't know if they still sell that though.
If you get all the parts together, its pretty much a bolt on job. My opinion is the easiest way to do it is find a core engine at a truck salvage place and get everything all at once. I sold a complete Model 425 setup on ebay about 5 years ago and I think it only brought around 300 bucks, I can't remember exactly but it seemed like it went pretty cheap to me.