Appropriate way to drive a CTD

[cojhl2]

Within reason

Drive it like you stole it, donot lug your engine. Don't be afraid to stand on it, especially when you tow or haul. It's a cummins it will take it.

I would add "Within reason" cause you don't want to take the EGT above 900F post turbo or 1200F preturbo.



Maybe the electronic engines prohibit that anyway. .





JRBurton is right, don't lug it!! I never run mine above about 2100 but there are many on this site that think I'm an old fogy!! (And they are correct

 

[EricBu12]

Welcome all you newbies! and recent newbies!... This website is a very good resource for info on our trucks. . This is my second Cummins. I had a '01 2500 before and did a lot to it before trading it in on my new 09.

In the general sense, Cummins engine doesn't care how it is run, just run!!. . lol... If you run it pretty hard the first 20-30,000 miles, it will seat better.

Don't Idle for long periods like in the morning. because it Washes down the cylinders with unburned fuel and in the new 6. 7L engine, that will make the oil change light come on faster. . Like 2000 miles instead of 5 or 7000 miles. 3 gallons of oil is expensive.

Just start, let oil come up and then then go. . Not hard, just get going because it will warm up faster that way. I run with the Jake on all the time. you have to remember to turn it on every time you start the truck. At Off-Ramps, this will help you decelerate when you shift down the auto trans.

The new Turbos are water and oil cooled so cool down is not as bad as it used to be. Generally you cool down for like 5 min after towing... Less for normal running. . About a min or less.

When you do the 50 mile run towing, that will help burn off the soot in the DPF (diesel Particulate filter). If you baby it a lot, the engine will do more active regens to clean it, this uses more fuel so if you run it a little hard and fast, it will be the same amount of mileage if you baby it. Doing a combination of this running solo, I get anywhere from 14 to 16 mpg. average.

Don't do the programmers if you want the warranty. . The new computers will detect the programmer and the dealer will void your warranty. The new trucks have 350 Hp and 650lb/ft of torque. . plenty of power. You will need the warranty for the replacement of the exhaust parts later on.

One thing you might want to do is get 19. 5" Towing tires and rims. . these are stiffer and roll better and have higher capacity. I have Forged aluminum rims and Michelin LTX-MS 245/70R 19. 5" . . These are 12 ply and "F" rated. 4080# @ 95 psi. These have helped mileage towing and solo... Ride is worse but thats the price.

Anyway, sorry this was so long but I hope I answered all questions you have.

 

[HBarlow]

I would add "Within reason" cause you don't want to take the EGT above 900F post turbo or 1200F preturbo.

Maybe the electronic engines prohibit that anyway. .


JRBurton is right, don't lug it!! I never run mine above about 2100 but there are many on this site that think I'm an old fogy!! (And they are correct

The EGT limit you suggested is completely unnecessary and would severely limit power if followed.

My '01 had gauges and RV275hp injectors. It would easily peg the EGT gauge if I allowed it. I allowed it to run at 1300*, sometimes 1325* on long grades when towing. I ran it 325k miles without any problems and it is still in the family with 350k miles.

The 2004. 5 and later HPCR engines were designed and tested to run at approximiately 1425* under full power and full load conditions.

Even my '08 C&C which is a factory detuned 300hp will produce in excess of 1300* under full power full load grade climbing situations.

If the engine is unmolested, no tuners, etc. it cannot hurt itself under full load and full throttle. If it runs at in excess of 1400* no harm will result.

The Cummins engine is a truck engine designed to haul or tow heavy loads under demanding conditions for several hunded thousand miles.

High rpm will not harm a Cummins engine either. The redline is about 3200-3400 and that is a safe limit. I don't wind mine unnecessarily but again, if the engine is not modified, you can't harm it with your right foot.

 

[HBarlow]

This PM was sent to me by a Cummins engineer in December 2004 in reply to a question I pm'd him.

Re: Cummins ISB Acceptable Maximum Exhaust Gas Temperature??
<HR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #a3a4a6; COLOR: #a3a4a6" SIZE=1><!-- / icon and title --><!-- message -->Harvey,

Happy holidays! EGT's are always a touchy subject due to differences in measurement locations and differences in the devices used. It's difficult to say what a true upper limit is on EGT for the ISB engine because we don't test it above the "stock" settings. However, I can tell you what we have measured on the latest 2004. 5 and 2005 engine configurations.

MY04. 5/ 325 exhaust temps can be as high as:

Sea Level: 1375 Deg F pre turbo, 1125 Deg F after turbo.
Altitude: 1450 Deg F Pre turbo, 1200 Deg F After turbo.

The above are typical temperatures from development trips. The MY04. 5 product was developed to operate at these temperatures. I have no idea what would happen at temps above these, because they haven't been tested.

I don't mind you sharing these numbers as long as the source remains anonymous. We don't want someone thinking "Cummins approves this temp on my engine because . . . " . This really isn't a guideline or approval or anything, just some results from tests we've conducted on stock engines.

I hope this help answer you question. If you need anything else, let me know!

-signature edited out as requested by writer

 

[SpectatorRacing]

Eric and Harvey, thanks for chiming in.



Update: Put about 100 miles with a 10k pound trailer this weekend. I'm sure part of it's in my head, but after that it's like a different truck. Throttle response is faster, it drives a bit more like a gas motor. I just reset the mileage tracker so let's see if I got a bit of an improvement over the 12. 7 MPG I averaged over the first 800 miles.



I don't have to tell you guys this, but man, what a difference towing with this truck. I wanted to see just how much better it was than my '08 Ram 1500 so I didn't use the sway control or the load bars. No problem. My trailer's a 1997 and I swear the axles are 30* offset because it sways like a b!tch most of the time, but I didn't get much sway until about 75 mph. When passing semi's I got a little more, around 70 mph or so.



Driving home I used only the sway control and the thing was solid up to 85 mph. Didn't see any need to try higher speeds than that...



I guess I can ebay my load leveling bars



Towing mileage was around 10 MPG, but that was a pretty rough run as I was taking the advice of TDR. I stood on it at stop lights and ran it at a higher speed on the highway than I normally would. I assume that will go up a bit on a longer highway cruise. I am surprised that there is no traction control on a $55k truck. I spun the rear wheels a few times if I got in it too quickly.



My only complaint - the integrated trailer brake does not seem to be working. I never really tested it as the truck seems to have enough brake by itself and I never was in any panic brake situations, so I need to play around with it. Perhaps it just has a different scale than the old one I had. I had it set to 3. 5, went up to 4. 5. Still never felt like it was activating the trailer brakes.



Eric, where did you get your rims? I've been looking around and they're not easy to find in the 8 lug. What's our bolt pattern, by the way?

 

[EricBu12]

My rims are Probably not made anymore. . They are from Ricksons and are Forged Aluminum. Get them here



Rickson Wheel Manufacturing



Looking at the site, I don't see my wheels there anymore... The Forged Aluminum Rims are on back order. . they make a cast aluminum but it is made in china. . The Powder coated steel would be the second best there. . made in USA. . There are other 19. 5" Rims made



Alcoa -- Product Catalog: 478481 - Classic 8 AFSW 8-bolt Single Rear Wheel



The Trucks have a 8 Lug pattern that is the same from my old 2001 to my new 09. The rims I have fit both. . The steel rims will be heavier but if all you tow is a 10K trailer, then that shouldn't be too much of a problem.



On the Trailer brake, you might want to turn it up a little. Like 5. 5 or so. just til you feel it. You might need to turn up the boost on it. . My add on has 3 boost levels plus the roller wheel.



Now you don't need to floor it from the lights. Burnin' Rubber is def. too much. . Tires are expensive! Especially my 19. 5". . $350 each. What we are meaning is when driving around town, don't drive like a little old lady... just accelerate normally and steadily... Let it rev up to 2000 or so in each gear, then settle on a steady speed. .



On Diesels as most vehicles, the faster you go, the worse the mileage depending on winds. When I drive to work and back, I go 65 or a little less. . The engine will get warm enough to do passive regens.



The theory of mileage is mechanical resistance is more than wind resistance up to 55 mph or so. . above that, wind resistance takes over, provided it is a calm day. . Head wind or tail wind will alter this. . So as a general rule, I don't tow over 60-70 depending on the wind. My old 2001 got 10 mpg towing a 36' 5th wheel toy-hauler. Haven't towed any didstance with my new 09 but with the new emissions, I bet it might be around 8. be happy at 9.



Anyway, just do what feels right, play with it to get the best mileage with the least amount of tinkering. I would personally not touch the engine control. The warranty is too valuable. Especially having a 2010 truck as you are required to pass the new standards. .



A Lot of others have done the delete kits and such because it is Pre-2010. I might do it after my warranty is up but who knows what they will do later on...