Are Gages required on a stock CTD?

[DaveN]

I understand the need to add gages once you start bombing, but is the engine detuned enough not to have problems with EGT's with a stock truck?



Hypothetical situation - I'm pulling 10K up a heavy grade for say, ten miles at 70 MPH.....

 

[RustyJC]

Dave,



Maybe not with your ETC, but I saw 1300 degF pre-turbo EGT's with our ETH/DEE towing our 5ver in the Texas Hill Country when the truck was stock.



Rusty

 

[Okie-Go]

I was backwards, I slightly bombed then got gauges. I have heard of stock trucks running fairly high in the egt department.

 

[dresslered]

Fuel pressure gauge?

Lift pumps go out on stock trucks.

 

[redneckdr]

gauges

YES!

 

[csutton7]

it sure wouldn't hurt, that's for sure---



like dresslered pointed out the fuel pressure guage would be a very smart guage to get also----chris

 

[redneckdr]

gauges

dave n, i drove mine for six months without any gauges except i added the transmission temp gauge early. with the auto, if you pull, you should consider it. boost isn't really necessary, but fun to see. if you lose boost, you'll know it!! i believe the FP gauge is a must. may save a very expensive VP44, if you can tell your transfer pump is going south. if you pull, the EGT should also be watched. i was surprised how high i could run my EGT on an otherwise stock truck... .

 

[Archive]

Like other have posted. . not a have too. . but I have seen over 1300 on my ETC. . and its stock without the CAT. . with an aftermarket muffler. . pulling a load up a long hill with the truck in 4th. . (outside temps in the 40's) it just runns out of boost to keep the temps down. . I have seen it get hot in 5th. . with no load... . but thats another story. . (after few miles of almost WOT, again. . not enough boost. )

Bryan

 

[LSMITH]

A fuel pressure guage is necessary IMO, the rest are not. I really do not believe that you can pull hard enough with a stock auto transmission to burn a stock engine down. I think EGT on a stock ETC is safe, and many over react to 1300*. I have no problem with 1300* for days on end. Get a fuel pressure gauge and call it good until you have the want or need for boost and EGT.

 

[Dr.Kayak]

I saw my highest EGTs when my truck was completly stock. I could easily push the EGT above 1450 climbing a grade. I hate to think about the EGTs reached by people who tow hard with no gauges.

 

[Briar Hopper]

Gauges on a stock truck? Absolutely. $300-500, compared to a $35-42,000 truck... . If you can afford the truck, you should be able to afford to safeguard it.

Even a brand new, stock truck could have a fueling anomaly or discrepancy in the ECM, and feed too much fuel at the wrong time. Buying a used truck? If it's a 12 valve, you need gauges on there right away, you'll be able to see if the pump has had its settings altered... .

I know of at least two famous diesel service/performance shops. When you call them with questions about poor performance/fuel mileage, engine stumble, or any of a variety of symptoms, the first thing they ask you is what boost and EGT you are reading, at certain speeds, and RPM's. Gonna be hard to troubleshoot it without gauges. Sure , it's a new truck. You might be able to save yourself a trip to the dealer by doing your own troubleshooting. Very few have mechanics with any level of competency on the Cummins engines, anyway.

 

[SnoKing]

I can push my EGT's over 1300 on the passes with stock truck and trailer listed in Sig. SNOKING

 

[barryg41]

When I pulled my 5'ver over Raton Pass, the EGT's got up to 1275. Of course it was stock and it defueled the EGT's back down to 1130. It ran kind of sluggish for the next 10 to 15 miles.



I do like the idea of seeing rearend and trans temps while towing. Now with the EZ It is a must for gauges.



I watch the gauges a lot while driving the CTD, it beats counting the mile marker post.



IMO, I think you need gauges if you pull a load!

 

[HC]

"Required?" No. Not technically. But... .



In addition to all of the other good points made above, an EGT gauge insures you have properly cooled your turbo before shutdown. If you compare to the "book" values recommended in the owners manual, the gauge is a huge time-saver. If I ignore the gauge, and just drive to my destination without a care in the world, my required cooldown time is 1 to 3 minutes longer than if I start cooling it down with a "feather foot" about 0. 5 miles before it is time to stop.



And it I didn't have the gauge, I'll bet 9 times out of 10 I just wouldn't be cooling it off enough, because it takes more than the 15 to 30 seconds that many people think is enough, especially in the summer. But in the winter, sometimes no cooldown is required - again, big timesaver to know exactly where you stand.



(And extremely fun to watch while driving, by the way. )

 

[Royal]

Dave; To answer your hypo situation question. . Yes you will probably be seeing 1300+ pre turbo EGT. However RPM & Boost pres have a great influence on EGT. With your AT &3. 54 your RPM will be about 2000 and if it drops off your EGT will increase. I have the same AT & 3. 54 all stock on power and when towing and hit a grade or passing etc. I have my left eye on the EGT gauge. I back off when I see 1200. A FP gauge is # 2 requirement.

 

[rdanley]

gauges egt/boost & fp

i am like dave in away i am installing my egt and my boost gauge on tuesday but what i would like to know is a guide on what to look for, like what are my egt temps supposed to be what should i not exceed. also i ask my local mechanic here and he has told me that a fp gauge is not needed. with a fp gauge what are you looking for what can it tell you besides that you have fuel pressure. thanks .

 

[JohnMcIntyre]

NO brainer

Absolutely!!

 

[BRobertson]

I firmly believe our trucks should come with gauges!!!

Last year I was able to get to 940 post turbo at 6000 ft pulling a 10,000lb trailer. At the time, I wasn't too concerned, but now that I have an EGT pre turbo also, I have seen as much as 420 degrees diff.

Also my lift pump went TU at approx. 24000 miles!!! I would not have known but for my new (at that time) pre and post filter fuel pressure gauges.

All of this is on a stock engine, except for AFE mega filter.

Bob

 

[HC]

Re: gauges egt/boost & fp

also i ask my local mechanic here and he has told me that a fp gauge is not needed. with a fp gauge what are you looking for what can it tell you besides that you have fuel pressure. thanks .

Hand your mechanic the $100 to $200 he just saved you by not installing a fuel pressure gauge. Then explain that if/when your lift pump goes out on the road, you expect him to pay for the tow, the motel room, and if required the new $3000 injection pump. If he doesn't agree to the deal, then get the gauge.

(oops - my attitude is showing - sorry!)



If you plan to sell before your 100k engine warranty is done, you can get by without the gauge 'cause DC is going to have to pay for whatever goes wrong anyway. If you plan to go beyond 100k, I'd feel pretty strongly that you should have the gauge.



If pressure drops off a couple of psi, that tells you that your filter might be dirty. Change the filter. If pressure stays low after the filter change, your lift pump is getting weak - go buy a spare and keep watching. If pressure comes back to "full", but drops again after a few miles or days, that tells you that you probably got a load of bad fuel. You can probably keep driving, but go buy a half dozen filters - you're probably going to need them.

 

[JohnMcIntyre]

Just like being on death row...

Originally posted by BRobertson

Also my lift pump went TU at approx. 24000 miles.

Bob

Bob, With 24k just around the corner for me, I'm going to be eyeballing my own gauges for the first signs of TU; wonder if the governor will make that call?? :-laf