Average Comp settings for towing, etc.

[Gary - K7GLD]

My new Edge Comp box is on my desk, a new Carter pusher pump and boost. EGT and fuel pressure guages and a pillar mount for them will arrive any day now - I'll install the guages first, establish stock fuel pressures as well as boost and EGT - then fully install the Comp - might as well bite the bullet on warranty issues, and do the full install... .



SO, with no other performance mods, can any other towing user out there give some clue as to a starting point for the various available stages on the Comp? I don't really intend to push the setup to the max, other than possibly VERY rare ocassions, and assume the lower settings will give good gains in normal driving, while delivering excellent benefits in towing situations up in the Sierras...



Any input as to settings others have found best would provide a good starting point for me = Thanks!

 

[Greg Boardman-RIP]

Gary,

I usually tow on level 1x3. If I am going up in the mountains I will tow on level 1x1. I haul up to 16,000lbs on these settings. I would just keep an eye on egt's. They shouldn't exceed about 1200* I can keep them at 700 to 1050 degrees all day long. That is in the middle of summer. I towed today and the truck computer read 105* outside. Pulling the grade I only had the fan come on one time. egt's were 850-1100 degrees..... Hope this helps

Greg

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

THANKS Greg - seems you do well with pretty minimal settings - have you ever gone very far up the power scale on the Comp while towing - and if so, what was the downside? I would imagine more power, but too much smoke, EGT's to high, or what?

 

[Greg Boardman-RIP]

Gary,

Egt's are a concern anytime you pull a load. I have gone up to level five to pass a Phord. Just for the heck of it. The only other concern is the CHP. Anything higher than level one will speed you past 55 mph in a hurry. Plus a horse with a long neck



Greg

 

[RADdodge]

It really depends on what else you have under your hood. Looks like you’re going to be adding gauges and that’s real important. I don’t tow much, but I haul a 4K-lb. Lance camper. EGT is the most critical. If I run at 2/1 (power 2, smoke 1) with my mods I run about 70-75 mph up any grade (once with a 40 mph head wind) with the EGT hitting about 1070 – 1100 degrees. The truck doesn’t even grunt and that’s in cruise control (love to see all those people that passed me on the flat disappear into the rear view mirror when we hit the big grades). When I accelerate from a dead stop with the Comp on 5/5 (no load), I don’t get very far down the road and I’m hitting over 1650 degrees. (Of course you can’t see the road behind you for the smoke and telephone poles look like a picket fence …) Anyway, what I’m trying to say is, run your Comp at the maximum that still maintains a safe EGT. Ways of lowering EGT are more air (bigger turbo - fast spooling is good for low speed if you want less smoke) and a larger exhaust system are two things that significantly reduced my EGT’s. And if you need more power, well, there’s always bigger injectors, etc. , etc. Bombs away…

 

[TPilaske]

Hey Gary, we got our comps about the same time and I think we are both hooking them up the same way (running as an EZ?!). I towed this past weekend on 1x2 and it was beautiful. How did I ever tow w/out it?? Anyhow, hope you enjoy it as much as I have this past week! All smiles behind the wheel now! Can't wait until some transmission upgrades!! Tony

 

[TKilgore]

Good Thread

I am very interested in this. Hope it will keep me from towing too high.

I am running just the comp box w/wire hooked up. Not knowing any better and trying to find the right level I started towing ~8k on 3X3. EGT's are manageable and the power is awsome. Now I don't have mountains like you guys have but have some pretty long hills on I 65 and I 85 to Atlanta and I did go to Table Rock and was able to maintain my speed and even tried to accelerate going up one and did BIG TIME! Please let me know if I should tow in 1X? or 2X? rather than 3X3.



On a side note, (with 3. 55 gear) my truck like to tow ~2100 rpm in OD locked which is unfortunately ~75mph. I would like to slow down but 18 to 1900 rpm in OD doesn't feel right. So I guess I need to run ~65 in 3rd locked at around 2500rpm (i think).



What are your opinions?



Thanks

Tom

 

[phoekema]

Edge Comp settings

I recently got and hooked up an Edge Comp to my '98. In addition to the box, I have the RV injectors from TST and an AST triple lock converter & valve body. Most of the time I pull and drive in 2,2. Tried level one initially, but my box bucks & jerks at times in level one. Edge Comp has offered to reprogram it for me, but now that I have used it, I don't want to send it in for reprogramming during camping season. The fact that it pulls (13,000 lbs+ Travel Supreme 5th wheel) so well on level 2 takes the urgency away from fixing the level one problem right now. In 90 degree heat and running 65-68 mph my EGT varies between 750 and 1100 - mostly around 800 on level road.

I have done a bit of experimenting and actually think the engine runs cooler using the box than in stock mode.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

LOTSA good info coming in - interesting, the spread in settings so far... I think the suggestion by one fella is probably best for most installations, set the box for the highest level that keeps EGT's in check, while still producing best power gains in situations you are faced with - and I'm sure that WILL vary from one user to another, especially with specific loads, grades and other mods installed...



TONY - glad to hear you got yours, have it installed, and are all ...



However, while I *do* a fair amount of towing, MOST of my driving is local and empty - so I am seriously considering installing a switch in the Comp's pump wire to switch the VP44 outta the circuit when not towing, to reduce unnecessary stress upon our sensitive injector pumps - that will leave the Comp operating at EZ levels, which empty, should be plenty - more power would be just a click away...

 

[Greg Boardman-RIP]

The way it has been so patiently explained to me was:

When towing on level 1 you might use 3/4 of the throttle to keep it going. This in return increases line pressures in the transmission to keep the lockup clutch from slipping. That is why I tow in level one. If I switch to level 3 it surely has more power but it is harder on the trans. I for one havent found a hill I cant make it over at 75 mph on level one. I will punch it up for a pass on the unexpecting but, I will again be at 3/4 to full throttle. I return to level one when done passing.

 

[Greg Boardman-RIP]

Gary,

Running on level one is like having your switch inline. Level one does not use the pump wire. Sub levels only advance fueling curves. Level 1x1 will wait for boost to be at 10 lbs. level 1x5 will fuel fith your foot. It is like an EZ on level one. No wire... ...