Couple newbe questions

[brods]

Great site, though after reading stuff here I’m now a bit paranoid about the diesel. I have started using fuel additive and have to look into getting a better fuel filter, auto shutdown and gauges.



A couple newbe questions about '05 2500 with an auto:



Anybody using the dash pod to mount their gauges? How do you like it?





Quoted from the diesel manor website

“Another situation to watch is when a hill is being crested. The engine must be cooled by shifting down and backing out of the throttle because the engine will cool down too fast. It is not good to let an engine cool down too much at the bottom of the hill before starting up again. When the engine is not being operated in the most efficient range, fuel is being wasted and engine damage will occur if the proper procedure is not followed. ”

Don’t follow that. It will cool down too fast when? If you just leave it in top gear and coast down the hill? What is the “most efficient range” and how is that measured, by the egt?



Thanks

 

[rbattelle]

Great site, though after reading stuff here I’m now a bit paranoid about the diesel.

Whoa, relax! Perhaps the most important lesson to learn around here (besides the search feature) is that reading these forums can easily make you way overly paranoid about your truck. Don't let it get to you. Lots of people flog the you-know-what out of these trucks and never have a lick of trouble.

I have started using fuel additive and have to look into getting a better fuel filter, auto shutdown and gauges.

First of all, although many people use fuel additives remember that your owners manual specifically states they are NOT required. There are plenty of good reasons to use one, and there are plenty of good reasons not to use one. I didn't run any fuel additives until after about 35k miles, when I read a paper by Bosch on the poor quality of US diesel fuel. My point is you shouldn't just take what people on here say as "truth". You should take your time and do lots of research on your own and come to your own conclusions. Your engine will not explode in fiery destruction tomorrow if you don't run additives or have gauges!

Secondly, auto shutdown is nice, but not many people have it. I was going to get it, but I don't have one yet because I've found I can very easily get by without it. I didn't have an EGT gauge until around 25k miles. To avoid hot shutdowns I just let it idle for 30 seconds to a minute after a brisk highway run. Now that I have a gauge, I'm confident I've never shut it down hot because the turbo cools pretty fast. Normally I shut down within about 20 seconds of stopping.

Some people bring the new truck home and spend a week installing lots of stuff they think they need to monitor the engine or "treat" some percieved potential problem. And that's perfectly fine, but don't make the mistake of thinking it's absolutely necessary. Remember you have a nice 5yr/100k engine warranty at your back. Think carefully before you start playing around with things that might imperil that warranty.

Anybody using the dash pod to mount their gauges? How do you like it?

Lots of people are. I suggest a search in the 3rd gen forums for "dash pod"... you'll get lots of results with pictures.

Don’t follow that. It will cool down too fast when? If you just leave it in top gear and coast down the hill? What is the “most efficient range” and how is that measured, by the egt?

That particular piece of advice you quoted is basically true, but it's a bit of a stretch in practice. What I mean to say is, it's true that sudden temperature changes are not good for any machine, but that doesn't necessarily mean you have to be sweating every hill you crest whilst towing. By "most efficient range", they're probably referring to a specific range of coolant and cylinder temperatures that yield the maximum fuel economy. Any system operating between 2 temperature extremes (in this case the hot cylinder temperatures and the outside air) will be more efficient as that temperature difference increases. What this really translates to is, the hotter your engine runs the more thermally efficient it will be. Obviously, materials limitations put an upper limit on this. Diesel Manor is giving you a "best case scenario" wherein you're keeping the engine at normal operating temperature (probably 190-205 farenheit coolant temp) despite changes in load. While that sounds good on paper, it's not really practical out on the highways of America. Once you're headed downhill, for instance, I don't really know of a way to keep the engine running hot; of course it's going to cool down by the time you get to the bottom of the hill. That's okay! You won't hurt anything when you start up the next hill, but you might not want to slam it to 100% throttle when you start up the next hill. Ease into the throttle instead, it's kinder and gentler to your engine.



Take a step back, and read everything you hear on here with a critical brain. Don't believe anything you read until you've independently researched it and verified its truth. There's a ton of experience in these boards; some good, some bad. Always remember that what's true for someone else won't necessarily be true for you and your particular machine.



-Ryan

 

[brods]

Excellent reply, thanks. I'll try to keep in mind that both DCX and Cummins have money and reputations at stake, so their choice of filters and maintenance recommendations can't be all that bad.....