Do you need guages to run EZ safely

[Hemmen1]

Considering buying an EZ, do I need guages (exhaust gas temp. and/or boost) to run an EZ safely??



Darren

 

[RJOL]

The Answer is Most Definitely Maybe...

Originally posted by Hemmen1

... do I need guages (exhaust gas temp. and/or boost) to run an EZ safely??



Darren

Whenever you add performance devices to your stock CTD, your first BOMBing should be a set of gauges. Although the EZ is probably the mildest BOMB you can add, for its HP results, it still effects fuel flow, EGT, and Boost (with elbow mod). Whenever you add fuel without increasing the boost, you will make your EGT go higher. If everything works correctly, and you don't tow at high weights, you will probably be okay, but you won't know if the Lift Pump, EGT, or Boost is within limits without gauges. You can get a set of these gauges (Westach) from Geno's and install them for less then $300. You don't say what year of truck you have, but do you really want to risk up to $30,000+ just to save $300????

 

[RustyJC]

In their instructions for the EZ, Edge Products explicitly warns that gauges should be installed before using their product. I would certainly concur, especially if air inlet and exhaust system mods haven't been made as well.



Rusty

 

[FFutch]

Gages

I think gages should be standard equipment on any diesel. It's always good to know what's going on under the hood. I think a fuel pressure gage is a real good idea on all 24 valves. A gage is a lot cheaper than an injection pump or an engine.

 

[KevinK]

I ran with an EZ for about 10 months and about 20k miles. about 15% percent of whcih was towing ~10k pounds over mountain passes here in Colorado. I never once saw the EGTs or the transmission temp come close to hitting a level that would concern me. I did, however, have one instance when I was towing and one of the rubber intercooler boots slipped out from under the clamp (I lost most of my boost). This did cause the EGTs to shoot up quickly. I had zero tools with me at the time (another lesson learned), but was able to drive in to town by using the EGT gauge as a speedo. So, to answer your exact question, I don't think you have to have gauges with an EZ, but they certainly are a good idea.



Kevin

 

[Whitmore]

Darren, IN my oppinion yes you do need gages , EGT 's is the biggest reason, If you tow with the enhancment there is a chance of overdoing it temp wise, the boost gage is also fun to watch and monitor, fuel psi is to me the biggest one, keeping an addiquate supply of flow thru th vp-44 for lubricity and cooling!!!.

Bottom line get the gages and become familiar with your truck and in the future if anything goes disarray you will be ontop of it . just my $02 worth... ... ... ... ... Kevin

 

[DRR-24V]

Get The Gauges !

My stock HO 6 Speed showed 1250 degrees pretty easy pulling my 5th wheel up a long grade. With the EZ my temps are lower. I think you can get in trouble with a stock truck without the gauges. JMO

 

[redneckdr]

gauges

now that i have mine in, i don't know how i got along without them for almost 6 mos. isspro ev's--look and work great. GREAT night time visibility... ... and yes my truck is stock... ..... mostly, and i can run the egt right up to 1250 fairly fast. i did mine now to get a baseline before any "box".

 

[SLightfoot]

Get the Guages!!!

Yes, Yes, and YES!



It was tough to convince me at the outset too, but I'm here to tell ya.....



Get Guages.



If you lose your intercooler, you won't know what's happening.



Is $200 worth of guages worth the price a new Cummins?



Yup.



Merry Xmas,



Shawn

 

[Bad340fish]

I can't even get my EGT over 1000 without anything in tow . Last summer I tried to get it hot. It was 105* about 85% humidity. I had the AC on full blast and was pulling a 24' enclosed racetrailer with my car inside and a cab full of people. And with a cab full of people at the drags you gotta have a bed full of coolers lol. Anyways, It was easily 16-17K GCVW. I started in 1st gear on the on ramp and stayed on the floor all the way to 85MPH in 5th gear. When I got to 85 the needle had barely touched the 1300* mark.



So I would say you COULD get away without gauges but I wouldn;t do it. They are a good diagnostic tool if the truck ever begins to run poorly. And on top of all that they just look cool



And as TDR rule goes you might start with an EZ but you better get some gauges when you get those DD2s lol

 

[Cobra]

gauges

YESSSSS.

I totally believe in gauges for everything. They are your information source. Without them you know nothing of what is going on with your high dollar vehicle.



After installing my gauges, my fuel pressure was more than 14 at idle and never dropped below 10 at WOT. One month later my fule pressure was at 3 at idle and lower than that when going up hill. Bad lift pump. No towing needed. Drove truck to dealer. Dealer ordered new lift pump. Life is good when you knowwww what is going on.

 

[LSMITH]

I am going to go against the grain here (and get flamed probably) but I do not think you HAVE to put guages in to run the EZ safely. From what I have seen the EZ lowers max EGT on a STOCK truck by 200 degrees or more. I do not believe that you can create high EGT with a stock truck and just an EZ. If you do put an EZ on without guages you ABSOLUTELY MUST put the MAP connectors on and the boost elbow on. Each and every instance of even close to high EGT that I have seen with a stock truck or just an EZ/VA type box on a stocker has been at low rpm (under 1800) or high rpm (over 2700) and sustained heavy throttle. Run it in the powerband and temps are not an issue in my experience.



I do have guages and would not want to drive without them. Guages are worth every cent spent IMO. Guages should be the first addition to your truck, with fuel pressure having the highest priority, then EGT and boost having lowest priority.



I apologize if this post seems contradictory, but NEED and SHOULD are two very different things to me. I WANT guages, but do not feel that they are necessary to the safe operation of my truck.



Final disclaimer: if injectors are added the bet is off, guages are needed beyond just an EZ. Also I would add that if you are the type of guy that will plant the go pedal on the carpet and hold it there for minutes on end, you NEED guages on a stock truck too. Think about all the CTD's out there, I would bet good money that less than 3% have guages. How many have burned up?

 

[chuck3]

Gauges.

I ran mine about a month with the EZ and no Gauges some of it towing my TT, worried the whole time. Got the gauges installed as soon as I could for piece of mind, now would not go without them even on stock truck, like someone said there neat to watch and a great tool.

 

[Mallory]

If you put a high flow air filter on and remove the muffler you will run cooler EGT s than a stock truck even with an EZ. At least that was my case.

 

[RJOL]

Originally posted by LSMITH

I am going to go against the grain here (and get flamed probably) but I do not think you HAVE to put guages in to run the EZ safely. From what I have seen the EZ lowers max EGT on a STOCK truck by 200 degrees or more. I do not believe that you can create high EGT with a stock truck and just an EZ...

999 out of a 1000 your probably going to be correct in your statement, but let me pose this ... If you install the EZ and the boost elbow you will probably be okay on EGT, but if you don't have gauges, how will you tell if you've lost boost due to a loose connection. If you lose boost, you can overtemp EGT towing with just the EZ working...

 

[CGoyette]

best answer on ez and Gauges

Simple test first



1. You know what temp aluminum melts

2. you know what your pistons are made of

3. you have a extra 7000 dollars in your wallet waiting to be spent on a completely unneeded expense

4. You allready know the answer and where just testing us



answer : is 1+2+3+4= no sh:t you need gauges

Curt

 

[illflem]

Originally posted by Mallory

If you put a high flow air filter on and remove the muffler you will run cooler EGT s than a stock truck even with an EZ. At least that was my case.

But you never would have known if you didn't have gauges. I feel it's downright foolish to not have them.

 

[Bigsaint]

I have to agree with LSmith. I had gauges on the truck before the addition of the EZ, my egt's where way higher when stock ( could hit 1300 pre-turbo on a hard WOT run up a 17% grade) compared to maybe 1100 after the EZ box and boost elbow install. Never the less, at a minimum add a egt. gauge and a post filter fuel pressure gauge. That engine is way too costly to take a chance of a melt down and the FP gauge will help you keep an eye on the transfer pump.



Scott W.

 

[fj40charles]

Regardless of whether you've bombed or not I find having gauges very handy to monitor engine performance and fuel pressure. Also, having an EGT gauge allows you to know exactly when to shut off the engine to protect the turbo.



Once you get the gauges, you'll wonder how you ever got along without them. This goes for all vehicles.



My 2 cents...



Charles