EGT question...should I care?

[steved]

OK, to start, the truck in my signature currently has 127k on it... I drive it no differently today as I did when I first got it. I have towed some, but those are mostly empty highway miles.



I only recently decided to buy a monitor, mainly for the rail pressure, but got boost and EGTs thrown in as a bonus. I hooked the EGT probe up this past weekend and under a WOT "hill" and unloaded, I can easily hit over 1300*F... which makes me wonder two things: how hot would it get towing on a long pull and is the guage reading correctly?? And the 1300*F mark was hit even with the monitor defueling at 1250*F (which was only a burst to 80mph before it shut me off). I bumped it up to 1350*F, but haven't been able to do a run since (raining)...



Then I got thinking, its a stock truck short the open exhaust and swiss-cheesed airbox. I did a search on EGTs and the 1500*F number came up as did the statement that a stock truck can't fuel to the point it causes EGT-related failure. Is there any worry about EGTs on a stock truck? Should the computer back things down "automatically"?? I can't believe guys are towing some of the things I've seen without guages, worry, or failures.



I actually got this because I'm doing a potential tow scenario from PA to UT in September... going to have around 10k on the wagon, plus whatever in the truck. I would really hate to be relying on this guage's readings (assuming they are wrong) and not pulling to the full potential, if there stock programming backs things down automatically.



The "manual" indicates I should complete a "max" WOT hard pull (under stock programming) to determine my "max" EGT... I would then add 150*F to that number and set the truck to defuel at that point. Does that seem correct? Seems like I would want the max reading to also be the defuel point?



Thoughts?? Should I be concerned?



steved

 

[AMassaro]

The stock computer will not back down fueling automatically. The 04. 5 and up trucks can handle more heat. Most say 1600 max, some say 1500 for awhile. Pretty sure Cummins says 1200 all day long. So 1350 for pulling hills should be no problem whatsoever.

That being said, you've got alot of miles already, compared to me anyway , and you haven't had any problems yet, have ya??? This is assuming you've been hitting those same higher egt's for your pulling miles in the past.

 

[steved]

See, that's where I was coming from... 127k of "my" driving style hasn't killed it yet...

But this will actually be the heaviest trailer I've hooked to date and then I'll be dealing with I70 through CO and UT... rougher terrain than I've dealt with this truck before...

I guess I'll watch temps and follow the "you can always drive slower" mentality if things get hot.

I knew I shouldn't have bought gauges... not knowing is sometimes better than knowing...

steved

 

[ToddK]

Steved,



I know what you mean!!! I have an '06 with the g56 and could not believe how hot the egt's will get just messin' around. 1350 no problem. I live in Colorado and we frequently travel into the mountains with an 11. 5k camper. I just completed a ex brake on my rig, so I am anxious to see how it does this wkd.

I have been to Utah on I-70. 4th and 5th gear will be the best for pulling the hills, and make sure you slow down before you start down the other side. On my trip to Utah, I did not have the ex brake and did fine. Just set the trailer brakes up a bit to help and keep it slow. If you stay on I-70 past Green River, Utah, there is a pretty good pull for 6-8 mi's. I came down it last year.

FYI, once you hit the foothills west of Denver you will have ups and downs for a while. The last will be Vail Pass. Once you're past Vail it is very moderate until past Green River,Ut.



BTW, John Holmes from Carson Dodge and the TDR says that the CR trucks can run at 1450 all day long. He seems to be very knowledgeable on these trucks.



Good luck!

 

[BHolm]

I have also read from reliable sources that the "600" trucks can run 1450 all day. They use an upgraded exhaust amnifold material and the pistons are oil cooled from below to help tame the temps (as are all CR trucks and the earlier HO trucks I think).



For what its worth I have hauled the length of I70 in CO grossing 24k in my stock Megacab. I never once backed out of it, in fact I was passing cars on the approach to the Eisenhower tunnel, foot to the floor:-laf The first pull out of Denver is actually on of the longest and steepest in my mind. Still, I have pulled big loads through there a bunch of times and never had the slightest problem. You stock truck will be fine, and 1300 degrees is really nothing to worry about on one of the new trucks. Just keep rpms above about 2200 when making the long climbs and that should provide enough boost/airflow to keep things in check.

 

[Regcabguy]

Pizza cutters.

Your signature doesn't state what size tires you're running. If they're oversized,it might pay to score some stock steel wheels and 265 pizza cutters for the trip.

 

[steved]

Yeah, I've been to CO and UT along I70 before, but that was a 99 2500CTD that was loaded no where near what I'll have on this truck. So I sorta remember what the terrain looked like... I remember the slide from the top to Denver seemed like an eternity... and by slide, I topped the mountains in April with over 12 inches of snow on, with summer tires on, and the gates being closed as we drove by!!!



I set the "defuel" point to 1350... I got a single WOT run in today... was still pushing 1450* without a problem, but that's where it seemed to level off at... right around 1450*, but I was also out of gears and RPM. So, I'll leave it set there and keep an eye on it... if it starts defueling at 1350*F and can still reach 1450*F, then that's a good starting point.



I should have mentioned, the probe is in the front three cylinders too... and I idle around 200*F, cruise around 500*F, and a normal row through the gears will net me 1000*F without trying too hard. I guess my thing is was I was expecting more of a gradual climb in temperature, not an almost instantaneous jump from 500* to over 1200* in what seems like less than a second!



steved

 

[steved]

Your signature doesn't state what size tires you're running. If they're oversized,it might pay to score some stock steel wheels and 265 pizza cutters for the trip.

Stock 265s, nothing fancy.



steved

 

[BHolm]

Your signature doesn't state what size tires you're running. If they're oversized,it might pay to score some stock steel wheels and 265 pizza cutters for the trip.

Uh... Why? I've been running 285/70-17s for years, and hundreds of thousands of accumulated miles on these trucks, hauling through the mountains.



If rpms get too low, the auto trucks downshift for you. In the manual trucks, with six gears, it is easy to find the right one unless maybe you are trying to run 40" tall tires. 33's or 35's aren't even going to phase these trucks they have so much extra power.

 

[jwc9]

When I installed my pyro it said to put the probe between the 4th and 5 th cylinder as the 3rd would make it read abnormally high.

 

[BHolm]

Interesting. The instructions that come along from Geno's show it placed between #3 and #4 about where the manifold casting numbers are. That is where I have mine, and it seems to read as it should compared to others.

 

[rbattelle]

Steve, I'm confused. Is this truck stock, or are you running a fueling box? You mention setting the monitor to "defuel at 1250°F".

I can't imagine there's anything "wrong" with your truck. If there was something causing excessive EGTs, it would've blown up by now.

On your trip, it should be possible to manage EGTs using the transmission and your speed. I'd probably just shoot to keep it under 1300°F... but I tend to be paranoid about these things.

Ryan

 

[CDonaldson]

In actuality, regarding the statement about running 1450* all day long from over on the Carson forum - John makes the statement that Cummins says a max of 1450* in the exhaust manifold readings. I certainly would not want to run that all day long, and I really don't think his reference meant that either. Defueling at 1250 is a wise marker, and I wouldn't want to run that all day long either. Maybe those temps on a long grade for a few miles or so is OK, but def not all day long. When I installed my gauges I was really suprised as to how high EGT's could get towing 12K on some 6% grades over a few miles. I made it my mission to go after reducing them with whatever restricted and made them high. Since changing a few things I have not gone over 1100*'s on the same grades that were giving me 1300+*'s before.



I own the title PARANIOD when it comes to EGT's because it will over time shorten the life of the engine and cause unseen damage till she blows and you get the head off.



CD

 

[STEVEBROOKS]

"... I made it my mission to go after reducing them with whatever restricted and made them high. Since changing a few things I have not gone over 1100*'s on the same grades that were giving me 1300+*'s before... "





What things did you change to decrease your EGTs? I'm very interested in lowering mine while towing too.



Steve

 

[Wiredawg]

Keeping EGTs Down

I keep EGTs down w/ high flow (AFE and KN) aftermarket air cleaners, high flow exhaust systems and close monitoring of EGT gauges. I run all of 'em 1250' all day and will go 1400 for 30 seconds or so for passing.



I don't see higher EGTs on my wife's 03 than either my 02 or 93. I use an Aeroturbine muffler and EZ power module on setting 3.



Wiredawg

 

[steved]

Steve, I'm confused. Is this truck stock, or are you running a fueling box? You mention setting the monitor to "defuel at 1250°F".



I can't imagine there's anything "wrong" with your truck. If there was something causing excessive EGTs, it would've blown up by now.



On your trip, it should be possible to manage EGTs using the transmission and your speed. I'd probably just shoot to keep it under 1300°F... but I tend to be paranoid about these things.



Ryan

I have a Granetelli monitor, it has a safety de-fuel function... maybe I should call it a "back down" option... I can watch it drop the power from 100% to 75% to 50% and finally to 25% when it reaches the pre-set temp...



The truck is completely stock otherwise, no power mods.



And that's sorta the way I feel about it... 127k of my driving and its still in one piece... is it anything to worry about, probably a little late to worry about it!



I have the monitor set to "defuel" at 1350*F... but even unloaded, I can easily run 1450*F+ unloaded during a WOT 6th gear burst.



steved

 

[steved]

I keep EGTs down w/ high flow (AFE and KN) aftermarket air cleaners, high flow exhaust systems and close monitoring of EGT gauges. I run all of 'em 1250' all day and will go 1400 for 30 seconds or so for passing.



I don't see higher EGTs on my wife's 03 than either my 02 or 93. I use an Aeroturbine muffler and EZ power module on setting 3.



Wiredawg

I'm running a 4" turbo back exhaust with a magnaflow muffler (straight through). I'm running a paper filter in the OE box, but the box is full of 1" holes to aid in airflow.



The silencer vanes are gone, the directional vanes are gone (it half plugged the intake before I removed it), but I still have a silencer ring.



I recently removed the Rokktech sensor to experiment with valve train noise... I might put it back in.



steved

 

[SBeretz]

Seems like you will be fine, if you truck is stock, I would see what is the max you can attain and then set your back down EGT to that. If that is what is normal, why limit yourself on a stock truck. I have my pyro post turbo and have it set to defuel at 1000 post turbo, and have yet to have it back down, but I am sure in the big mountains it would do it with my heavy toy hauler. Scotty