EGT's a concern with stock setup?

[Lips]

Probably a dumb newbie question, but I'm a dumb newbie, so here goes. I have a bone stock 05 auto quad cab short box. I tow a jeep/trailer combo that weighs about 7K. I live in Denver, so I'll be towing over steep mountain passes quite often. I'm wondering how concerned I should be about egt's with the stock setup since some of the passes are long and steep and work the engine pretty good.



I know the easy answer is to buy a guage, but until that happens, should I be worried about pushing it too hard, or am I pretty safe with a stock set up? I tend to drive pretty hard at times, maybe running at 80 or so in the flats.



I'm new to the diesel world, so forgive my ignorance. As new as I am to diesels, and as little experience as I have with them, I do know this as fact... ... . I will never, ever consider towing with a gas rig again.

 

[RJOL]

Probably a dumb newbie question, but I'm a dumb newbie, so here goes. I have a bone stock 05 auto quad cab short box. I tow a jeep/trailer combo that weighs about 7K. I live in Denver, so I'll be towing over steep mountain passes quite often. I'm wondering how concerned I should be about egt's with the stock setup since some of the passes are long and steep and work the engine pretty good.



I know the easy answer is to buy a guage, but until that happens, should I be worried about pushing it too hard, or am I pretty safe with a stock set up? I tend to drive pretty hard at times, maybe running at 80 or so in the flats.



I'm new to the diesel world, so forgive my ignorance. As new as I am to diesels, and as little experience as I have with them, I do know this as fact... ... . I will never, ever consider towing with a gas rig again.

If you keep the truck pretty much stock... and don't push it too hard, you probably don't need gauges. That being said... I tow a 31' fifth wheel and I like the EGT/Boost gauges to let me know how hard the engine is working. I have not overtemped it yet, but have seen temps close to 1300 degrees on steep hills. You have the auto, and if you push your truck, in the mountains, a transmission temp gauge should be considered. Have fun...

 

[wyosteve]

Lips, fwiw I do the same type of towing. I'm completely stock and with my horse trailer (gn 4 horse) I can hit 1450 degrees very easy. I'd suggest gauges.

 

[GTX]

Lips, I also live in Denver and I can hit 1400 degrees pre turbo pretty easy when towing. My truck is stock. I pull an enclosed car trailer. When leaving Bandimere and climbing the hill up 470 to I-70. The EGT is at about 1390 all the way up running about 60mph. If I slow down some they will drop. I don't worry about it to much. If it melts down, that's what a warranty is for.

 

[JHofmann]

I would get some gauges. My truck is stock and I can get over 1300 pretty easy going up mountain passes with my 5er. It is easy to regulate with the throttle though. The new isspro gauges for the 3rd gens are nice. Match well and the pyro is very fast acting.

 

[CAT 385]

My truck is stock and I can hot 1530 while pulling hard @ about 7000 ft. If it blows that is dodges problem not mine.

 

[Horsepuller]

You guys running those high temps for sustained periods of time are gambling that the truck will blow while it's under warranty. If you plan on keeping the truck after 100k, that may not be such a good idea. Those hard miles may come back to haunt you after the warranty is expired.

 

[KLockliear]

Just remember that the newer trucks have higher upper limits. Cummins says they have tested the 235/250/305hp motors at 1450*F pre turbo for 30 mins, and the 325hp at 1550*F for 30 mins.

 

[crobertson1]

I tow about the same amount of weight and I am concerned about high EGTs. If I'm not careful, the EGT will reach over 1400 degrees pre-turbo, pretty quickly while towing in the mountains. I bought an aFe Stage II to try to help, now I have to worry about the rubber coupler melting at the turbo! It's always something isn't it? The aFe helped only a little BTW. I'd get gauges, and I did.



Klockliear, you made me feel a little better.

 

[Smokin Dodge]

My 03 is stock and I can reach 1250 on a hard run to 85 empty on flat ground.

 

[lilthumper]

LIPS, I just left Green Mountain Falls, CO. and pulled back my brothers Jeep on a 21 ft trailer. I am stock also. I would NOT be concerned about EGT's while you are stock. I wouldn't keep it to the floor for 5 minutes, but mine did just fine. Just watch the coolant temp, you can tell when its time to back off a tad. In my opinion, these trucks don't fuel enough to hurt a piston while stock. Keep the RPM above 1800 and you should be just fine with the stock setup. 45 seconds up a steep grade will not hurt you.