EGT's while towing heavy?

[litespeed]

Just curious what everyones EGT's are while towing 15k to 17k.



Also curious what Speed and RPM's you are turning at that temperature and what gear you are in?



Water temp. too.....



Assuming flat land and light winds.



I did the search and tried to find a thread I was reading a couple months ago. Now I cannot find it.



AJ

 

[BigFun]

Towing in 6th will give higher EGT. As long as you stay at or below 1250 degrees, you should be fine towing in any gear. Just watch your RPM vs EGT. They are basically inversely proportional (higher = lower). I got my current gauges in after my cross country trip this Spring. My 01 would typically run 900-1100 on the flats at about 60-70 with the camper and trailer. It had a Edge EZ/DD2s/DTT auto and lock-up controller with the stock HY turbo. Would hit 1300 easily going uphill. Once I took the foot out of the floorboard or went to a lower gear (higher RPM), and it was manageable albet a little slower.

Hope this helps. BF

 

[litespeed]

BF,



Do you remember which RPM seemed the most comfortable?







My truck is pretty much stock. So, it takes a lot to get the EGT's way up.



It seems that mine likes it best between 1800 and 2000 RPM's. The EGT's drop if you rev higher (which is a little unnerving). But beyond a certain point it does'nt seem to make much difference. There are times when I have had to keep it at 2,200 RPM's to keep the temps. down (5th gear).



I just want to be sure I am not lugging it. I try to keep it over 1,600 all the time. Especially on a hill or steep grade.



I just pulled a 15,800lb. camper (friends camper) about 300 miles (in Flat Florida). EGT's were right at 900 in 6th gear. Speed was right about 67-68 MPH, RPM's were around 1,800 and water temps. were just a hair over 190 (center of the gauge). EGT's would hit 1,000 on the overpasses or hills. I never let it go over 1,050. And it was never there for more than 5 or 10 seconds.



Our camper is a little heavier. What is the most realistic sustained temp. ?



Thermocouple is pre turbo.





AJ

 

[RustyJC]

Pulling our tall 16K GVWR 5th wheel (see signature), 70 MPH in 6th with 4. 10 rear axle yields 2350 RPM, 750-850 degF pre-turbo EGT and 195 degF coolant temperature. This is pretty much true winter or summer (100+ degF ambient temperatures).



With my mods, I keep maximum sustained EGTs down to 1100-1150 degF. Conservative? Yep, but I don't care to walk home! :-laf



Rusty

 

[BigFun]

Having the 3. 54 rear and the Auto, RPMs were between 1800 and 2000 as you are indicating. I tried to hold speed to 65 with that bid air dam. At 70 MPH, RPM was just about 2200 in the sweet spot. Torque peeks on a stock 24V about 2200 RPM and max horsepower is around 28. Our engines will run all day at 2800 RPM and stay the course. As long as stay at 1250 degrees EGT or below, you should be fine at any speed you drive. It's a little more difficult to over temp a stock truck. It can be done, but you just have to work it harded. Keep your eyes on your gauges. You'll be just fine.

BF

 

[PKnoerzer]

The last time I towed my small fifth wheel trailer was against a strong head wind. In OD at 1800 rpms my EGT was 950 and coolant was 190. In direct at 2400 rpm, EGT dropped to 800 but the coolant ran up to 210. The trans temp stayed at 180 either way... . 60mph seems so slow

 

[y-knot]

When I tow heavy, it is usually in the 16,000lb range. I normally run in the 65-70 MPH range and EGT's are not a problem until you encounter a steep hill or traffic. Running down the highway, they stay in the 8-900° range and there are no problems with engine water or oil, transmission fluid or rear end temperatures. Everything works great on an open road, it's when you encounter slow traffic or steep hills that you have to worry. Right now, the largest hill I have encountered is Jerri co mountain (I75 south bound at the KY/TN border). I can climb it with my EGT's in the 1100° range and at 55-60 MPH at top. My EGT's are all PRE-TURBO, I monitor both but feel pre-turbo is the most important and accurate readings.

Pulling that much weight, it is very important to be aware of your traffic time temps. It takes very little time for the transmission to over heat in stop and go traffic. Most people feel they are protected my the trany temp warning light, but don't be fooled by an idiot light, they are for idiots. I have been in many situations where the transmission temperatures became a issue, and never once did the warning light come on. After losing one transmission, i did some testing and found for those that tow anything over 9,000lbs, a auxiliary transmission cooler is a must.

 

[jelag]

Lets see... I tow up to 24K lbs with a 04 dually with almost 200K miles... .



Never have turned up the HP so I don't use an EGT gauge... . on the 01 we build an extra 100 HP with a chip... . and don't exceed 1200 * in front of the exhaust brake... .



On the 04 and 05 we run them stock... so that some of the people who drive them can't melt them down. . so no EGT gauge...



On the 04, on a cool day... . under 60* we see no difference on a flat road than when its empty..... on any hill, under any temp the following happens... . above 110* across the desert the needle will sit dead center on the first zero in 200.....



We leave 75-100 ft between us and the next truck so he can't block the wind in the radiator... . going up a 6% grade... . the needle will move from dead center on the first zero to about midrange between the 2 zero's..... on a very hot day..... or heavy cross wind..... where the air can't get into the radiator well. . we will see the needle in the middle of the second zero... . I don't think we've ever seen the needle higher than the very right edge of the second zero unless we're behind a truck and can't get air flow... . this is the case across the desert at 110* on a flat road as well...



The 04 has had nothing done to the engine and only a additive to the coolant each season to impove the rust protection..... its never been changed, or added to... nor have the hoses been changed... .



This all said... when the truck gets to 300K miles we intend to change all the hoses and belts, and flush the radiator and put fresh fluid with only distilled water back in...



WE only ADD distilled water to our engines or batteries..... if we're on the road... the drivers have been told to check the overflow tank with each oil change and add back only distilled water... . we check the coolant level and freezing level each winter... .



To my best knowledge we've never had a problem and I own 5 trucks,... . only the dodges are listed in signature below... . BTW the 2 fords... . one has 500K miles and the other has 350K miles or so... .



Hope this helps... .

 

[Sled Dog]

Jim, I think if you put an EGT gauge on the stock 05, you might be Very Suprised.

I know I was.