extended high rpms ok?

[TPerrault]

I just took my first highway trip about (60 miles each way) I was driving between 70-80mph rpm where 2200-2600. i will be taking a trip about 600 miles one way next week and another 1000 miles one way (no towing) not much stopping. My question is is it ok to run 2500rpms for 10-15 hours straight stopping for fuel and food

 

[barbwire]

Break in

Is this the first miles that this truck has seen? I do not think you are hurting the engine any, but I think that you are supposed to drive slow for the first 500 miles of life, so the gears in the differentials work harden properly. My guess is that you loosened her up good. You will probably get better fuel mileage than anyone later on ( if you can slow down to 70 mph)

 

[Snow man]

I dont see how you can hurt it at all. I run my 24V at 2500-2800 for 10+hrs non stop,the only thing you'll hurt is fuel economy. The truck seems to run better after a hard hi rpm run for hrs. I bet after your trip it will feel noticeably peppeir,and more responsive.

 

[Casey Balvert]

I posed a similar question to Cummins after I bought my first diesel. The guys said marine diesels run at 3000 RPM for days at a time and it doesn't hurt them. So 2600 RPM won't hurt it at all.



Casey

 

[Steve M]

My '98 5spd/4. 10 with 245/75R16s used to run 2500rpm/70mph in 5th gear all day towing or not. Running at peak HP doesn't hurt a thing. They're rated for it. And I agree, my truck always feels like it runs smoother and more peppy after a good high rpm workout.

 

[CSilkowski]

"Drive it like you stole it" is what my dealer told me before I drove it home from Idaho to California. And I did

 

[XcumminsX]

run it at 3200 rpm for 5 days stright and it will still be fine... . dont worry

 

[TPerrault]

Thanks for the responses. there is almost 4000 miles on it now Barbwire.

 

[jelag]

My 04 3500 Dually pulls a trailer where the trailer weight is usually between 18,000 and 24,000 lbs...



The truck does this about 80% of the time its in use... it now has 35,000 miles and I expect it to run to about 350,000 miles before I trade it... .



We have installed a 100 gal tank in the bed so it will run 3-4 hours at a stretch on the interstate at 60-65 MPH..... stopping for rest areas only... . We usually try and hit 700 miles a day...



Needless to say this truck works all day... .



Jim

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

When I hear the comments that Cummins says Max RPM and Max HP for long periods of time, I often wonder if they are referring to the engines in most of their other applications that are typically governed to 2600-2800 RPM? Certainly holding it at 3500 for long periods of time isn't good for it but running it hard up to 2800-3000 should be OK I would think.



I was told once free-revving an engine at high RPM is harder on the rod bearings than doing it with a load, because the higher cylinder pressure helps dampen/stop the piston at the top of its travel otherwise it's snapping it back and forth hard.



Vaughn

 

[Jumbo Jet]

My truck is just now turning over 5,000 miles. Last week, it took a fast 600 mile trip. mostly at 75 mph, but speeds up to 90 - I know, I was breaking the law and not setting a good example. My point, the truck sure runs smoother this week!



Mileage seems to be increasing a little.

 

[Pawpaw]

My truck is just under 5,000 miles. Between this Thursday night and Monday night, I'll be putting about another 2500 miles on it.



I'm looking forward to seeing what my pure highway mileage looks like and how much the trip will affect my normal "daily driver" mileage. Right now I'm getting around 17, hand calculated.

 

[Big_Daddy_T]

Think of the engines in power generation that are run for weeks at rated rpm. They only shut em off for maintanence and then back at it. Thats why we own a diesel.

 

[Greg Boardman-RIP]

I run mine at 92 mph/3000 rpm's from Pheonix to 29 Palms every time I go out there. My truck loves to run at 90.

 

[Marco]

Last year I went to a Dutch company. From Italy that's a rather long trip and I had only little time. I drove through Germany during the night. As you probably know there are no speed limits on the German Highways.



Long story short I did 900 Km in a little less than 5 hours.

In those five hours I too had a short stop for fill up and a coffee.



That gives an average speed of about 180 Km/H, about 112 Miles/Hour. Average engine RPM?



I think that's enough of an answer for your concern.



Marco