Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) EZ, DDII, and Automatics. Controlling EGT's?

[IWeiny]

OK I have had my EZ and Suncoast trany in for some time. I love the truck but I had heard that the DDII's with the EZ make for the ultimate towing machine. So I bought the DDII's a while ago but have not had the time to put them in.



I was up in the hills this weekend going up a grade I have not done since putting the EZ in. The truck was able to climb in 3rd gear!! EGT's were about 1100-1150 boost right at 20#'s. I was amazed, but it got me thinking. What are my EGT's going to look like when I have DDII's in? I know that I am going to have to watch, and maybe get my foot out of it, but does the automatic have the gear range to allow for this or am I going to be down in 2nd all the time to keep my EGT's down thereby limiting my speed anyway?



Does this question even make sence?



Thanks,



PS on edit I did a search for "Edge and DDII and Auto*" and the first post was " Burned up my engine today". So one can understand my concern!!! :-D

 

[BPINE]

Oh come on Ira don't worry about what happened to Cliff.

 

[Lsfarm]

Boost Elbow?

With only 20# of boost it sounds like you haven't installed a boost elbow on your turbo yet. With an EZ only you should see around 26-28psi boost and that will drop your EGT's more than 100*.



Hope this helps. Greg L

 

[DLBurns]

I just got back from the Pacific Northwest and if you read the news they had a heck of a heat wave go through the end of last week. We left Seaside Oregon on Friday morning and I was pulling the Siskyou grade at 11:00 AM at 93 degrees. With my EZ and Suncoast TC I was at 40 MPH, 28 lbs boost in 3rd gear and constantly feathering the throttle to keep the EGT's under 1200!

My trans temp satyed at about 180 and my water temp got up to 220 before reached the summit!

At one point I had to drop it into 2nd as a semi pulled out in the slow lane to go around another stalled semi on the shoulder and I couldn't get into the fast lane because a Uhaul pulling a car was chugging up beside me. This was pulling my 10K pound fiver.

I would like more go power on the hills also... just don't think it will do me any good as I can barely control the EGT's now

If I look into changing turbos I willhave to get a new E brake as the B-D I have is turbo mounted and I believe it is a 3" outlet before it goes into my 4" exhaust..... soooooo I guess for about $2500 bucks I could get up the grades at the speed limit



I have read alot about pulling heavy trailers over steep grades in overdrive with little to no mods to the motor! At this point I would have to see that to believe it!

 

[IWeiny]

Actually Greg that is my question...

I guess I should have mentioned that I was going about 50 MPH which in 3rd gear with the 3. 55 gears is about 2000 RPM. I have the boost elbow on and have gotten up to 26# of boost but that is really my question. I have to get rev'ed up for the boost to come on and I know that down in 2nd gear I am wound out about 45-50MPH.



So that is exactly my question would I actually be SLOWER going up the hill with the DDII's and having to back off??? Having to be in 2nd gear wound out?



BUFF has the 4. 11 so he is probably wound up more hence more boost...

 

[JSandusky]

I have that exact setup, except I have a DTT transmission. I recently pulled a 30' gooseneck flatbed up to Colorado, total weight probably close to 5K, so not very heavy, just long. As for EGT's, pulling the trailer in the normal flat lands at lower altitude, I rarely go over 1,100 degrees and 30lbs of boost and can usually maintain my speed no problem up small grades. Flat land and cruising 70mph EGT stayed around 800 to 900 and boost around 15psi.



Going up the pass west on I70 out of Denver, I had to drive by temp, not by power. It was clear I had more fuel then I had air to burn it, so I simply let the EGT and water temp set my speed going up the pass. I shifted down to 3rd and was able to maintain about 45mph up the pass, running around 1,150 on the EGT and 25lb of boost. Water temp got up to about 215. If the EGT started to rise above that, I would lift my foot however much it took to keep it at 1,150 or less. I was still passing all the trucks and some cars going up the pass with a big trailer. Yes, I could have went faster, but my EGT would have went up too.



I realize the air is thinner up there and that doesn't help the EGT or water temp any. Boost was down about 5psi or more due to the altitude, this didnt' help EGT any. Overall it did well though.



I think the DDII and EZ are a great combo for towing. You will need to pay closer attention to the EGT with a trailer behind you. You WILL have the ability to hurt the engine if you don't pay attention to the temps, especially on step grades while towing heavy.



I can't imagine ever having to shift out of 3rd to make a pass. Maybe if it had corners sharp enough you couldn't carry the speed 3rd produces, you would need to shift down for that reason, but not because of power or EGT. Then again, I haven't towed a 20K trailer up a pass yet either. Heaviest trailer I've pulled any grades with is 7,000lbs, but 11' tall and catches a lot of wind.



Mayber a bigger turbo would help my combo, but I'm not sure I want to put more boost into the engine, I can already spike 35lbs and hold 30lbs easily. Not sure if running more boost is healthy for the engine in towing applications. My concerns are increased cylinder pressures leading to head gasket and/or rod bearing failures. However if I could produce the same boost quicker and cooler with a different/bigger turbo, that sounds good.

 

[IWeiny]

Thanks JSandusky

I guess that is what I was wanting to hear. I am quite a bit heavier with a 7K# trailer and 3-4K# camper.



As I said I already bought the DDII's so there is not much point in not putting them in I guess. Worse comes to worse I could take them out...



But you know how things go. You just need more and more.



Thanks for listening to a wimpy newbie again,

 

[Speedo]

I've got a '99 3500 with 4" exhaust, DDIIs and an EZ I only rarely see any more than 1150* pulling 9,000 and hauling an 8' S&S slide in. Boost runs 32-35.



Gus