Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) HTT and 275's, Towing EGT's still too high!

[JAndrus]

After installing the HTT hybrid turbo and RV injectors I thought I could pull some hills, or at least stay around 60 mph. The pyrometer still zooms past 1300 with a push down on the accelerator, of course it drops to 1100 with a slight lift. Was this a waste of money? The truck feels like it has plenty of power and is accelerating, but I won't let it get to 1400. Water temp is fine. Towing 12,000 lbs at 5,000 ft.

I guess now it's $2,000 more for an aftermarket intercooler. Anyone in Albuquerque install intercoolers?... BD or spearco OK? TDR=$$$

 

[blacksheepdiesel]

Boost leak?

Godspeed,
Trent

 

[PRout]

39 foot toyhauler plus all the supplies for the trip sound pretty heavy. At 5000 ft, the altitude isnt helping either. Probably better to downshift and take it easy on her and her drivetrain. JMO. When I had 275s with stock turbo & 4" exhaust and mild timing box I could still push it to 1300* on a long grade pulling a 28 ft 5th wheel, but I would rather drop it a gear or two if necessary, keep it at about 2300 RPMs, egt at about 1200 max. Pulls fine that way. Also with taller gears I foung if you hit the hill at good speed, she will fly up just about anything if the RPMs stay up, but thats hard on 6th gear, and tires if it is a hot day.

I mean really, who cares if ferds & chevys are blowing past, I like knowing im not abusing my rig and feel like if I take care of her, she will take care of me.

 

[JAndrus]

Thanks PRout,

I share your belief in driving within the optimal range and not overworking the drivetrain. 5th gear with 4:10's is 50mph. You can get ran over on I-40 at 50mph!

 

[hilda]

I share your feeling, my EGT were high. I spent a few hours and took all the intercooler hoses and clamps off and reinstalled them, my boost is up about 5%. I have also realized that I have been short shifting and the more I let the RPM's come up I have more boost, this in turns drops the EGT. I brought my 7000lb trailer up from ABQ to Santa Fe and left the truck in 4th gear instead of 5th , I had a ton of power.



Jim

 

[EBung]

i can stay out of trouble above about 2150 rpm. At that altitude your asking alot with a ETH truck. Hasnt it been said those trucks could hit 1200 degrees stock? Is your turbo stock on the exhaust side? If so that is why you didnt gain what you thought you would.

 

[NoSeeUm]

IMO what you see occuring this is fairly typical actually. The turbo makes more air than the stocker, but at a engine higher RPM. This makes the towing performance, especially in high gear, worse for EGT's.



I generally pull most grades in 4th trying to maintain 2000-2200 RPM. I would not feel all that bad about pulling a grade at 2500 RPM.



Jim

 

[AClayton]

39' Toyhauler is pretty big... . what's your boost?These trucks have plenty of power with the mods you've selected. An intercooler will help but not as much as you might expect and then only loaded will you notice significant changes. Drop a gear and pull it at 2200 to 2500rpm and hit 1300* ... won't hurt it for the duration of the grade. Even with intercooler installed,I've hit 1300* for long steep grades pulling only 19K in hot weather.



Alan

 

[JAndrus]

Alan, I do not have a boost gauge. I thought that was for the heavily modified rigs. I don't have fuel preasure gauge either, figured the new fuel pump on the rail gauranteed adequet preasure. I guess I should install these first to know exactly what is going on under the hood?!

Also I flipped the axles on the trailer so maybe I'm pushing more air?

Jeff

 

[RoosterXP]

Jeff, i had the same issues with my turbo when i 1st bought it. It didnt spool up like the stocker in the lower RPMs, but get the RPMs up more and it should really make that truck of yours sing. I would reccommend getting a boost gauge and maybe a BD low fuel pressure LED. . better to be safe than sorry!

 

[RoosterXP]

I have also heard great things about the AFE Blade Runner, take a peek at that.

 

[AClayton]

Alan, I do not have a boost gauge. I thought that was for the heavily modified rigs. I don't have fuel preasure gauge either, figured the new fuel pump on the rail gauranteed adequet preasure. I guess I should install these first to know exactly what is going on under the hood?!

Also I flipped the axles on the trailer so maybe I'm pushing more air?

Jeff

Towing a rig that big and heavy with a stock truck should require a full compliment of gauges. At the very least you NEED to know your fuel pressure with the VP44 being so vulnerable to that... . with the new upgraded turbo installed a boost gauge would be useful information to acquire parameters. With each upgrade,you should note the improvement with your gauges. And not to mention also that if you experience problems,it seems the 1st questions nearly every TDR guru asks is... What is your fuel pressure?I think full instrumention is just plain good advice and cheap insurance on any Gen. Dodge truck,but a 24V needs a fuel pressure gauge... . no questions asked. Good Luck!!

 

[JAndrus]

Thanks AClayton and RoosterXP,

It sounds like I should have bought the Edge with attitude chip with all the fuel preasure and boost built in instead of the EZ and a pyrometer.

I'm digging up my scotty's garage catalog. I'll look at the AFe bladerunner.

Thanks guys!

 

[AClayton]

Geno's is a good source for CTD accessories and I have also sourced many items from Summit Racing. Good Luck with that FP gauge.



Alan

 

[cArNiVaLwOrKeR]

I recently put on the Juice/Attitude and kinda liked the individual Gauges more, gave it more of a Cockpit of an airplane feel. JMO



JoeLee

 

[icman95]

JAndrus,



I have a setup very similar to yours (check my sig). At first I didn't think I was happy with my hybrid HTT, but that was just a matter of me learning how to drive it. Mid to upper RPM's while towing up a hill are what's needed. I can tow in 6th all day long as long as it's relatively flat, but put in a hill and a downshift is in order. Don't be afraid to let that engine and turbo sing up the hills. It will take a few times, but you'll learn what the truck likes. I didn't see in your sig about a cold air intake. This helps tremendously. I have an afe on there and saw that it made a huge difference. Also, you definately need the other gauges-boost and fuel pressure.



Good luck

 

[AClayton]

I too had to learn the new torque curve when I 1st installed my turbo. After installing mine,I had all these big expectations and tromped on the go pedal,only to be disappointed. The factory turbo actually had more low-end cooling and driving habits needed to change quick to reduce the egt. I complained and argued with tech consultant and explained my dillemna to them and even talked it over with the experts here on TDR. The end result,after a test drive to prove their point,was that I needed to run a little higher rpm than I was used to. It takes a very hot day and a challenging grade to make mine go above 1250* with the R's around 2400. Do not be afraid to cruise at 2000 to 2100 or even 2200 to maintain speed on less challenging grades either. My truck has 3. 55's and with the convertor locked,I cruise at 1600rpm at 60mph. I usually try to maintain 65mph to get the R's around 1750 or better yet 1800 but sometimes it is just not possible,so I just the lock the OD out and lock my convertor to cruise at 50 or 55mph... . rpm is back where I want it. Driving this way,upon the recommendation of fellow TDR members,I have had no more problems and can appreciate the new power curve after re-learning how to use it.



I think the biggest issue I had was that in my mindset,I felt that if I have to downshift,then I am down on power. Not so..... you have much more power,just a different powerband. Find your new power curve and don't be afraid to let the rpm's go up a bit to reach it. Better mpg too... . but for me it was only 1mpg better though!



Alan

 

[blacksheepdiesel]

Alan,

Great post!

Godspeed,
Trent

 

[RoosterXP]

Alan,



Great post!



Godspeed,

Trent

X2!!

very nice!!

 

[JAndrus]

Thanks Alan and icman,

I found the fuel and boost gauges on Geno's that match my autometer pyrometer. Best price for BD intercooler I found is 1300. I read on TDR you don't benefit from air box until over 500 hp, and they pull hot air from under hood and are noisy. And $450???

I've gone too far to stop now!