Max allowable EGT on "600" egine while towing

[hensign]

I am about to head out on my first big tow pulling my 12k lb trailer. I have a BD TQ dog 600 box. Everything else is stock. Just want to know what I should suspect for max EGT's while pulling through the mountains in VA. Should I switch the box down to 50%? Off all together? Or just leave it at 100%?

Had

 

[RJOL]

Do you have an EGT gauge? If not, I'd turn the box down and not do a lot of full throttle/high torque pulls up steep grades. The only way to really know is to have a pre-turbo egt gauge installed and keep the temps below about 1300-1350 max. JMHO...

 

[RVTRKN]

I thought the EGT are a problem if you try towing up grades in high gear. Example: 6th gear low RPM pedal to the metal up a steep grade. I tow in 5th gear up grades to keep RPM,s high. Can you clarify that for me?

 

[Prairie Dog]

EGT's are worse in 6th but can easily go too high in 5th or any other gear as well. It just depends on how hard she's working. I would turn the box off in the hills and run at min power levels on the flats until you get a pyro.



Scotty

 

[BHolm]

Lower gear and higher rpms will will help keep egts down. On my stock truck I have pulled max gcvwr up a 10 mile long 6% grade without high egts at all(foot to the floor). It would get up to 8-900 post turbo and stay there.



I also think that 1300-1350 is too low a threshold for the "600" engines. I think I have read here that 1450-1500 is what it is designed to withstand. I can easily see 1000-1050 post turbo, empty in my stock truck. Add 3-400 for the post-pre turbo difference and there you are.



I think the best advice is to run 2500 rpm or better on the long pulls and watch the egt gauge.

 

[RVTRKN]

If your in any gear and the engine bogs which would mean low RPM because the load is slowing and the pedal is to the metal. High RPM brings in more air and less fuel, its the fuel that cause high EGT. I have always gone by this rule and have no temp sensor, am I killing my turbo?

 

[BHolm]

No, you are doing it right. I see high egts at low rpm even on light throttle. Just as you suggest, getting the rpms up pushes more air and brings egts down. Lugging it is sure to send temps soaring. Those of us with autos don't really have to worry as much as the trans wont allow lugging, it will downshift.

 

[GShail]

Keep your box on and turned up. Really the answer to your question depends on how long you have to sustain a pull up a hill. If your are doing a long sutained pull you better keep your EGT's at no more than about 950 degrees for such a sustained effort. Otherwise your water temps will get out of hand.

 

[hensign]

Hmm lots of replies and still no definite answer. I have a guage and I can push over 1200 unloaded and on stock settings. With the box turned up I get a little hotter maybe 50 degrees. Prior to putting the box on I would see 1300 for short periods on long pulls. I just wanted to know if I am going to smoke the turbo or motor if I see 1400-1450 on the hills.

 

[qzilla]

No, 1400-1450 for a short time will not hurt anything on the new motors.



The other thing I would be concerned about is the egts with the box on. You should see more than a 50 degree increase in egt if you are making any extra power at all. Typically 65hp will be about 100-125 degrees hotter minimum.

 

[Diesel Power]

cummins designed the new motor for 1450 all day long!!! :-laf

 

[JGrosso]

Just to be safe, I try to keep the EGT temps around 1250-1300 pre-turbo for pulling long grades, but I have hit probbably hit 1450 for a very short time.

 

[hensign]

Yes I expected a bigger temp increase also... I kinda decided it is because I am getting there quicker I dont have my foot down as long. Timed runs to 95 show a marked change. Top gear roll ons are much faster also. I am sure I will get to see the real difference in temp when I am pulling my trailer. 800 miles this weekend and 1100 the next

 

[Bob4x4]

Just be sure your pyro is accurate before you risk the engine by keeping it right at the limit There have been many engines lost to a faulty pyro



Bob

 

[zues]

How do you tell if the pyro is accurate. I have an X-Monitor.

 

[RJOL]

Just be sure your pyro is accurate before you risk the engine by keeping it right at the limit There have been many engines lost to a faulty pyro



Bob

There may have been problems due to installation or wiring errors, but the pyro probe itself is a pretty simple device and I don't believe it is prone to that many failures. I've never seen anything on this forum that pointed to an engine failure due to a faulty pyro. Can you provide specifics???

 

[milehigh.o.]

When I tow thru the Rocky Mountains with boat (12k lbs) I try and keep my EGT's below 1350f and that is keep the pedal mostly to the floor and running at a good clip. I have not had any problems so far.

 

[Bob4x4]

There may have been problems due to installation or wiring errors, but the pyro probe itself is a pretty simple device and I don't believe it is prone to that many failures. I've never seen anything on this forum that pointed to an engine failure due to a faulty pyro. Can you provide specifics???

I fix these things for a living..... the TDR is a rather small number compared to the numbers on the road. I replace pyro's that are not accurate occaisionaly I have seen them be off by 1-2hundred degrees quite often and am waiting on a Dipricol warranty replacement right now for a customer. There are members here that have had meltdowns. One of the Ram runners I beleive and another in New Mexico. I won't bring up names,they may not like that

All I can suggest is to watch for changes in your norm numbers and shoot the exhaust with an infrared once in a while to check it especially if you drive at the ragged edge of the temp spectrum. Also remember that when you have the t/couple installed at the turbo inlet you are measuring an average not the hottest cylinder.



Bob

 

[RJOL]

I fix these things for a living..... the TDR is a rather small number compared to the numbers on the road. I replace pyro's that are not accurate occaisionaly I have seen them be off by 1-2hundred degrees quite often and am waiting on a Dipricol warranty replacement right now for a customer. There are members here that have had meltdowns. One of the Ram runners I beleive and another in New Mexico. I won't bring up names,they may not like that

All I can suggest is to watch for changes in your norm numbers and shoot the exhaust with an infrared once in a while to check it especially if you drive at the ragged edge of the temp spectrum. Also remember that when you have the t/couple installed at the turbo inlet you are measuring an average not the hottest cylinder.



Bob

All of the engine failures (meltdowns) that I have seen on this forum were due to members overtemping their engines with performance devices or mechanical failures due to stuck injectors or fueling problems. Also, if you're going to "drive on the ragged edge" then I guess you take your chances.



Where you measure your temps is dependent on where you put the probe. I mounted mine on the 5 / 6 cylinder manifold union as this is where several sources said that the highest temps are reported. While I agree that there can be possible failures of the pyro probe, I believe that they are rare. JMHO...

 

[jcarew]

You are not going to hurt the torbo, it is the aluminum pistons tthat we have to be concerned with. The melting point of aluminum is around 1200%, so keep your egts below that and you should not have a problem.