Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Mountian Hauling

[JSprecker]

Hi guys, I've been reading many of your posts for a couple of weeks now and finally got my member ID today so I can join in now. I'm very impressed with the knowledge that seems to come from these threads.



As you can see I have a fairly stock truck that is used for normal driving about 80% of the time. About 20% of my miles are hauling my boat through the mountains. Do any of you have much experience with hauling in the mountains? I would like to come up to about 300-325 hp but am concerned about EGTs at the 10-12,000 ft elevations that I travel.

 

[jrandol]

First off, Welcome the world of Information here at the TDR!!!



I am in Greeley, where are you located in Colorado?



As for 300 hp I am assuming you have a 2nd Gen. 24 valve truck. If this is what you want for your end horsepower I would recommend an Edge EZ box and a set of 275 injectors. Of course gauges come before any of this. Your EGT's will be most likely be at the verge of controllable and not controllable. If it was me I would start with just this, if you have high temps at that point a 4" exhaust kit and an AFE would cure all your ails. Lastly, not sure what transmission you have but future auto transmission mods might be needed depending on how you drive it.



Welcome again, if you ever get up to Greeley or Northern Colorado for that matter give me a shout!



Jeff end

 

[greyghost]

Welcome to BOMBers anonymous. Do ya have a life now, because its going to change a whole lot after a few of these guys get a hold of ya. I to joined for about the same reasons as you. Now look at my sig, is a disease you just can't shake.



Anyhow, I pull some heavy things over the passes, and the truck does good with RV 275s, the comp on 2 x 1 with the pump wire turned off and of course 4" straight exhaust with an AFE intake to keep it all cool.



Also the SouthBend is ordered and the DT track bar is hopefully on the way. I have 100k on the truck 20k with most of the bombs. Stock clutch is slipping like a *itch and truck handle like crap with a heavy load. And if your going over the hill a lot you might want a E-Brake to finish all off. I getting the itch for one too.



Garrett



PS Went and looked at your profile. How do you like your US Gear E-Brake?

 

[fkovalski]

Welcome aboard, JSprecker-

Hopefully we'll catch you at the future wrench days! I found the last one to be very informative- thanks again to greyghost.

-frank

 

[Utah Willie]

Mountain Hauling

My '99 3500 has an Edge Comp that I run on 3-5 setting when towing and have seldom experienced EGTs of more than 1000 degrees, pre-turbo. Of course, I use the five-speed transmission with the U. S. Gear two-speed O/D to their best advantage. I haul a 12,000 lb. Alfa or the 2500 lb Lance with a 4000 lb. boat. I have a Mopar E-brake that has kept my service brakes good for 80,000 miles, plus. I just changed the disc pads and will have a look at my rear shoes soon..... The only "problem" I have with the Edge Comp is the occasional swirl of black smoke I see in my mirror as the turbo just begins to spool up and the engine is overfueled.

 

[Sticks]

Welcome to the TDR JSprecker!



You and I have about the same goals, and jrandol hit it on the head for where you want to be HP wise. I started my list about 9 months ago, and all I have left is gauges and injectors (don't grief me on the gauges guys - I could not pass up the deals on the other stuff when they came around - gauges will be here first of Nov ) I started wanting stage 1 injectors (one step over the 275's), and have decided on stage 2. Now I just have to get the $$$.



The best trick to keeping the EGT's down when towing is keeping your foot out of the turbo (read slow down/less throttle). Lots of people with massive BOMBing talk about towing in the mountains and having no EGT problems, but hardly anybody mentions the speed they are going in accomplishing this. In my opinion, a mountain pass at 10 - 11k feet and road conditions that would allow a 20k load (truck and trailer) to safely move up the hill at 60mph, and you can only do 30mph or less to keep the EGT's down, there is still a problem. It is hard getting an answer to the speed/EGT question, probably due to the fact not everyone with the big BOMBs have driven the same roads the asker has. I bought the truck hoping that I could tow the max weight over Eisenhower or Vail pass and not be the poor schlup in the right lane going 20mph. My goal may include my having to get a bigger turbo, and water injection to do this, so I will have to just play it by ear until I find the right combination.

 

[klenger]

Before moving to Tucson a year ago, we lived in Aurora CO and towed our 10K 5er (see sig) around quite a bit. No problems and totally stock. The 4. 11 gears and 6 speed help a lot.



Good luck and enjoy.

 

[OTRPU]

No doubt alpine gearing makes a big difference, but I'm OTR more time than in the hills. Only way I can keep EGTs anywhere close to 1,250 is back out of OD and run at 60. It isn't a constant problem, just gets peaky in a few places East or West through the EYE. No chance at all heading west with a load and rounding the Georgetown hump and into the climb. Prolly have to back down to 45 or 50 to keep EGts in a safe zone. I'ma expecting great things after going 4 inch next week at Reliance Truck & Auto. Looks like a bunch of Colorado Rammers round here, maybe we need to get together for a meet. . . say in Grand Junction or so, or at least Leadville, or somebody else pick a spot. I'm in town, Lakewood, till next Friday at least. All my tools are broke, trucks broke, laptops broke, heck, even the durn digital cameras broke. Think it's all cockpit error?



#ad




Tow Safe,

Steve J.



Edit: For Jeff. . . wish I lived that close to Cheyenne cheap diesel.

 

[greyghost]

Bam Nail on the Head

I would have to agree with Sticks. I like my hotrod but towing with all the mods proved to be way to much. So when I'm towing heavy I set my comp up like an EZ.



I just pulled a TT last weekend which weighs approx. 7000 lbs. up the west side of the "EYE" at 65 mph 4th gear, 2500 rpms, EGTs were 1100 F, boost around 25 psi. And by the time I got to the top you could smell the clutch. Can't wait to get that thing fixed and drive the truck without any excuses.





Garrett

 

[Sean Flanagan]

Welcom JSprecker,



All this talk of EGT, don't forget that water temp. Coolant temp has becoming the limiting factor for a few of us high altitude guys. With the EGT not going above 1300 (Via TST Powermax with remote) I get to steadly watch the water temp rise into the red zone where you have to slow way down. At 10,000 ft the air going into the radiator is pretty thin.



Some of us are working on a group purchase of a larger radiator...

 

[JSprecker]

Thanks for all of the info guys. I think I officially have the bug. Dan over at Reliance just did some work for me and I feel like I have a new truck! Check out the new sig. I'm not finished yet though, it's going back on Friday for the injectors.