Question for Seasoned haulers

[rlittle]

Just got back from my first time out with my new fifth wheel. Maybe some of you guys that have hauled things before can tell me if I have a problem or not.

My truck is a 96 with auto, 374 rear end, with 63,000 on it, tires are stock. Stock about everything except the star wheel is turned up about 10 clicks. Air filter is stock as is the exhaust. The truck is still under warrentee so I have not messed with it yet.

I was hauling a 6000 pound fifth wheel on semi level ground and my Exhaust gas were about 700 post turbo ( normal empty about 400 to 500 with outside temps about 90 degrees). My boost was about 6 to 8 pounds most of the time.

On one section of road there was a long very slight grade for about 20 miles and my exhaust went to about 850 and stayed there with my boost at about 10 pounds. Over drive was working at all times. RPM's about 1700

Are these temps and boost about right? They looked high to me, but I do not know my XXXX from nothing at this point.

Also my mileage was only about 13. 5 for the whole 450 mile round trip, Which sounds low to me given the light trailer. I bought the truck about three months ago and it has been running well but this is the first time I have towed anything.

Any advice you can give me would be appreciated.

Rollie

 

[BCFAST]

Ballpark

Rollie, for what you have it actually sounds better than average! The cat really backs up the heat in the exhaust system, the stock motor doesnt make much power so it's working a little too hard pulling the load, AND most of the power it is making is being sucked up by that black-hole stock automatic! You will find that pulling with a diesel is a very different equasion than pulling with a gasser... weight has very little to do with mileage/performance! Wind drag is the biggie... that big trailer face above your truck cab is like dragging a parachute around. A wing will help with mileage and feel. Toss the idea of warranty; get a TST plate, fix your exhaust and air filter, get some DTT stuff, and enjoy better mileage and performance both towing and empty!!

 

[Steve Roseman]

rlittle, I think your temps sound about right. My probe is in the manifold and if I'm pulling 10 lbs. of boost at 1700 rpm it hovers around 1000 degrees.

My setup is different from yours(signature).

I think the rule of thumb for post turbo temps is add 100 degrees for every 10 lbs. of boost.

 

[rlittle]

Thanks for the feedback on my temps and mileage questions. This is the first time out for this trailer, it is suspose to have good aerodynamics but I guess maybe I need to add a wing or something like that.

I was running across the desert in Mexico for about half of the trip with absolutely nothing around us and there was a wind that was moving us around a lot on occasion so maybe this helped kill my mileage.

The dealers here in Phoenix are a little nasty about making any modifications to the trucks and they have warned me and others I have talked to about making any modifications to the trucks. If you bring one in for work they are voiding the warrentees in total. So far Dodge has backed them up. Some guys are taking their trucks to some of the small towns up north for warrentee work as they do not seem to be as concerned as the Phoenix guys are.

I would like to get rid of the cat and I understand that some guys have knocked the guts out of them to open them up. Does this work? I am going to put a K&N airfilter on it soon then keep the stock one my truck box in case I need to go to a dealer.

The plate will have to wait until the warrentee is out in Oct then it will go in.

Thanks for the help.

Rollie

 

[C Schomer]

Rollie, my cat was about 1/2 plugged at 19k miles already. I had the Banks kit in since 9k but I hear they will plug on a stocker. Over a period of about 2 weekend camping trips, it got really lethargic running. Boost was a little low and egt a little high - overall, it felt tired. I checked the wastegate first, then the cat. I had some 4" pipe around so I built 4" turbo back while I was at it. I think the cat job did more than the 4" but I'm certainly not sorry I built the 4". Craig