question on montoring

[machinemover]

I just bought a 4500, I pull extensively. All my old trucks I always chipped out, Edge or TST. I did all the regular things, air cleaner gauges and stuff. I am beginning to believe doing this takes it toll on the engine. I always seem to have my fair share of repairs. This time I am thinking of keeping as stock as possible. My only question is, Should I still be monitoring boost and EGT's pulling? My '06 ran extremely high EGT's pulling up a hill and I would always have to lay off the pedal, even if I had my chip turned way down. Can the stock 6. 7 handle the hills without worry or is this an issue to worry about? I do allot of drives to LA, up and down the Grapevine and Donner and Eisenhower.

 

[RVTRKN]

As long as you stay within the Dodge recommended GCVWR you wont need to monitor, per my Dodge tech when I asked him the same question. If you chip it, it will be a must. There will be arguments about this next statement, but you should keep your RPM's up on grades. My preference is between 2100-2300 RPM with no higher than 2500 RPM. When you bog a diesel climbing, it will cause more fuel than air (mixture) into the cylinder which makes heat.

 

[machinemover]

I don't think I am going to Chip this truck, but I may be pulling heavy at times. I think when money catches up with me I will at least get something to monitor with, either gauges or the Edge deal I've heard about. I'mjust a little causious until then, good advise to keep the RPMs up, I'll remember that. It being an Automatic I have to learn how to drive it properly.

 

[sag2]

If you stay stock and stay within CGVWR you should not need to monitor. As for what RPM, keep what ever pedal it takes to pull the speed you want and let the trans controller decide where it needs to be. The newer engines seem to be happier at higher RPM than lower, but not sure where the best mileage is if your concerned with that.

 

[JCasper]

Like said, keep the RPM's up when pulling heavy up hills to keep the air flow moving. Lugging makes heat.



My Father-in-law has a 6. 7L 08 3500 and runs at a Gross of 25-27K and there is no plans to monitor anything. It's new, under warranty and will be left completely stock.

 

[HBarlow]

I have a complete set of gauges on my '08 chassis cab.



The gauges make it clear that the detuned 6. 7L engines used in C&C trucks don't fuel as much as the latest, high horsepower 5. 9s and don't create the high egts.



You probably won't really need gauges unless you just want them as I did. I find them very handy to understand when the engine is in the regeneration mode.



It takes a long hard pull on a steep grade loaded with a heavy trailer to get the egt up to 1200* on my truck where my '06 would easily climb above 1400*.

 

[machinemover]

I have a complete set of gauges on my '08 chassis cab.



The gauges make it clear that the detuned 6. 7L engines used in C&C trucks don't fuel as much as the latest, high horsepower 5. 9s and don't create the high egts.



You probably won't really need gauges unless you just want them as I did. I find them very handy to understand when the engine is in the regeneration mode.



It takes a long hard pull on a steep grade loaded with a heavy trailer to get the egt up to 1200* on my truck where my '06 would easily climb above 1400*.

I do have to agree about the '06. I had a Edge attitude, even when it was on one I could hit 1400 in no time. You bring up a point that questions me though. I am new to the 6. 7, what exactly is the Regeneration Mode and what do I need to be aware of?

 

[RVTRKN]

There are many threads about regeneration and if you do a search you will find a couple. All it is, is when the sensors detect the exhaust filter plugging up it will inject diesel with the exhaust stroke to burn off the soot.

 

[dquaney]

I have a complete set of gauges on my '08 chassis cab.



The gauges make it clear that the detuned 6. 7L engines used in C&C trucks don't fuel as much as the latest, high horsepower 5. 9s and don't create the high egts.



You probably won't really need gauges unless you just want them as I did. I find them very handy to understand when the engine is in the regeneration mode.



It takes a long hard pull on a steep grade loaded with a heavy trailer to get the egt up to 1200* on my truck where my '06 would easily climb above 1400*.

Harvey



Are you monitoring transmission temperature?

 

[machinemover]

good question,are transmission temps an issue with these trucks?

 

[HBarlow]

dquaney and machine mover:



I do have a transmission fluid temp gauge. It normally sits almost on the bottom peg and rarely climbs. I was somewhere recently on a very hot day, pulling a trailer, and got jammed up in an interstate highway parking lot with miles of start and stop creeping. The transmission temp moved up to about 200"-210* as I remember. That is nothing and the only time I've actually seen the temp get up to a range that caused me to even watch it.



Nothing to worry about. The Aisin, although in normal mode it seems to have a loose convertor, does not heat the transmission fluid. Best of all, if you have to back a heavy trailer up a steep ramp to park your trailer the comination of lower first and reverse which allows you to creep with foot off the go pedal and the design of the Aisin means no heat, no worries. The 48RE in my '06 Ram would almost instantly raise the transmission coolant temp to 230* or higher in a loaded backing situation.



I removed the Dipricol gauge set from my '06 and installed it in the '08 so they didn't cost anything. In truth I like gauges and knowing what is going on so would have probably bought them anyway and recommend that others do also to be informed but they are not needed to protect the engine or transmission on a truck that is worked hard.



The cab and chassis 6. 7 is apparently designed and built to be driven by company drivers and will not produce enough egt to worry about under full throttle, full load conditions and the Aisin won't heat the fluid.



No need for gauges unless you want them as I do.

 

[HBarlow]

... ... ... ... ... . I am new to the 6. 7, what exactly is the Regeneration Mode and what do I need to be aware of?

Nothing really. It will take care of itself. The regen mode occurs when the ECM, based on sensors at the inlet and outlet of the diesel particulate (soot) filter, determines that the dpf is becoming full of soot particles. The ecm turns up fueling, after the exhaust valve is closed I think, to create hgh heat downstream to bake and turn the soot to ash and allow it to blow out the exhaust. If you have gauges you can see the egt rise. When it is in regen mode it is a good idea to run it for 10-20 miles at highway speed and let it cook. But the software programming is reportedly designed to take care of it all without driver knowledge or input and I have been told that it will not hurt to shut the engne down when in regen mode. It is designed and programmed to restart when you drive again. If you don't have gauges you will have a hard time knowing when it is in regen mode. After you get familiar with the truck you can detect a slightly different exhaust sound . . it sounds like an inboard motor in a boat discharging exhaust below the water line, a burbling sound. You can also feel a slightly more responsive throttle at low engine speeds during regen.

 

[HBarlow]

As sag2 wrote above, there is no reason to rev the engine to pull a grade unless you want to accelerate. The engine develops 610 ft. lbs. of torque in a flat band from 1600 rpm to 2900 rpm and it will pull all day, fully loaded, at 1600 rpm. I have gauges, have had gauges on all three Dodges I've owned, and raising rpm has never made the slightest differrence in egt when pulling hills loaded. Allow the transmission to select the gear it wants and the truck will do fine all by itself.



The Cummins engine does develop more horsepower at higher rpms up to 2900 rpm so it will allow you to pull a grade faster at higher rpm.

 

[dquaney]

Harvey



I have wanted to install guages to see what is happening with this drivetrain while I am pulling down the road. The drivetrain has always felt to me like it is not even using half of it's potential. I am pretty confident my rear end and driveline can handle a lot more torque than is being thrown at it. I have never had any reason to think the Aisin is being worked close to it's potential. Knowing that it is not heating up verifies this.



I have only put a cold air box on this engine but as time and miles go on, I will do more to the horsepower I am producing. The 3000 series Allison I had in my Freightliner ran about 220 degrees. I was able to change the transmission oil to synthetic and reduce that temperature to 190 degrees. I will probably do this with the Aisin at some time.



Dan

 

[machinemover]

Very informative comments, thank you

 

[HBarlow]

Harvey



I have wanted to install guages to see what is happening with this drivetrain while I am pulling down the road. The drivetrain has always felt to me like it is not even using half of it's potential. I am pretty confident my rear end and driveline can handle a lot more torque than is being thrown at it. I have never had any reason to think the Aisin is being worked close to it's potential. Knowing that it is not heating up verifies this.



I have only put a cold air box on this engine but as time and miles go on, I will do more to the horsepower I am producing. The 3000 series Allison I had in my Freightliner ran about 220 degrees. I was able to change the transmission oil to synthetic and reduce that temperature to 190 degrees. I will probably do this with the Aisin at some time.



Dan

Dan,



I'm not sure but think our Aisins already have synthetic fluid from the factory. I'd have to go out to the truck and check the owner's manual.