Stock Egt - What Have I Done?

[RAMalama]

From what I've read, stock ETH/DEE's will overtemp. Now the bad news. I was towing heavy (20,660lbs) across country and ran it hard for one particular tank of fuel. My mileage never went over 6mpg on the computer. When I figured the mileage at a fuel stop (I log every gallon that goes through my truck) I ended up getting 8mpg. I've never shut it off hot. Most of the time I never shut off during fueling but I'm concerned I may have burned some valves. No noise from the engine and I've already changed that beat up engine oil with fresh and a new filter but man, even those exhaust bolt extention collars are rainbow colored from heat. What have I done!?!



Didn't realize a bone stock engine could get it's egt so high...



Over all for the 4150 mile trip I got 10. 3. with a high of 11. 8; a low of that 8mpg tank. Stupid happy with the truck but it deserves a better driver!



R/ Ian.

 

[Puff]

Ian,



There is only one thing you can do to put your mind at ease, or not: put a pyro in (pre-turbo) and hook up a similar load and try to run it about the same as you did on this trip when you were running it hard. At least you'll have a feel for whether or not you overworked it.



I was similar to you before I put my gauges in, i. e. , I didn't think I had anything to worry about with a stock truck and I worked mine hard while pulling during breakin. When I got my gauges I realized how quickly temp builds and how high the temp of a stock truck can get when pulling. Fortunately, I don't think I overheated too badly, if at all, when I didn't have the gauges... but it was close I think.

 

[JEMOORE]

Burned valves = Low Compression=Low power & Hard starts. If you don't have these simptoms I don't think you have burned any valves. Once a valve develops a compression leak, (burned) it will keep "burning" fast because of the leak. IMHO and experience.

 

[Archive]

There have been several different reports on this board of high EGTs with the ETH. That is a good reason to follow Ted Jannetty's post on Proper Order for Upgrades.



I like the gauge idea above... get gauges and tow again.

 

[JJW_ND]

How does your truck run!

We run govt. trucks, no gauges, no performance upgrades. Like you, we run then hard. Your just getting rid of the manifold paint!



If it seems to pull better now (which it should if it is still pretty new) you are doing what is best for the engine. Run it hard for long streches at time.



Did your water temp go over 220 or reach 240? Water cools the head, oil cools the block and bottom side. On turned up engines, coolant temps go up real fast when EGTs are kept high. They alos drop real fast once EGTs drop. I was able to get my 12V down to 7mpg pulling 3 28' tandon flatbead trailers stacked. Could not pull 5th. Forth gear WOT, egts 1000 - 1100 for 600 miles.



I can't image a stock truck running into trouble below 7000 ft. Maybe a hot day in the Rockies pulling a big load but not running flat out anywhere else.



If your oil consuption goes up that would be another red flag. I would bet it actually goes down. BTW, the harder you pull it and keep the temps up, the longer your oil lasts. It is the cold operations and short trips that kills oil.



RUN IT HARD!



jjw

ND

 

[Amianthus]

If you can, get an oil sample. That'll tell you witout a doubt if you damaged your engine. But I can tell you with some expertese, that if it is running like normal, you probably didn't damage the engine. But that oil sample will tell you for sure.

My recommendation, GET GAUGES!!! NOW!!!

 

[Mopar-muscle]

what color is your turbo ? that will give you a telltale as to how hot you got . if you got the exhaust to hot for to long the clear coat on your turbo will have turned yellow , i saw this on a members truck that ran too hot too long ... his turbo and engine seem to still be fine .

 

[RAMalama]

JUST RAN OUT AND LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD AGAIN

Welp, the intake side of the turbo is definitely yellow. The exhuast side is rusty red/gray. Those exhuast bolt extentions sure are rainbowed. I compare my engine/turbo to others and well, I don't look good.



Sure runs fine though. Starts easy (like it always has). Still gives me 10-11mpg towing. Runs real hard fm 2500 to 3300. Fm idle to 2500 my 95 12v would have walked away from it. The only time this DTH engine shows it's colors is towing. It's like it's not heavy enough to work the engine when it's unlaiden.



If memory serves it was in Colorado when I was an impatient idiot with that tank of fuel. I think I was on a slight ascent with a head wind and just didn't realize how hard the pull was. Not until the very end of it anyway. After that I was trying to say "sorry" to the truck by being real easy the rest of the trip. I've driven probably 2000 miles since then. So far so good. Total miles on the clock are 9980. Still, it's absolutely amazing how well these truck work. It pulls so hard I worry about the hitch! The nose of the truck will lift slightly like a truck-pull. Man that's HP and torq!



I just wince every time I pop the hood.



I wanted to install guages before I left but no luck. No funds. No time. Now, just no funds. When I do (and I will) I'll do the three guage pillar mount fm Geno's with the third being fuel pressure.



Much thanks to all for your insight.



Ian.

 

[Mopar-muscle]

welp , you got it a tad warm ...

yes you got it hot , probably a few miles to many over 1300 , but if its still running well then i would worry about it , pull an oil sample and send it out , won't hurt ... get gauges ...

 

[Bob Wagner]

not to worry.........

Originally posted by Mopar-muscle

what color is your turbo ?if you got the exhaust to hot for to long the clear coat on your turbo will have turned yellow ,

I just towed my 5er to Mt Rushmore and back with gauges.





I never exceeded 1100 degrees on any hard and long pulls and my turbo is shaded yellow and the exhaust extentions are discolored too.



Just because of a little discoloration does not mean that you exceeded any abnormal high temperatures it can be discolored

from extended operating times.



GET GAUGES AND RELAX

 

[Pete Peterson]

Ian, I would hate to think that this truck and motor can't take what you gave it. It was built to do do exactly what you did with it!!!!! Go and do it again a half dozen more times and when your through I'll bet you a dime to a donut that your motor it still in perfect shape!!! What you did is why these trucks were built, nobody and I mean nobody else on the planet could build a truck to do it better or longer than Dodge and Cummins!!!!!!! It is the ultimate combination... ... ... ... ... My hundred dollar bills worth... ... ... . Pete

 

[Mopar-muscle]

bob , just going by what i saw on a members truck that ran way to many miles with a big boat , in the 'hood of 14k , on their back end way to fast . his was almost gold in color . i've had mine over 1500 more times than i care to remember , though for much shorter intervals , and mine is only slightly changed though the paint is burned off to the head and the spacers a rainbow color ...

 

[**ICEMAN**]

my 01's is yellow also,,my 94's isn't,,and they have both seen 1400 deg. a few times. i believe the newer turbo's are sprayed with some type of a clear coating that yellows with heat & time.

 

[John Berger]

I don't think you have anything to worry about. Like others have said, the Cummins was made to do just what you did: work hard. If you had some BOMB's this may be a different story. One thing you may want to try is an Amsoil foam air filter. It will help increase the air flow which should in turn cause the truck to run cooler (EGT's). My uncle gave me one piece of advice about my truck. Don't baby it. With that load you pulled, I would be more concerned with the drivetrain and wheel bearings than I would be with the motor. Get some gauges. You'll be glad you did.

 

[RAMalama]

MT RUSHMORE

Man now that's a haul. I've been there twice but both pulling a "lite and little" 32ft travel trailer. I was in a '89 Phord then with a normally asperated 7. 3 5sp 4:10. When I arrived at the monument I "owed" horse power to the altitude gods!!!



That truck of course, didn't make enough power to hurt it's self. My 95 12v (5sp 4:10) on the other hand was so strong with that trailer, it was beating up the hitch. It'd give me 13+ towing. My 2001. 5 could have probably went "plad" with that trailer in tow. Bought the fiver 14months ago and never looked back.



Until now.



It seemed I couldn't hurt the 12v either. It was a California 170HP model. Never had guages in it but it seemed to flow a little less fuel. It's peak power was never anywhere NEAR these DTH engines. With the added fuel and power of my 24v, I better learn the language of what this engine is doing and saying. I tell you what, I'll be keen to it next time and therefore, there won't be a next time, -for two reasons: 1) I'll GET SOME GUAGES!!!! and 2) I've learned my lesson.



And yes, I'm hoping against hope that these trucks, as hard as I worked it, aren't capable of mass suicide. I'd like to agree with some of you with that. Seems to me it should take that kind of abuse. Once anyway. It is abuse though I know it. Besides:



False hope is still hope! And my faith next to God, is in the mighty Cummins!!!!!!



Sincere thanks again.



A Humble, Ian.