Towing in the Pacific NW

[klaybus]

Hey guys!

Been a while & have got a question for anyone who has went over I-90 from Washington state into SD. Going to Sturgis this year & we will be traveling over like 6 passes via I-90 to get there & I keep hearing about a pass in Idaho. As I look online I see there is the "4th of July Pass" & I see "Look-out Pass". From what I hear one of them is long, curvy & steep. From the info I gather one is roughly 3000' & the other 4000'.

My concern is running my injectors over this pass with the automatic transmission (with our #8500 5vr in tow) or just going to stock injectors for this trip. Hoping for a trouble-free trip& am afraid if I leave my injectors in it may just be enough heat to make things miserable! What are your thoughts?



Thanks,

Clay

 

[PBJ2500CTD]

Clay,

We have never had any issues on I-90. Of course we are running stock. Our former 98. 5 would heat up just thinking about a big hill - probably a slipping transmission and not fueling issue - ran good and cool as long as TC was locked up. It didn't have any problems at all on I-90. Looking back at some fuel economy figures would indicate only moderate inclines. I think somewhere in Western Montana there was a short stretch of ~6% grade. My "navigator" confirms the no issues on the I-90 route. She has a "better memory" than i do, and will let me know it, especially when I am/was "wrong" at any time spanning the past 39 years.

Bruce

 

[MAshley]

Hey guys!

Been a while & have got a question for anyone who has went over I-90 from Washington state into SD. Going to Sturgis this year & we will be traveling over like 6 passes via I-90 to get there & I keep hearing about a pass in Idaho. As I look online I see there is the "4th of July Pass" & I see "Look-out Pass". From what I hear one of them is long, curvy & steep. From the info I gather one is roughly 3000' & the other 4000'.

My concern is running my injectors over this pass with the automatic transmission (with our #8500 5vr in tow) or just going to stock injectors for this trip. Hoping for a trouble-free trip& am afraid if I leave my injectors in it may just be enough heat to make things miserable! What are your thoughts?



Thanks,

Clay

So what makes you believe that you will have issues with your Injectors? I have and Im sure there have been millions of pickups accross these passes with no issues. . I haven't heard of anyone having issues with injectors at altatude, Im not even sure how altitude would affect a injector in making its spray pattern.



Drive it and don't worry about it. Now if your Auto is slipping then take it easy on the hills and smashing the go pedal. You will get over the hill don't worry. and Enjoy your trip

 

[mrtrombley]

I pulled my 34' Westport across I-90 with my '95 Dodge with no troubles at all. I believe the '95 was only rated at 160HP and had no real problems that I recall. I went the same route you are taking. Across WA, ID, MT and down through Gillette, WY into SD. It was a very nice trip, lots of great scenery. Enjoy the ride.

 

[jelag]

We have a stock 04 that has towed a 20K lb trailer over those passes at least 30 times. . We've had no problems except for the down hill side were heading west we have to get down into a lower gear and let the exhaust brake work with the loads we've towed...

I'd say watch your EGT and not worry about it unless you exceed the EGT... . We had an 01, sold it at 500K miles and it was chipped... we had to watch the EGT towing over 10K worth of trailer going up a 6% grade... as we ran up the EGT we just slowed down...

Hope this helps. .

 

[klaybus]

Thanks for the replies guys. The reason I posted the question was I'm running after-market 80 hp injectors. I'm also running a after-market turbo, exhaust, box, etc, etc... . The reason I posted the question was in the past I've had issues while pulling our 5vr (#8500) on winding mountain passes with an auto transmission. You auto guys know what I'm talking about. Low rpms equals low booost & low boost equals high egts. If you drop out of drive into 2nd gear, your not in lock-up & then your transmission temperatures rise.

Follow me guys? It would be so much easier with a standard transmission!



Clay

 

[klaybus]

TTT for exposure again. Thanks!

 

[RPlamondon]

I towed about 11k on I 70 picked it up after driving thru LV, NV, I 15 and in my 07. 5 2500 HD, 6. 7, SLT, 4x4, quad cab, automatic and had no problems. Don't know about the older models. towed all the way to CT.

 

[BIGNASTY]

us 95

Its been many years but when I first started trucking and thought I was going to set the trucking world on fire. I was stupid enough to think a sign that said TRUCKS NOT RECOMENEND was for the other guy. Well when I did get down off of White Bird Pass and got a shower and a change of underware I had a big change about the way I drove. I hear that the road has been changed but I dont care Im not going there again. :{

 

[NIsaacs]

Its been many years but when I first started trucking and thought I was going to set the trucking world on fire. I was stupid enough to think a sign that said TRUCKS NOT RECOMENEND was for the other guy. Well when I did get down off of White Bird Pass and got a shower and a change of underware I had a big change about the way I drove. I hear that the road has been changed but I dont care Im not going there again. :{

Ha ha thats funny! I have been on that old sucker a time or two but never loaded. Once in a pickup and once in an empty log truck. The old timers always told me that the switchbacks (about 25 of them) were so steeply supered because they were so sharp, that if you were pulling up-hill and missed a gear and stopped you would turn over. I believed them! The new White Bird is 4-lane now



For those that might not know, White Bird Pass is in Idaho, between Grangeville and Riggins on the Salmon River.



Nick

 

[klaybus]

So what makes you believe that you will have issues with your Injectors? I have and Im sure there have been millions of pickups accross these passes with no issues. . I haven't heard of anyone having issues with injectors at altatude, Im not even sure how altitude would affect a injector in making its spray pattern.



Drive it and don't worry about it. Now if your Auto is slipping then take it easy on the hills and smashing the go pedal. You will get over the hill don't worry. and Enjoy your trip

If you look at my sig you will see I'm running aftermarket injectors (ie: more fuel) & that's where my concern comes from. I was hoping to hear from someone with a 2nd gen with aftermarket injectors with an auto trans who might be able to chime in... ...



Clay

 

[ChrisOlson]

Klaybus
I have a 99 ctd as well but i do not have 4 10 gearing i think your engine rpm will keep you cool My 5ver weighs 11400 loaded and i drive those passes 2 or 3 times a year.
I suggest as you crest a hill pull out of OD and use gearing and the engine to slow you down the twisties going down hill, experiment and watch the pyros but I do not see any problems for you.

Chris

 

[klaybus]

Thanks Chris! You were my exact target when I posted this. 2nd Gen owner with an auto trans. I figured if I had any EGT issues, I could run in 3rd direct (no OD) & avoid any EGT issues.



Clay

 

[Sixpack]

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