Upgrades; Towing

[Big MAK]

Pulled my 10,000lb camper this weekend. First towing with the "new" truck. Installed the EGT and Boost gauge just before heading out. Runs Awesome!... IF you keep the RPMs where this engine wants them while towing... 2300-2500. Drop below that and the speed drops off fairly dramatically on the hills. Staying in that range there's very little drop off.



On to the point: I haven't 'upgraded' the engine/exhaust/intake yet (other than an Air-aid filter). Running stock I'm seeing 23lbs max boost and 1200 degrees under hard throttle. GASP. I can't see how anyone can add power to this setup without first upgrading the turbo and exhaust!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



I think for a stock setup performance is exceptional; but any more fuel at all and this thing is going to be too hot. Consequently I believe I will postpone all power upgrades until after turbo-exhaust-intake upgrade.

 

[Barry]

All I did was install a BD muffler and an AFE Stage 7 with an EZ. Pulls up and down hills with no problem. Plenty of power with cool temps. It is rare for me to bust 1000(pre turbo)degrees.



Open up the exhaust, snap on an EZ, install the boost elbow(will take you to just over 30 psi) and you will have no temp problems.



All this is subject to you not having giant tires on your 4 by sending your final drive ratio thru the roof... ... ... ... ... mi dos centavos

 

[RedSmoke]

BD muffler?

What's the BD muffler you speak of? is it a straight drop-in or a whole exhaust system? I assume the boost elbow is also a BD unit?



Looking to open up exhaust side without replacing a perfectly good stainless steel system...



thanks-

 

[Rosco]

Re: BD muffler?

Originally posted by RedSmoke

What's the BD muffler you speak of? is it a straight drop-in or a whole exhaust system? I assume the boost elbow is also a BD unit?



Looking to open up exhaust side without replacing a perfectly good stainless steel system...



thanks-

Don't worry, if you have a stock exhaust it's not stainless anyway. It's aluminumized steel.

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

Big Mak, you’re running 305hp and got a load, shoving that power thru 9cm worth of exhaust housing and for sure 1200F EGTs are going to be part of the picture.



The fix? For $350 put a Piers Bomber Lite turbo on, it will knock 150F off your max EGTs and give you more room to work with until you step up to bigger stuff, at which time you’ll want to upgrade to a bigger turbo. The Bomber Lite looks factory, bolts right in, and has the HX40 pinwheel, and should do you well with an EZ or Stage I injectors.



Vaughn

 

[SOLER]

EGT question

For those of you with high egt's on a stock set-up, where did you put the thermocouple? I put mine in the manifold by the #3, and my egt's are low. I'm just wondering if putting it near the #5 or #6 would make that much difference?



SOLER

 

[Big MAK]

Mine is installed in the exhaust manifold at the #3.

 

[SOLER]

Roger that. What sort of egt's do you have? I haven't towed yet since putting in the gages, but empty I run about 400 straight and level at 60 mph. I haven't seen higher than 800 at WOT.



SOLER

 

[JamesWard]

man, i got to get some gauges. just yesterday i pulled a load of logs an a 24' HD flatbed. i wanted to use the Six Gun so bad, but didn't dare w/out gauges. oh, by the way, for grins we ran the load across a set of Cat scales, and grossed 34,489#. what awesome power on the stock level. wish i would have got it out on the highway to see what that CTD could really do!!!

 

[RJOL]

Originally posted by Big MAK

... Pulled my 10,000lb camper this weekend...

WOW... Now that's got to be one big "CAMPER"...

 

[GerryDrake]

Okay. I ask these questions under the protection of the adage that the only stupid question is the one that is not asked.



I had gauges for boost, EGT and transmission temp on my 95 PS that I traded in on my CTD. They were part of a transmission upgrade, chip, exhaust brake, etc. job, so pricing wasn't broken out.



I went back to the same place (www.thepowershop.com) yesterday to see about getting gauges for EGT, boost, and either transmission (6 spd) or rear end temp installed.



I was quoted a little over $800 for the BD monitor, installed. I expected a bit less, but don't suppose, in all honesty, that it is out of line.



My main question is placement of the thermocouple for the EGT monitor. BD says it can be placed either pre-turbo or post turbo, and the price quote I got is for pre-turbo.



A couple of you mention installing it in the exhaust manifold, by #3, or by #5 or #6. I got the impression they were going to put it immediately prior to the turbo, necessitating removing and reinstalling the turbo.



Do you install them in the exhaust manifold, or the turbo housing, or are there a multitude of places?... I DID read with considerable interest, a thread that talked of drilling 'in place' with the engine just started from cold so as to blow the chips back out... sounded good.



Obviously, this is not my forte... . Thanks

 

[Big MAK]

Installed pre-turbo in the exhaust manifold at the #3. Greased the drill bit and tap; vacuumed thoroughly after drilling and tapping; used magnet to remove any left-overs in the manifold. Did this w/o removing anything. That's the short answer; there's several threads on the subject of how to install a pyro. I've done this on three trucks now (a 95, a 98. 5, and my current 03); never a problem.



ps; the camper before this one weighed in at 14,000. And yeah; it makes more sense to call them a portable house!