EGT - Page 2 - Montana Owners Club

Bill Hill · 08-15-2005, 04:44 AM

dsprik,
Getting gauges isn't that expensive, about $500 for boost & pyro installed. I would consider them a "must have" when towing anything as heavy as a Montana. It's real easy to overheat if you're not watching what you're doing.

Thunderman · 08-15-2005, 05:16 AM

I can see the trans. temperature gauge and a egt gauge if you have a chip added. Being able to monitor trans. temperature should be most important it seems to me. I know driving fast are going up hills will increase both temperatures especially if I am towing the Monty. I feel both will go down if I slow down. Am I missing something?
Thanks!

ronstan · 08-15-2005, 05:21 AM

We have a 2001 7.3. You'd be suprised at what the egt get to when pulling hills with a 3295. When we were in WV about a month ago there is a couple of hills on I 64 that I shifted into second gear and my egt still got high. I put all three gages in This spring do to knowing I would be driving in some hills.

dsprik · 08-15-2005, 06:03 AM

Quick question related to this thread ~ Theoretical situation ~ towing Monty with new tv (doesn't matter what make/model I don't think). Stock with no gauges. If you damage by overheating something while pulling, are you covered by warranty? And if you add gauges and someting goes wrong, does that void the warranty?

Kathi · 08-15-2005, 06:46 AM

dsprik, now that is a good question. I would think that because you took the time to put gauges in the truck you would be trying to protect it for the desasterous situation. This is clearly a case of Darned if you, Darned if you don't!!! Paul

NJ Hillbilly · 08-15-2005, 06:54 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by dsprik

Quick question related to this thread ~ Theoretical situation ~ towing Monty with new tv (doesn't matter what make/model I don't think). Stock with no gauges. If you damage by overheating something while pulling, are you covered by warranty? And if you add gauges and someting goes wrong, does that void the warranty?

The dealer (and Mfg)has to prove that the additional upgrades (gauges, chips, exhaust, etc.) caused the damage. The law is on Your side with this one. As for the overheating part, the computer will log high temps and again You can show a copy of the weight sticker from the trasiler to show that the trailer towed is within the capacity of the truck ,they don't have a leg to stand on.

Many times there are overloading problems like too much pinweight and other things and even with these conditions the temps on an unmodified truck should not be in the danger zone. When there is a failure such as a hose or a belt and the truck is driven till there is damage then that is a whole other situation. That's operator error.

John

Montana Sky · 08-15-2005, 08:57 AM

Dave,
I have only heard of one person with a Duramax over heating. I am pushing "pulling" 13,650lbs of coach and the truck has a 7,400lbs loaded weight. Total GVWR is 21050lbs running hills in temps up to 106 degrees. Had engine get to 220 and tranny hit 180. Keep you eye on those two and remember you dont have to be the first one up the hill. Protect your truck and it will protect and last a long time for you.

As far as gauge installation, my dealership installed them for me around for around $500. I do not have airbags on my truck and really have not found a reason to have them installed yet. In my opinion, get your truck and spray in bed liner done right away. If you can, get mudflaps all around the truck to help with rocks on coach as well as truck. Then once you have hitch installed and are towing down the road, when you can afford it get the gauges installed next. You are not going to void any warranties by not having the gauges, as long as you pat attention to your temps on the dash.

richfaa · 08-15-2005, 09:28 AM

The warranty issue is unclear..Ford will tell you that ANYTHING that alters the truck will/can void the warranty. Any of the makers will probably void the warranty rather than pay the repairs.remember it is NOT the dealer that authorizes the warranty repair it is the maker.You would wind up paying a lawyer 150.00 a hour or so to sort the mess out.It is a personal choice,,I chose NOT to do anything during the warranty period.Should anything break I do not want to give the maker the advantage.

Montana Sky · 08-15-2005, 01:24 PM

Also remember that any accessories that a dealership installs is also covered by the dealership; as well as the factory warranty if they were installed at the time of purchase. It is like my extended warranty on the coach, anything I have a certified dealership install also becomes covered under the warranty automatically. Just has to be a certified dealership who installs the items.

richfaa · 08-15-2005, 01:44 PM

That's what I mean about it being "unclear" My dealership will not install accessories that modify the drive train of the truck.I mean they will if I insist but told me in no uncertain terms that the warranty would be voided????Who knows for sure.I guess you would have to add the accessory, have something break, then claim the warranty and see what happens....

sreigle · 08-15-2005, 06:47 PM

My truck is unmodified except for the pillar pod gauges. The pyrometer/EGT probe is in the exhaust manifold. If that probe comes apart and destroys the turbo then I expect Ford would deny warranty coverage. Otherwise there is nothing with these gauges that could cause any engine problems unless there's something I'm missing.

To me the most important one to watch is EGT. Transmission temperature is second for me with boost being third and water temperature fourth. The new Fords do not overheat but neither did my 1999 and 2003 superdutys, both gas and diesel. Nor my 1992 and 1995 F150 gassers for that matter. When I researched max EGT for the 6.0 Powerstroke I found the limit is 1200 for prolonged periods or 1370 for brief periods. This is for pre-turbo EGT. Today we pulled some very long, steep grades in Montana, including a six miler at 7% average and some others that were unmarked but seemed rather steep. Cruise was on 64 and we held 62 all the way to the top. Max EGT was 1275 on one short steeper stretch and ran 1150-1200 the rest of the time. Fuel mileage was dropping at a pretty good clip during that climb, though. Total weight with both of us onboard along with full fuel and the house in back is 22,920.

I can't imagine Ford denying warranty because of the gauges and towing this much weight I would not be without them. The dash has boost, water, trans, and oil pressure gauges but not EGT. To me a pyrometer for measuring EGT is essential if towing significant weight. But that's just my opinion.

Dave (Montana Sky), the 3400RL has just about the lightest pinweight of the Montanas even though the coach itself is not a lightweight by a longshot. I'd be very surprised if you would need airbags with that pinweight. At 3300 lbs pinweight on ours the rear of the truck sagged about an inch and a half (sure wish I had that optional extra leaf in the springs) so I went with the airbags. That was cheaper than having the springs replaced with the pack that includes the extra leaf. The leaf itself is not available separately and I couldn't find overloads big enough to fit the 3-inch wide springs.

dsprik · 08-15-2005, 07:11 PM

Steve, sounds like I really don't need air bags then on my 2500HD to tow the 3400RL?

Montana Sky · 08-15-2005, 09:01 PM

Steve,
You are right, my 3400RL is pretty light in the nose compared to some models that are out there. I have added more "stuff" to the coach again over the weekend and am pretty sure I am getting close to that GVWR mark. It still amazes me with all that weight the kingpin is still much lighter than other models. Goes to show Keystone really did the design right on the weight distribution.

dsprik,
I am going to stick my neck out here on this one and say NO you do not need airbags to tow the 3400RL with a 2500HD. I tow it and do not have them. Again, just my opinion.

I also would have to agree with Steve on the gauges, it does not in anyway modify or alter the power train on the truck. Since my EGT is post turbo there really is nothing that could go seriously wrong by having them installed. GM would have a hard time proving the gauge was the 100% certain cause of the problem for them to not cover it under warranty.

richfaa · 08-16-2005, 01:08 AM

I agree on the Gauage installation If I had a diesel, Ford 6.0 in particular, I would install the gauages as they do not alter the power train . I would see the gauges as aiding in preventing a failure..however..you pays your money and you takes your chances...I am just a old retired Governmet Employee..not a legal Eagle..

cs413 · 08-16-2005, 07:38 AM

Gents - This is my first diesel and I have no clue what EGT is. I get the general drift of the conversation but not too sure if it is something I need to worry about. I unfortunately am not close to a full timer and can only pull the 3650 once every two mmonths or at the most once a month and only around 100-300 miles round trip. I will try to make a vacation trip of 1000-3000 miles once a year. Are these guages something I need to worry about? I have a turbo psi guage under the speedometer but have not seen anything relating to EGT. I am going to diesel websites to learn more when I can. If anyone knows of a good website such as "Diesels for Dummies" please let me know. Thanks,
Curt

gitrdun · 08-16-2005, 11:17 AM

There is a magazine on sale today Dieselpower if you can find it. This is one of the most informative mags. released for diesels, and they just anounced you can now suscribe to it. You can even read articles on line, check it out.

www.dieselpowermag.com

Thunderman · 08-18-2005, 05:09 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by cs413

Gents - This is my first diesel and I have no clue what EGT is. I get the general drift of the conversation but not too sure if it is something I need to worry about. I unfortunately am not close to a full timer and can only pull the 3650 once every two mmonths or at the most once a month and only around 100-300 miles round trip. I will try to make a vacation trip of 1000-3000 miles once a year. Are these guages something I need to worry about? I have a turbo psi guage under the speedometer but have not seen anything relating to EGT. I am going to diesel websites to learn more when I can. If anyone knows of a good website such as "Diesels for Dummies" please let me know. Thanks,
Curt,
Check dieselstop.com lots of information there.
Curt

sreigle · 08-18-2005, 01:29 PM

Curt, in your situation I might not get the EGT gauge even though I highly recommend it in most cases. EGT is Exhaust Gas Temperature and measures the temperature of the exhaust. The turbo uses exhaust as input so that's an important measurement. However, the chances of you exceeding the point where damage occurs when not towing and when the truck is stock is, in my opinion, very, very tiny. Towing up steep grades is where you would want to watch this temperature closely, at least from what I'm seeing. If you are pulling some long grades with the house behind you and don't have the gaugue then watch the boost gauge on the dash. When it's up over, say, 25 psi, then you might want to back off on the throttle just a little to make sure EGT is not climbing too high. On our 2003 6.0 with this same Montana behind there were a couple of long 8% grades where we were holding speed and I saw EGT get up over 1325 so I backed it off. My understanding is 1370 is the max on these trucks. On our 2005 on similar grades I've not seen it go that high but it has nudged 1275 and 1300 a couple of times.

There are members here much more knowledgeable about this than I. Maybe some of them can come in with additional info or correct any mistakes I've made.

ronstan · 08-18-2005, 04:26 PM

There is a yahoo group for power stroke diesels. Go to yahoo and look for the groups and then power stroke. The guy that runs it is a master and Ase certified mechanic. Lots of info You can ask questions too.

virgil47 · 08-19-2005, 02:03 AM

For several years I have subscribed to the 'PowerStroke Registery'. For me, it is the definitive answer for anything related to Powerstroke engines. The website address is
http://www.powerstrokeregistry.com/

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