Anyone got a simple explanation of what the pyrometer is measuring?

Today was the first time Ive pulled anything with my new to me 99 dually.
My pyrometer guage was just touching the red when I pulled my Bobcat up the hill coming home.

Ive pulled heavier loads way faster up the same hill with my 02 but I dont have guages in it.

I didnt see any reason it should be almost in the red , it wasnt working that hard.
Maybe this truck isnt going to do what I want?

 

What was the temp? It measures exhaust temp out of the driverside exhaust manifold.(should be there) if its stock you should not really see any high temps.

 

The guage reads 1-15 and is coloured green , yellow and red.
It was just touching the red.

Its not stock its got a Superchips in it.

 

The pyro is measuring the temperature of the exhaust gasses. That is pretty much what your pistons and exhaust valves are seeing, and extended time at very high temps can cause expensive stuff to melt. That said, you probably did no harm hitting the red for a short while. When towing a long steep hill I try to keep the EGTs under 1250, which is just touching the red on my Isspro EV1 gauges. I think most gauges are marked the same. Before I put in a 6.0 intercooler I hit 1350 for perhaps 30 seconds a few times with no problems. Usually I can find a gear or tune that keeps it happy.

Edit: the Superchips is a likely suspect. Off the shelf tunes are notorious for high EGTs.

 

Is it an early 99 with a cat? That will get it hotter also. I am changing out my early 99 turbo, plenums, spider etc., right now and you can't believe the difference in air delivery. Even the hole in the spider to turbo is much smaller in the early setup. I haven't had a egt problem with my DP tuner but I just back off alittle when EGT climbed. Had lots of power to spare but EGT's will climb with heavy loads.
Chet

 

The build date is 04/98 so I guess thats early?

So maybe take out the cat?

I have a Edge Evalution 3 position in my other truck i think Ill try it .

I have no guages in my 02 but it must have been smoking hot a few times as Ive pulled twice as heavy up steeper hills faster.

Is F2 a rear end code and if so does anyone know what rearend gears it would be?

 

The part that worries me is its going to have to work alot harder than that for a lot longer than it did today.
Plus its winter , whats going to happen in the summer?

 

Yes get rid of the cat, and change the muffler as well. If it has stock air filter for that build date its to small also. Mine is build date 9/98 with late air intake. These early, till late dec., have small plenums, spider, turbo and injectors. I can't help you out on the gear code but my dually has 4.10 LS. Leaking uppipes will raise EGT's also. Just pulled mine off and didn't know they were leaking but they were. I use to go up dirt roads in Wyoming for two years and never new my trans was going to 220F untill I put gauges in. We're talking 20 degrees F out but I was only going 10 or 15mph so the convertor wasn't locked. Got a new trans, JW now and never have seen these temps. Good luck,
Chet

 

How can you tell if your up pipes are leaking?

 

There will be soot on the firewall behind the turbo.
Also check for boost leaks.

As for your Edge tuner, it will be no better than Superchips. They are both "off the shelf." You need tunes designed for a 7.3 from a company like DP Tuner or PHP.

 

My Edge has worked 100 % for 5 years or so in my 02.
Never had a bit of problems with it and it makes my 02 go like crazxy loaded or empty.

Plus ive already got it so I might as well try it and see if the results are the same as I had today right?

 

I never had soot on my fire wall, but when I removed them tonight one just slid out without unbolting the top and had black on the pipe and the other one also had black soot on the pipe. I had good boost for an e99 so I didn't think they were leaking.
Again on the 2002, bigger injectors, plenum, spider and turbo. Plus 17 HPOP and yours has a 15 HPOP.
Chet

 

Like you said, no harm in trying. But the Edge is bottom of the barrel as far as tuners go. You may not have had a problem yet, but you will. When a piston blows up. If I were you I'd sell the superchips and edge and invest in a DP Tuner F5. Once you get it it will blow your Edge out of the water. Guaranteed.

 

I wish I had this conversation before i bought this truck.
It only has 30,000 miles on it and i thought it would solve my towing issues.

Looks like I bought a "Purple Pig".............

But it looks like Im going to have to keep using my 02 but its getting up there in miles and needs some work.

 

Whats it going to do the Edge already doesnt do?

I have the Edge on the second setting because it creates so much power on the top setting it usless......so I dont need any more power ?