The manual tells me what it is.
But what should it read?
I am looking for a high or low reading?

 

I don't know a lot about it, but I imagine it depends a lot on what your doing. If you're just drivinng back and forth to work, you're not gonna need much boost. If you're hauling stuff, or towing, it's going to require more boost. Mine is below 10 almost all the time in my daily driving. Even when I hook up my 5th wheel, it stays right around 10. On the overpasses and hills it sometimes climbs close to 20, but I can't remember a time yet when it has exceeded 20 for more than a couple of seconds. A lot different than my 6.4L which was constantly between the 10 and 20 and towing almost always above 20.

 

I can see what it is reading. I guess my question is "what am I looking for"?
You look at a temperature gauge to see if the engine is over heating.
Is there a reading level on the boost that should concern me?

 

this should be over in the 6.7 engine section.

on the 6.4's we tried to keep it around/under 10.

just got my 6.7, so don't quite know yet myself but it seems similar

Concern? it will be all over the place.. up a hill with a load it will be pegged..

if you ar eon level road, then you should be able to get it, keep it around 10.

the target rpm is around 1600-1800.

Sam

 

Bluefin,

(this is assuming you don't know, so I am just trying to help)

The boost gauge is an indication of the pressure (in PSI) inside the intake track. (intercooler, intake manifold and associated plumbing).

When you are cruising down the road at 25MPH it will probably read zero, as the turbocharger(s) are not producing ANY pressure/boost since the engine is hardly working.
The more you demand from the engine, the more pressure/boost the turbochargers are going to provide and the more power the engine is going to make.

Is higher WORSE? Well, being diesel engines, they 'should' be able to withstand continuous boost and workload and last, and last and last. (that's what diesels are suppose to do, right?)
But with these newer diesels plumbing and emission systems recirculating HOT exhaust gas through the EGR and just generally running much hotter to meet emission regs, I would personally be trying to keep that boost gauge down as much as I could, especially if I was planning on keeping the truck for the long haul.

 

My comments were only about mileage. these engine systems should be able to work at high boost for a long time.

Sam

 

As far as "what am I looking for?", there is really nothing to look for. It is just an indication of how much boost is required to keep the truck at the speed you want to go. As far as I know, there is no "red line" as there is with RPM's. In my 6.4L, I have seen the boost maxed out while pulling in the hills of the Ozarks.

Sam, my experience has been the 6.7L requires far less boost to maintain speed than my 6.4L. I have rarely gone over 20, though I will admit that I have only pulled my 5th wheel in the Texas Hill Country. It had some okay hills, but nothing like the Ozarks. Still, much more impressive than the 6.4L.

 

If I remember right the turbo system that the 6.7L engine uses has a maximum capability of pushing 31PSI of boost, as compared to the 41 PSI that the dual sequential setup the 6.4L uses.

Moved to th 6.7L PowerStroke form!

 

OP,

It was hinted upon so just to reiterate, remember that more boost = more air = more fuel. So, if you're driving for better mpg, stay out of boost as best as possible.

As far as where the boost gauge should be when you are driving will depend entirely on your driving style.

 

Attached is an explanation from the Diesel Engine Book.

 

About 20 psi or slightly more is as high as I have seen the boost, and it won't stay there for more than a few seconds unless towing up a hill. The stock factory programming should automatically cut back on fueling and boost if the exhaust gas temperatures get too high. This is to keep from melting things such as aluminum pistons. Running tuned is a different story.

 

IIRC, the factory setting is limited to 21 psi, even though the factory turbo is capable of delivering more (the 31 mentioned above).

Also, a batch of hot exhaust is a good thing for the particulate filters, where it will burn off the contents of the trap. This is what happens when the truck regens by dumping fuel into the exhaust stroke. I prefer to just stand on it once in a while.

 

21 is the max I've ever seen.
Since the computer appears to be limiting it to 21 psi, that explains it.

 

[QUOTE=bluefin;11697435]I can see what it is reading. I guess my question is "what am I looking for"?
You look at a temperature gauge to see if the engine is over heating.
Is there a reading level on the boost that should concern me?[/QUOTE


The only that should concern you is, if you don't see any boost while accelerating.and I don't mean driving like it's Sunday. Other than that drive the beast.

 

The EGR lowers combustion temperatures. An EGR bypass can cause your engine to run hotter plus you might not pass emissions tests.