Glad you made it home buddy! I'm glad we got your alt changed out. I opened it up after you left and I don't think it had much time left in it.

Also, I remembered what that alternator was from. I had it on my OBS for a short period thinking it would keep up with my electric fans and stuff at idle, but it wouldn't. That was why I pulled it off. That is a 160 amp alternator from RJM Injection, it just wouldn't put out enough power at idle to keep things happy on my truck. So we did upgrade your alternator.

I checked into RJM Injection and they are indeed out of business, so I'll have to get another source for charge cable parts.

 

Glad you are home shiny side up as Nate puts it.

 

Sounds like you had a great Trip Byron! I'm glad it went as well as it did. Pretty incredible what these 'ol work trucks will do isn't it? I don't think you'll regret the ZF swap either. I can see where a built auto would be a good thing, but I still just think there's something special about grabbing gears in one of these old trucks while towing a load. Puts a grin on my face every time.

 

Makes me feel better about my 7 mpg Byron. LOL I was under the impression that everybody got 20 mpg, even pulling 20K Glad you made it home safe. I would also like to meet Travis, he sure has been good to me!!

 

That is really cool to hear. I owe ya one big time. It definitely stays in the middle better than it ever has before. Sucks about RJM. Hopefully he's doing alright/.

Thanks Aaron! was a good trip with the exception of the really high desert temps. I have more confidence in this truck than ever before.

Nate, I completely agree. This is my first auto is quite some time. I thought I would like it better in traffic and that sort of thing, which I do...BUT I want it to be bulltproof when I call on it. Now when I tow, I constantly worry about temps and am always looking to see if fluid is leaking, etc....which it was in those really hot OTs!! hasn't leaked since I have been home though. Who knows? Again, I think I overfilled it and it came out the vent or dipstick hole. Maybe its ready to grenade?! I just don't know.

Yeah, I got 20 mpg...in headwind....pulling 20k pounds bad mpgs, but I guess 17,700 GVW is a lot to expect 9mpg from. The truck just never quit. Amazed me!

 

Man, that driving by the EGT gauge doesn't look like much fun. How steep was that grade?

 

Phil, you hit it on the head. That grade was 6-7 percent...one of the worst we have in California. The Grapevine on I-5 isn't even as steep or that bad. The problem I was running into was that I could actually have gotten up to 45-50, but didn't have the capacity to keep it out of the danger zone. That was only about 1/2 throttle and when I pushed it, it would slowly accelerate, believe it or not! I knew it would be bad enough with the hot weather that I didn't even get a run at it. I just idled for a bit at the rest stop right before to get it cooled down and then slowly made my way over it.

Oh yeah, I like that verse in your sig. Good one.

 

I fought a head wind all day today and its just a fact of life, high EGT's. If you want it detuned to the point of where EGT's are not a problem, then you will not have any power. I got a chip once that they called heavy tow mode. I could put my foot on the floor all the way up a 6% grade and never have to worry about EGT's. It was gutless and I called them and they said the tune was STOCK. Why put thousands of $ under the hood to run in stock mode? Doesn't make sense to me!!

 

Once you start adding power to these trucks , it seems like you're always driving by EGT gauge. I've got way too much fuel and not enough air, but I also have to keep boost under wraps if I want my stock charger to hold up, not to mention my bad uppies. But I digress.....lol. These trucks have a crazy power band where they tow just right. If I'm not into a grade at 70+ mph, forget about it. I'm toast or downshifting or both. If the revs are up, so is my speed on a grade!

Glad you had a great trip. I'd love to be able to travel more. That's one of the things that my dad gave to me and I'm looking forward to sharing with my son. The love of the open road and new destinations. If I could happen across some FTE'rs along the way, well that would just be awesome!

 

I see exactly what you mean. Why in the world would anyone put "tow mode" in a stock format? Makes no sense to me. I'll choose to drive by the EGT if I have to.

Todd, I hear you on the traveling. Only one drawback...I am now broke as joke!!! I'll be that way for awhile...4 new trailer tires, missing 8 days of work, and fuel expense pretty much did me in until next month. But, I guess the experience and my daughter getting to hang with her grandparents for a week in the Hill Country of Texas made it worth it. Like I said, we need Riff Raff Texas event. I guess it would be called RRTex...or somn like that.

 

I never drove by my EGT gauge in my OBS with the S400 under the hood. Cruise control at 70-75mph and that sucker would get down and yank on a trailer. Lol. Granted I never did pull anymore than 15k gross with it like that. I pulled more with the stock turbo and it was terrible. I wish it was still that way. When I took Byron for a drive the other day I saw my pyro hit 1500*... We were beating the snot out of it, but still. It used to only hit 1300* on those pulls.

 

Beating the snot out of it? I think it was worse than that! Lol!! I swear your EGT gauge pegged once on the burnout. I still laugh thinking about it.

 

I"m thinking it would be quite fun riding with Travis in his OBS!!

I don't drive by my egt gauge near as much as I used to. Unless I'm coming up to a big hill I just let it pull with the cruise on without any worries. That 6 1/2 percent grade I had problems with my oil system on I ran 70 or so at 1250 in OD at 40psi boost, until the ipr dc% started climbing real high. Then the power dropped.

We can get those egt's down Byron. It's just going to hurt that wallet even more! That Travis character I'm sure would be more than happy to help you out!

 

I have just come to the conclusion that I will just have to live with high EGT's, been that way for ten years now. I'm very happy with the way it runs and don't feel like adding a s400 or 4" DP. I 'might' put my water injection back on though.

 

Sounds like a great trip Byron! Glad you all had fun! I also continue to be impressed by what these trucks can do. I get a hard time from the Duramax guys all the time (1 in particular), but I don't care, while yes they may have more power than me, I know my truck can do things just as well, just might take it longer...lol

And the best part, I didn't break the bank buying my truck!