So just got back from king of the hammers, was towing a 44' gooseneck with two crawlers, two dirt bikes, a 4 wheeler, camping gear and 160 gal. Of fuel weighed 25-28k up the passes I had enough power to pull the 6% grade at 60-65 but couldn't keep my egt's low enough to do so. Ran 12-1300 up hills sometimes would hit 14-1500 flat will run 900-1000* my trucks on Gearhead tunes 238-80% nozzels 38r turbo full RR comp 910 valve springs 4" down pipe 5" exhaust, Napa air filter. What is a safe level I can steadily run on egt's and what are some ideas on getting them lower? I don't wana do a snow kit I have a PMR motor so don't wana run my cilinder pressures up

 

The 7.3 can handle 1200 for extended periods of time. Anything north of 1250 and I let way off out of an abundance of caution.

Can you log data with TorquePro, AE, ForScan or some other program. We need to know what RPM's you are running when you see those numbers. Also, what ICP, IPRDC, and FIPW are at those RPM's.

 

Try and put window washer sprayers pointing at the intercooler and spray it once the egts start to climb, I did this mod on the 6.doh and reduced egts by as much 200°
All I did was ad a T to the washer fluid hose and used oem sprayer in front of the intercooler.

 

I can data log, on torque. Really didn't matter what rpm besides under 1400 it would climb past 1200*. My Ipr never goes above 45% ICP maxes out at 2800 I believe. I'm on my lowest tune which is some were in the 350-380 HP range which is super nice for towing

 

Sounds like time for a better intercooler. I have an older Mishimoto and it cooled EGTs nicely on the long grades. The newer models are better, google it up.

Edit: keep the revs up. More air blowing thru keeps it cooler.

 

...then watch your engine oil temperature. Face it, that's a lot of weight to be pulling up a grade with that li'l ol' 7.3L - built up or not. Just getting it over the hump is one thing, but trying to do it without slowing down is going to make a lot of heat. Low revs up a grade makes good torque, but spikes the EGTs. High revs makes good HP, but trades that heat off to the coolant and oil - it has to go somewhere. It's not like we can just go cool and fast up a grade while dragging big iron across the asphalt. Well... maybe with a lot of help from cooling modifications.

 

Your "lowest" tune is capable of that much power? That's no bueno. It shouldn't matter how fast you can climb the hill weighing 14 tons.....it's a pain worrying about EGT.

 

I have not dynoed my truck but according to Gearhead that's what that setup should be putting down to the tires my high tune should be around 460. The other two in between. But i ended up keeping the truck in 4th (6speed) at 2800 rpm or so at 45mph up the 6% grade. At maybe a 1/16 throttle around 10psi of boost. I could still gain speed in 5th and go 70 if I wanted to but egt's would not allow. Anything past 1/16 throttle would send boost into the 30's and egt's past 1300* no matter what gear and higher the rpm easier the egt's climbed no matter the boost. I asked gear head for a lower tune but they said no can do that is a (stock tune). I would think they could lower the injector pulse some to get less fuel but still allow me to use the timing to get some more use able power rather than heating my motor to the melting point.

 

Hmmm.... I have 100% nozzles, and I swear... a stock-power-level tune at #1 position on the chip and on the PCM. I also have a tow tune that puts out maybe 300 HP, and a couple of other tunes that can go as high as 400 HP (estimated) with my injectors. When I want things to run icy - it's the tow tune.

 

Lucky bastird we did not make it this year. How was it?

Simply put you need to cut a bit more fuel out of the tune and turn it back a few hp, put water on it and run straight water no meth, or put a bigger charger on it. IMO that's a small charger for your fuel... Towing hard at any altitude. Cutting fuel is the safest bet, probably the cheapest, then water, and finally air.

I have installed different ICs on many configurations, won't do chit, maybe 50 degrees. Won't solve the problem, nor will spraying an IC.... I bet if you did the same pull in 0 degree weather you will still suffer tremendously... It's a waste.

Also pray those rods hold! I wouldn't want anyone else doing the tuning for that setup though! Nice choice.

 

I am not doubting you or your input. Some part of the equation needed to figure this out is missing.

Since you can log data I think your best bet is to do so and post the results here so that we can take a look.

I agree that you could not have chosen a better commercial tuner. FIPW could be suspect even on a GH tune even though it is less likely by a long shot. 2800 ICP sounds great but it depends upon when it is happening and also NOT....

Which brings up another question: when you are talking to GH, are you talking directly to Matt? If not, I would wait patiently on hold or ask for a return call.

 

A set of 80% nozzles can do 400-and-change while keeping pulse width low enough to maintain injection pressure. A mid-300 horsepower "towing" tune is ridiculous...especially when the difference between losing speed, maintaining speed, and total meltdown is "1/16 pedal travel".

Rich, your towing calibration should be around 260 rwhp if memory serves and your "stock"was 202 rwhp on this one dyno one time. Kind of meaningless, but it's a number.

 

I think I understand. They can keep FIPW down due to nozzle size. How much of this is determined by the tuning and where in the tuning? The fueling map? I don't completely understand this.

I agree that a mid-300 hp tune for towing is not good at all. That is why I am wondering if he has talked to Matt or someone else there. I have heard that there is some strange tune-age escaping from there once in a while.

 

You would know far better than I do. I know that the stock tune does just fine, the tow tune is pretty much bulletproof, the (very fun and clean) DD tune scares the ricers away, and the race tune scares me away.

 

I can't duplicate the sercumstances being as everything is unloaded, but I can do a run empty. My old truck dynoed at 312 rwhp and was an extra cab on 37's this is a 4 door on 35's and is a ton faster on my low tune than my old truck on my high tune. My low tune smokes just as much as a stock truck on a fairly dirty tune. My high tune will black out the sun if I'm not careful. I dd and tow on my lowest tune and very rarely am on my high tune. I had gear head send me a tune trying to figure out a rough idle and they did it for a adrinalin hpop and 100% nozzels. Lost allot of power but didn't smoke at all which was nice (So I think turning my fipw down some will help) Just deleted it off the hydra for fear it wasn't right being as they did it for stuff I didn't have. I have never talked with matt, I have asked for him and never been able to talk with him. I have been dealing with Kenton ( really nice helpful guy). Cody I believe his name is told me the HP I should be running on the low and high tune.