I pull a dump trailer fairly regularly (2-3 times a month) when I do, I gross the scales from 22,000-27,000lbs and once as much as 33,000!... My truck is all stock.... I live in western pa and can get into some hilly terrain, which works the old girl... I make sure she doesn't dog down to keep the egt down.... gauges are on my list of things to do but not in a big hurry with the truck being stock... What do ya all think? Besides needing to buy a big dump truck....lol

 

That's an AZZload of weight and I have been in western central PA and yes it's very hilly. I would think even in stock form you are seeing some pretty high temps. I would get gauges ASAP if you are hauling heavy like that.

Just my .02

 

I doubt it. I run about 24k-25k gross and in stock tune my egts might get around the 1200 mark or so which International says the engine can do all day long. I think a properly running stock 7.3 is pretty hard to overwork.

With a mild towing tune, I see 1350 on severe mountain climbs but it doesn't stay there long (even with the throttle pegged), the PCM must defuel after 15-20 seconds because my egts drop down to 1200-1250 or so when the truck settles into the maximum speed it will climb with that sort of weight. For my truck that is about 45mph on steep climbs.

 

I was always under the impression that in stock form the egt's would stay under control. However while pulling my camper to TX I saw 1450* one time with my DP in "stock"
Before then I really never paid any attention to the gauge in stock mode.
So unless I have other issues I guess you can see high egt temps in stock form.
I was in 60 tow for the other 95% of my trip, and I absolutely love that tune....



EDIT: after reading Gregs post, maybe I do have an issue?

 

Did your truck stay at 1450 for very long? I think a stock tune might get that high at the start of a tough climb but should settle down as you loose momentum. What normally happens with me is that I floor it at the bottom of the climb and the trans downshifts, then the egts spike when the engine feels the load. I usually just keep my foot in it and the egts settle down after 15 seconds or so.

I suspect there is something in the stock tune that allows high egts for a brief amount of time but then tapers off if you keep your foot in it. Maybe somebody will chime in who knows more about the tunes and confirms or corrects my suspicion.

While towing, have you noticed that your truck has plenty of power on steep climbs that are short in duration but doesn't seem to have the same sort of power on longer duration climbs, even if they aren't as steep? I've noticed that my truck pulls really well for the first 1/4 mile or so of a very steep hill, hardly loosing any speed at all then it's like it runs out of legs and begins to slow down. If you watch the pyro gauge, you will see the temps fall as your speed drops. At least this has been my observation and why I suspect the PCM is defueling somehow.

I am curious to know if anyone else has had similar experiences.

 

Honestly Greg, I dont think I stayed in it longer than 10 sec or so, It wasn't a huge hill, just a big bridge. Its possible that it would have defueled like you said.
I may be ok, There just isn't too many hills down here to do a good test. I'll keep an eye on the gauge on my trip home while in stock mode and see what happens.

...sorry

 

Yes, I had that experience a couple times when towing but I believe this was more than likely related to a partial fuel restriction (at least in my case). I noticed the exact situation as you described it this past summer when towing my trailer up a couple grades. The EGTs were at 1,100 when the power diminishing occured so it was not due to any kind of excessive EGT management design (was in stock tune as well). When the fuel tank was removed a couple weeks ago to do the in tank mods I was shocked to see how clogged the mixing chamber screens were. Caked with debris. The screen condition would no doubt impact fuel pressure under certain loads when fuel demand begins to increase for a period of time. The fuel restriction symptoms are also power drop off with EGT and boost drop off following. That is why I am also installing a fuel pressure gauge soon. First thing to rule out in my experience when this occurs is fuel pressure. Do you have the factory mixing chamber still in your tank?

 

It's very difficult to get EGT's to be excessive on a bone stock truck. Typically when EGT's rise too high on a stock truck, it's an indication of something wrong.

 

Good thinking on the gauge for fuel pressure. IMO, I think the most important gauges are Pyro,Fuel and Trans temp.

Yes, still running the stock mixing chamber in the tank. I use DK every 4 or 5 tanks so I think that helps keep the screens clean. My fuel pressure is 62-67 and holds steady at 55-57 at WOT so I figure there is no reason to do the in tank mods.

 

^This is right on. On my last 7.3 I could redline the egt's in stock but that was due to a boost leak. On my current PS i cant get the egt's over 1250* in stock if I tried. Just a month ago I went on a wheeling/camping trip to Holy Cross up in the mountains. This trail is down in a valley and is quite a climb out. You start from a dead stop and pull a 6% grade for about 2 miles. With this load (~22,000gross) my egt's never got over 1200*.











So to answer the OP question, I would get a gauge on there ASAP. You dont know what your egts are until you know. IMHO it is cheap insurance. Hope this helps.

 

My pickup is stock as far as tuning, but I do have a 4'' exhaust. Even while I had stock exhaust pulling 23-24k, as long as I kept the rpms above 2200 my egt's would run about 1000*. If I let the rpms drop below 2000 then the egt's would run about 1150*. Rarely I would get close to 1200* on a long 6% grade, but it wouldn't stay there long.

 

Yea I think I need to ask santa for a set....then start saving for a dp!

 

Good plan. Like they said, good insurance policy.

Frank, I've had my pyro 'glitch' a couple times and give false readings - I pulled over and turned the key of and back on and it was normal...

I was gonna say that with 6spd it may be possible to lug it long enough to get hot - but there are other things that can lead to high EGT's. Restricted intake, restricted exhaust, up-pipe leaks, boost leaks, maybe fuel starvation... With a gauge, you know BEFORE its too late!!!