The back lighting on my monitor is failing. Randomly it decides to go out on the left side, and lower right corner. I can still see what is on the screen, but it looks like I am holding a flashlight at the bottom looking up. The triangle of bright light with the two lower corners dark makes me feel like I am computing in a cave with a flashlight. LOL

Jim

 

Hey Tim, the straight pipe goes in place of the cat and vice versa.....towing over 152 today at 55 mph my EGTs stayed around 850-900 and peaked at around 1000, I was towing my 18' wells cargo trailer full of cabinets. Going down 5 I stayed around 725 average EGTs

 

Oh ya, I was running SPD locked tune and my EGT probe is located or rear of driver side manifold. I would be careful of putting hollowed out cat, a little birdie told me that smog may be putting a temp gun on them to see if they are in fact functional.

 

Were these numbers a big improvement? I tow a fiver that weights probably around 12K loaded. On steep grades I've seen my EGT get up near 1300*, which is on the extreme end but it can get there with my foot into it on a hot day. I usually back off before that, usually pulling back around 1200* when I see EGT coming up. I think gutting the cat made a difference but would rather have a straight pipe rather than a turbulent chamber in line. The rest of the exhaust is stock size and all. I prefer leaving the muffler on as I don't like my 6.0 any louder than it has to be, which is pretty loud for my taste. Funny thing is, when the truck was new off the lot, it was much, much quieter. I think Ford tweaked the tune on one of their PCM changes as 6.0's seemed to have gotten louder as a result ever since. It seems they're all loud like mine these days. New trucks are quiet but priced WAY out of reach for this guy.

Was thinking about a 4" turbo back but not sure it would a worthwhile difference in EGT.

 

All new vehicles are priced way out of reach for this guy, so I will keep my 22 year old Thunderbird.

Jim

 

My truck is 13 years old now. Being retired, I don't see myself ever buying a new vehicle again. Out of curiosity I went looking at new trucks to see if there was a way I could afford one one these days. My dream was brutally beaten down by the cave man club of reality. There's no way I could even come close to affording a new truck today. Guess I'll drive mine till the wheels fall off.

 

Yes indeed. Trucks are so expensive these days I am really surprised they sell any at all.

Jim

 

 

Ain't that the truth? LOL

 

Seems that there are a lot of people out there making a hell of a lot more than me, especially with my being retired these days. And the divide keeps getting wider too. Not sure what to make of it but I wish that while I was working, I would have investigated inflation (with regard to retirement) a little closer.

 

The only way I could justify a new truck would be if I had a company that needed one... companies get to write off expenses like that, where private citizens aren't allowed to.
Writing off the "corporate expense" acts like phantom income for the corporation. That makes the purchase a lot more reasonable.

What bothers me more about the newer trucks is the profusion of plastic parts. They don't seem to be designed to last, and I fear "planned obsolescence" will cost me a lot more than keeping my '70 running.

And one other thing: When did trucks become luxury cars? If I really wanted a luxury ride, I'd probably get another Buick. Even the basic, no-frills truck is expensive, but adding those bells & whistles runs the maintenance costs way up.

 

My wife is about to finish nursing school. If she has the job she's hoping for later this year, I'm hoping next year I'll be able to get a nice, gently used 6.7 next year and retire my 6.0 for back-up/spare truck duty.

I'd have to be rich enough to burn 100 dollar bills to light a campfire to buy a new truck off the lot.

Stewart

 

You guys are making me feel selfish or something, as I got my 2015 after we sold our business and I retired. We considered it my retirement gift.

 

 

If I were to buy another Ford truck, I would look around for a low miles 96 with the 7.3 diesel in it. However, a lot of things will have to happen before that becomes a reality. I would love another chance to do that U-Ship business thing.

Jim