I have done some reading in here regarding boost output while towing and I am getting the feeling that I am lacking in boost ouput but I am not sure so I thought I would ask the gurus. I had the Predator "towing" program loaded last weekend when I took the travel trailer (about 6,000 lbs.) up to the hills and while I hit the big hill (Horseshoe Bend Hill for those of you familiar with the Boise area) on the way out of town and with the pedal floored, I could not hit 20 on the boost gauge, I believe 18 was as high as it would go. Is this normal? If I understand the boost concept correctly, there are a lot of variables that contribute to this reading (ie., how hard the motor is working, programming, etc). My EGT peeked at about 1250 (pre-turbo) which as I understand it is the recommended ceiling for this and you shouldn't stay there for long, if at all (due to turbo damage). The engine was not working hard at all, it just hung around 2K on the tach and just chugged up the hill. I was expecting it to down-shift and work harder to maintain a higher speed. Instead it just would lug and maintain speed from 50 to 60 depending on grade. I am assuming (mother of all fu&*-ups) that I could load the economy tune and tow as long as I stay under 8K lbs but I am leery of towing in this mode and I would guess that I would hit 1250 on the pyro very quickly. That is something I prefer not to do. However, I was expecting a little better performance out of the truck with the Predator Program loaded. Am I expecting too much? I love the truck but just want a little more power when towing up the steep inclines. I still have the stock intake and stock exhaust. Based off my research here, an aftermarket exhaust should help with lowering the EGT and an aftermarket intake wouldn't hurt either. Sorry for the long-winded post.

 

i just came back from a fishing tournament sunday and i had my slide-in camper 2500# and my boat 4000# i have a 4 pos chip (stock,tow.econo.highoutput) i had it in the tow mode the whole way. most of the trip is pretty flat but there is a few long moderatly steed grades. my boost ran all the way to 25psi a couple times and i never saw over 1050* on the pyro(pre-turbo) it may be a different story on a steeper incline. i had the cruise control set at 78mph. your boost sounds a little low, my truck will run to 20 psi in the stock mode on the chip.

an after market intake and exhaust will help with the egt's alot. the fact that yours are still stock is most likley why your egt is so high. i have a turbo back 4" exhaust and an airaid intake

 

I am going to get an exhaust and intake. This should help reduce the egts. I just think my boost is lacking for some reason. I have checked the plumbing and see no obvious leaks so I am somewhat at a loss.

 

something could be a-miss, check the conections to your boost gauge, when i 1st installed mine it was leaking around the tap, just an idea. also make sure all the intercooler tube boots are tight(you said you checked the plumbing i am just throwing everything out i can think of) keep us posted

 

Unless a charge air cooler boot has blown completely off, you probably wouldn't be able to see a problem there. Double check the torque on the boot clamps to be absolutely sure.

Another possibility is the tension on the wastegate actuator rod is too low, you could try disconnecting the pressure line from the diaphragm and plugging the line to see where the W/G off seats.

Also, the intake and exhaust mods you mentioned will probably add 3-5 PSI of boost....maybe it just can't breathe well enough up there.

 

From your original comments, it sounds like you might have been over-geared to reach higher boost. If you were pulling hills in OD, you wouldn't see the same boost as if you had been in 3rd gear. Max boost occurs at a higher rpm than at 60 mph. I can hit 30psi pretty easily, but I have to be at 3000rpm or higher to get there.

 

Cookie,
I don't even know where the waste gate is...sorry to be so ignorant but I assume it is on the turbo somewhere? Where is the diaphram and or pressure line? Not familiar with the wastegate actuator rod either.....

Quadzilla,
It was weird, at the bottom of the hill I stomped on it and it down shifted and it took off. After gaining speed, it shifted up to OD and stayed there just chugging @ 2K on the tach. A couple of times on the steepest grade it slowed down to about 45-50mph but didn't down shift???

 

thumper, click on my name "WLIHNTR" in the left corner. there will be a drop down menu then click on "view gallery", in my gallery is an album that says "crank case vent bypass", click on the "2" on the last pict, that gold thing with the red tube comming out of it is the diaphram, on the other side of the gold thing is the actuator rod.(you can not see it in the pict)

 

Thanks for the input fellas. I will try looking at the waste gate. I appreciate your time on this.

Cookie I am headed to Arkansas for a family reunion on the 1st of July. It should be hot/humid by then......
Craig