Pyrometer Location?
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2006
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Pyrometer Location?
I installed my pryometer 6 inches down from the exhaust manifold on the drivers side down pipe...from what I gather, its in the wrong location. I just got back from a fishing trip, towing a 5th with a 12ft boat off my front hitch to the headache rack....the truck ran well but the EGT were really high? The pryo was reading between 950 to 1150 @ 2300 rpms on a level highway and 1200 to 1400 going thru the mountains. Now I know pistons melt @ 1150 or so, but this was my first trip with a pyrometer and I took it easy trying to keep the EGTs down! I have driven this truck a lot harder with no melt down?
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 1,509
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From: Ladner, British Columbia
Have you turned up the fuel on your IP?
I got everything stock on my 93' and climbing the summit the other day (Altitude 1,234 m on Hwy 97 and was putting out about 6 psig of boost continously at 2,000 rpm. My pyro toped out at about 1,000 deg. F during the entire ascent.
I got my pyro probe mounted in the exhaust manifold, second cylinder from the front on the drivers side.
I am using an older ISSPRO Pyro that was used in boats a lot back in the late 80's.
I got everything stock on my 93' and climbing the summit the other day (Altitude 1,234 m on Hwy 97 and was putting out about 6 psig of boost continously at 2,000 rpm. My pyro toped out at about 1,000 deg. F during the entire ascent.
I got my pyro probe mounted in the exhaust manifold, second cylinder from the front on the drivers side.
I am using an older ISSPRO Pyro that was used in boats a lot back in the late 80's.
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Hamberger, no I have not turned up the IP. My pyrometer is made by Autometer. I went up to Rouche Lake, near Kamloops. As you well know the coke is a tough climb...would the location of my pyro give me hotter reading than where you have yours located? To tell you the truth I'm a little confused, I thought it would give me a cooler reading? I kept the temps under 1200 on the trip up, I was running propane injection, so I kept a close eye on the gauge, but I ran it stock on the trip back.
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2003
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From: Nutter Fort, WV
Hypereutectic pistons which are stock in the IDI diesels start to melt at 1250.
Notice I said start, 1300 degrees does not mean catastrophic failure instantly, but you may have started to damage the pistons.
Notice I said start, 1300 degrees does not mean catastrophic failure instantly, but you may have started to damage the pistons.
Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2004
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From: West Valley Utah
I would say it's more likely a calibration issue. The meter is not reading correctly. 6 inches down the pipe should read less than having the probe installed directly into the manifold.
Enough throttle to keep a steady 2300 rpm should probably be around 850 degrees under a load.
Enough throttle to keep a steady 2300 rpm should probably be around 850 degrees under a load.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 1,509
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From: Ladner, British Columbia
The Coquihalla is a tough climb, especially if you are towing.
The exhaust temperatures should be cooler at the location you are measuring.
The tip of my pyro probe sticks about 1/2" into the exhaust port on the cylinder head as the proboe is about 2 1/2" long. You can't get any closer than that.
What kind of boost pressure were you running?
The exhaust temperatures should be cooler at the location you are measuring.
The tip of my pyro probe sticks about 1/2" into the exhaust port on the cylinder head as the proboe is about 2 1/2" long. You can't get any closer than that.
What kind of boost pressure were you running?
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Thats another thing that doesnt make sense, I dont have a turbo! I have owned my 84 for 2 years and my 86 for 10 years. The point I'm trying to make is I have driven both trucks "stock" [except for K&N air filter and larger exhaust] a lot harder than I just did on my last trip with the pyrometer. With that in mind, there must be a lot of IDI's out there with damaged pistons? I was always under the assumption you need a pyro if you have a turbo or turned up the IP or running propane, other than that you really didnt have to worry....Am I wrong....my pyrometer says I am, what do you gentlemen think?
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 1,509
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From: Ladner, British Columbia
I would question whether your new pyro is reading correctly.
1400 deg. F on the X pipe is mighty hot. That would mean your exhaust manifold must be glowing red hot.
This kind of heat would start to melt a few things under the hood.
1400 deg. F on the X pipe is mighty hot. That would mean your exhaust manifold must be glowing red hot.
This kind of heat would start to melt a few things under the hood.
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i ain't rite
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From: Marlboro Mental Hospital.
a temp sensor mounts in the exhaust and sends the signal to a gauge in the cab (pyrometer). this will enable the driver to monitor the exhaust temperatures. too high of an exhaust temp (usually regarded as over 1100º) can cause catastrophic engine damage.the actual deadly temp is a bit higher than 1100º, but keeping temps below 1100 is a good safety precaution.
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2003
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From: Nutter Fort, WV
In very simple terms a pyrometer is a remote reading thermometer.
It is used to measure the temperature of the exhaust as it exits the combustion chamber.
IDI pistons are made out of a hypereutectic alloy of aluminum, silica and several other elements to resist the heat. That metal starts to melt at 1250 degrees. To protect the pistons, you install a pyrometer so you can monitor the exhaust temps to prevent early engine damage.
If you have a turbo, Garrett rates their turbo fans for 1270 degrees. So you could also damage the turbo by running the engine to hard. The fins on the fan in the exhaust side of the turbo get so hot that they start to straighten out which makes it less efficient and create less boost.
A pyrometer is a good insurance policy on a NA motor.
A pyrometer should always be installed on a diesel engine that has any modifications done to it at all. Turning up the fuel or adding a turbo can result in temperatures that can do very expensive to fix damage.
It is used to measure the temperature of the exhaust as it exits the combustion chamber.
IDI pistons are made out of a hypereutectic alloy of aluminum, silica and several other elements to resist the heat. That metal starts to melt at 1250 degrees. To protect the pistons, you install a pyrometer so you can monitor the exhaust temps to prevent early engine damage.
If you have a turbo, Garrett rates their turbo fans for 1270 degrees. So you could also damage the turbo by running the engine to hard. The fins on the fan in the exhaust side of the turbo get so hot that they start to straighten out which makes it less efficient and create less boost.
A pyrometer is a good insurance policy on a NA motor.
A pyrometer should always be installed on a diesel engine that has any modifications done to it at all. Turning up the fuel or adding a turbo can result in temperatures that can do very expensive to fix damage.
Elder User
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 894
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From: South Dakota
Alright, the turbo I just bought doesn't have a pyrometer or a boost guage (the previous owner did even wire them in!). Can someone tell me how to hook them up and maybe post some pics of where to mount them? How much do they usually cost?
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Diesel250, no I didn't cut or modify the sensor probe wireing. I returned it Thursday, replacement comming Friday...tell me does your gauge read O when not in use? Mine read 250 and when I turned on the ignition it read 150...never went to O? Thanks for the imput.