So, I completed my first camping trip after getting the Turbo replaced and getting the Edge INsight installed. Having no gauges originally placed me in an awkward position as I have no baselines for performance except for the excel Spreadsheets available from here.

I did observe 1 'possible' issue. I say possible as I guess I am a bit confused on the rules and whatnot. I have the most current FICM/PCM flashes and my understanding is that the PCM has something that will throw a CEL if the EOT and ECT stray beyond 15º. No CEL, but I did observe a 20º difference for a brief period of time while towing uphill. Towing weight was 10k# and it was a mountain grade from Phoenix AZ going to Prescott AZ.

Since then, no issues, ranges are staying 5º - 10º, generally closer to 5º.

So I guess my question is. Can the range EVER exceed 15º safely? My truck isn't showing a continued temp issue so I don't think my Oil Cooler is going, but wanted to see what the experts here think.

Also, I know the normal ranges are listed and severe services ranges. Is it OK to be in the severe service range during towing? What length of time is safe for this?

 

From my understanding it has to exceed the limit for X amount of time. When climbing and then again during decent as with heavy acceleration you are going to see wider variances. The 15 degree spread is over a given amount of time and should be over level ground so that temps are stabilized. My temps are very similar to yours towing a load of approx. 13 k.

 

15 degrees is a guideline.

Reasonable to assume there are lots of spikes and dips on the way to 15 degrees.

The software monitor (wrench light) probably use an algorithm to manage the data stream.


Right now, I am having fun researching what is in VC-9.

It looks to me that they just repackaged a commercial boiler cleaner.

 

I can't seem to find the thread, but I'm pretty sure on two things about what one of the resident techs that said about that CEL. I do believe that they said that it would throw a CEL on a 20* spread of those two and that it had to be a sustained time at being at that temp. Now my recollection on that is shakey and I wish I could find that thread now, but I can't.

However, I would be concerned at a sustained spread of greater then 15* rather or not that would throw a CEL.

How brief was that period?


It may be fine, what was the terrain like when you were doing that towing? Steep inclines etc? Things that would really load the engine?

I would say it's possible, it would really be for how long did you see that sustained for and were you still working the truck after it cooled off? I would try to see if it happened again with the same criteria that you had one it went above 15* this last time. One time in of itself may not be an issue.

10k on a mountain pass, I could see someone getting into the more severe range of things. Just how far into the severe service are we talking about? For what items are we talking about(other then the ECT/EOT issue)? What % of grade would you estimate that mountain pass to be? I know some of those passes out west can be really nasty.

 

Come August I will have a 8% grade for 7 miles going to the sierras. The temp out of Bishop that time of year is usually around 100 to 105. I will be pulling around 13k or better. Will report when I get back. I am really curious to see the results under those conditions. Just remember when you crest a grade and start descending the ect is going to drop like a rock and the eot is going to take time to drop.

 

I don't believe there is any CEL for a 15 degree or larger temp split. It is just guidance for determining when the oil cooler is becoming blocked. I believe it has to happen in steady state normal power cruising - not cresting a summit with a big load for it to be considered a blocked cooler.
The engine strategy has several points where it starts to defuel when temps get above certain points in an attempt to stop the temp increase - but if you have a failed cooler and keep your foot in it, it will eventually overheat the motor , melting the plastic oil filter tower, putting fluid plastic in the oil, and onto the bearings, etc - engine replacement. Of course, it has to get pretty hot for that.

 

Details on the pull and stuff. Grade was probably close to 5% or 6%. Normally they don't list going up. lol. I know it is listed mountain grades going back down. It was I17 Northbound(for those in the AZ area). Probably the longest the range exceeded 15º was 5 - 10 minutes. and there was a brief part (a few minutes) it reached a 20º spread.

Again, as I said that was during a climb and the truck ran fine after that and temps stabilized as expected. That was probably about half way through the trip, so I still towed my trailer for another hour to our destination.

Thinking I should probably do the coolant filter as I already have 145k miles on the truck.

 

I -17N out of Phoenix is a good pull. Nice..