Heavy towing question
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Tuned
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 454
Likes: 1
From: College Station TX
Heavy towing question
Hey, guys. I have a question. I don't normally tow more than about 2500#'s but a couple of days ago I had to tow a load of flooring on a trailer that, combined, totaled about 8000 pounds. I was towing it from Albuquerque to Taos on some pretty steep grades and on one hill/mountain, I had about a 7% grade for about 1 mile and I had overdrive off and I was down to about 35mph on the latter part of the grade. It just seemed like my truck should be pulling better. Keep in mind I have 3.55's. Anybody else think it should have pulled this a little better? I have felt like the power in my truck has been lacking lately anyway.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 3,550
Likes: 5
From: Lancaster County PA
I was suffering from heavy-load power loss. Changing the fuel filter, treating my tanks with algicide, changing the filter again, and cleaning the FPR screen (?) made a noticeable difference.
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Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 2,630
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From: North East Ohio
What he said.
And at 188k miles if your injectors have never been worked on it could very well be time for an overhaul. Bad o-rings can contribute to loss of pressure, partially plugged/worn nozzles will drop power as will worn Plunger & Barrels.
I'd start with the cheap simple things as mentioned above and if that helps then you're set. Just keep in mind that other things, like injectors, don't last forever, and I'd asy 95% of the injecotrs I work on are right at 200k miles, +- 20k. They will need at least an overhaul eventually.
And at 188k miles if your injectors have never been worked on it could very well be time for an overhaul. Bad o-rings can contribute to loss of pressure, partially plugged/worn nozzles will drop power as will worn Plunger & Barrels.
I'd start with the cheap simple things as mentioned above and if that helps then you're set. Just keep in mind that other things, like injectors, don't last forever, and I'd asy 95% of the injecotrs I work on are right at 200k miles, +- 20k. They will need at least an overhaul eventually.
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'96 7.3 F-350 Reg Cab 4x4 - bought new.
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'96 7.3 F-350 Reg Cab 4x4 - bought new.
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Senior User
Joined: Feb 2009
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From: Shepherd Tx
95 f350 cc 5spd stock,was pulling a 6000 lb tt from austin to houstion,head wind long hills,had to run in 4th gear ,it pulled like a dog.the next day i installed a bully dog chip that i already had,made all the difference in the world.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 20,419
Likes: 197
From: AZ
Hey, guys. I have a question. I don't normally tow more than about 2500#'s but a couple of days ago I had to tow a load of flooring on a trailer that, combined, totaled about 8000 pounds. I was towing it from Albuquerque to Taos on some pretty steep grades and on one hill/mountain, I had about a 7% grade for about 1 mile and I had overdrive off and I was down to about 35mph on the latter part of the grade. It just seemed like my truck should be pulling better. Keep in mind I have 3.55's. Anybody else think it should have pulled this a little better? I have felt like the power in my truck has been lacking lately anyway.
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Tuned
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 454
Likes: 1
From: College Station TX
Somehow the money for my TW chip always seems to go to some other pressing priority like shoes for the kids or food. I know, I need to get my priorities straight.
Back to my truck. Before I went on the trip I checked the fuel filter and it looks real good, plus I cleaned the FPR screen and it was slightly gunked up but not bad enough to clog it. I had thought about injectors and/or o-rings, but it's not something I can do right now. I looked on beans and I would love to get the tranny saver injectors. I would just need some time to budget for it. Do you think it would be worth just doing the o-rings, because I'm going to have to do my glow plugs real soon anyway. I also have a new IPR that came in today because it seemed to be loping last week and when I disconnected the IPR it smoothed out some. I am not sure that the IPR is bad but at 191,000 miles I figured it can't hurt.
Back to my truck. Before I went on the trip I checked the fuel filter and it looks real good, plus I cleaned the FPR screen and it was slightly gunked up but not bad enough to clog it. I had thought about injectors and/or o-rings, but it's not something I can do right now. I looked on beans and I would love to get the tranny saver injectors. I would just need some time to budget for it. Do you think it would be worth just doing the o-rings, because I'm going to have to do my glow plugs real soon anyway. I also have a new IPR that came in today because it seemed to be loping last week and when I disconnected the IPR it smoothed out some. I am not sure that the IPR is bad but at 191,000 miles I figured it can't hurt.
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Fleet Owner
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 20,419
Likes: 197
From: AZ
I miss read your signature, I thought you had a TW. Now, about your priorities, those kids can wait LOL!!! Not to many people on here have or like the baby beans but I love them. Bean is not much on customer service though. Maybe rosewood can fix you up with about the same. If you can't afford the injectors now and don't mine the work then it would not hurt to do O rings.
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Elder User
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 782
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From: Olympia, WA
As much as we'd like to think our diesels are low RPM torque monsters, they behave more like a 2 stroke in that they make power at higher RPM than most think. Look at the valve cover sticker to see what RPM the HP figure is at. When loaded heavy I attack hills at 2500+ RPM. You wouldn't start a cut with a chainsaw at low RPM, you start a cut running wide open. Our rigs need to sing at high RPM to make boost pressure, with boost comes power and manageable EGT's. Shift down before the hill and let that sucker eat.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 20,419
Likes: 197
From: AZ
You're right, I run my heavy loads like a train. You get that sucker rolling down hill and attack the next hill with the EGT gauge on 1,200* and the RPM's high! I watch that gauge more then any other gauge when I'm in the mountains.