Do I need a pyrometer?
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Do I need a pyrometer?
Hey guys new to the forum but have been reading posts for quite a while! I have a 92 f250 with a 7.3 idi n/a engine and no gauges. How high have you guys got egt's with a stock truck and no mods? I plan on towing roughly 3500 lbs up some steep grades this weekend and don't want to hurt my engine. Should I be ok without the pyrometer for a little while?
Postmaster
Joined: Jan 2010
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From: Elk City, OK
yes you should get one. its always good to have a pyrometer. even with no mods theres always a chance of melting your pistons. mount it off the #7 or #8 cylinder exhaust port on the manifold. in n/a engines those two cylinders run hotter then the other 6 because of the cdr. it sucks oil vapor that run those two cylinders hotter then the rest. you will be fine without one, but your better with! you wont get too high of egt's if you dont lug the engine. keep the rpm's up
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Oh and is it ok to keep your foot on the floor with these engines? I have heard it does not hurt them but im not sure. What is considered lugging, is 2500 rpm ok to haul a lighter load with? Thank you for the reply
Postmaster
Joined: Jan 2010
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From: Elk City, OK
depends on what kinda rpm's your at and the hill, and the load. usually my egt's will sky rocket when the petal is to the floor, but back it off 1/2" and it keeps me right where i need to be. ya, 2500 is fine as long as your not petal to the metal. if your giving it more fuel then it can burn, thats when your egt's get high.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Jan 2010
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From: Surrey, BC, Canada
So I have one, and until my recent trip towing, never even paid attention to it. The guy I bought it from just said that when it hits 10,000, it's bad, and to let it off. And as my daily driver I never had any need to look at it as it was never a problem.
What does it "Actually" measure, and when is it considered dangerous to your engine?
Cause i got it up to like 12,000 this weekend on my trip, and rolled some SERIOUS coal for the first time, and it was just ROARING, as it passed a semi at like 135 km/h.
What does it "Actually" measure, and when is it considered dangerous to your engine?
Cause i got it up to like 12,000 this weekend on my trip, and rolled some SERIOUS coal for the first time, and it was just ROARING, as it passed a semi at like 135 km/h.
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New User
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So I have one, and until my recent trip towing, never even paid attention to it. The guy I bought it from just said that when it hits 10,000, it's bad, and to let it off. And as my daily driver I never had any need to look at it as it was never a problem.
What does it "Actually" measure, and when is it considered dangerous to your engine?
Cause i got it up to like 12,000 this weekend on my trip, and rolled some SERIOUS coal for the first time, and it was just ROARING, as it passed a semi at like 135 km/h.
What does it "Actually" measure, and when is it considered dangerous to your engine?
Cause i got it up to like 12,000 this weekend on my trip, and rolled some SERIOUS coal for the first time, and it was just ROARING, as it passed a semi at like 135 km/h.
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New User
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Oh and an egt gauge only goes up to 1700 degrees usually, so 17 on your gauge will mean 1700 not 17000
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Jan 2010
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From: Surrey, BC, Canada
Yeah I'm tired, and brain farted, one to many zero's there, apparently I have a mini sun in my engine. 
That's good to know though, thanks.
That's good to know though, thanks.
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New User
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Haha yeah your engine would be done with temps like that. How much weight were you towing, do you have a turbo?
Laughing Gas
Joined: Jan 2010
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From: Surrey, BC, Canada
I was towing about 2,500 lb's, and no I don't have a turbo. Though I'm looking at purchasing another idi in lesser quality with one, stripping it, then re-selling the other truck with the parts I trade from mine.
1990 Ford F250 Diesel
Swipe the turbo, get it rebuilt, swipe the front bench (gf misses sitting next to me, the captains kill that), and fifth wheel hitch, maybe just part the truck out, or keep it around as preventative replacement parts.
1990 Ford F250 Diesel
Swipe the turbo, get it rebuilt, swipe the front bench (gf misses sitting next to me, the captains kill that), and fifth wheel hitch, maybe just part the truck out, or keep it around as preventative replacement parts.
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 419
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From: Timmins, Ontario, Canada
That is a nice truck... I just paid more for an F350 just for the D60 axle! Buy it!
I would myself if this country wasn't so damn wide...
For the EGTs, Banks told me 1200 degrees max for the engine, N/A cruise should be around 800 and turbo around 600 cruising.
They also told me pyrometers aren't necessarily that accurate, and that within a 100 degrees was typical for accuracy.
I would myself if this country wasn't so damn wide...
For the EGTs, Banks told me 1200 degrees max for the engine, N/A cruise should be around 800 and turbo around 600 cruising.
They also told me pyrometers aren't necessarily that accurate, and that within a 100 degrees was typical for accuracy.
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 8,005
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From: Ottawa, Ontario
yes you should get one. its always good to have a pyrometer. even with no mods theres always a chance of melting your pistons. mount it off the #7 or #8 cylinder exhaust port on the manifold. in n/a engines those two cylinders run hotter then the other 6 because of the cdr. it sucks oil vapor that run those two cylinders hotter then the rest. you will be fine without one, but your better with! you wont get too high of egt's if you dont lug the engine. keep the rpm's up
Higher elevations, less air, less power, more black smoke = higher EGT's.
Keep an eye in your miror for the smoke comming out, don't let it be to black, only a little haze of light black smoke is fine.
At some point in the rockies this summer with my N/A 6.9 motorhome, at over 9000ft. elevations, I could only give it half throttle before seing that ungodlly thick dark black smoke. 1 st gear, 25mph, riding the engine on the govenor all the way up the hill!
Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 2005
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From: Peterborough, Ontario
I was towing about 2,500 lb's, and no I don't have a turbo. Though I'm looking at purchasing another idi in lesser quality with one, stripping it, then re-selling the other truck with the parts I trade from mine.
1990 Ford F250 Diesel
1990 Ford F250 Diesel
Mountain Pass
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 215
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well I've done a lot of reading about new IP and injectors, and adjusting the fuel by adding or removing a flat or two....
The thing is, most used trucks have over 200k miles, the one I just bought has 240k miles, and has all stock equipment, so how has the cylinders not already melted by now and destroyed the engine when they were hauling?
From everything I have read, it sounds like coming up to a hill I want to try and keep my RPMs over 2200, and if it starts to lug or drop in RPM or smoke, then drop it down a gear, and keep the rpms up....
I like the idea of having a pyrometer so I will probably just get it anyway, just wondering how needed it really is, I guess in my case I need it more simply because I am installing a new IP and injectors...
The thing is, most used trucks have over 200k miles, the one I just bought has 240k miles, and has all stock equipment, so how has the cylinders not already melted by now and destroyed the engine when they were hauling?
From everything I have read, it sounds like coming up to a hill I want to try and keep my RPMs over 2200, and if it starts to lug or drop in RPM or smoke, then drop it down a gear, and keep the rpms up....
I like the idea of having a pyrometer so I will probably just get it anyway, just wondering how needed it really is, I guess in my case I need it more simply because I am installing a new IP and injectors...