O.K. I installed another boost guage this one is liquid filled.. (off a scrapped piece of equipment) I installed the original boost guage to help troubleshoot low power problems and SES intermitantly on.. Found wastegate solenoid to be faulty. Cleaned it out and it seems to be working o.k.

Now for the question, when I am cruising down the highway at about 100kph (60MPH) I have about 4-5 lbs of boost. When I am pulling up a long hill It will spike to about 9-10 and then level off at about 3-5 lbs... Is this normal? I have no plans for a egt gauge yet but I have played around with a spring on the wastegate when my solenoid was screwed up. I got 10 psi easily and am wondering if adding more boost is safe without an EGT gauge as I am not adding more fuel. Truck smokes only when punching the accelerator, only for a second.

Personally, I wouldn't play with anything without a pyrometer. Even a stock engine will scare the hell out of you when you put a pyro on them.......and people wonder why the 6.5 got such a bad rep. Put a pyro on it and you will be a believer.

I have had a boost gage & a pyrometer for quite some time. About 5 months ago, my boost dropped to ZERO. It had been acting just as yours is now - thats pretty much stock performance.

I decided to order a turbomaster, rather than fixing the stock setup, so I ordered it from Bill Heath.

It took about a week to arrive, so I continued to commute to-and-from work each day, up & down hills in the Austin area. I noted the following:

1. With zero boost, EGT's were consistently HIGHER than they had been stock & power is lower.

2. After installing the TM & adjusting boost to a HIGHER level than stock, on average, EGT's are consistently LOWER than when stock, and power might be a little higher than stock ???

The obvious conclussion is undeniable: higher boost === lower EGT's - all else being equal. Of course, most folks limit their boost (under heavy load) to something between 14 and 18 (mas a menos).

More boost = lower EGT to a point, once charge air gets too high that can cause EGT to rise also which is why you need WMI or IC charge air cooling.

7-10 psi is about max in a stock truck I'd go, and then only with EGT, you should make no mods to wither boost or fuel delivery without EGT & boost gage at a minimum, it's too risky IMO, read about many here & they walking because of not adhering to that recommendation.

I have about 4-5 lbs of boost. When I am pulling up a long hill It will spike to about 9-10 and then level off at about 3-5 lbs... Is this normal?

Yes this is following GM factory PCM program's profile, a TM or fooler mechanically keeps WG closed or electronically lying to PCM what actual boost level is so it is commanded to stay closed longer, again get EGT before doing this, some trucks may need TM & fooling to run higher than factory boost levels without setting a boost fault code.

Just to add on here, I just got back from a mountain road trip and noticed the same 4-5 psi boost on the flat (~65 mph). On the hills mine acts the same way as stated above (goes up to 9 pounds then falls back to 6 immediately--in overdrive). However, I did notice that if the truck downshifted to 3rd on a good climb, I could sustain 10 pounds of boost. Why does it cut back in OD but not in 3rd?? Is the computer protecting the tranny from slippage in OD or what??

I have had a boost gage & a pyrometer for quite some time. About 5 months ago, my boost dropped to ZERO. It had been acting just as yours is now - thats pretty much stock performance.

I decided to order a turbomaster, rather than fixing the stock setup, so I ordered it from Bill Heath.

It took about a week to arrive, so I continued to commute to-and-from work each day, up & down hills in the Austin area. I noted the following:

1. With zero boost, EGT's were consistently HIGHER than they had been stock & power is lower.

2. After installing the TM & adjusting boost to a HIGHER level than stock, on average, EGT's are consistently LOWER than when stock, and power might be a little higher than stock ???

The obvious conclussion is undeniable: higher boost === lower EGT's - all else being equal. Of course, most folks limit their boost (under heavy load) to something between 14 and 18 (mas a menos).
I noticed the same thing and came to the same conclusion but there's more to it. You have to have the timing advanced and a better pipe to run 15+ psi and keep the EGT's low unloaded. Loaded is where intercoolering is a must. When you're pulling a load down the freeway the heat peaks, add a hill and a head wind and you're doing 3x the load.