I'm not much of a diesel authoritive so please forgive my ignorance. I have a few questions that maybe some of you will be able to help me understand.


I tow a very large travel trailer, 10,000 lbs loaded. I have installed an EGT gauge and need to understand excessive heat and how it affects the Duramax and other components. I tow in the mountains frequently.


The local diesel performance shop nearby has told me not to exceed 1400 degrees at all and not to sustain that much heat for very long. So hence my questions .........


1) At what EGT should I start to have a concern that I am/have exceeded a safe temperature?


2) At what temperature should I back off the accelerator?


3) What is the highest sustained temperature that I should operate under for any length of time?


These may be ignorant questions to some of you, but, this is the first diesel I have owned and I love the truck, I would like to keep it for awhile. Any response is greatly appreciated.


Thanks


Edited by: Rcher

1250 for no more than 30 seconds.

The Duramax was tested to excess of "sustained" EGT's of 1350 Pre Turbo ... I'd personally unless a spike wouldn't care to sustain 1200 degrees as a bench mark for any extended length of time Pre Turbo...


Free flow exhaust will assist some ...





Mac

Yeah talk to the guy who melted his valves off......

PC, who melted his valves?

Amazingly it wasn't PC

i run mine reguardless of egt........

I seem to remember that 1200 pre-turbo was the optimum running temp for diesels. That temp is in the yellow range on my gauge and is where my truck really pulls on the long steep grades. Haven't heard any more from the guy that melted the steel valves before the aluminum pistons. Later! Frank

mitch some guy with a banks brake and no pyro melted his valves off and blew the engine sky high......


The post was here a few days ago....

Sounds like your performance shop knows what their talikng about IMHO.

My Dmax is totally stock as far as power/performance items, only things such as dual remote oil filter and a nicktane soon to be installed have been added.My towed load is probably less than 7k at most. I do however, live and drive in GA, where anybody will tell you that interstate traffic moves at 75/80 mph, and I do my best to keep up!


Do I need to have any worries about EGT? Do I need to install a gauge and keep an eye on it? Or is there little or no chance of a problem on a stock engine?

Dirty Old Man, you shouldn't have any worries on a stock engine. EGTs would be a nice parameter to monitor, but your stock programming and self-protection should prevent any problems. HOWEVER, if you were to install any power-adding option that alters injection timing or especially fuel delivery - EGT monitoring is very important and mandatory if towing!http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Geek.gif