My '01 truck is pretty much stock with the exception of the Superchip Cortex set on "performance tow". 4.10 gears, 31" tires, auto. I pull a trailer occasionally and travel in the Rockies, usually less that 8000#'s. I notice the egt's start creeping up to the 1100 degree mark or slightly higher unless I let off some on a long pull. I have read on here that 1100 is reaching the limit. I am old enough now that I don't drive it like I stole it, but do not want to damage anything because I plan on keeping this truck a long time. I am also hesitant to make any changes in the programmer settings because I am afraid I will screw something up. Are these temps normal? Am I causing any damage by running these temps? I know these are fairly elementary questions, but I am new to the Cummins engine. Thanks for the help.

1200 is the limit. That is actually where aluminum melts (the pistons) but there are oil cooling jets that spray the bottom of the piston to cool it off, so 1200 is basically the limit. Anything higher and you are flaking bits off the top of the piston. But 1200 you can stay at all day.. Might be an elementary question but everyone here was in your same position so ask away. Information can be hard to dig up on the internet, especially valid information.

I agree with ISX, however you can go up to 1250* for less than a minute. I have no experience with the cortex programmer.Where are you at in SoCo?

Yeah stodg is probably right about that too. The cooling jets keep the pistons happy. Truth be told, I have seen 1500F in my stupider days, truck still works fine. Thing is, there are many factors that could work against you. The black smoke residue crap could cake the EGT probe and insulate it, giving you a lower reading than actual, so you could melt a piston even though the EGT gauge never showed anything insane. The 1200 rule is the safety margin basically, what stodg said is fine too. Beyond that you might be fine (like I was), but it is risky and potentially very costly. If you need more power than the EGT gauge allows, you need to be looking at turbos or other things to fix it. Air first, then fuel...

I agree with ISX, however you can go up to 1250* for less than a minute. I have no experience with the cortex programmer. Where are you at in SoCo?

I have a house near La Veta/ Fort Garland area, but live in the extreme S/W corner of Kansas.

I am in Trinidad.

We stop in Trinidad regularly. I plan to move up there some day. Beautiful area.

On my 02 with 150 injectors, II silver 62 turbo and an auto while towing heavy in hot weather I had on lots of occasions held steady at 1300-1400 for hours on long road trips................sold it with 150k on the clock and she ran perfect, she was still a virgin yet, had stock OEM head gasket and head bolts to boot, engine was never opened up other than the valve cover to adjust valves and swap injectors, waste gate was set at 42 psi.1200 all day will hurt nothing on these things......................EGT probe in the manifold of course, not post turbo.

Are you "lugging" the engine whilst driving these hills??? 'Tis better to downshift to a lower gear and have the engine rev higher and stay cool vs. lugging and getting warm!!!

You know, I could be doing that. The rpm at 65 is around 1750 and if I kick out OD it goes to 2600 or so. The last time I went up the pass I wasn't loaded very heavy and never put in tow mode. That is when I noticed the egt getting close to the 1200 mark. It never downshifted on its own. I will see what happens next time. Thanks

Like myself with a Edge Comp and +50HP injectors I can run the Edge Comp wide open and still control my EGT's either through speed or speed and gears. I can haul my RV around Idaho mountains without much trouble keeping the Pyrometer below 1,200*F.