AH64ID

It fully depends on what you do with your truck and how it's tuned. I wouldn't run SW5 without a boost gauge, especially if you turn the WG off.

For some reason I cannot get the multiquote function to work, so I'm just going to paraphrase Dorkweed, I think your scenario is rare. Most folks don't see enough to know what is wrong, especially when running a tuner. Then CEL did trip and really that's going to be the best indicator of a rail pressure issue. Starting for MY05 the fuel pump was upgraded to the in-tank pump, and a retrofit kit is available for older trucks. The in-tank pump has proven itself, and has been more reliable than any of the aftermarket pumps. The general consensus is that unless you need the flow for power the OEM in-tank is best, and it will support at least 450-500rwhp. Flow is what matters to a CP3, as long as it has good flow it's happy. I usually say above 2 psi, not to exceed 15. Bosch say minus 5 psi is the min, but most gauges are positive pressure only is why I say 2. Boost isn't nearly as important, but it can tell you if you are working the stock turbo too hard. The stock turbo runs out of turbine long before compressor so we want to limit boost to 36-38 at most. Anymore than that and the drive pressure is beyond excessive and the turbo may be over speeding.

Just like my 05, it's the 06's that are different.

You are on track, just make sure to air up the tires. I would also ditch the BHAF, I highly doubt it's anywhere near as good as the OEM filter. BHAF's are a 2nd gen thing, mainly because the OEM boxes didn't like to seal. Based on what I have seen with underhood temps on my 3rd gen a BHAF will hurt performance, especially while towing. Is your truck an 04 or 04.5? SO or HO if 04?

Boost, EGT are the two to run. Unless you know what the rail pressure should be the gauge is all but useless. The ECM knows what it should be and will set a code if it's wrong. The only times it's really useful is for tuning, as in UDC or EFI live, or if your running an MP-8. As for a 3rd gauge I recommend low pressure fuel, it's not monitored by the ECM. If you really want rail pressure then get a ultra gauge, it's cheaper and more accurate. It also shows you a host of they OBDII monitored sensors.

Hmmm, so far I haven't seem any other 06's that so a bulb check at every key on. You could have a IAT sensor issue? Telling the ECM the motor is warmer than it is. If it returns I highly suggest a ultra gauge to help trouble shoot, cheap and lots of info.

The 06's won't run the WTS light if intake air temp is above 66°F, my dads can run it once on a cold morning and then not again all day. His grids still cycle, just no light on warm starts. If the engine is warm and it's only shutoff for 8-10 hours and the ambient temp doesn't spend long below 66° the WTS light may not come on. My 05 runs it every time before starting, sometimes only for 1 second. I would guess it's normal, you just have never noticed before. I also seem to recall the 06's don't run the WIF light as a bulb test on startup.

My 1200# bars state 1200# on the bars, so 600 each. I would assume that 550# bars are for 550# total TW. I haven't ever heard of bars being rated individually. The porpoising is much better with a properly setup WDH.

Yep all about tongue weight, and many TT floorplans push the 15% TW upper "limit". I would get 1000# bars for that trailer.

Pretty similar to the results I got out of putting a bigger turbine wheel in my dads 06 HE351, thou the bigger turbine didn't increase boost it decreased it a little (lower EGT's with less boost means more airflow and less restriction, win win).

I guess it's very possible.. but still nothing proving they are a better design. Besides the HE351 is NOT compressor limited, it's turbine limited and more compressor flow on the same turbine is going to do nothing but run drive pressure even higher than the 2:1 they are capable of in stock form. Sorry, probably wrong thread but...

You might find someone willing to pay close to what you have in it, but batmo's have gotten a bad name... well rather an explosive name.

I think I finally found a limit yesterday.. A 4% grade at 71 in OD, ±2000 rpm, at 6800' at 86° I will hit 1250° EGT's when I am loaded up to over 19K GCW with a headwind.. Dropping to 69 kept me at 1200± on the 3-4% grade. That's more power than I had with the old build at elevation, since the rwhp is the same all I can say is the cam moves more air. I just did the calculation, and that's right at 10,000 DA... I was climbing to Banner Summit from Stanly, Id.

Glad it's back in your possession. Labor seems very reasonable!!

My current tank, only 1/3 burnt, is looking very good. I was about 220 miles at 3/4, normally I am ±110 towing and ±180 empty. I ended up towing the TT 18 miles, and now am hooked up to the TT with a full load, around 19K GCW, so the mileage will drop quick on my way to fuel up... but I would say I was all of 20-21 for the first 200 miles of the tank, very good for me.

When I did the suspension upgrade this spring I noticed that the grease in the bearings wasn't as nice as it should be for about 7K miles of use. I decided I would pull out the bearings of unknown origin/quality (they looked pretty loose and cheap anyhow) and replace them with Timken's. The job wasn't too hard, but the way the hubs are machined on the inside to allow grease to move from the "EZ lube" port to the outer bearing makes removing the inner race a bit more difficult that it should be. But I had it down to about 3 minutes by hub #4. I repacked everything with Amsoil Synthetic wheel bearing grease, replaced the cotter pins and she is ready to roll again. The bearings, and brakes even, on my 5200# Al-Ko are the same on a 5200-7000# axle, so I should be good for a while.

That's the goal.. and now I know that quality bearings are installed.

I replaced/repacked the wheel bearings in the TT, wasn't 100% needed but replacing is easier than cleaning and repacking....

Yeah it's all in how/what you are doing. We spent the weekend in one of the Idaho City Yurt's, and definitely think living off grid would be fun. Lots of options to support it, but wood heat is the #1 in winter. I think 400w of solar would go a long way if the main source of heat didn't require any electricity.

How small is your A/C that it will run on 1000w?? I agree on the expense, my Honda's where more money that solar but work in all weather and provide the needed power for A/C. Yeah the Honda's are a bit more money for sure, but really I don't see Solar ever working for me. When I need the battery recharge the most is in the spring when it's cold at night, even if there was a full day of sun the solar day is short in Feb/Mar/Apr and the mountains make it shorter. Even with 300AH of batteries I would be nervous with solar as a power source, and if I owned a gen I would just use it. In the summer my AH requriement is low since heat isn't needed, but A/C is often needed and the solar cannot give enough power (without costing more than a generator setup) to keep a 12V battery bank happy with 1500-1800W of inverter use (around 150AH of 12V DC). I see solar as a great power source, but would only work for me on 1 or 2 trips, of 15ish, each year. That means I have to own a generator, so instead of investing in solar I invested in quiet, light, and fuel efficient Honda's. It's fully to each their own, we really only boondock which is where solar is very popular but the people who rely on it must not camp in hot or cold, just mild weather. It's not that 80° at 6000' is hot, it that it makes the camper 95°+ if any sun hits it and it just doesn't cool off in time to get the kids in bed at a reasonable hour. I do think that upgrading my 10w panel (OEM) to 20w or 30w would make a big difference on a few trips a year and isn't $$$$, but again I question the returns I would get from it.

There are P and LT tires, you need a LT LRE tire. A LRE 265/75R16 is a VERY common tire, if a tire store told you that you could only get P tires then you need a new tire store, they likely don't know the difference between a bicycle tire and a tractor tire.

If his truck is new and stock then he is fine. 2nd gen's and properly tuned 3rd gens, stock is NOT proper, should keep it to 1250° continuous and 1300° momentary. A stock 2nd Gen VP truck should have a hard time hitting 1250°, Michael's is a rare exception from what I have found, almost like it had a boost leak or bad air filter that was fixed with routine maintenance since I don't think he ever mentioned any issues. I pull any decent grade at 53-60 in 5th, 2000-2350, and even up to 20K GCW I have yet to hit 1200°, but I do break 1100° on grades at or above 6%. I will on occasion pull a grade at 65, which is just above 2500 with the same results but normally I slow to save a little fuel.

... and Dodge requires one when towing more than 2K lbs.

I had to go get some things out of the camper today, it has been sitting since the 27th of May with the battery switch off, so just shy of 3 weeks. Voltage was 13.05 when I turned the battery switch on.. woot woot!! Not that 3 weeks is all that long, but holding above 13 is still good in my book.

Blue smoke is generally oil, white is cold cylinder temps, and black is excess fuel. I would say you are overthinking it.