What size generator to get?

[AH64ID]

Yes both truck and trailer. GCW = Gross Combined Weight. 
 

 

I usually recommended not getting gauges with the green/yellow/red markings as those are universal and do not apply to all, or even most, applications. Let’s look at EGT’s. @Mopar1973Man 2006 on stock tuning is capable of running 1450° all day, and often will easily exceed 1300° towing. It fine, since in stock from that motor uses retarded timing which puts more heat out the exhaust. Now if you take that same motor and run a tune with proper timing you would melt something at 1450° continuous. I always told folks 1250° continuous and 1300° momentary when towing with one of my tunes. See how a colored gauge would be misleading in both applications? That doesn’t even take probe placement into account. 
 

The same is true for colored trans temp gauges. What fluid? Probe placement? Etc. 

[Silverwolf2691]

5 minutes ago, AH64ID said:

I always told folks 1250° continuous and 1300° momentary

 

What are you definitions of continuous and momentary? I sled pull so I just want an idea of where I should back off. So far, haven't gone over 1200°F 

[AH64ID]

Continuous is just that. 
 

Momentary could be the last few hundred yards of a long grade, or passing someone. It’s pretty much get out of it when you can, but you’re ok for a short while. Plenty of variables there too. Rpm, duration, how long you’ve been hot already, load, towing? 
 

Sled pull is very different than towing. It’s short duration on a motor that isn’t heat soaked, so you’re safer hotter. Without knowing the motor it’s hard to give a number, but 1200° sounds safe. 

Edited July 22, 2021 by AH64ID

[LorenS]

At least with the colors I have a better shot not having a buddy melt down my truck if I ever lend it to one of them!  I have my Adrenaline set to pulling fuel at 1250, I believe.

[Silverwolf2691]

Ok, that what I thought. Just wanted to make sure my definitions were right.

 

 

Edited July 22, 2021 by Silverwolf2691

[LorenS]

36 minutes ago, Silverwolf2691 said:

my daily tune I top out at 128% and blow my wastegate open at 36-38 psi

I have stock injectors, but I also don't have a "real" boost gauge.  Haven't yet installed the 100 HP injectors I bought in December.  Life has been WAY too busy this year with buying one house before selling the other, and my dad had back surgery so I have been helping him some, too.  Hopefully this will all settle down when cool weather comes and I can dedicate some time to the '01.

 

With no head studs, I think I also have the Adrenaline set to pull fuel when I get to higher PSI.

Edited July 22, 2021 by LorenS

[Silverwolf2691]

9 minutes ago, LorenS said:

At least with the colors I have a better shot not having a buddy melt down my truck if I ever lend it to one of them!

 

This is true, with the key words being "...if I ever..." there are 3 other people I would let drive my truck: my brother, my father, and my best friend. My best friend is on the list because he can drive stick and was brought up around big rigs.

   

5 minutes ago, LorenS said:

I have stock injectors, but I also don't have a "real" boost gauge.  Haven't yet installed the 100 HP injectors I bought in December.  Life has been WAY too busy this year with buying one house before selling the other, and my dad had back surgery so I have been helping him some, too.  Hopefully this will all settle down when cool weather comes and I can dedicate some time to the '01.

 

only +50s that I have to start really low (80-85%) and they still smoke.. I have a theory about that too..

 

i'm assuming your using the quads boost gauge?

 

Hope your father has a speedy recovery. my mom fractured a vertebra in her back from tripping over their dogs lead while camping.   

Edited July 22, 2021 by Silverwolf2691

[Dieselfuture]

16 minutes ago, LorenS said:

At least with the colors I have a better shot not having a buddy melt down my truck if I ever lend it to one of them!  I have my Adrenaline set to pulling fuel at 1250, I believe.

If you're that brave to let your friends borrow your truck, I'd just build a tune dedicated for that, so no matter what they can't get to 1200. Then take the phone/tablet out of the truck so they can't change the levels, which if you trust them they should not.

[LorenS]

My friends are all worth a lot more than I am.  Also, the one most likely to borrow it certainly knows how to pull a trailer with a diesel (dragged Super Cat race boats around the country for a living for two different teams), but guessing any gauges he had were calibrated for the truck.  He also has way more experience behind the wheel of sports cars that break loose traction.

In reality, from either a "Skills Behind the Wheel" or "you break it, you pay to fix it" perspective I would be the one in my group that should not be allowed to borrow things, except I'm mechanically inclined and responsible.  Can't tell you when my last moving violation was maybe 2007, and never caused a wreck.  Been rear ended while sitting at a light, but the trailer hitch didn't care; that dude's bumper sure did!

Edited July 22, 2021 by LorenS

[IBMobile]

Only four other people have driven my truck since I've owned it.  A friend, so he could take his dad to the hospital when we were camping, @JAG1 ,  @Mopar1973Man, and my wife because she owns half of it.   I've had a few others ask to "borrow it" and the answer is "go to U-Haul; they rent them". 

[Mopar1973Man]

Mechanics privilege... Your truck was a pleasure to drive. @IBMobile 

2 hours ago, AH64ID said:

@Mopar1973Man 2006 on stock tuning is capable of running 1450° all day, and often will easily exceed 1300° towing. It fine, since in stock from that motor uses retarded timing which puts more heat out the exhaust. Now if you take that same motor and run a tune with proper timing you would melt something at 1450° continuous. I always told folks 1250° continuous and 1300° momentary when towing with one of my tunes. See how a colored gauge would be misleading in both applications? That doesn’t even take probe placement into account. 

 

Very true. I use 1,200F as a safety net for long pulls. But passing 1,200F for a short times say a few second to pass another vehicle no problem. Even my 2002 I've gone past 1,400F a few times making passes. No issue. I just watch coolant temp and engine oil temp. Typically the 2002 is a bit lower than most for oil temps. As for the 2006 that truck does pass the 1,400F rather easy if the check engine light is on. Even when everything is working there is more wiggle room for EGT's. Just going to have to pony up for a new wastegate solenoid. 

 

[LorenS]

I bought a 16 year old truck sporting 36k pound tags and 273k miles, for about $8k. It'd be kinda silly for me to treat it like a fully restored '63 split window 'Vette, etc.  This rusty POS is completely replaceable.

 

You guys who bought them new and fully maintain them, is a different story altogether.

[Mopar1973Man]

What about my 2006 Dodge. Its low mileage (232k) like yours and the previous owner abused it. How do you eat an entire clutch in under 30k miles? Thor gets worked pretty good daily. Hauling my tools to the job site every day and travelling 100 miles per day at least. It tips the scale close to 10,000 pound with the steel flat bed and the two toolbox loaded with tools. Currently the only problem is the wastegate solenoid is throwing a code so my boost is limited to 20 PSI and EGT's sore past 1,450*F easy.  I've gotta climb a 7% grade every day. Also sporting 26k towing tags on Thor and Beast.

 

Beast on the other hand has been worked hard for the last five years tending to @MoparMom. Just that time I managed to rack up another 250k miles on the odometer now crossing 432k miles. Currently Beast has had a vacation parked in the yard. I've got a few repairs to do for that truck and then its going to be weekend warrior truck for pulling the RV. Another thing @Wet Vette and I talked about is no longer trying to cram the shopping all in one day. Just too hard when you wait 2 weeks and got many stops. So we are going to haul the RV down and the we can just stay in it shop for a couple of days then haul it all home in the RV. Between my hips and lower back and Eileen's shoulder and hip giving her problems.

 

Now the truck that is really sad is Lil Red the 1996 Dodge its not been started in over 2 months and soon I want to get it ready for sale. I need a friend to look it over and help me out with a bit of paint and touch up the hood and the roof. Sell the truck. Now Lil Red was a good truck for many years has giving me little problems. Nothing major. 188k miles on this on but I'll admit my fuel logs show it getting between 14 to 16 MPG. 5.9L Magnum V8 engine and a Dynamic modified transmission. 

Edited July 23, 2021 by Mopar1973Man