General performance question while pulling trailer

[hd99fxr3]

Just came back from FL pulling a 14k tag a long, totaling just a hair over 10K, a wood stove in the bed and a Golf cart, 17KW Lister genset and a John Deere tractor on the trailer. Ol' Blue just chugged right along, even when I got into the rolling hills of SC on I-26. Transmission was in Tow haul mode, w/ cruise set on 65. The only way I could tell I was in a hill was because the turbo would start whinning from spooling up. Not once did the transmission down shift or come out of lock up. Is that normal? Some of the hills were pretty long, such that Semi's were pulled down to 55 at about the halfway point. and I would have to go around them.

[dripley]

I have driven that highway a few times with my rv. I was grossing about 20k on the old rv and 23k on the new one. I believe there are a few places I might had to down shift to 5th but for the most part I just cruise in 6th.Matter of fact I bought this truck in Charleston SC on a trip up 95 when the V10 blew up.

[JOHNFAK]

Uuuytfyff

[Mopar1973Man]

Hopefully you get gauges soon... I would base my gearing on the amount or boost / EGT's I'm creating and back off a gear and slow down. Just because the truck can pull the grade in said gear doesn't mean its good for it. Like I can pull 7% grades in 5th gear but I know my pyrometer temps would exceed 1,200*F really easy even stock. Don't ask how I know this...

[dripley]

uuuytfyff

huh?

--- Update to the previous post...

Hopefully you get gauges soon... I would base my gearing on the amount or boost / EGT's I'm creating and back off a gear and slow down. Just because the truck can pull the grade in said gear doesn't mean its good for it. Like I can pull 7% grades in 5th gear but I know my pyrometer temps would exceed 1,200*F really easy even stock. Don't ask how I know this...

There is one thing that strectch of road does not have and that a 7% grade. 3 to 4% at the worst and not alot of that. Nothing especially long either.

[hd99fxr3]

Hopefully you get gauges soon... I would base my gearing on the amount or boost / EGT's I'm creating and back off a gear and slow down. Just because the truck can pull the grade in said gear doesn't mean its good for it. Like I can pull 7% grades in 5th gear but I know my pyrometer temps would exceed 1,200*F really easy even stock. Don't ask how I know this...

Are you addressing me or Dripley? I would think that in tow haul mode, the computer would decide the gear. Since my engine temp. never went over 200, and the speed didn't fall off in the hill (suggesting mph too high for load/terrain) it was good to go.

[JOHNFAK]

Uuuytfyff

No idea - was in supermarket reading this by phone - *shrug* What egts did you see pulling in highest gears ?

[AH64ID]

If it's bone stock then let her rip. Apparently the truck didn't feel the need to unlock or downshift. 3rd gear at 65 would have been ~2650 rpms. I think you will find that 1850 rpms will do pretty good unless you hit some bigger grades. Personally if you plan to leave it stock I wouldn't get gauges, you will be blown away at the EGT's you will see. I bet you were in the 1450° range on those grades, and that scares most people, but is normal on a 06.Now that I am mildly modded I can pull a 10% stretch in 6th at 1,700 at 1210° with about 7,500lbs and a barn door (11' tall TT).. much nicer than those stock 1400°+

[Mopar1973Man]

Are you addressing me or Dripley? I would think that in tow haul mode, the computer would decide the gear. Since my engine temp. never went over 200, and the speed didn't fall off in the hill (suggesting mph too high for load/terrain) it was good to go.

Engine Coolant temp means nothing... You can still exceed safe EGT's limits without seeing high coolant. Like my truck I can see 1,400*F in EGT's and coolant never rises over 197-200*F... Once again hopefully you get gauges soon because the ECM has no idea wha the EGT's are like and doesn't base any gear placement on EGT's either. That's a human factor... Like my rig I watch the EGT's and when the temp start getting close to 1,200*F I slow down a bit grab a gear down and hold the tach at 2K and watch again. If the EGT's keep rising back to 1,200*F then slow down again and grab another gear down. I've been know to climb grades at 20-23 MPH with EGT's hovering at 1,100*F and still seeing coolant temps of 197-200*F... So very rare do I see 210*F but that dead of summmer running A/C and dogging the truck up grade in too high of a gear...

[dripley]

Are you addressing me or Dripley? I would think that in tow haul mode, the computer would decide the gear. Since my engine temp. never went over 200, and the speed didn't fall off in the hill (suggesting mph too high for load/terrain) it was good to go.

They are adressing you, George. Did not mean ot get in the middle of that and confuse anyone. Just wanted them to know that stretch of road is a little hilly but not like what some of these guys encounter. What you experienced doesnot sound out of the ordinary to me. But I am a manual and not an auto. Also an 02 and not an 06. The Banks system on my truck help manage my EGT's by defueling and i might have seen mine hit 1300 once since its been on. I probably see at worst on that stretch of road 1100 to 1150.

[JOHNFAK]

I bet you were in the 1450° range on those grades, and that scares most people, but is normal on a 06.

How long for tho thats the question Dunno man - everyone says different things - and I know the CR are meant to handle slightly higher EGT (donbt know why) - but dont get why push the envelope and risk a $3k rebuild for 2 mins of downshifting or buying guages or modding it.

[AH64ID]

Engine Coolant temp means nothing... You can still exceed safe EGT's limits without seeing high coolant. Like my truck I can see 1,400*F in EGT's and coolant never rises over 197-200*F... Once again hopefully you get gauges soon because the ECM has no idea wha the EGT's are like and doesn't base any gear placement on EGT's either. That's a human factor...

Like my rig I watch the EGT's and when the temp start getting close to 1,200*F I slow down a bit grab a gear down and hold the tach at 2K and watch again. If the EGT's keep rising back to 1,200*F then slow down again and grab another gear down. I've been know to climb grades at 20-23 MPH with EGT's hovering at 1,100*F and still seeing coolant temps of 197-200*F...

So very rare do I see 210*F but that dead of summmer running A/C and dogging the truck up grade in too high of a gear...

1200° is your preference, many run similar setups up to 1250-1300° before going down a gear. Have you ever tried 2,200? I know your VP setup is different, but my truck runs cooler longer at 2200 than 2000.

If you were to hold higher EGT's you would see your coolant temp rise, the #1 source of heat to the coolant is in the head from the exhaust.

198° is where the second gen thermostat goes full open, a full 9° cooler than a 3rd gen.

--- Update to the previous post...

How long for tho thats the question

Dunno man - everyone says different things - and I know the CR are meant to handle slightly higher EGT (donbt know why) - but dont get why push the envelope and risk a $3k rebuild for 2 mins of downshifting or buying guages or modding it.

All day long, in stock form. Look at the thousands of stock CR's that tow heavy all day without gauges, they don't melt things unless something breaks.

The CR has less cylinder heat at 1450° than a VP truck at 1250°. The CR is timed for emissions, this creates lower cylinder temps/pressures and higher exhaust temps/pressures.

If I were to run my truck with advanced timing to 1450° while towing I would be buying a new piston or 6...

[JOHNFAK]

All day long, in stock form. Look at the thousands of stock CR's that tow heavy all day without gauges, they don't melt things unless something breaks. The CR has less cylinder heat at 1450° than a VP truck at 1250°. The CR is timed for emissions, this creates lower cylinder temps/pressures and higher exhaust temps/pressures. If I were to run my truck with advanced timing to 1450° while towing I would be buying a new piston or 6...

gotchya

[dripley]

George would not be seeing hi temps for extended periods on this stretch of road. It is hilly but not mountanous. 1/2 mile would be a long pull and mostly 1/4 mile streches. Please correct me if I am wrong George, it has been a while since I have been down there. I live in Hickory NC and go to Columbia and down 26 any time I head south. Now I26 north into Asheville is a differant story.

[AH64ID]

I still didn't like it, even for being normal. So in went my Smarty Jr on timing only for a few years (EGT's were 1275° max normally), then the mods started....

[hd99fxr3]

George would not be seeing hi temps for extended periods on this stretch of road. It is hilly but not mountanous. 1/2 mile would be a long pull and mostly 1/4 mile streches. Please correct me if I am wrong George, it has been a while since I have been down there. I live in Hickory NC and go to Columbia and down 26 any time I head south. Now I26 north into Asheville is a differant story.

You nailed it. Will be headed up the Saluda Grade in the near future, and then down Jellico. Gauges and the like are not in the future for this truck. I bought an extended warranty when I bought it and there is no way they will have an excuse to void it, because of something I added, or some service that wasn't performed at the scheduled severe duty interval, using Cummins or Mopar approved oils and filters. The trucks were designed and spec'd to perform a task in a certain manner, without any help from the aftermarket. Just a statement, not throwing down the gauntlet for a discussion about the pros and cons of the aftermarket.

Fixed all the things that Harley should have done from the factory on my Roadglide. Is it a better bike? Yes, but never again. Hince the extended warranty on the '06. If Dodge didn't build it right, to do the job the specs say it will do, they can fix it, not me.

[dripley]

To mod or not to mod? It is purely up to the owner. With what I have done to mine I can see where it would get addicting to keep adding power. It is for the most part very easy to do. I did drive mine stock until the warranty expired for the same reason. I like what I have, but another 50hp, HMMM!!!!!! you never know.

[JOHNFAK]

George would not be seeing hi temps for extended periods on this stretch of road. It is hilly but not mountanous. 1/2 mile would be a long pull and mostly 1/4 mile streches. Please correct me if I am wrong George, it has been a while since I have been down there. I live in Hickory NC and go to Columbia and down 26 any time I head south. Now I26 north into Asheville is a differant story.

Funny - I just travelled part of this yesterday. 6 hours from Robinsville to Charleston through the mountains on 40 and 26. Hit 19.86 mpg at fill up this morning.

[hd99fxr3]

Funny - I just travelled part of this yesterday. 6 hours from Robinsville to Charleston through the mountains on 40 and 26. Hit 19.86 mpg at fill up this morning.

:lmao2:That's the downhill leg. Wait till you go the other way!

[JOHNFAK]

:lmao2:That's the downhill leg. Wait till you go the other way!

Yeah did that 3 days prior - hit 18.7 mpg but with a bit more stop start travel through to Joyce Kilmer area. Not much downhill straight out of Robinsville going to Asheville ........ some long climbs there. After that pretty much even/down. Pretty country.