A lot of people with diesels want the lug the crap out of them. The 6.0 especially doesn’t like to be lugged below 2000rpm. Higher RPM=more oil pressure, less EGT, overall happier engine
It amazes us just how many people are afraid to let a truck go above 2000 rpm’s. This is especially seen with 7.3 trucks. All the issues go away if they kick out O/D or just give it a little more throttle and bring up the rpms. They think 1500 instead of 2500 is better
Spot on. I have pulled 22,000lbs combined weight in the mountains with a 89 10 lug F series with 5.13 gears ZF5 and 7.3 IDIT. The motor was basically stock with air box and muffler on the exhaust running 2 flats on the IP and peaking around 9PSI. Truck probably was lucky to make 200hp and 425tq if I had to guess. Still slowing down, picking the right gear, and staying above the turbocharger in the rev range and it would just chug along. These modern diesels have way more advantages with 6-10 gears in autos, computer controlled DI, and VGT turbos but there is still no substitute for a incompetent operator.
Na idi guy here with a zf5 the biggest things with our engines turbo and na is rpm ! and good pump timing I’ve never had big problems loaded down on grades as long as I get my rpm’s up before I tackle the hill she will pull up 1000 1100 egt
7.3 ps with a zf5 here. I love rowing gears but sometimes towing heavy I wish my truck had a good built automatic in it. It definitely keeps them spooled up better
@@ripperlipper101693-94 they had ats turbo kits stock to help maintain when going up hills and slight modifications to the internals of the motor to support the turbo. Halfway through 94 they released the power stroke
100%. If your towing heavy, you ain't in no rush. Too many people are afraid to let a diesel sing and wonder why they see the temp gauge head for the red. Lack of information gauges) lack of knowledge - these can be fixed and taught and videos like this really help.
Yea know this is a great reminder I just do it with out thinking about it. But now I’ll just show this video when asked about towing. Thank you for the simple but through explanation
Gee all the things I learned when I started driving semi’s. Keep the rpm’s up watch the water and pyrometer temps. If temps started to get too high back out of the throttle and drop a gear to unload the engine. It all still applies today.
mmmm ya, your absolutely correct, it aint rocket science plus driving a 6speed manual transmission also makes a very big difference over an automatic any day
This doesn't really apply anymore with modern heavy truck engines. If it's even a manual all you watch is the RPM. The new engines make their peak torque around 1000 RPM. Otherwise just foot to the floor and let the truck do the work.
My idi zf5 4.10s 235/85R16s I had to drop to 4th to keep up around 60 at lil over 2k 3 axles in the bed climbin a decent hill, water temp didn't get above 193
Its great that you know how to keep your engine and EGTs and all that happy, but you might wanna figure out payload numbers. I'm fairly confident a 45 foot, tripple axle toyhauler has more pin weight than a 2012 F250 kingranch should be towing.
Mine is an 04.5 Ram with an 03 SO engine and G56 six speed manual. I tow 10k tool trailer, no EGT guage. I keep it between 1700 and 2k rpm, right in the torque band, and it just sings a sweet song all the time.
Great video for beginners as well as some reminders for those that have been towing a while. There's one thing that many are not aware of... it's that a lot of trailer tires are not speed-rated high enough for the maximum posted speed limit. Add to the fact the tire age/dry rot, the load on the tire, and the air pressure, and driving 75mph may end in disaster for some! I actually disregard my speedometer on the interstate and set the cruise @ 1800RPM. Puts me right in the sweet spot of my engine and I usually only have to take it off cruise control when I come up on slower vehicles and I'm pinned-in by other drivers. BTW... 1800 R's puts me a 63MPH! That's fast enough, cause things happen very quickly at those speeds. I'm usually right at 30,000 lbs., truck & trailer combined, unless I'm dry camping then add 1600 lbs for a full freshwater tank and generator gasoline.
I guess I take for granted the things I have learned over the years….everything mentioned in this video is absolutely correct….good info to know and go by. We might make a few people mad behind us….but that’s just the way it goes! My 01 7.3 Powerstroke does really well the way it’s setup, when towing I always drive based off the temps….main one to look at is EGT’s.
What do you have for gauges? I Hav 2000 7.3 and I recently completed a trip through the mountains towing a 96 f250 4wd on heavy duty equipment trailer. it did great but I don't have guages but would like to get some. 2000 7.3 zf6 3:73 on 35s. Factory tune. Stock engine except for 4 inch straight pipe I only got 12mpg but was also going 75-80 down i75 and i20 in Ga
@@HammerlaneRookie I have Glowshift gauges, turbo boost psi, EGT, and trans temp. I wish had gotten the 4 gauge cluster and added oil temp or coolant temp. I may end up adding both at some point. I run the T6 from TS Performance. It’s been pretty good, if I had to do it over I would get the Hydra…..way more options. Specs on my 2001 7.3: Stock turbo, stock exhaust, stock injectors, original auto trans & motor, mishimoto trans cooler, 3.73 axle, stock tire size.
I do 2 things with our diesels. 1st I add Hot Shots Secret EDT to every tank of fuel. 2nd I use the Bank's iDash to monitor the operating conditions. I mostly drive 60-65mph. On my wife's '18 Ram 2500, we keep a 4wheel popup camper. We average 20-22mpg on our trips. The Cummins is such a beast and never runs out of power. I have a class A CDL, but don't drive over the road anymore. The VGT turbo exhaust brake is great on the Western mountains, for speed control. For climbing the hills, I select the tow/haul mode. And turn it off on the flats. Conway summit on US-395 Northbound, is easy. Never have gotten up to 1,000°f. 986°f was the highest.
Just bought my first diesel. A 2021 Ram EcoDiesel and I know it’s a pretend diesel. I watched quite a few videos and bought all the Hot Shot Secrets products. Did the Diesel extreme, the Stiction Extreme and using EDT every fill.
@pjfan173 The Ecodiesel is an awesome engine. 2 Bank's accessories will help you get more out of your engine. The iDash will give you the very important engine coolant and oil temperatures. I figured out that I had a EGR cooler failure BEFORE a catastrophic failure occurred. The other device from Bank's that will help you enjoy the Ecodiesel. Is the Pedal Monster! But, you must use caution! The electronic controls on today's engines limit how much of the power the engine produces. You really get to use. My 2016 Ram 1500 Ecodiesel is a fun overlanding vehicle. I put the Bank's silencer delete kit on. Use the Wix air filter. And have a Flowmaster 50 series HD muffler. With the 3.92 ratio, it tows our loaded 7x16 cargo trailer with ease. The Bilstein 5100 series shocks give versatility for a good price. You can choose stock height or a lift, by just changing the snap ring location. The 1500 is a very different vehicle than the 2500 or 3500. And very different than my Jeep ZJ or JLU vehicles. And I like what it does for my driving experiences.
Good advice. We tow a 19000 lb fifth wheel behind our 2015 F350 Dually, 14000 gvw package. On the scales the trailer is 15800 on the axles and 3400 on the pin. The truck is near max for the axles weights between tools, hitch and transfer tank weight (100 gallons). 430-1 gears make it easy to keep it in a sweet spot. We also pull some of those mountains, we regularly run from Tucson to Phoenix then up US 60 (flat), then up US 93 to Kingman. We like I-40 then CA 58 to get over to the coast. A few more grades along the way. Between the right gear selection (lockout), tow/haul and exhaust brake I generally can avoid using the brakes on the downhill sides. The fifth wheel is equipped with disk brakes, peace of mind. I do run a scan gauge and watch all the EGT temps and engine oil temp.
Seems a tad light on the pin weight for a 19k 😯 5th wheel? But then, as you say you're at near the truck axles rating... might be time for an upgrade (newer F450?).
‘16 Ram 3500 reg cab dually with 4:10 axles and stock 17” steel wheels completely stock (as of this posting)😎. This tire size and gearing keeps the motor in its happy place all the time. Truck loves to pull on the highway right at 66-68 mph. Right at 1850-1900, still reasonable mileage and never fluctuates unless you’re in seriously steep terrain. Been an awesome truck, bought it new and it just hit 100K on the way back to Kentucky from Florida. Great video, mirrors everything I learned from the old timers, and really fits the way my truck works by design. Thanks!!
The guy deserves a new subscriber, and it is me. It is a very well-done and educational video, even if you know all that it is to recheck your diesel driving skills.
My grandfather & great grandfather towed my mom's trailer.home through the mountains back in the 1960's with a '57 3/4-ton Chevy pickup with a straight 6. No air conditioning, probably less than 100hp and 200lb-ft of torque, and obviously, much slower and LOTS of fuel. Knowing HOW to tow is a big thing.
I won’t tow faster than 65 mph. I’ve just bought my first diesel. I have two other people who have had diesels for 6 plus years. They will be showing me how to tow. They won’t tow faster than 65 either.
Not worth hauling ass anyway I did 80 once for maybe 20 minutes and my fuel level was just depleting by the second That was with my 19 Colorado ZR2 with the 2.8 Dmax and an 18 foot toy hauler But I usually stick around 63mph with toy hauler or my semi truck I don’t like to rush Plus I felt like my tires or bearings were going to explode
I tow 9 k with an old 7.3 on 37’s with 4.56 gears I never touch 1200 and trans almost never goes above 165-170 unless it’s over 100 outside temp would love to install your stage 2, like you said keep the rpms in the sweet zone and listen/watch your truck!!!
Absolutely correct. Same rule applies if you’re driving an 18 wheeler. Never lug the motor at low rpm’s climbing a hill, that’s an easy way to overwork your engine and turbo. Dropping a few gears will let the engine’s rpm’s get that boost it needs from its turbo allowing it to climb a hill with ease.
Good tips for my eco-diesel gladiator. I never drive more than 65 miles an hour when trailing. I saw a video of a blowout at high-speed while Towing online. It was uncensored, and I saw all the gizzards. That’s one of the things people don’t think about is good luck trying to control a blowout if it’s on the front tire while towing the big ass trailer at 85 miles an hour
I would love to see what kind of payload a skilled driver could pull of of towing with the unibody gladiator and it's 3.0 V-6. Hell of a challenge not to frag the damn thing towing a 20ft toyhauler with a sxs
@@HyperionGamingTOPKEK Gladiator is body on frame solid front and rear axle. It tows amazing and lot of postings in the group with 20ft trailer. As long as it 6000lbs or less for the Rubicon. The Sport S can tow a little more due to weight.
It's super cool you know what you're doing and what you're talking about. As a professional CDL driver, I like how often you look in your mirrors! Do you have CDL? Great work sir.
My old 12 valve likes anywhere between 1500 and 1800rpm. I like to keep my EGTs at 1200 degrees or lower. At 1500 rpm the boost gauge usually sits around 35psi, anything higher than 2000rpm the pyrometer starts to run hotter without any gain in power. I think this is due to the small turnine/exhaust housing being restrictive. At 7500ft it definitely starts to get harder keeping that gauge under 1200.
To get 35 psi at 1500 rpm I'm assuming you have compounds. If your EGT is hot at higher rpm it may be the timing as well as the restrictive turbine. Stock timing on a 12 valve has the flame chasing the piston down the bore at 2000 rpm and up.
A trick I use in hilly areas, when you’re going down a hill, close to the bottom start to let the truck build a little speed for momentum going up the next grade, then slowly back out at the right time
Good info here. Im on a 2020 ho Ram 3500. Not one problem. These 5th gen trucks are like a tractor trailer rig. Just keep the rpms up when needed and back off when temps rise.Especially the trans.
I agree! I've pulled a 5th wheel recreationally for 20 years. I have 14 Ram 3500 3:73 DRW with a68rfe. stock everything 100K miles. I go to Wisconsin from south GA and my 5ver will maintain 190-195 oil except in mountains in Chattanooga and then oil temp "may" go to 208 - 212 ( depending on ambient temp) and "I" feel out of sorts!! Long grueling stop and go traffic will do it too. I would feel panicked at 245. I know Ram is just an algorithm and not true oil temp but I guess there is some value or accuracy to it. I saw in other videos that the Fords run on higher side of temps. I am sure it is fine but it would take me several trips to feel unworried!
I think a lot of us cummins guys are bad about lugging. I have a 3rd gen 5.9 common rail truck, and it really doesn't wake up until 2000rpm. the turbo will spool at 1750, but the power is from 2000-3000rpm. the only thing these trucks have in common with the big cummins is the inline 6 configuration, but they do NOT like to be lugged. 6.7 vgt can get away with it, but these 5.9s need to spin.
Not sure about any of its predecessors but the common rail 5.9 makes peak torque from 1600-2900 rpm. So if the turbo would make any reasonable amount of boost at 1600 rpm it would definitely tow there.
@@sovietspy8260 if you stand on it in 5th or 6th gear at 1600 rpm you’ll build a lot more EGT than you will if you run 1800-1900. Running empty it doesn’t matter, but when towing anything over 8k with 3.73 gears it’ll build EGT fast in 6th gear if you’re under 1800-1900 rpm.
Damn good video! My buddy thinks because I tow and stay in 5th with it being a single wheel F350 is gay. He thinks cause I have over 500 hp I should tow more at a higher speed. Not the way it works.
Thanks so much for posting this video! I bought a 1997 Dodge Ram 2500 4X4 with the Cummins diesel. I love this truck. I installed a 3 pillar gauge and wanted to know what EGT temps to watch for. You explained everything perfectly. What coolant and trans temp limits should I watch out for? Thanks again!
Good stuff, I would just add that I always idle the engine after stopping and let it cool down a bit before shutting down. I have a high idle switch and I'll run it on high idle for 5-10 minutes before shutting down.
This man is sensible. I have met so many men who let their egos tow 14K pound trailers with 3/4 ton trucks that they have thrown thousands of dollars in tunes and aftermarket gimmicks at just so they can tow at 80+ MPH and brag about. They never talk about the tens of thousands in repairs for the stuff they destroy trying to stroke their ego.
Spot on. These people who say they can pull the mountain and hills at high speeds with their foot on the floor complain the loudest about engine failure and blame the manufacturers. Meanwhile, they've melted their engines. I used to keep a close eye on my pyro in my Kenworth. I may have had more pedal, but would always back out to keep her cool. I have no problem being in the right lane with my four ways on easing over the top. Good info for the diesel cowboys...
I drive a semi with a manual transmission, higher rpm keeps the radiator fan spinning faster and keeping things cooler. Even if you can pull the hill 4 to 5 mph faster at 1100 to 1200 rpm the engine is much happier dropping a gear and running 1500 to 1700 rpm. Same thing applies to pickups, you guys just don't blow motors at 2k rpm lol. Great vid and advice, guages guages guages
GEARING!!! Just about everyone thinks a tuner and exhaust is the way to go. They forget about re-gearing. Those big wheels and tires essentially cost you a gear or two depending on the size over stock!!
Great info mate and I live by driving by the gauges, not many people know this or do this and then wonder why they’ve broken down or have so,etching go wrong with their vehicle shortly down the line
In the trucking industry the rule for pulling hills is pull in the gear that you can still accelerate,but the way the engines are built it won't allow itself to come apart because of the not so smart people
Wow...just good advice! Been towing a big (38 ft. 15k lbs) 5th wheel for 15 years all over the country and I totally agree with your ideas about towing. I tow with a 3500 Ram dually and always have the gauge info on the screen and use the manual shift feature (as well as the compression brake and Tow Mode). Do not pull hard in too high of a gear, back out of the throttle and drop down to 4th or 3rd if necessary. I can pull virtually any grade in the country at 45-50 without hurting the truck and that's good enough. Don't worry about trying to match speeds with the hotshot in his modded up truck trying to impress you. If he wants to punish his truck just to pass you on that steep grade...let him. Who cares, right? 😉 EDIT: Gotta agree about the F250 towing a triple axle toy hauler though...guessing the numbers aren't good on that one. Absolutely a 3500 dually...
Yeah. 7.3s like 2250rpm+ at a minimum. The heads flow poorly, and boost doesn't come in until later rpms (2100+). Higher rpm means higher oil pressure which better atomizes the fuel due to higher injection pressures. I own an obs 7.3 5spd and pull heavily frequently. Higher rpm=happier engine and temps.
@rykerf8265 we could open a whole can of worms with this topic, but for a stock setup, you are correct. Start switching turbo setups, injectors, nozzles, water injection etc... things can move from there. Tuning with any aftermarket setup is key. As is no boost or drive pressure leaks.
@Jim_Lawrence oh I very much agree. But I truly don't know how many people touch their diesels. I didn't stage 1 turbo and 175/30 injectors. That made it way more manageable
My 94.5 f350 ran great under 2000 rpm but it came factory with 3.55. 160/0 injectors, 5 inch exhaust, zf5 trans, superduty intercooler, and a modded turbo with a 1.0 exhaust housing, and billet wheel, tow all day in 5th at 65 70 with no issues running hot, was a really great setup.
@@rykerf8265You are correct but not completely... the high pressure oil pump on a 7.3 and 6.0 can operate independently from the engine's rpm for a good part of it. Also I cannot speak for your 7.3 but with my 7.3 I can start building useable boost at around 1500 to 1800 rpm.
Safe to say that a similar approach is needed for turbo gasser motors? Lots of half ton owners are towing exceedingly large trailers and now way over half that market is turbocharged. Seems like keeping EGTs in check might be a universal guideline?
I was told NOT to do anything to my truck it would void all warranty? 2020 F350 6.7. I love it…..so far. Had a 99 F250 7.3 and loved that truck. Good job
I didn't read every comment, but one thing I did not see or hear is to let the EGT's cool down to about 300F before shutting the engine down after a high temp run.
I hav a 2000 f250 7.3, ext cab long bed. motor is mostly stock except for exhaust. Factory tune. 6inch lift, 3:73s on 35s. 207k miles Recently completed a round trip through the tn mountains. Took 111 between Chattanooga and Cookeville. Has some perty steep grades. One is 8 percent. I just drop it in 4th and itd climb right up them doing about 50-55mph. Kept rpms above 2000 most the time but not over 2400. I was towing, 18ft heavy duty equipment trailer with a 95 f250 4wd on it. I wish i had guages tho. Its factory tune (detuned) 7.3 so i dont think i can hurt it but id still like to know what im running on hills. I only averaged hand calculated 12mpg coming back from Baxter Tn over towards Augusta Ga where i live. So from baxter to Augusta its i40>111>27>i24>i75>i20. In Tn i Did 70-75 unless climbing a grade or in one of them towns. In Ga i did 75-80 alot. Was running with other vehicles doing 85ish for a bit Even in ATL traffic was cruising 70-75
Pretty damn good tutorial I would say. Like you said, pulling heavy stuff like this with other-than-stock diesels is "driving by the gauges". Watch those EGTs and overall temps. When I am teaching people how to tow this type of stuff thru the AZ mountains I always tell them, remember the engine is a giant air compressor, DO NOT lug that engine! The more air you have moving thru that engine the cooler its going to be. That and do not lug on the trans because its only slipping the clutches. Get the RPMs up in a lower gear and everything is much happier. As far as EGTs, hell I even heavy-tow in economy or even mild street mode. Start at the bottom of the hill with decent speed keeping air moving across the intercooler, radiator, trans cooler stack and slowly back off while going up the hill maintaining temps. Again, just keep the Rs up and drive by the gauges, that truck will find a gear to settle into and just peddle 1100-1350 degrees EGTs and it will get up the hill just fine. Don't start at the bottom of the hill lugging the sh!t out of it in OD and getting everything hot from the start, then you have heat soak in the entire engine and it will never recover.
I'm in az and have towed all over the west coast and Rockies. A lot of these mountains here and the high ambient will kick anyone's ass. 😂 From camp Verde to flag is brutal. From Payson to woods canyon/white mountains is savage. Camp Verde to Clint's well usually has a few broken down trucks on the side of the road or runaways in the sand. Arizona isn't to be taken lightly when towing heavy. Worst haul is Teton pass from my experience and a lot of people say grapevine is rough, but it's simple. The Eisenhower pass in Co is a cakewalk compared to a lot of these hills out here. 🤙
Well done and correct video. A great visionary diesel mechanic and boat builder once told me that "RPM doesn't break engines, Torque breaks engines". Unfortunately modern diesel pickups have engines with the horsepower turned up so high that it is easy to operate the trucks pulling excessive torque for long periods of time while perceiving that everything is going great and smooth. Another marine diesel visionary suggests a continuous duty horsepower limit of 30 to 35 horsepower per liter, making the 5.9 good for 180HP or so continuously; I suggest even that is a ton of horsepower out of a 5.9. I claim that my stock 2002 Ram 2500 with 5.9 and NV5600 manual can RESPONSIBLY tow up a long grade just as fast as a newer truck with much more horsepower capability can do the same thing RESPONSIBLY. I keep the RPMs up in the 2500-2700 range and occasionally floor it just to make sure I have plenty of unused torque left over; THAT is how you climb a hard grade without shortening the life of the engine. Am I an overly conservative old man type? Let's just say that when I am late to work, I take my stock 2008 6.7 diesel ram because it is faster than my Camry. If we have 350, 400 or more horsepower, I want to use it for short spurts.
HP per displacement doesn't take cooling and efficiency into account. These new "hot-v" diesels evacuate heat much better and the head cooling is fundamentally changed for the better. New 7 stage heui systems can support more HP and fuel delivery without egt/smoke.
With my 97 F350 7.3 I just turn off the OD set the hydra to heavy tow, and run around 2500 rpm in the hills. 160/0 injectors, intercooler, 4.10s, stock 265x75R16 tires, KCTP38R turbo, and a built trans. I never run over 1200 degrees on EGTs. I tow at max 65 mph. No issues with a 36 foot toyhauler with a Jeep in it loaded to 16k.
interesting. same setup, but I've got 180/0s and a 5 speed. Before the intercooler I couldn't pull the eisenhower pass on i70 with 4,000lb at more than the top of third gear (~45) without hitting 1400 degrees. stock tune, tow tune, didn't matter. I'll have to see what it does with the intercooler now but I'm getting pretty dissatisfied with the truck's towing abilities, but at the same time 11,000 feet is no joke
I'm running 180/0 in my 97 7.3. I need to install my Pyro. I pull 13k with stock tires. I'm running stage 1 turbo and no intercooler. I don't do much long distance towing. Honestly I'm looking to replace big red with end of run Cummins 3500 dually since so rusty. And something I can like 18k. Get 4k camper and turn equipment trl into gooseneck then be able to double tow😊
I don’t currently tow but I plan to in the future when we buy an RV. I’ve already got an EZLynk, so now my question is, what are the right probes you mentioned towards the end of the video? I’m assuming EGT probes since I can already monitor engine and transmission temps?
Two big things I have learned over the years. #1 Diesels do not like to run cold. They will burn a stupid amount of extra fuel and smoke like a locomotive if you drive off cold. (I talking like 30 - 40 below zero. A wam summer day makes little difference.). Not bad if you want to lay down a smoke screen and drive off any frozen arctic mosquitoes. Let it warm up before going anywhere. #2 They’re not overly fond of “pedal to the metal”. They can only burn so much fuel. Any more just wastes fuel and will actually reduce power output. Learn to go easy on the pedal. Your pocketbook will thank you and you’ll probably get better results anyway.
Quite interesting. Thank you. I do not understand why semi-trucks I drive routinely do not have a boost gague, a pyrometer, and never a fuel pressure gague. I just go by Pittsburgh Power method of keeping RPMs high. Sometimes this does not even work as thf coolant temoetature gaugeue starts pegging.
I learned how to tow in a semi with a manual transmission. One has control in that configuration. I’ve been towing a heavy food trailer with my personal truck, a gas burner automatic SUV, and it’s terrible. I’m getting a diesel 450 as my new tow unit, but I’m leery that it’ll not do much better in the automatic transmission department.
The Good thing is, modern diesels have much better manual gear selection and you can also lock out higher gears you dont want your truck to shift into. You can still keep that control.
Honestly all you need to know is the EGT limit and the rest of this just naturally falls into place. The big problem is that these trucks dont ship with EGT monitors. However, with fixed geometry turbos like on a 7.3, if you are under 2k rpm under load, you're wrong.
I’m curious what happens if a truck doesn’t have all those gauges or only stock ones that came from the factory. What then? As I’ve gotten older I tend to drive more chill anyway. ✌🏽
Your ect isn't accurate on the dash compared to the data you get from the ECU on a gauge. EOT isn't usually reported at all. They come with a crappy pyrometer but you should hook one to your aftermarket gauge. Trans temp too. The truck assumes if coolant and oil are okay, everything is good, but there isn't enough data.
RPM is your friend when towing. I have 05 5.9 w/fleece coolant by pass and 2 pyrometers for front 3 and back 3 cylinders. I done quite a few upgrades to my engine and have banks ram air intake and meth and mostly water injection. I use the injection mostly on longer bigger hills and seldom ever briefly hit 1150 on the pyros. amsoil dual filtration oil bypass and fuel filtration AND lubrication for injectors and pump. I don't drive by speed but RPM.
I have a 2019 3500 with a L5P and it pulls 14,000 ponds like nothing in 6th gear. And it will down shift automatically when the EGT’s are at 1,250 to 1,300 after 3 to 5 seconds.
Awesome set up! I have a 2015 f250 and pull a gooseneck horse trailer. I’m looking to get a bigger trailer or maybe even a toy hauler similar to what you have. Do you ever wish you had a dually? Or are you confident with the SRW?
My idi non turbo stock, i was pushin 50-55 in 5th up the east side of the santiam pass pick elevation of the road around 4,600ft a 6-12% grade.. I forget what rpm but I didn't let it get above 1,110°
would love to have seen how you took a downgrade with that load. engine brake? using manual mode? dont own a diesel yet, i have a '16 gasser and looking into a deisel for the next rig.
I've got an '04 2500 RAM Cummins 5.9. What is EGT? I don't seem to have that on mine. I've got a 12000lb fifth wheel I'm pulling.. I've probably been driving it wrong - but so far only on flat ground. I'm getting ready to drive it down near the KY TN line on i75. Should I leave it in Tow/haul mode? I've been only doing that until I get to highway speed just to let the engine drop to 1700 RPMs. Should i let it stay high? I thought I was wasting fuel doing that. It pulls just fine not having it in tow/haul mode. Oh, and if you couldn't tell by now, this is my first diesel truck. Thanks for the video.
EGT = Exhaust Gas Temperature. Towing on flat ground or smaller hills is far more simple than the mountains in the west. If your truck is stock, then you dont have to worry about EGT temps as much. The main takeaway should be this, if your RPMs are too low then you are under the turbo. When it comes time to accelerate you are going to waste fuel waiting for the turbo to light. But if you are flat towing at highway speeds, you are probably fine cruising at 1700 rpms, if thats where you achieve the best fuel economy. Then when you need to pass someone or you need to pull a hill, just hit Tow/Haul and the truck will down shift to bring you up into a more optimal powerband, Probably around 2200 or so.
wish i understood sum of the terms better. what i doo 100 agree on is dont trt to be a lead foot when towing. drop it to atleast the speed limit or 5 under your engine with thank you. i dont go faster than 66mph when towing and not afraid to slow down to get engine out of 3500 rpms gasser. im mainly watchen oil temp and trany temp. oil 212 218 range try to hold going up a grade and dont like trany temp over 190.
I have a banks Idash and it gives me 4 different egt sensors to choose from. Which one is the correct sensor to display and watch ? I have a 2023 Ford F350 Tremor with the high output 6.7 Powerstroke. Can you please help me ?
This is while I will always just go with the big gas option. You can move 20k with it, all while flooring it without having to worry about 5 different temperatures.
Having had both the diesel and big block gas pots the reason I hate the gas pot is that I have to floor it at times when I’ve still never floored the diesel.
I must have missed locking out OD? My 7.3 likes mid 40 mph at +35k lbs. 24 cargo, rest trailer/truck. I try not to drive when over 100f. Rather early am, late pm
I know I’m a little late to the party.. I noticed your EOT up above 240 the entire time. I’ve got a 6.0 f350 and I get pretty stressed if mine touches 230 when I’m pulling my fifth wheel. Are the 6.7s running hotter than the 6.0s? I’m new to new to big boy trucks so I’m still learning!
I just got a 99 f350 7.3 dually extended cab only rust is on bottom of the mini side doors it has 201k miles on the nuts I paid 1000$ and only issues is the oil pan gasket is shot otherwise it’s good shape no oil in the valley or anything I know nothing on these trucks is this a decent truck I like international and the 7.3 sounds nice what should I do to it as a daily driver to get a little more power and better mpg and some more sound out the turbo?
Modern pickup diesels are nothing like old school low rpm, fuel saving diesels of yesterday. High rpm. It makes the government happy (EPA), and it makes the operator happy. (Hi HP, and fast).
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This guy is 100% right on his tips. Even with gassers you wanna watch your gauges and don’t lug your engine
A lot of people with diesels want the lug the crap out of them. The 6.0 especially doesn’t like to be lugged below 2000rpm. Higher RPM=more oil pressure, less EGT, overall happier engine
It amazes us just how many people are afraid to let a truck go above 2000 rpm’s. This is especially seen with 7.3 trucks.
All the issues go away if they kick out O/D or just give it a little more throttle and bring up the rpms.
They think 1500 instead of 2500 is better
exactly!!! for some reason people think you need to lug a 6.0 powerstroke the same as a 15.0L semi
What ice engine likes to be lugged?
@@MyGoogleRUclipsCummins
@@MyGoogleRUclips good point.
Spot on. I have pulled 22,000lbs combined weight in the mountains with a 89 10 lug F series with 5.13 gears ZF5 and 7.3 IDIT. The motor was basically stock with air box and muffler on the exhaust running 2 flats on the IP and peaking around 9PSI. Truck probably was lucky to make 200hp and 425tq if I had to guess. Still slowing down, picking the right gear, and staying above the turbocharger in the rev range and it would just chug along. These modern diesels have way more advantages with 6-10 gears in autos, computer controlled DI, and VGT turbos but there is still no substitute for a incompetent operator.
Na idi guy here with a zf5 the biggest things with our engines turbo and na is rpm ! and good pump timing I’ve never had big problems loaded down on grades as long as I get my rpm’s up before I tackle the hill she will pull up 1000 1100 egt
7.3 ps with a zf5 here. I love rowing gears but sometimes towing heavy I wish my truck had a good built automatic in it. It definitely keeps them spooled up better
If it was an idi it never had a turbo in it stock😂
@@ripperlipper101693-94 they had ats turbo kits stock to help maintain when going up hills and slight modifications to the internals of the motor to support the turbo. Halfway through 94 they released the power stroke
@@89_octane allegedly the 4r100 slushbox is very reliable but maybe not, I want one to tow a fifth wheel
100%. If your towing heavy, you ain't in no rush. Too many people are afraid to let a diesel sing and wonder why they see the temp gauge head for the red. Lack of information gauges) lack of knowledge - these can be fixed and taught and videos like this really help.
Yea know this is a great reminder I just do it with out thinking about it. But now I’ll just show this video when asked about towing. Thank you for the simple but through explanation
Gee all the things I learned when I started driving semi’s. Keep the rpm’s up watch the water and pyrometer temps. If temps started to get too high back out of the throttle and drop a gear to unload the engine. It all still applies today.
mmmm ya, your absolutely correct, it aint rocket science plus driving a 6speed manual transmission also makes a very big difference over an automatic any day
This doesn't really apply anymore with modern heavy truck engines. If it's even a manual all you watch is the RPM. The new engines make their peak torque around 1000 RPM. Otherwise just foot to the floor and let the truck do the work.
My idi zf5 4.10s 235/85R16s I had to drop to 4th to keep up around 60 at lil over 2k 3 axles in the bed climbin a decent hill, water temp didn't get above 193
Its great that you know how to keep your engine and EGTs and all that happy, but you might wanna figure out payload numbers. I'm fairly confident a 45 foot, tripple axle toyhauler has more pin weight than a 2012 F250 kingranch should be towing.
I agree 100%.
Agreed
Agree. Completely irresponsible.
Just add some air bags, and he will be fine /s
Notice he isn’t responding to your comment. Definitely needs at least a duelly to pull a tri-axle toy hauler.
Reaffirmed some things I already knew. Learned some new things as well. You can tell he knows what he’s talking about.
Mine is an 04.5 Ram with an 03 SO engine and G56 six speed manual. I tow 10k tool trailer, no EGT guage. I keep it between 1700 and 2k rpm, right in the torque band, and it just sings a sweet song all the time.
Great video for beginners as well as some reminders for those that have been towing a while. There's one thing that many are not aware of... it's that a lot of trailer tires are not speed-rated high enough for the maximum posted speed limit. Add to the fact the tire age/dry rot, the load on the tire, and the air pressure, and driving 75mph may end in disaster for some! I actually disregard my speedometer on the interstate and set the cruise @ 1800RPM. Puts me right in the sweet spot of my engine and I usually only have to take it off cruise control when I come up on slower vehicles and I'm pinned-in by other drivers. BTW... 1800 R's puts me a 63MPH! That's fast enough, cause things happen very quickly at those speeds. I'm usually right at 30,000 lbs., truck & trailer combined, unless I'm dry camping then add 1600 lbs for a full freshwater tank and generator gasoline.
Great video for someone like me with limited turbo diesel experience. Thank you
I guess I take for granted the things I have learned over the years….everything mentioned in this video is absolutely correct….good info to know and go by. We might make a few people mad behind us….but that’s just the way it goes!
My 01 7.3 Powerstroke does really well the way it’s setup, when towing I always drive based off the temps….main one to look at is EGT’s.
What do you have for gauges?
I Hav 2000 7.3 and I recently completed a trip through the mountains towing a 96 f250 4wd on heavy duty equipment trailer.
it did great but I don't have guages but would like to get some.
2000 7.3 zf6 3:73 on 35s. Factory tune. Stock engine except for 4 inch straight pipe
I only got 12mpg but was also going 75-80 down i75 and i20 in Ga
@@HammerlaneRookie I have Glowshift gauges, turbo boost psi, EGT, and trans temp. I wish had gotten the 4 gauge cluster and added oil temp or coolant temp. I may end up adding both at some point. I run the T6 from TS Performance. It’s been pretty good, if I had to do it over I would get the Hydra…..way more options.
Specs on my 2001 7.3:
Stock turbo, stock exhaust, stock injectors, original auto trans & motor, mishimoto trans cooler, 3.73 axle, stock tire size.
I do 2 things with our diesels. 1st I add Hot Shots Secret EDT to every tank of fuel. 2nd I use the Bank's iDash to monitor the operating conditions. I mostly drive 60-65mph.
On my wife's '18 Ram 2500, we keep a 4wheel popup camper. We average 20-22mpg on our trips. The Cummins is such a beast and never runs out of power. I have a class A CDL, but don't drive over the road anymore. The VGT turbo exhaust brake is great on the Western mountains, for speed control. For climbing the hills, I select the tow/haul mode. And turn it off on the flats.
Conway summit on US-395 Northbound, is easy. Never have gotten up to 1,000°f. 986°f was the highest.
Just bought my first diesel. A 2021 Ram EcoDiesel and I know it’s a pretend diesel. I watched quite a few videos and bought all the Hot Shot Secrets products. Did the Diesel extreme, the Stiction Extreme and using EDT every fill.
@pjfan173 The Ecodiesel is an awesome engine. 2 Bank's accessories will help you get more out of your engine. The iDash will give you the very important engine coolant and oil temperatures. I figured out that I had a EGR cooler failure BEFORE a catastrophic failure occurred. The other device from Bank's that will help you enjoy the Ecodiesel. Is the Pedal Monster! But, you must use caution! The electronic controls on today's engines limit how much of the power the engine produces. You really get to use.
My 2016 Ram 1500 Ecodiesel is a fun overlanding vehicle. I put the Bank's silencer delete kit on. Use the Wix air filter. And have a Flowmaster 50 series HD muffler. With the 3.92 ratio, it tows our loaded 7x16 cargo trailer with ease. The Bilstein 5100 series shocks give versatility for a good price. You can choose stock height or a lift, by just changing the snap ring location.
The 1500 is a very different vehicle than the 2500 or 3500. And very different than my Jeep ZJ or JLU vehicles. And I like what it does for my driving experiences.
EXCELLENT ADVICE. I used to own a 6.0. It did not like idling or city driving. It drove best under a load and it loved hauling.
When treated right they can be a work horse!
Good advice. We tow a 19000 lb fifth wheel behind our 2015 F350 Dually, 14000 gvw package. On the scales the trailer is 15800 on the axles and 3400 on the pin. The truck is near max for the axles weights between tools, hitch and transfer tank weight (100 gallons). 430-1 gears make it easy to keep it in a sweet spot. We also pull some of those mountains, we regularly run from Tucson to Phoenix then up US 60 (flat), then up US 93 to Kingman. We like I-40 then CA 58 to get over to the coast. A few more grades along the way. Between the right gear selection (lockout), tow/haul and exhaust brake I generally can avoid using the brakes on the downhill sides. The fifth wheel is equipped with disk brakes, peace of mind. I do run a scan gauge and watch all the EGT temps and engine oil temp.
Seems a tad light on the pin weight for a 19k 😯 5th wheel? But then, as you say you're at near the truck axles rating... might be time for an upgrade (newer F450?).
@@flash8051 still a 14000 gvw, cargo capacity of the F350 is actually higher.
‘16 Ram 3500 reg cab dually with 4:10 axles and stock 17” steel wheels completely stock (as of this posting)😎. This tire size and gearing keeps the motor in its happy place all the time. Truck loves to pull on the highway right at 66-68 mph. Right at 1850-1900, still reasonable mileage and never fluctuates unless you’re in seriously steep terrain. Been an awesome truck, bought it new and it just hit 100K on the way back to Kentucky from Florida. Great video, mirrors everything I learned from the old timers, and really fits the way my truck works by design. Thanks!!
The guy deserves a new subscriber, and it is me. It is a very well-done and educational video, even if you know all that it is to recheck your diesel driving skills.
Thank you! We appreciate you
My grandfather & great grandfather towed my mom's trailer.home through the mountains back in the 1960's with a '57 3/4-ton Chevy pickup with a straight 6. No air conditioning, probably less than 100hp and 200lb-ft of torque, and obviously, much slower and LOTS of fuel. Knowing HOW to tow is a big thing.
I won’t tow faster than 65 mph. I’ve just bought my first diesel. I have two other people who have had diesels for 6 plus years. They will be showing me how to tow. They won’t tow faster than 65 either.
It’s a lot safer and easier on equipment and tires
I have been towing with a diesel for 4 years now and I am right there with you. I never tow over 65mph, and I avoid lugging my engine.
It sounds like, unlike many, you actually have a brain in your skull.
What weight are you pulling? I've been towing a fully loaded 16' enclosed at 90mph all the time.
'17 f250 6.7
Not worth hauling ass anyway
I did 80 once for maybe 20 minutes and my fuel level was just depleting by the second
That was with my 19 Colorado ZR2 with the 2.8 Dmax and an 18 foot toy hauler
But I usually stick around 63mph with toy hauler or my semi truck
I don’t like to rush
Plus I felt like my tires or bearings were going to explode
Wanna learn patience? Try towing with my '96 K2500 with the 6.5 Detroit! You'll get there, eventually.
😂 I can relate
Ha. My first truck was an 84 GMC K2500 with 6.2L Detroit diesel. It put out like 135 hp and 240 ft/lbs
@andysworld2188 You win(??)
I tow 9 k with an old 7.3 on 37’s with 4.56 gears I never touch 1200 and trans almost never goes above 165-170 unless it’s over 100 outside temp would love to install your stage 2, like you said keep the rpms in the sweet zone and listen/watch your truck!!!
Absolutely correct. Same rule applies if you’re driving an 18 wheeler. Never lug the motor at low rpm’s climbing a hill, that’s an easy way to overwork your engine and turbo. Dropping a few gears will let the engine’s rpm’s get that boost it needs from its turbo allowing it to climb a hill with ease.
Good tips for my eco-diesel gladiator. I never drive more than 65 miles an hour when trailing. I saw a video of a blowout at high-speed while Towing online. It was uncensored, and I saw all the gizzards. That’s one of the things people don’t think about is good luck trying to control a blowout if it’s on the front tire while towing the big ass trailer at 85 miles an hour
I would love to see what kind of payload a skilled driver could pull of of towing with the unibody gladiator and it's 3.0 V-6. Hell of a challenge not to frag the damn thing towing a 20ft toyhauler with a sxs
@@HyperionGamingTOPKEK Gladiator is body on frame solid front and rear axle. It tows amazing and lot of postings in the group with 20ft trailer. As long as it 6000lbs or less for the Rubicon. The Sport S can tow a little more due to weight.
I made my stock 47RE in my 2nd Gen 3500 last 198k miles with the edge EZ tuner by driving her sensibly. She often pulled our horse or stock trailers.
It's super cool you know what you're doing and what you're talking about. As a professional CDL driver, I like how often you look in your mirrors! Do you have CDL? Great work sir.
My old 12 valve likes anywhere between 1500 and 1800rpm. I like to keep my EGTs at 1200 degrees or lower. At 1500 rpm the boost gauge usually sits around 35psi, anything higher than 2000rpm the pyrometer starts to run hotter without any gain in power. I think this is due to the small turnine/exhaust housing being restrictive. At 7500ft it definitely starts to get harder keeping that gauge under 1200.
Yeah the 12 valve doesn’t need to spin as high as the 6.0 with its shorter stroke and cylinder heads geared more for higher rpm operation.
To get 35 psi at 1500 rpm I'm assuming you have compounds. If your EGT is hot at higher rpm it may be the timing as well as the restrictive turbine. Stock timing on a 12 valve has the flame chasing the piston down the bore at 2000 rpm and up.
Gotta love the straight 6 torque at low rpm. Cummins for the win
A trick I use in hilly areas, when you’re going down a hill, close to the bottom start to let the truck build a little speed for momentum going up the next grade, then slowly back out at the right time
Good info here. Im on a 2020 ho Ram 3500. Not one problem. These 5th gen trucks are like a tractor trailer rig. Just keep the rpms up when needed and back off when temps rise.Especially the trans.
Great vid, and great info! This makes me miss the manual transmission. You have more control and more of the engines power makes it to the wheels.
Very knowledgeable. Really enjoy this guy.
His oil temp got REALLY high though.
248 degrees is wayyy up there.
For some reason high temps like this are normal on these years of 6.7s
I agree! I've pulled a 5th wheel recreationally for 20 years. I have 14 Ram 3500 3:73 DRW with a68rfe. stock everything 100K miles. I go to Wisconsin from south GA and my 5ver will maintain 190-195 oil except in mountains in Chattanooga and then oil temp "may" go to 208 - 212 ( depending on ambient temp) and "I" feel out of sorts!! Long grueling stop and go traffic will do it too. I would feel panicked at 245. I know Ram is just an algorithm and not true oil temp but I guess there is some value or accuracy to it. I saw in other videos that the Fords run on higher side of temps. I am sure it is fine but it would take me several trips to feel unworried!
I think a lot of us cummins guys are bad about lugging. I have a 3rd gen 5.9 common rail truck, and it really doesn't wake up until 2000rpm. the turbo will spool at 1750, but the power is from 2000-3000rpm. the only thing these trucks have in common with the big cummins is the inline 6 configuration, but they do NOT like to be lugged. 6.7 vgt can get away with it, but these 5.9s need to spin.
Not sure about any of its predecessors but the common rail 5.9 makes peak torque from 1600-2900 rpm. So if the turbo would make any reasonable amount of boost at 1600 rpm it would definitely tow there.
@@sovietspy8260 if you stand on it in 5th or 6th gear at 1600 rpm you’ll build a lot more EGT than you will if you run 1800-1900. Running empty it doesn’t matter, but when towing anything over 8k with 3.73 gears it’ll build EGT fast in 6th gear if you’re under 1800-1900 rpm.
Damn good video! My buddy thinks because I tow and stay in 5th with it being a single wheel F350 is gay. He thinks cause I have over 500 hp I should tow more at a higher speed. Not the way it works.
Thanks so much for posting this video! I bought a 1997 Dodge Ram 2500 4X4 with the Cummins diesel. I love this truck. I installed a 3 pillar gauge and wanted to know what EGT temps to watch for. You explained everything perfectly. What coolant and trans temp limits should I watch out for? Thanks again!
New 7.3 owner, this was awesome! Thank you! Looking at your towing kit.
The 7.3 towing package will greatly help improve the trucks power to haul heavier.
Good stuff, I would just add that I always idle the engine after stopping and let it cool down a bit before shutting down. I have a high idle switch and I'll run it on high idle for 5-10 minutes before shutting down.
This man is sensible. I have met so many men who let their egos tow 14K pound trailers with 3/4 ton trucks that they have thrown thousands of dollars in tunes and aftermarket gimmicks at just so they can tow at 80+ MPH and brag about. They never talk about the tens of thousands in repairs for the stuff they destroy trying to stroke their ego.
They’ll get that ego hurt when a bull hauler blows their door off doing triple digit lmao
Spot on. These people who say they can pull the mountain and hills at high speeds with their foot on the floor complain the loudest about engine failure and blame the manufacturers. Meanwhile, they've melted their engines. I used to keep a close eye on my pyro in my Kenworth. I may have had more pedal, but would always back out to keep her cool. I have no problem being in the right lane with my four ways on easing over the top. Good info for the diesel cowboys...
I drive a semi with a manual transmission, higher rpm keeps the radiator fan spinning faster and keeping things cooler.
Even if you can pull the hill 4 to 5 mph faster at 1100 to 1200 rpm the engine is much happier dropping a gear and running 1500 to 1700 rpm.
Same thing applies to pickups, you guys just don't blow motors at 2k rpm lol.
Great vid and advice, guages guages guages
GEARING!!! Just about everyone thinks a tuner and exhaust is the way to go. They forget about re-gearing. Those big wheels and tires essentially cost you a gear or two depending on the size over stock!!
I found that to be really helpful, thank you!
Great info mate and I live by driving by the gauges, not many people know this or do this and then wonder why they’ve broken down or have so,etching go wrong with their vehicle shortly down the line
In the trucking industry the rule for pulling hills is pull in the gear that you can still accelerate,but the way the engines are built it won't allow itself to come apart because of the not so smart people
Thats a great rule of thumb!
Thank you! You just confirmed what I’ve learned the hard way. Great video, great information.
Wow...just good advice! Been towing a big (38 ft. 15k lbs) 5th wheel for 15 years all over the country and I totally agree with your ideas about towing. I tow with a 3500 Ram dually and always have the gauge info on the screen and use the manual shift feature (as well as the compression brake and Tow Mode).
Do not pull hard in too high of a gear, back out of the throttle and drop down to 4th or 3rd if necessary. I can pull virtually any grade in the country at 45-50 without hurting the truck and that's good enough.
Don't worry about trying to match speeds with the hotshot in his modded up truck trying to impress you. If he wants to punish his truck just to pass you on that steep grade...let him. Who cares, right? 😉
EDIT: Gotta agree about the F250 towing a triple axle toy hauler though...guessing the numbers aren't good on that one. Absolutely a 3500 dually...
Good video! Alot of people need this info
But have you tried towing with a 7.3?
Yes, I know your history and I thank you for all the info.
Yeah. 7.3s like 2250rpm+ at a minimum. The heads flow poorly, and boost doesn't come in until later rpms (2100+). Higher rpm means higher oil pressure which better atomizes the fuel due to higher injection pressures. I own an obs 7.3 5spd and pull heavily frequently. Higher rpm=happier engine and temps.
@rykerf8265 we could open a whole can of worms with this topic, but for a stock setup, you are correct.
Start switching turbo setups, injectors, nozzles, water injection etc... things can move from there. Tuning with any aftermarket setup is key. As is no boost or drive pressure leaks.
@Jim_Lawrence oh I very much agree. But I truly don't know how many people touch their diesels. I didn't stage 1 turbo and 175/30 injectors. That made it way more manageable
My 94.5 f350 ran great under 2000 rpm but it came factory with 3.55. 160/0 injectors, 5 inch exhaust, zf5 trans, superduty intercooler, and a modded turbo with a 1.0 exhaust housing, and billet wheel, tow all day in 5th at 65 70 with no issues running hot, was a really great setup.
@@rykerf8265You are correct but not completely... the high pressure oil pump on a 7.3 and 6.0 can operate independently from the engine's rpm for a good part of it.
Also I cannot speak for your 7.3 but with my 7.3 I can start building useable boost at around 1500 to 1800 rpm.
Well said. Lots of good information there.
I’ve heard different things about installing an EGT probe on a 6.7 Powerstroke. I would like to have one installed and hooked up to my CTS3.
It’s always good idea to have one.
It’s very easy to do on a 67 if you have the probe from edge.
A lot of people do the same with a probe off the exhuast on ez lynk
Doesn’t the 6.7 already have a factory one?
@@Bacongrease00yes it has several. You can monitor them with Forscan.
Safe to say that a similar approach is needed for turbo gasser motors? Lots of half ton owners are towing exceedingly large trailers and now way over half that market is turbocharged. Seems like keeping EGTs in check might be a universal guideline?
Stay at torque peak with gas.
I was told NOT to do anything to my truck it would void all warranty? 2020 F350 6.7. I love it…..so far. Had a 99 F250 7.3 and loved that truck. Good job
I didn't read every comment, but one thing I did not see or hear is to let the EGT's cool down to about 300F before shutting the engine down after a high temp run.
Good call! Shutting a truck off hot is always a recipe for disaster in the long run.
I hav a 2000 f250 7.3, ext cab long bed. motor is mostly stock except for exhaust. Factory tune.
6inch lift, 3:73s on 35s. 207k miles
Recently completed a round trip through the tn mountains. Took 111 between Chattanooga and Cookeville. Has some perty steep grades. One is 8 percent. I just drop it in 4th and itd climb right up them doing about 50-55mph.
Kept rpms above 2000 most the time but not over 2400.
I was towing, 18ft heavy duty equipment trailer with a 95 f250 4wd on it.
I wish i had guages tho. Its factory tune (detuned) 7.3 so i dont think i can hurt it but id still like to know what im running on hills.
I only averaged hand calculated 12mpg coming back from Baxter Tn over towards Augusta Ga where i live. So from baxter to Augusta its i40>111>27>i24>i75>i20.
In Tn i Did 70-75 unless climbing a grade or in one of them towns.
In Ga i did 75-80 alot. Was running with other vehicles doing 85ish for a bit
Even in ATL traffic was cruising 70-75
Pretty damn good tutorial I would say. Like you said, pulling heavy stuff like this with other-than-stock diesels is "driving by the gauges". Watch those EGTs and overall temps. When I am teaching people how to tow this type of stuff thru the AZ mountains I always tell them, remember the engine is a giant air compressor, DO NOT lug that engine! The more air you have moving thru that engine the cooler its going to be. That and do not lug on the trans because its only slipping the clutches. Get the RPMs up in a lower gear and everything is much happier. As far as EGTs, hell I even heavy-tow in economy or even mild street mode. Start at the bottom of the hill with decent speed keeping air moving across the intercooler, radiator, trans cooler stack and slowly back off while going up the hill maintaining temps. Again, just keep the Rs up and drive by the gauges, that truck will find a gear to settle into and just peddle 1100-1350 degrees EGTs and it will get up the hill just fine. Don't start at the bottom of the hill lugging the sh!t out of it in OD and getting everything hot from the start, then you have heat soak in the entire engine and it will never recover.
I'm in az and have towed all over the west coast and Rockies. A lot of these mountains here and the high ambient will kick anyone's ass. 😂 From camp Verde to flag is brutal. From Payson to woods canyon/white mountains is savage. Camp Verde to Clint's well usually has a few broken down trucks on the side of the road or runaways in the sand. Arizona isn't to be taken lightly when towing heavy. Worst haul is Teton pass from my experience and a lot of people say grapevine is rough, but it's simple. The Eisenhower pass in Co is a cakewalk compared to a lot of these hills out here. 🤙
"That and do not lug on the trans because its only slipping the clutches." ???🤔
Well done and correct video. A great visionary diesel mechanic and boat builder once told me that "RPM doesn't break engines, Torque breaks engines". Unfortunately modern diesel pickups have engines with the horsepower turned up so high that it is easy to operate the trucks pulling excessive torque for long periods of time while perceiving that everything is going great and smooth.
Another marine diesel visionary suggests a continuous duty horsepower limit of 30 to 35 horsepower per liter, making the 5.9 good for 180HP or so continuously; I suggest even that is a ton of horsepower out of a 5.9.
I claim that my stock 2002 Ram 2500 with 5.9 and NV5600 manual can RESPONSIBLY tow up a long grade just as fast as a newer truck with much more horsepower capability can do the same thing RESPONSIBLY. I keep the RPMs up in the 2500-2700 range and occasionally floor it just to make sure I have plenty of unused torque left over; THAT is how you climb a hard grade without shortening the life of the engine.
Am I an overly conservative old man type? Let's just say that when I am late to work, I take my stock 2008 6.7 diesel ram because it is faster than my Camry. If we have 350, 400 or more horsepower, I want to use it for short spurts.
HP per displacement doesn't take cooling and efficiency into account. These new "hot-v" diesels evacuate heat much better and the head cooling is fundamentally changed for the better. New 7 stage heui systems can support more HP and fuel delivery without egt/smoke.
With my 97 F350 7.3 I just turn off the OD set the hydra to heavy tow, and run around 2500 rpm in the hills.
160/0 injectors, intercooler, 4.10s, stock 265x75R16 tires, KCTP38R turbo, and a built trans. I never run over 1200 degrees on EGTs. I tow at max 65 mph. No issues with a 36 foot toyhauler with a Jeep in it loaded to 16k.
interesting. same setup, but I've got 180/0s and a 5 speed. Before the intercooler I couldn't pull the eisenhower pass on i70 with 4,000lb at more than the top of third gear (~45) without hitting 1400 degrees. stock tune, tow tune, didn't matter.
I'll have to see what it does with the intercooler now but I'm getting pretty dissatisfied with the truck's towing abilities, but at the same time 11,000 feet is no joke
@@MCatwarare your up pipes leaking?
I'm running 180/0 in my 97 7.3. I need to install my Pyro. I pull 13k with stock tires. I'm running stage 1 turbo and no intercooler. I don't do much long distance towing. Honestly I'm looking to replace big red with end of run Cummins 3500 dually since so rusty. And something I can like 18k. Get 4k camper and turn equipment trl into gooseneck then be able to double tow😊
Another good idea is leave it stock and tow what it’s rated for. Way less risk
I drive my work truck like I stole it. 05 7.2L Mercedes powered freightliner M2 7spd. Loves and needs the revs.
This guy is on it. He knows his truck and its capabilities. Great video.
Thank you for the video! What gauges do you have? I like the analog look
I don’t currently tow but I plan to in the future when we buy an RV. I’ve already got an EZLynk, so now my question is, what are the right probes you mentioned towards the end of the video? I’m assuming EGT probes since I can already monitor engine and transmission temps?
Well done and informative. Straight to the point.
Two big things I have learned over the years. #1 Diesels do not like to run cold. They will burn a stupid amount of extra fuel and smoke like a locomotive if you drive off cold. (I talking like 30 - 40 below zero. A wam summer day makes little difference.). Not bad if you want to lay down a smoke screen and drive off any frozen arctic mosquitoes. Let it warm up before going anywhere. #2 They’re not overly fond of “pedal to the metal”. They can only burn so much fuel. Any more just wastes fuel and will actually reduce power output. Learn to go easy on the pedal. Your pocketbook will thank you and you’ll probably get better results anyway.
Quite interesting. Thank you.
I do not understand why semi-trucks I drive routinely do not have a boost gague, a pyrometer, and never a fuel pressure gague.
I just go by Pittsburgh Power method of keeping RPMs high. Sometimes this does not even work as thf coolant temoetature gaugeue starts pegging.
I learned how to tow in a semi with a manual transmission. One has control in that configuration. I’ve been towing a heavy food trailer with my personal truck, a gas burner automatic SUV, and it’s terrible. I’m getting a diesel 450 as my new tow unit, but I’m leery that it’ll not do much better in the automatic transmission department.
The Good thing is, modern diesels have much better manual gear selection and you can also lock out higher gears you dont want your truck to shift into. You can still keep that control.
Honestly all you need to know is the EGT limit and the rest of this just naturally falls into place. The big problem is that these trucks dont ship with EGT monitors.
However, with fixed geometry turbos like on a 7.3, if you are under 2k rpm under load, you're wrong.
I’m curious what happens if a truck doesn’t have all those gauges or only stock ones that came from the factory. What then?
As I’ve gotten older I tend to drive more chill anyway. ✌🏽
Your ect isn't accurate on the dash compared to the data you get from the ECU on a gauge. EOT isn't usually reported at all. They come with a crappy pyrometer but you should hook one to your aftermarket gauge. Trans temp too. The truck assumes if coolant and oil are okay, everything is good, but there isn't enough data.
RPM is your friend when towing. I have 05 5.9 w/fleece coolant by pass and 2 pyrometers for front 3 and back 3 cylinders. I done quite a few upgrades to my engine and have banks ram air intake and meth and mostly water injection. I use the injection mostly on longer bigger hills and seldom ever briefly hit 1150 on the pyros. amsoil dual filtration oil bypass and fuel filtration AND lubrication for injectors and pump. I don't drive by speed but RPM.
IMO all diesels should be checked for boost leaks.
I have a 2019 3500 with a L5P and it pulls 14,000 ponds like nothing in 6th gear. And it will down shift automatically when the EGT’s are at 1,250 to 1,300 after 3 to 5 seconds.
I have an '18 and same. I just floor it and have gauges and never think about it. I think this video is for guys with fuel/air mods.
I like those headlights. what kind are you running?.
kcturbos.com/products/xb-hybrid-led-headlights-6-7-powerstroke-2011-2016
very nice thank you
Great video! Which gearing would you need to use 6th while hauling? I’ve got 2015 with 3:73 gears
Awesome set up! I have a 2015 f250 and pull a gooseneck horse trailer. I’m looking to get a bigger trailer or maybe even a toy hauler similar to what you have. Do you ever wish you had a dually? Or are you confident with the SRW?
A dually would be better for a set up like this!
Where is your egt probe at on the manifold, before the turbo or after
The egt probe on this 6.7 is mounted on the egr port.
My idi non turbo stock, i was pushin 50-55 in 5th up the east side of the santiam pass pick elevation of the road around 4,600ft a 6-12% grade.. I forget what rpm but I didn't let it get above 1,110°
This is a well put together video.
If you're running 1350 egts then you either need to run higher rpms or your tune is pumping way more fuel than you're actually burning
would love to have seen how you took a downgrade with that load. engine brake? using manual mode? dont own a diesel yet, i have a '16 gasser and looking into a deisel for the next rig.
I've got an '04 2500 RAM Cummins 5.9. What is EGT? I don't seem to have that on mine. I've got a 12000lb fifth wheel I'm pulling.. I've probably been driving it wrong - but so far only on flat ground. I'm getting ready to drive it down near the KY TN line on i75. Should I leave it in Tow/haul mode? I've been only doing that until I get to highway speed just to let the engine drop to 1700 RPMs. Should i let it stay high? I thought I was wasting fuel doing that. It pulls just fine not having it in tow/haul mode. Oh, and if you couldn't tell by now, this is my first diesel truck. Thanks for the video.
EGT = Exhaust Gas Temperature. Towing on flat ground or smaller hills is far more simple than the mountains in the west. If your truck is stock, then you dont have to worry about EGT temps as much. The main takeaway should be this, if your RPMs are too low then you are under the turbo. When it comes time to accelerate you are going to waste fuel waiting for the turbo to light. But if you are flat towing at highway speeds, you are probably fine cruising at 1700 rpms, if thats where you achieve the best fuel economy. Then when you need to pass someone or you need to pull a hill, just hit Tow/Haul and the truck will down shift to bring you up into a more optimal powerband, Probably around 2200 or so.
I have the same truck... Do you know exactly what "tow haul" does? I don't know, I've heard it's better to avoid tow haul
Tow haul drop a down a gear, and raises the rpms. This is good for keeping EGTs in check and keeping the power ready at your foot..
It tightens up the shifts, changes when it shifts, and changes how tcc lockup works.
Good Information
wish i understood sum of the terms better. what i doo 100 agree on is dont trt to be a lead foot when towing. drop it to atleast the speed limit or 5 under your engine with thank you. i dont go faster than 66mph when towing and not afraid to slow down to get engine out of 3500 rpms gasser. im mainly watchen oil temp and trany temp. oil 212 218 range try to hold going up a grade and dont like trany temp over 190.
Great infos ! Thanks
I have a banks Idash and it gives me 4 different egt sensors to choose from. Which one is the correct sensor to display and watch ? I have a 2023 Ford F350 Tremor with the high output 6.7 Powerstroke. Can you please help me ?
Great video 👍🏻
This is while I will always just go with the big gas option. You can move 20k with it, all while flooring it without having to worry about 5 different temperatures.
You don't have 1000lbs torque 😢
Having had both the diesel and big block gas pots the reason I hate the gas pot is that I have to floor it at times when I’ve still never floored the diesel.
The fact that people can't "feel" there car and we need a video to tell them speaks volumes about the state of society.
I have same year of truck what about coolant temps what’s a normal coolant temp while towing ?
I must have missed locking out OD? My 7.3 likes mid 40 mph at +35k lbs. 24 cargo, rest trailer/truck. I try not to drive when over 100f. Rather early am, late pm
Great job explaining
Get the tune right so it doesnt smoke. Might even help with the high oil temp
Measured where on a 6.7 psd? Where exactly on the exhaust? Which sensor?
2015 6.7 PS, towing 10,000 up and down the Appalachian mountains I’ve never seen more than 1100 degrees
Fantastic video. Thank you.
I know I’m a little late to the party.. I noticed your EOT up above 240 the entire time. I’ve got a 6.0 f350 and I get pretty stressed if mine touches 230 when I’m pulling my fifth wheel. Are the 6.7s running hotter than the 6.0s? I’m new to new to big boy trucks so I’m still learning!
6.0s run a lot cooler than 6.7s. 240 is normal oddly enough, where a 6.0 run 190-200 degrees.
What do you mean when you say "if you get under the turbo" (?)
The engine isn't moving enough air to have the boost up.
I just got a 99 f350 7.3 dually extended cab only rust is on bottom of the mini side doors it has 201k miles on the nuts I paid 1000$ and only issues is the oil pan gasket is shot otherwise it’s good shape no oil in the valley or anything I know nothing on these trucks is this a decent truck I like international and the 7.3 sounds nice what should I do to it as a daily driver to get a little more power and better mpg and some more sound out the turbo?
Modern pickup diesels are nothing like old school low rpm, fuel saving diesels of yesterday. High rpm. It makes the government happy (EPA), and it makes the operator happy. (Hi HP, and fast).
Will the edge read proper EGT's with a delete tune and the factory temp sensors?
Let’s be honest, that’s not Juice’s demographic. Totally just on radio 🤣
Why don’t they make an “air conditioners” to cool the air on the turbos intake?
Intercooler's?
@@Thesaurcery4U2C lol yeah those
Difficult time seeing gauges but did i see you running the truck near 40 miles per hour in 2nd gear???