Pulled a 26 foot gooseneck with a four wheeler and an AMC Eagle on it this weekend. Not too heavy, but up hills I can hit 1200* pretty quick. I turned the star wheel down until it was barely held in by the spring, and that helped. Still not enough. I want to put an intercooler back in the truck, but what is my best option? I have seen a lot of 3rd gen coolers but don't know if they'll fit. I have seen that 2nd gen coolers have small inlet/outlet. what about ps intercoolers? I can weld up my own tubes, so that is not a problem. Any help is appreciated. Thanks!

Also, what is my max egt with a pre-turbo probe? I have heard 1200* for short periods of time, but exactly how long is a "short period of time?"

 

Hey Randy, here's my $0.02...

From what I recall, the 6.0 PS I/C's are the best, because they have aluminum tanks. There's a writeup in the sticky about it. https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...d.php?t=149268
I've seen them for around $150 so not too bad. Not sure how much a Bank$ one is...

This one is a 2nd gen I/C into one of ours.
https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...d.php?t=186908
Haven't looked to see how much folks are asking for these.

1200° - 1250° is right about where you'd want start cooling things down again. Al. has a melting point of something like 1220°, (I think!) and while it seems madness to hold a 'constant' temp of 1250°, it's not really a constant temp for the piston crown. EGT's might be 1250° give or take a few, but the crown is constantly fluctuating so it doesn't ever hold that temp. Otherwise we'd all have big molten pools of Al. stuck to our blocks and be holding re-boring parties every other weekend!
In saying all that, the reason you want to (re?)-install an I/C is because it's not really that good to be heating up our pistons to close on melting, is it? Better the insurance of an I/C methinks. And, as you cool things down, you get to balance it back out with more fuel again!!
Of course, you could go to water/meth...

Oh, just re-read your last sentence. JQmile said the other day he's run up to 1600°, (pegged this gauge) at the end of the track and hasn't had any problems thus far. Not sure when the last time he pulled his head off though, before or after those runs. I think you'd be fine for short bursts like that, most guys say 10 - 15 seconds, without doing any damage. And no, I don't give you a guarantee with that!


Keran

 

A PS IC from most 7.3L have the aluminum end tanks, they are the easiest and the largest IC to fit in the available space. At least that fit and still have the front end look stock.

 

I would also go with a PS intercooler, thats what I'll be goin with soon.

My dad was sayin that with the old Case tractors he used to run, he said they could run them at about 1200*-1250* all day... but that still doesn't sound too safe to me... I think as long as you dont go over that for longer than 45-50 seconds, you should be fine.

 

You've got to remember that you have an oil jet spraying the bottom of each piston all the time which cools them down pretty well, relatively speaking.

Schamran, if you haven't advanced your injection pump timing at all, you should consider doing so, as well as the intercooler It'll help out your EGT a bit, along with other benefits.

Mike

 

Thanks for your input guys. The pump has about an 1/8" timing bump. However, the truck is on it's second injection pump, so I am not sure if it is really advanced or not. I should really get a dial indicator on it. (Updating Sig now)

 

7.3 P/S is what i will put in some day.

 

Doesn't advancing the timing sort of fool one into thinking EGT are lower than they actually are ??

 

Not if you have a pyro.

 

Pretty sure you are right on that one BearKiller, I can't find the thread that explains it tho.

 

Advancing the timing keeps more heat from the fuel in the cylinder, so it lowers the temperature in the exhaust outlet. With advanced timing you are more prone to melting a piston, even if your egt's are low. Because more heat is staying in the cylinder, the piston crown temps will be hotter. Also this will cause the engine coolant temps to be higher also.

 

Wow. Makes sense.

 

My apologies BearKiller, apwatson has shown me the light and I see where you were going with this.

 

I know what you're saying here, but how much does the temperature rise? Pistons may be more prone to melting, but how many actually do? Not many I don't think, otherwise the sticky would be full of 'how NOT to melt your piston' threads! I think it depends more on how much fuel you're dumping in to the chamber, rather than when. Although in order to burn a lot of fuel, thus generating heat, the timing needs to be advanced anyway... Should we just leave everything stock and not mess with it? Not likely!!
Still, it does make sense that heat will be retained in the cylinder. Better for it to be out the exhaust valve and on to the turbine!

 

a pyro gauge is how not to melt your pistons