I lost power recently due to a dirty fuel filter; I changed the filter and adjusted the valves (why not? I had the hood open anyway). Now the power is way up- yowz!- and there's less clatter. HOWEVER... I pull the 241 grade at 80 MPH every day, and the temp used to stay on the first hash mark on the left side of the gauge like it was painted there. The temp now climbs to two needle's widths to the right of the first hash mark on the left side of the gauge. Not a tremendous rise in temps, but is there any signifigance? The EGT's have also climbed by 50 deg on the same grade (was 1050 deg, now 1100 measured pre-turbo).

 

With a clean fuel filter and a tighter running engine you are making more power. Hence higher coolant temps and EGT. Nothing to worry about.

 

Ive got a question that goes along with the stock coolent temp gauge, my coolent temp gauge seems to go up pretty high when I'm driving up grades fairly hard, however my egt's are always at or below 1050. Is this unusual for the stock coolent gauge to misread or is my truck just running to hot. The reason I am concerned is because my friend has a 93' dodge with a manual tranny and can pull the same grades as me and our trucks have virtually the same mods, only his stock coolent gauge never moves past the first dashed line. Any comments or feedback would be greatly appreciated. thanks guys.

 

It's the torque converter converting all that torque into heat and dumping it in the radiator.

 

Thank you!! Now how about helping me turn my idle down a bit? Anybody got a rubber-shanked screwdriver? On an otherwise perfectly-designed engine, why compromise with this abomination? I've been living with a high idle because I can't get to the tip of the screw- there's a pipette connected to a banjo bolt 5/8" from the screw head.

 

Hack off the extra length, pull off the return line (that's what's in your way) and run the screw in enough to get the idle close when you start it. Put the return line back on and set the idle. A long skinny screwdriver helps.