The cool down procedure was outlined in both my 01.5 and 2003 CTD manuals.

 

What is an EGT guage. I'm guessing it stands for Exhaust Gas Temperature. Is this right? I'm looking to do guages pretty soon - really want the boost guage, but didn't want to mount 3 guages on the a-pillar. Have any of you guys with SLT's put these on a "blank" mounted where the current storage opening is under the A/C (in the Laramie's the elec 4WD and heated seat switches are here)?

I wonder how much this would run for the install (not doing this one myself for **** sure).

 

Sorry...just answered my own question https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...hreadid=44347.

Thanks!

 

Let's see.... If I wait 2 minutes to cool down every time I stop the truck (avg. 8 times/day), thats 16 minutes/day or about 90 hours/year. If I figure my time is worth $40/hr, thats $3,600/yr. I think I can buy a few turbos for that.

Makes a good case for the cool down timer if you truly do need to cool it down to save the turbo.

I think I'll take my chances. If I have to replace the turbo after 1 year, maybe I'll reconsider.

 

I agree with the cool-down timer idea. The Owners Manual makes the case for cooling more than the turbo. I don't suppose that your $3,600 would go too far in replacing the engine.

What I find puzzling is that if this is an important operating procedure, why not make it a part of the ECM function as a stock item?

jr

 

That would require modifying the harness to use more of the cummins ECM and it would cost DODGE more money

 

Because it isn't that important. The only time I've ever followed any kind of a cool-down procedure, big truck or little, is when I pull into an interstate rest stop. Any other time, I just shut it off. Over thirty years of doing it that way, zero turbo failures (from oil coking) to date.

 

Were you 'just lucky' or is Cummings/Dodge just blowin' smoke with the recommendation?

Or perhaps did you just pass this problem on to some one else to care for?

Or is this just a CYA for Cummins?

jr

 

I don't think I've been 'lucky'. If so, I'm not the only one. Watch how UPS drives its delivery trucks.

I do pass my problems (not just the turbo) on to someone else, but usually after many hundreds of thousands of miles. Highest mileage vehicle to date was about 650,000. Like I said, I will cool it down if I just pulled off the highway where it has been running hard, but that is it. Otherwise, all the side street and parking lot maneuvering is more than sufficient to cool it down.

 

OK, but that still begs the question. In the owners manual there is a whole page devoted to cool down procedures. The recommendation is form 1-5 minutes. Is Cummins/Dodge just blowing smoke with this recommendation?

Inquiring minds want to know.

jr

 

Before I got my pyrometer, I used to use the Owners Manual's recommendations about cooldown. When I installed the guage, it was interesting how far off I was.

I just came back from Atlanta, an 85 mile drive running between 70-95 MPH in 90* heat. It took the engine about 25 seconds to get to 290*. When I pull my 8000# trailer, it takes about the same.

The trick is to turn off the A/C and put it in neutral quickly. It takes forever to cool down with the A/C on. I will soon be towing a 14,000+ goose neck, but I dont expect the cool down to be much longer.

By the way, the above figures are with a PowerMaxCR set on 4/4 and stock exhaust.

 

OK, but does EGT equate with turbo/engine temp when you shut it down?

jr

 

Don't know if this helps anyone or just adds fuel to the fire:

http://list.priceweber.com/cummins/summer.html

 

Thanks Steven. It becomes a puzzle for new CTD owners when some statements in the owners manual are a 'must' and others are a 'maybe'. I have owned three other diesel vehicles sans turbo. Never bothered with any cooldown time except after sustained highway speeds. Under these conditions I have even spent a little cooldown time with my gassers.

I am not meaning to be argumentative, just trying to make sense of it all and preserve my truck as best I can.

jr

 

If you understand what actually occurs when the oil cokes due to excessive heat, you will not want it in your engine. It actually turns in to small gritty particles that do damage to bearings and other surfaces in your engine.

Depending on where you live can have a great deal to do with the problem. I live in the mountains, and when I reach my home it is not uncommon to see temps around 800 degrees pre turbo.

With the turbo cool down timer, I set it at the 2 minute mark and leave it to do it's thing. If I am pulling a heavy load I have to use a longer setting.

Ignoring the problem doesn't make it disappear, if you can get a cool down timer for less than $100 dollars, and save your turbo and your engine from those gritty particles, why would you not do it?

The trucks don't come with these things because DC only wants it to make it to end of warranty period. They make more money off parts and labor, than in the selling of the vehicle in the first place.

Every time I see a guy pull in somewhere in his CTD and shut it down almost before it stops rolling I cringe. Might as well just go grab a handful sand and toss it in the crankcase.

In normal driving where it has time to idle a bit before you shut it down, you are pretty close to shutdown temps, 30 seconds to a minute can be plenty of time.

You see a lot of truck drivers abusing their vehicles, like UPS guys, because they don't have to pay for the maintenance of the vehicle. They drive them till it drops and get another truck while the service shop fixes that vehicle.

My Bro in law has 60 vehicles he is in charge of maintaining, he has usually 3 to 5 trucks at his shop full time. They swap them around to the route drivers while they fix the broken ones.

He is happy when they actually put diesel in the tanks instead of gasoline