Wife just drove the truck on highway in wrong gear ...
 

So, I just bought my buddy's 2004. It's got 5" exhaust back from the turbo so it can be loud if you get on it but not that loud. Wife comes home from driving it from errands and says the truck is loud and we're supposed to drive it on road trips?
She said it sounded like she was driving on the rumble strips on the shoulder. I told her that it has AT tires on it and we'll replace them with highway tires when it's time. Then she admits that it might have something to do with the fact that she wasn't in the right gear.

[verymad] I was freaking out asking her how long she did that and when she noticed, etc and of course she interprets that as "giving her ****" which I also did, but that is separate [director]
It was about 5 miles. Then she said she couldn't get it above 74mph. So that was another blow to my already increasing anxiety about permanent engine damage. I said with disbelief, "what were the RPMS!"
I'm surprised she had an actual answer to that question but when she realized she might be in the wrong gear she did look at the tach and she said it was ... 4000RPM on an CTD with a 3200RPM redline.

The only grace that engine has to give is the fact that it has heavier than stock valve springs, but I can't help but fear that the rumble strip sound she was hearing was valve interference. I went outside and started the truck up and it started up with one or two revolutions like it has since I got it. It sounded right. I did glance up at the lie-o-meter and it said 13MPG so she was really juicing it to keep up on the highway.

There's not much I can do at this point, but Good Lord, should I be as worried as I obviously am?

... also not to mention what the turbo was doing at 4000 rpm

On the bright side the carbon should all be cleaned out of it!








47

The valve springs would start floating over 4K But I've heard of some getting away with it without engine damage. Your springs prevented valve float lucky for you or should I say your wife. I had a run away once that went over 5K but didnt hurt the valves. Newer trucks set code for overspeed. I checked freeze frame data and was over 4k when code set. Turbo went out and sucked in all the engine oil filled the intercooler. Funny after all that engine still ran.

1st off, getting mad at your wife for automotive things doesn't help. Ask me how I know!
Girls just don't get it no matter what when it comes to cars and trucks.


2nd, what programmer are you using to defeat the factory 2004 Cummins rev limiter?
This is kind of a trick question because I don't think your wife had your Cummins at 4000 rpms for 5 miles.

I know, I was a little hard on her.

Its a Smarty s06.

After she stopped being defensive, I asked again about details and she said she was going about 65 or so for most of it, then realized she wasn't keeping up with traffic, tried to speed up, noticed it wouldn't get over 74 and then looked at RPMs but she was approaching our exit and it was time to slow down anyway at that point. So it wasn't as over revved as much as I thought, but still had to be going a lot faster than it should.

With the heavier springs and from the sound of what really happened I am willing to bet you will be just fine and zero damage done.

My solution is to not let the wife drive your truck. It works for me. She's only driven it twice since I bought it new in feb. 2005 and I was in the passenger seat next to her both times.

If you're worried do an oil change and send in a sample for analysis. It'll tell you if metal parts fell off in there. Would give you more clues and perhaps some peace of mind.

My wife has her own CTD, and since she doesn't like driving with a manual mine is safe.



-Kris

The more I drive the truck afterwards, the less worried I am.

My 2003 was about four months old when my wife drove it to town and back (about 4 miles each way) in 4-low! [dummy]

It way "my fault" for leaving it in that state the last time I drove it...:rolleyes:

"It wouldn't go over 30!"