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Towing Issues and Fixes

2K views 19 replies 7 participants last post by  the1laf 
#1 ·
Hi everybody. I started reading the forums and getting info for my 2000 SRW F350 a year or so ago. I bought this truck to pull a LQ horse trailer (about 11,000 lbs) between Texas and Wyoming, and I just finished my first trip. It was, well, difficult at best.

I had a lot of issues with EGTs the whole way. I felt like I was watching it far more than my speed! I currently have a 6637 intake, 4" turbo back exhaust, gauges, banks big-head, flanged up-pipes, built trans (billet converter, extra clutches, valve body, Mag Hytec pan), and a Hypertech tuner. A lot of hills had me at 1250 EGT, while the speed was slowly coming down. Some hills I topped at 40mph. This was a beating over a 24 hour each way drive time trip!

Here is what I'm thinking I need to do to get better performance. I'm not looking to race or anything. I just need a safe, reliable, strong truck to do this trip and as a daily driver.

1. Dieselsite turbo-master, wicked wheel 2, engine and intercooler boots, and adrenaline HPOP
2. Unlimited diesel Stage 1.5 injectors
3. Gearhead tunes

I did a DIY pressure test on the intake system and have had the Ford dealership look over the truck too, and can't find any exhaust leaks after I put in the up-pipes.

Any advise and input is appreciated. Thanks in advance.:thumb:
 
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#2 ·
Stop spending money on expensive components that won't help your situation. 11K is nothing for even a stock truck. Best way to control EGT's is more air flow in and out followed by quality tunes and water meth injection, if needed. Sounds like you have enough air flow. I want you try something before you spend any more cash. Next time you are towing don't think of 1250 as the red line. If you are approaching the top of a long grade, let's say a mile from the top and EGT's are 1200+ don't back off the skinny pedal, stay in it. Once you hit the top the temps will quickly drop once you cruise down the back side. It takes well over 2 min to heat soak a piston, so you need to understand what you are watching and why. Another thing to try is if you are towing in OD and the RPM's are dropping on the grade, hit the OD off making the truck downshift, this will also drop the EGT's quicker than staying in it but bogging the truck down in OD.
With some change in driving habits I think you might be surprised at the difference. To be honest with you, if you are still having EGT issues I would be going with a good custom tune and ditch the canned tunes. You would be shocked at the difference between custom and generic especially when it comes to Tow Tunes.
 
#4 ·
Thanks for the replies. Maybe I'll just start with a custom tune and see what happens. I was definitely watching the EGTs and downshifting when needed. It just seems like it was a lot more often than it should have been. I thought 11,000 lbs was well within the limits of the truck, but the engine has 190,000 miles, so I thought some of those parts might be getting weak anyways, so putting in new and/or upgraded parts might help a lot.

Yes, I went over Raton pass on the way up, but went home via Kansas to try and get a little more level terrain and avoid the lane closures they were having going south over the pass.

Thanks for the advise. If any others want to chime in, it would be appreciated. I'm kinda struggling with what to do here. I got to make this truck work out...
 
#5 ·
get some cusom tunes.
 
#7 ·
Have you done the 6.0L tranny cooler?? That will be a huge advantage in keeping down your tranny temps, and PHP offers custom tunes that I have and my EGT's don't get crazy.
 
#8 ·
I have an aftermarket transmission cooler, but I'm not sure what brand or size it is. I'll probably put in the 6.0 cooler or the Tru-Cool from dieselsite, along with the filtration kit, to protect the transmission pretty soon.

My transmission did pretty well on the trip. The highest it got was 210, even over Medicine Bow Pass, which was a 7% grade and over 8,000 ft high.

My main issues involved power and EGTs, but it sounds like better tuning may make the biggest difference with that. I'd like to add a little more air with that, so that's why I'm wondering about the turbo upgrades when I do the tuning.
 
#10 ·
I would check all of the intake boot's for leaks, then drop in a AFE or Airaid intake kit, open up the exhaust these will help get the air in and out. Then me I would do a chip (PHP Hydra) and go with the WW2 that is what I would do, I've all of this except the WW2 and when towing in the 65hp tow mode my EGT's never went over 1100* towing up hill. But my camper is only 8, 000lbs and the hills are not 8, 000ft.
 
#9 ·
Nearly 100% positive its your tunes that are sending your EGT's sky high. Canned tunes run hot without a load (I noticed a huge difference in my Diablo vs PHP Hydra), so adding weight is just going to make the problem worse.

You've already fixed and re-checked the common issue area's and they are good. You have air in and out, its your tunes.

Cheap option is the PHP Pheonix - 6 tunes, $295 or get the Hydra and try all of their tunes, be able to get gearhead/tony wildman/etc tunes emailed to you for $425 and pick which works best.

I run my 80 Tow or 80DD tunes when towing and the truck has been up some steep hills here in Maine, she's never gotten hot once.
 
#11 ·
Thanks guys!

I think I'll put in a WW2 and some new boots since the truck is 13 years old. I'd hate to pop a boot 1000 miles from home! I've got the big air filter mod (6637?) and the exhaust, so I think I'm covered on the airflow.

It sounds like my canned tunes are definitely the biggest problem. I'll get some new custom ones and see how that does. Maybe I can put off the big ticket items (injectors and HPOP) for a while then.

Does anyone know what the realistic life expectancy is out of the stock injectors? Mine have 190,000 on them, and I'd like to have an idea of when to replace them would be.
 
#15 ·
My truck has 184k on it and the injectors are fine and handling the tunes just fine. I'll only swap them out once they start to show signs of dying or I get the mod bug.

OP, STOP!!!!!!! Don't buy the WW or anything else right now, get some custom tunes in the truck and see what the differences are.
Umm...my first post essentially said the same exact thing :dunno:
 
#12 ·
Why are people offering yet another intake for him to use? If the 6637 doesn't flow enough air he has much worse problems. Some of you have no issues spending someone else's hard earned money, but I do. Now if he was wanting a better filtering intake, than yes the AFE II, AIS, or the real deal Tymar would be a excellent choice but that isn't the case at all.

OP, STOP!!!!!!! Don't buy the WW or anything else right now, get some custom tunes in the truck and see what the differences are. 190K is well within the life of injectors and turbos so unless you know they are bad no reason to swap out expensive parts. If you knew anyone with custom tunes that would allow you to try them would be a good move. If you were close to Mayberry RFD I would let you try some DP tunes, but you may not bring them back, lol!!!!
 
#13 ·
Sorry, I must have missed the part about having the 6637. My injectors have almost 250, 000 miles, and seem too be doing fine, but I don't want too jinks myself. Haha as far as the WW Jay at PHP was telling me that this would be a excellent mod for my truck at this point. He's a big boy he can pick whatever mods he wants it's his money.
 
#17 ·
I'm running Gearhead Tunes and couldn't be happier, I haven't towed much since I installed but when I did it was like driving a completely different truck, 14k was no problem.

I found my Hpop to be weak which I'm blaming for some of my higher egt's (kinda expect it at 308k i guess..) as well as the elevation difference from Texas to Montana but overall EGT's were very controllable.
 
#19 ·
Any decent tuner should ask you everything that you have done to the powertrain, as well as how you normally use your truck. If they don't ask, don't buy!!!!
 
#20 ·
He'll need to know everything about your tranny, whether you've done anything to your turbo, Hpop, Injectors, etc.

Yes you will have to have the tunes tweaked for an upgraded HPOP but Matt's reburns are free, you just pay shipping.

Another thing to add is Matt's customer service, I emailed him with some questions when I was buying my chip and he emailed me back that Sunday night and we had a conversation until just after 10:30pm MST when all my questions were answered.
You can't ask for better service in my book.
 
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