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Gotta tow heavy, suggestions?

Yachtcare

Yachtcare

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I have to put the rig to the biggest test yet. Afraid I may be asking for troubles. Any last minute, inexpensive mods I should be looking at? Dont think I could install a 6BT in time.......:nonod:

Have a 30' boat, on new trailer 10500# combined weight north from FL to DC area up I 95 (mostly flat) with the rig in the sig below. The truck itself weighs in at a little over 7K. I'll at least be getting around to installing my EGT gauge this weekend.
 
You look pretty set up. I'd undo the fuel lift pump input line and blow compressed air into your tank with the fuel cap off to ensure there is no clogs on your sock.
 
On flat ground you shouldn't have any problems, just keep an eye on your new EGT gauge.

Leo
 
You dont have a reflashed chip, that would help. but at a minimum I would install a boost fooler to prevent defueling on hills from overboost. Thats like $5 and an hour of your time to go get the potentiometer and solder it in.

Bring a fuel pressure guage with you. If you a normal lift pump in verify its pressure, if its weak at all go buy one for a 93 and put it on before you go.
 
Simple stuff... TCC Mod, a screen door spring to put on your wastegate arm to give you steady (but not too high) boost, and make OH SO SURE that your rad is clean and you have a new ACDelco Thermostat.

Pull the rad, set it face-down over a couple sawhorses, spray it with scrubbing bubbles or AC Coil cleaner, soak and wash (Garden hose sprayer), soak and wash, etc until it is shiny clean. Takes about 4 hours for the whole thing, but it osts nada and it's the best prevention you can get.

Make sure the Tstat is ACDelco. No substitutes.
 
2 micron before lift pump might be too fine, go to 10 micron which is plenty for a primary filter, 2 micron is for final fuel filtration, too fine it may clog prematurely and starve IP of fuel, how old is the OPS, if it's been there a while change it out or at least have a new one as a spare, if it dies so does lift pump in OBD-I truck

Even though you have remoted the FSD, carry a spare just in case
 
Last edited:
Yachtcare said:
I have to put the rig to the biggest test yet. Afraid I may be asking for troubles. Any last minute, inexpensive mods I should be looking at? Dont think I could install a 6BT in time.......:nonod:

Have a 30' boat, on new trailer 10500# combined weight north from FL to DC area up I 95 (mostly flat) with the rig in the sig below. The truck itself weighs in at a little over 7K. I'll at least be getting around to installing my EGT gauge this weekend.
Click to expand...

With that weight you shouldn't need the 6BT ever, I'm pulling 18K at times with 3:73s your 4:10s should make up for that just fine, a Derale aux trans cooler, or deeper pan with more fluid helps with the heat of towing, when was last time the trans filter was changed?
 
JiFaire said:
Simple stuff... TCC Mod, a screen door spring to put on your wastegate arm to give you steady (but not too high) boost, and make OH SO SURE that your rad is clean and you have a new ACDelco Thermostat.

Pull the rad, set it face-down over a couple sawhorses, spray it with scrubbing bubbles or AC Coil cleaner, soak and wash (Garden hose sprayer), soak and wash, etc until it is shiny clean. Takes about 4 hours for the whole thing, but it osts nada and it's the best prevention you can get.

Make sure the Tstat is ACDelco. No substitutes.
Click to expand...

If your rad is the original, and you go to all the trouble to yank it out, why not replace it? I ordered one from JC Whitney for $160 + $12 "heavy item" charge. Just go out back and pick the money off your money tree. Methinks a money tree is a good thing to have if you own one of these trucks.

Make sure your AC condenser is clean and all the fins are straight. They had such a good price on those at JC Whitney, I ordered one of them too. My AC condenser is beat to hell with all the big bugs that have smacked it over the years. It'd take me a week to straighten the fins.
 
Thanks for the suggestions guys.......
Matt B- Tank was out and cleaned maybe eight months ago, new sending unit and sock at that time.

Buddy- Ther's some sort of reflashed chip in there, but it isnt from Heath, so I consider it a mostly stock flash. I have a '93 lift pump on the shelf, maybe I'll make time to install it before I go.

JFaire- My homemade TM seems set pretty good for everyday cruising and the towing I've done in the past. My last trip thru S Ga a few weeks back I had the cruise control on (65 mph) when I came upon a little grade on I 75. Boost went to 16 psi when it started to defuel. I had about 8K # back there. I have a radio shack potentiometer on the shelf also, but not sure I want to push the boost beyond 16 psi anyway. I know it could be an IAT issue as well.

The radiator was pulled and cleaned inside and out maybe 8-9 mionths ago, flushed the whole system, cleaned out the bottle, and added some water wetter. Cooling has been no issue for me thus far.

T Doc- I can never find a 10 micron element when I'm at West marine. I've had no problems with the 2 micron, but I understand the issue, may even be a restricted flow.
The OPS is new, Delco, after two new aftermarkets that lasted less than two weeks each. The lift pump is jumped to the ALDL so it comes up with the ignition, and I always carry a spare FSD.
The tranny filter is the only thing I have never addressed since I've owned the truck. I put a larger cooler in, and added fluid, which is clean and not burnt smelling. I have a temp gauge for the tranny on the shelf also, but have never found a good consensus on where to install it on the 4L80E. Either way, it looks as though the tranny is the system I know the least about on the rig, and need to give it more attention.

Joey D- I'm well within the legal specs in the states I'll be travelling thru, and the trailer is custom tailored, brand new, being built as I write.

Ak diesel- Thinking WMI would be a real good thing to have in absense of an intercooler, but I dont see myself having the time to fab either one up before I go next week. Eventually, I want to do an ATT so trying to avoid spending on an IC or WMI that I wont need later.....

Thanks for the suggestions gentlemen, I'm feeling better about the whole trip already.
 
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