EGT Guages - why?

[Red Rover]

Not just on this site, but heaps of people have been raving on about EGT guages. Some have said if it's not tuned by this it's not correctly tuned. I know guys with 2.8 Patrols that have pulled over because they said it got too hot. NOw I 've a few turbo diesels running 18 PSI boost on the MQ, 15 psi on the maverick and another mates ruuning at 17psi on a GQ On all the turbo diesels I've had I've never bothered about an EGT guage. My theory is that if it is tuned coorectly then there will be no problem. I figured, why would I want a guage, it's get bloody hot, I've seen rally cars glowing with no problems. The GQ with 17PSI is still going strong after nearly 10 years and the maverick is still going strong at least 3 odd years down the track and the MQ is still running around, so whats the point?

Maybe I'm missing something. I know what the guage does, but is it really worth it?

Cheers Greg

[tweak'e]

if you want to get the max you can out of a motor without it destroying itself then an EGT gauge is essental.

one little thing to remenber is they often have overboost ramps on the fuel comp, ie when you increase the boost above standard it degreses the fuel which keeps the egt's down. no doubt its designed so the motor dosn't destroy itself if a waste gate gets stuck.
just because you wind the boost up dosn't always mean the egt's go up.

[Jimmu]

You run an EGT so you can tune your diesel closer to the danger line and extract the most power possible from it.
Because you can keep an eye on the current EGT you _know_ when you need to back off, which means you can actually drive it harder for longer.

High EGT's dont neccesarily mean overheating in the cooling department or vica versa. You can melt a diesel and the temp gauge can still be normal (melt it before you notice a rise in the temp gauge anyway) just as you can overheat a truck that has low EGTs.

It is cheap insurance if you want to get maximum power from a diesel.

Jimmy

[andrew e]

It may be overkill, but i have built my turbo setup from scratch, and i want to know if i have stuffed somthing up. If you have an off the shelf kit running the boost specified, tuned by a shop which has been done a thousand times before without problems, i wouldn't have one either.


Andy

[bogged]

I dont think people run EGT's to tune their car, I think they run them to know how hot the thign is getting... on way to murray sunset park, up some of them hills towing a loaded trailer, mine got to ~550 on the hills, which means time to back off.

without one, you CAN do serious damage to your donk.. for the price, they are cheap insurance.

[Red Rover]

I dont think people run EGT's to tune their car, I think they run them to know how hot the thign is getting... on way to murray sunset park, up some of them hills towing a loaded trailer, mine got to ~550 on the hills, which means time to back off.

without one, you CAN do serious damage to your donk.. for the price, they are cheap insurance.

So what your saying is that it's a big risk running 17 psi for 10 years with no EGT, unless it is underperforming then I am not getting the max performance out if it therefore I don't really need it? I assume that there is a given temp to pull over? If so what is it. I've towed flat chat up Toowoomba range with pedal flat to the floor with a 1300kg trailer no problems. I would have though an EGT would be appropriate with a ceramic wheel turbo as they can get hot and fly to bits, but I couldn't see the need on a turbo diesel metal wheel turbine as it won't generate the same temp/heat as a petrol turboed engine, but I understand what you are saying, just still can't see the whole point of it. If it's that highly tuned that you can't use the power because you have to back off cause it gets that hot on the EGT, what's the point having that highly tuned in the first place. Thanks for your inputs.

[bogged]

So what your saying is that it's a big risk running 17 psi for 10 years with no EGT, unless it is underperforming then I am not getting the max performance out if it therefore I don't really need it? .

pretty much, if your not getting the max out of it with underfuelling maybe, then yes.

I assume that there is a given temp to pull over? If so what is it. .

Depends on where your gauge sender is plumbed into. but for a safe figure, 550 is what I've been told, but depends on where your sender is, and a fair few other variables.

I've towed flat chat up Toowoomba range with pedal flat to the floor with a 1300kg trailer no problems. I would have though an EGT would be appropriate with a ceramic wheel turbo as they can get hot and fly to bits, but I couldn't see the need on a turbo diesel metal wheel turbine as it won't generate the same temp/heat as a petrol turboed engine, but I understand what you are saying, just still can't see the whole point of it..

There was a bloke here the otehr day from Scotland, saying his EGT was 900c I somehow think his gauge is fucked, or has it plumbed into the top of the piston or something.

If it's that highly tuned that you can't use the power because you have to back off cause it gets that hot on the EGT, what's the point having that highly tuned in the first place..

Your not always going up Mt Etna

[Ruffy]

So what your saying is that it's a big risk running 17 psi for 10 years with no EGT, unless it is underperforming then I am not getting the max performance out if it therefore I don't really need it?

Correct. In your case you probably don't need it. (except for towing flat out up hills puliling big trailers.)

I assume that there is a given temp to pull over? If so what is it.

That's irrelevant because you don't have a gauge anyway. But i wouldn't run mine over 600.

I've towed flat chat up Toowoomba range with pedal flat to the floor with a 1300kg trailer no problems.

That's the whole point here. How do you know you done it without any problems??? You don't!.. Excessive heat in your pistons will give them what is called heat fatigue. 'IF' you have been reaching excessive temps in the engine one day the top will melt out of one of the pistons. Not because it got too hot on that day but because it has been getting too hot over time.

I would have though an EGT would be appropriate with a ceramic wheel turbo as they can get hot and fly to bits, but I couldn't see the need on a turbo diesel metal wheel turbine as it won't generate the same temp/heat as a petrol turboed engine, but I understand what you are saying, just still can't see the whole point of it.

I don't think you do understand. It's not actually about how hot the turbo or exhaust get. The EGT gives you an indication of what is happening in the combustion chambers in the engine. It's about getting maximum power at a safe level. If you happy with the amount of power you're making and don't think it's a problem then don't worry about it.

If it's that highly tuned that you can't use the power because you have to back off cause it gets that hot on the EGT, what's the point having that highly tuned in the first place.

It's a safety measure. You have you engine tuned so that in theory it never gets to the point where you have to back off. But on the odd occassion that it does get there, in some extreme situations, then it's good to know so you can back off.

Thanks for your inputs.

My pleasure. How ever i feel your convinced that they are a waste of time and money. I assure you they have there value. They're are not for everyone but they are neccessary for some people to achieve what they want.
Cheers Dan.

[GUJohnno]

The main reason for me is that you can see what is happening under different circumstances and you learn to drive your truck accordinately.

[Red Rover]

So what your saying is that it's a big risk running 17 psi for 10 years with no EGT, unless it is underperforming then I am not getting the max performance out if it therefore I don't really need it?

Correct. In your case you probably don't need it. (except for towing flat out up hills puliling big trailers.)

I assume that there is a given temp to pull over? If so what is it.

That's irrelevant because you don't have a gauge anyway. But i wouldn't run mine over 600.

I've towed flat chat up Toowoomba range with pedal flat to the floor with a 1300kg trailer no problems.

That's the whole point here. How do you know you done it without any problems??? You don't!.. Excessive heat in your pistons will give them what is called heat fatigue. 'IF' you have been reaching excessive temps in the engine one day the top will melt out of one of the pistons. Not because it got too hot on that day but because it has been getting too hot over time.

I would have though an EGT would be appropriate with a ceramic wheel turbo as they can get hot and fly to bits, but I couldn't see the need on a turbo diesel metal wheel turbine as it won't generate the same temp/heat as a petrol turboed engine, but I understand what you are saying, just still can't see the whole point of it.

I don't think you do understand. It's not actually about how hot the turbo or exhaust get. The EGT gives you an indication of what is happening in the combustion chambers in the engine. It's about getting maximum power at a safe level. If you happy with the amount of power you're making and don't think it's a problem then don't worry about it.

If it's that highly tuned that you can't use the power because you have to back off cause it gets that hot on the EGT, what's the point having that highly tuned in the first place.

It's a safety measure. You have you engine tuned so that in theory it never gets to the point where you have to back off. But on the odd occassion that it does get there, in some extreme situations, then it's good to know so you can back off.

Thanks for your inputs.

My pleasure. How ever i feel your convinced that they are a waste of time and money. I assure you they have there value. They're are not for everyone but they are neccessary for some people to achieve what they want.
Cheers Dan.

On the contrary, I see what you are saying and for the sake of a guage why not. For what it's worth I would probably do the same again, or shortly again as the case may be with the new project. YOu can never have too many guages.................

[not not]

RedRover if you are planning to "push alot of fuel" into a diesel engine accompanied with boost then i would for shore be fitting an EGT gauge.
You obviously know what engine i ran in my GQ after i pulled the 2.8. I got it to a level of about 10psi boost with a fair bit of fuel running into it which made good power and torque but alot of the times towing the buggy up towoomba range i had to get it to sit at about 5 psi on the gauge 2/3 gear and about 3000 rpm to keep the egt down below 600. If i flogged it to the top i would everytime be running into the 700s for shore. I found though that with the fuel down and decent boost it wouldnt run high but assoon as we pushed more fuel in then it would start climbing when pushed for long perieds of time on a desent climb.
Hope this helps Cheers Jamie

[RedlineMike]

surprised no 1 has posted my pic o the white turbo

An EGT guage is dead handy so u can see how hard the engine is working

[RedlineMike]

see this thread http://carl.outerlimits4x4.com/viewtopic.php?t=93956