I was wondering how difficult it would be to install a pyrometer on my '91 L9000 with a 3406B CAT. It is something I think should be a standard gauge in any heavy truck, but my truck does not have one. Is it something that I should leave to a shop to install or something I could do myself with moderate mechanical experience/know how.
not difficult at all drill and tap the exhaust manifold for the probe and buy the simple gauge mount and wire it up. i like to take the turbo off when i install a pyro so i can start it to blow a metal shaving that might of fallen into the manifold
Well, I figured it would be something like that, but I wanted to ask the experts. I did not know if one place was better than another for the probe.
i always install them on the manifold on my f350 the previous owner had it on the downpipe and when i installed it on the driver side manifold i saw a 200 degree increase across the board on the pyro.
In turn with installing a gauge, would I have to refer to the CAT manual for normal operating temps or is there a "norm" overall for temps? We all know a gauge is only as good as the person reading it with the right information.
id look in the manual but for a safe number im betting anything less than 1200
That's the number I had in my head also. I remember running out west with my dad & his temps. getting pretty high going through the mountains. I can remember several times growing up plowing with the ole IH 1086 & getting that muffler glowin! Boy, did grandpa give me a talkin' to!
my old hot rodded 12v would get to 1800 degrees on a 1/4 mile pass if i did not spray the nitrous
Putting it in the manifold may be more accurate, but the most common setup is in the stub pipe right off the turbo. Pull the pipe off and weld a bung on it or just go to the truck shop and get one ready to go. With the pyro after the turbo you don't want to exceed 900 degrees.
May depend on the manifold and downpipe. Some of them come with bungs already in them. If that's the case, you're laughing. Screw in the sensor, find a spot for the gauge in the cab and away you go. My KW w/ N14 runs around 300-1200º after the turbo, depending on idling or full load. When I pull in to the yard, I let it idle for a minimum of 30 seconds AND the pyro is under 400º. Then I shut it down. Andrew
Post turbo installation used to be thought of as safer because pyrometer tip failure would not then go through the turbo. On my B model Cats I have always used 900 degrees as the bencmark for when to back off a bit or downshift.
This really makes me wonder about my pyrometer. My N14 500 never goes over 750 degrees, goes down a level(ish) road between 350 and 450, will drop to 250 if you leave it idle long enough.
1200º would be a long pull up out of a valley. Generally it's in the 600-900º range. Never drops below 300º, but maybe it depends where your temp probe is. Mine is literally 2" after the turbo. The further from the turbo, the more the air may have already cooled. Andrew
Thanks for all your help/options guys! I was thinking of installing fuel pressure & boost gauges as well. I just think that a truck should have all these gauges.
In the manifold before the turbo is more accurate and quicker to response. I know back in the day it usually was put post turbo, this due to the pyro sensors coming apart. Better metal used in them now... Least so I'm told! With a bone stock engine in good repair and not lugging it, shouldn't be able to get the EGTs too hot. 1400* sustained is what Cummins has said on most of their engines. I'm not sure with other brands. Most trucks I have run didn't have an EGT. I've seen some trucks that have every gauge known to man. Really needed?! Would need a co-driver to watch over them!
Exactly. A non-hot-rod engine should be able to sustain full power under any normal conditions for an indefinite amount of time so why bother with a pyro/EOT/etc? Better to just run it, if you are able, if you have to watch gauges, then it is time to fix the problem.
I guess I agree with all you guys saying that. I didn't know if it was a good idea to have one anyway or what, plus I think a part inside me just it would be cool to have one in my dash cluster.
If you have to drill and tap a hole for the probe you don't need to take the turbo off. Just go slow and have the engine running. It will blow everything out of the hole nothing will make it to the turbo. Wear a face shield or at least glasses if you value your sight.
Well, considering I need my eyes to do my job, I very much value my sight. Thanks for the tip. I still haven't decided whether or not to install a pyro, judging by everyone's know how, it would be merely an "extra" & not a necessity.
I agree, but I like toys. So I would and do have them on my personal diesel.
Yair . . . Way back the "B" model Macks had a big (I think six inch) pyro mounted in a bracket on the dash. It made a convenient place to hang your hat . . . and you never really wanted to know just what that needle said. With 237hp grossing over 150,000 pounds on a 110 degree day around Christmas time it didn't take all that much of a hill to put it off the scale. That I reckon is probably the best excuse to fit a pyro . . . if there is something left in the box you can drop a cog and take a bit of load off the engine. We didn't have that option, but still those engines lived . . . I mean to say when you are in bog-cog on a fifteen minute pull and she's a needle width past 1400 degrees what you gonna do? Cheers.
Lol... a friend of mine told me about a guy that had rigged up propane injection on his truck... he ask the guy, "how high does you're pyro go?" The guy said... "I don't want to know, so I hang my hat on it"... Lol... I was kinda supprised, when I read your post... but it's an honest to God true story. Lol... OCR
I have been dabbling in Exhaust temperatures lately. I have the Cat 3406E and the truck has a stock pyrometer. Your 3406B could possibly have a threaded fitting or "bung" already in the exhaust outlet that is just plugged with a plug. That would be great! I removed my stock pyro probe so that the Power Box probe would plug in. It has a digital readout that is almost instantaneous. It's amazing how I drive according to that gauge. If you are lugging the temp, immediately goes up. When you downshift and bring the RPM's up it drops down quick. I never go over 900 out of fear. I can just let out of the throttle or drop a gear and slow down to keep it cooler. When your daydreaming you can be lugging up a hill loaded and not realize it at the time but your temp has gotten way up there. I constantly monitor my water and exhaust temp. I don't have a pyro on my L9000 L10. It has a turned up fuel pump and pulling my machine it scales at 67,000 lbs.. I am always floor boarding that little small block. I can't imagine how hot she get's. It doesn't have the option to let up because it's already full throttle on any hill with the big blocks flying by me in the left lane. Basically it's out of sight out of mind. Not a good thing but that's the case for now. Now the turbo gauge I installed on the CAT motor is very cool to me. The turbo outlet tube was casted with a fitting from the factory and it installed in less than 10 minutes. You can get that at Pittsburgh Power for $60 and it comes with the quick connect air line. If you want to dash mount it you have to order the dash mount housing. They have them too.