lug vs rev which is better

[97powerstroker]

im wondering which is better for the engine and mpgs as well, my dad tells me diesels are made to lug because of all the torque.i like to run 4th gear down the main drag in my neck of the woods,doin 55,im runnin around 2100 to 2300,but my dad says i should run 5th at that speed,but the rpms are around prolly 1600 to 1800 and it has no power in 5th at those rpms,so what should i do

 

[DaveBen]

Lug it and down shift if you need to pass.

Dave

 

[97powerstroker]

how about when towing,is it good to lug it then or will that get egts to high

 

[Crumm]

Keep it in as high of a gear as possible. When towing keep an eye on the egt's, if they climb then shift down.

 

[DaveBen]

Driving a diesel is very different than driving a gas rig. You want to get into the tallest (highest) gear possible a soon as possible and cruz. I could, and did, shift a couple of times going through the intersection. I would go down the blvd in fourth or fifth gears in my stick diesel truck. Drive by the gauges, as Crumm said. You can drive it like a gasser, but you won't see any mileage.

Dave

 

[johndeerebones]

Unloaded, who cares, drive it however you want, but if you are loaded, DO NOT lug it. When they are lugged these things don't make much boost, at lower rpms they don't flow as much HPOP oil, therefore less pressure for injection, in short if you lug em when towing they WILL get hot on the egt, maybe not for guys with intercoolers and such, but with mostly stock air systems, and even with a opened up exhaust they get hot when towing.

Best way to combat it is high rpms so you make lots of boost, more 02 always makes for colder egts, no need to run 3k rpms on flat ground, but don't even wait for it to lug out to shift, downshift when you know its about time, not after the time has come and gone.

 

[97powerstroker]

how does your truck tow in od,mine can barely accelerate with 2k behind it,is that normal,1st thru 4th pulls fine,when i run on highway in fourth at 70 im runnin 2600 2700 maybe,but od just is plain weak,whats yours like

 

[johndeerebones]

how does your truck tow in od,mine can barely accelerate with 2k behind it,is that normal,1st thru 4th pulls fine,when i run on highway in fourth at 70 im runnin 2600 2700 maybe,but od just is plain weak,whats yours like

With my mods 2k is like having nothing there, I can still leave most cars in my smoke with 2k behind me, and I have 3.55s, can't imagine how good 4.10s pull. Even with 5 or 6 k its really not all that noticable, with a few "extras" it is nothing short of amazing what these things are capable of..I'm not kidding, it gives a gear head like me a stiffy to be behind the wheel of all that power and mountanous tourqe, and I only have light mods...

 

[97powerstroker]

how much did those injectors run you,and do you have to pair them with another mod to get the fuel there made for out of them,or is it a swap injectors and bam,new power.how much of a difference is ,how much better are your hp and tq mumbers.id like to be able to have 10k behind me and hold 65 or 70 in od through tennesee and kentucky hills,with your mods do you think yours will?sorry about all the q's im just very interested in how these trucks perform.

 

[johndeerebones]

how much did those injectors run you,and do you have to pair them with another mod to get the fuel there made for out of them,or is it a swap injectors and bam,new power.how much of a difference is ,how much better are your hp and tq mumbers.id like to be able to have 10k behind me and hold 65 or 70 in od through tennesee and kentucky hills,with your mods do you think yours will?sorry about all the q's im just very interested in how these trucks perform.

I built my own injectors with Dzljim's DIY kit, so it only cost me 425 bucks. I don't even have a good chip right now, just a scmt and it will pull great, I haven't dynoed, but I would guess 275 to 300 to the ground with my setup, with the right mods stage ones are capable of 350 +. Also don't forget in stock form you are getting 200 at the most to the ground, maybe as low as 175 or so. Also tourqe is a big factor too, I think stock we put out around 400, guys with my mods or a little more around the forum pull north of 600 ft lbs on the dyno pretty regular, mind you that is at the wheels too.
Without an intercooler and some other supporting mods I don't think that 65 - 70 in od is possible in tennesee and kentucky hills, the egts would just sky rocket in od in that geographic area, in short you would melt it down.

With stage 1's you won't gain much without a chip, unless yours had problems with the injectors to begin with
You will see huge gains with only the injectors and an off the shelf chip, with a custom chip, ie dp tuner, tw, CUSTOM tuners, not just tuned by the pcm code only, and a few supporting mods you will have mega huge gains.