2L'-TE BULLETPROOFED. 1,200F EGT's

[Ebike toter]

Wanted to start a thread which covers my recent 2L-TE upgrades & actual driving results..
Conditions:
Towing.. actual gross weight 7,560 lbs
Altitude.. 4,500 to 5,500 ft
Ambient temp... 50f to 65f
Boost at idle - negative 4.5 psi
Boost at 4,000 rpm .. positive 2.7 psi
Actual EGT temps incurred... 2 hours floored.. max egt temp 1238f.. all 2 hours over 1,100f... mostly at 1,150f
Time to cool down to 392f.. 4 minutes...
I'll follow up this mail with a series of articles about the mechanical mods I have performed to "bulletproof" the 2L-TE engine
If you're interested follow this post..
Cheers

 

[Lenny33]

Following.
I’ll be interested in how much the thin air and mountain passes of Colorado affect your rig.

 

[FJBen]

So am I reading this correctly your maximum boost is 2.7psi? Or are you thats where it sat going down the highway at 4K rpm? Seems pretty low unless I"m reading something wrong.

How were you other temps? I'd be very interested in your coolant and oil temps. You can sustain 1100F on most(all?) diesels without issues. Once the coolant and/or oil start climbing as well you have some potential issues on the 2LT/E more so than others. Personally, I'd be more closely watching the coolant temp on these engines as that can occur without high EGT's.

What gauge are you using for EGT?

 

[Ebike toter]

I have the factory Zietronics sensors for egt, boost and O2, which are displayed on the furnished LCD display.

 

[GTSSportCoupe]

So am I reading this correctly your maximum boost is 2.7psi? Or are you thats where it sat going down the highway at 4K rpm? Seems pretty low unless I"m reading something wrong.

How were you other temps? I'd be very interested in your coolant and oil temps. You can sustain 1100F on most(all?) diesels without issues. Once the coolant and/or oil start climbing as well you have some potential issues on the 2LT/E more so than others. Personally, I'd be more closely watching the coolant temp on these engines as that can occur without high EGT's.

Exactly the same things I was going to ask about. And is that snow I see in your pictures? If so, towing will have been relatively comfortable. Wait until ambient temps are around 90F (30C) or more. That's when the fun starts with regard to coolant/oil temps.

 

[Ebike toter]

A turbocharger system boost pressure is sensitive to air density and atmospheric pressure.. as elevation from sea level increases both density & pressure decrease.. ergo the negative boost pressure at idle.. and as mentioned In my post.. 2.7psi @ 4,000 rpm.

 

[Ebike toter]

Coolant & oil cooling upgrades projects are designed...
Coolant system .. new aluminum radiator, Davies Craig electric water pump.. crown vic interceptor electric rad fan, gmc 200 amp alternator & 12v vacuum pump..
Oil cooling will be handled with a new 12v fan assisted air/oil heat exchanger..

 

[Ebike toter]

Couple days ago I drove 4 hours thru 105f heat @ 70mph.. gvw 7,560lbs with trailer.. engine vital signs were all "good to go".. I'll be looking forward to testing at high temperatures coupled with high altitude..
Thanks for the comments
Cheers

 

[GTSSportCoupe]

Couple days ago I drove 4 hours thru 105f heat @ 70mph.. gvw 7,560lbs with trailer.. engine vital signs were all "good to go".. I'll be looking forward to testing at high temperatures coupled with high altitude..
Thanks for the comments
Cheers

Did you hit any long steep hills that day? How did the temps do?

 

[Ebike toter]

Yes... series of steep climbs from San Luis Obispo thru Paso Robles.. Fresno.. etc.. at well over 100f outside temps.. egt temps would not pass 950f.. but I was only climbing to 1,500 - 2,000 ft elevations.. so boost was at 9 psi at 2200 rpm. I have found the more boost I get into the system the lower egt's are.. I actually have manually closed the wastegate.. and control boost by throttle only.. I will be installing an electric wastegate actuator.. but at higher elevations I don't see over 2.7 psi boost..
Another interesting thing.. my cruiser is automatic.. egt's rapidly drop 50 - 100f if I force into higher gears ( like d, with od engaged) .. but since I am towing close to 3,000 lbs all my data is tainted due to high torque & hp requirements.. in my final testing prior to hitching up I was pulling steep hills with a max of 850f egt's.. and constantly accelerating .. past 80mph.. on 33x12.5 tires!@

 

[maddslacker]

Following ...

 

[Waikato Willy]

egt probe pre or post turbo housing?

some pretty cool figures!

 

[dogfishlake]

Interesting. There must be a way to make this engine reliable (although 200,000 plus miles on most trucks isn't exactly unreliable), and it looks like you have done that. Nice work.

@SNLC , isn't this what your 70 has? Sounds like it is a really fun, reliable truck too.

 

[FJBen]

Yes... series of steep climbs from San Luis Obispo thru Paso Robles.. Fresno.. etc.. at well over 100f outside temps.. egt temps would not pass 950f.. but I was only climbing to 1,500 - 2,000 ft elevations.. so boost was at 9 psi at 2200 rpm. I have found the more boost I get into the system the lower egt's are.. I actually have manually closed the wastegate.. and control boost by throttle only.. I will be installing an electric wastegate actuator.. but at higher elevations I don't see over 2.7 psi boost..
Another interesting thing.. my cruiser is automatic.. egt's rapidly drop 50 - 100f if I force into higher gears ( like d, with od engaged) .. but since I am towing close to 3,000 lbs all my data is tainted due to high torque & hp requirements.. in my final testing prior to hitching up I was pulling steep hills with a max of 850f egt's.. and constantly accelerating .. past 80mph.. on 33x12.5 tires!@

So you are saying you are pulling steep hills, in a 2LTE automatic cruiser and still constantly accelerating over 80mph and only 850F EGT???

What exact mods have you done to this? Seems like really nice power.

Also if you are seeing 1238F post turbo sustained, I wouldn't be comfortable with that at all. Post turbo EGT temps can vary from 200-500° depending on distance from turbo. Way hotter than I would run.

 

[SNLC]

Interesting. There must be a way to make this engine reliable (although 200,000 plus miles on most trucks isn't exactly unreliable), and it looks like you have done that. Nice work.

@SNLC , isn't this what your 70 has? Sounds like it is a really fun, reliable truck too.

The LJ79 has a 3L non-turbo. I have never had a Cruiser with the 2LT.

Agree with what others are saying about EGT’s, when I first read the thread I said to myself, to hot for my trucks or builds.

Cheers

 

[Ebike toter]

here's a 1st draft of the completed phase 1 mods & upcoming phase II mods
1990 LJ-78 2L-TE upgrades projects –
Phase I Completed:
Mechanical Upgrades - components were purchased & modified prior to installation:

• CT20 turbocharger – internally & externally ceramic coated - both exhaust & compressor housings, turbines re-balanced
• Exhaust manifold – internally & externally ceramic coated
• Intake manifold - internally & externally ceramic coated
• Top mount intercooler - internally & externally thermal transfer coated

All coating works were done by Donny at CAPS in Fresno California.
Chassis Modifications

• New shocks
• Steering dampner
• oem rotors (4), brakes & cylinders
• AVM manual locking hubs
• 5000# rated tow hitch (welded to chassis)

Additional mechanical components

• 3” custom mandrel bent exhaust system fabricated and installed downstream of factory downpipe, .with a 3” glasspack muffler (4” outside diameter) and vertical mounted O2 sensor bung.

Controls Upgrades:

• Zietronics standalone ECM system installed c/w boost/egt & O2 sensors

Phase II Mechanical Upgrades Project
Components:

• New 3L head is being ported & polished, with bigger valves & ceramic coated, camshaft being reground for maximum reliable low end torque & HP
• All the kit I removed as part of the phase 1 project is being interior & exterior ceramic coated by Donny.
• Rebuilt EFI Denso V3 pump
• New bosch injectors

Additional Phase II components:

• 3000 psi cat 5 CNG tank (compressed natural gas)
• Natural gas system flexible & hard pipe as required
• Initial let down station of 3000 psi to 150 psi
• Secondary letdown station from 150 psig to 3 psig
• ECM controlled stepper type flow control valve
• Custom injection nozzle for upstream of turbo air inlet
• Integration package for ECM with cng system monitoring readouts

 

[Ebike toter]

yes the EGT's are real numbers... 1,100f + temps sustained for over 2 hours.. 1,200f + temps for a few minutes only - don't forget cruiser heads I am still testing my phase 1 build... as my confidence builds and the mule responds to harsher conditions & will continue to expand the horizons.. but I honestly feel that as she sits right now the phase I upgrades have been a success. I wanted to create a 2L-TE engine which would set a new standard for LJ78's... buy the way - 0 oil consumption & 0 coolant loss

 

[Ebike toter]

& for the record - I am a Mechanical & Controls designer by trade.. this stuff doesn't happen by accident - it was a 10 month design period with an 8 week build window.. lots of software simulations in getting things right..

 

[Waikato Willy]

mate sounds like the business!

ex probe pre or post exhaust housing?

Im more of a go for 30psi and add some fuel, I would be happy if I could churp the tyres between gear changes on my auto

and for the record I am a professional at ruining stuff and cheap skate as well ,sweet as

 

[Ebike toter]

WW - I like your style.. I haven't been able to get boost pressures past 16.5 psi - & I have the turbo blowoff valve permanently wired shut.. the reduced gas flow resistance coupled with additional exhaust "sweep" with the shorty "lakeside style" 3" exhaust do not allow higher turbo pressure buildup.. if you want horsepower & torque for chirping purposes my phase 2 mods goal is 190-200hp & 300ftlbs torque.. I'm guessing that presently im at 160-170hp & 250ftlbs torque - when I land at my new job site in the rockies I'll get proper dyno runs - adjusted to sea level

excerpt from revised upgrades description 10 minutes ago:
Additional mechanical mods

• a/c compressor / brackets / pulleys removed
• egr system removed (egt & boost sensors installed in custom blanking plates at egr flanges in intake & exhaust manifolds)
• throttle body main butterfly removed
• throttle body “small” butterfly & shaft removed (vertical hole in throttle body plugged with champagne bottle cork pressed in past the removed shaft horizontal holes & sealed with hd epoxy)
• 3” custom mandrel bent exhaust system fabricated and installed downstream of factory downpipe, .with a 3” glasspack muffler (4” outside diameter) and vertical mounted O2 sensor bung.
  
• SHORTY EXHAUST
  
• 3" EXHAUST.. TURBO BLOW OFF VALVE WIRED SHUT
  
• O2 SENSOR
• 
  
  
• BOOST SENSOR
• 
• EGT SENSOR (LOOKING DOWN)