Anyone running SVO/WVO at 5500' or higher?

[PonyGrrl]

I'm having a glimmer about this SVO thing.

Everything boils slower at this altitude. My range is a commercial installed in our home with a 155K BTU wok burner, and it sears...but it's hard to find properly seared food.

So that made me wonder: Are there known issues running SVO with the kit conversion? Is there someone who's doing it and loving it? Anyone who gave up because of our impaired boiling point?

Maybe oil behaves differently in the fryer and inside the engine, but I thought I should ask.

[hheynow]

I've driven over the Sierras on interstate 80 (Donner Summit) on WVO and at elevations up to 9,000 ft in Nevada. First of all diesels can't breath well at high altitudes regardless of the type of fuel you use. Now think of the slow truck lanes on steep grades and they're running diesel. Imagine flooring it and only going 35 mph on WVO because your EGTs are at 1250*F and WVO has less BTUs (power per gallon) than diesel. Yeah I made it no problems but driving at 5500' or higher with a diesel is a lack of air molecule problem...and diesels need lots of air!

[PonyGrrl]

And there's one big ol' hill which represents about 1000 ft of the gain in 1 mile.

So what you're saying is:
1) Pretty definitely the local diesel mechanic is right, and my sea-level cousin the dealer service director is wrong, that a high-alt tuning is a good investment in my new ride AND
2) Might be wise to explore whether the vegistroke tank can be turned off while the engine is running hot, just for a minute.

I won't be towing anything during my regular trips up the hill, of course, and the Xs tuned by the local guy have, shall we say, put the giddyup of my Honda Element in perspective.

Thanks!

[hheynow]

High altitude tuning is something worth looking in to. My '97 does not have an intercooler so altitudes are a real challenge. When I drove over the Sierra I was on a 2,200 mile vegoil road trip so I was carrying about 1,400 lbs of vegoil in my bed. No wonder uphills were so difficult.

Why would you want to turn off the Vegistroke? The high EGTs are the exhaust gas temps at your turbo. They'd be just as high on pure diesel.