awmasparky

I've only towed a few times but I am a little worried about the temps and power that I have. My trailer is 27' at around 7k empty, 10k full. While towing empty I did not seem to have enough power to pull in OD on anything other than flat road. If I drop into drive and run over about 55mph the engine temp seems to get a little high. It moves up to high in the normal indicator, I would guess around 215-220 F. While pulling hills (don't know the grade) I constantly need to watch temp. I need to keep it below 2400 rpm to keep the temp down. I need to get all new gauges but haven't yet, just stock as is my truck. Is this normal and am I worried about nothing or should I be? Also I have stock trans, would a shift kit improve the towing or would I be wasting money on it? Sorry for the long post but I am going on a trip week after next and need to take care of this if it is a problem. <br>Thanks in advance!!!

FiverBob

Sparky,<br><br>I can't answer well for typical readings on a '99, but your truck is now 4 years old. When is the last time you flushed your cooling system, replaced the thermostat and filled her up with fresh coolant? I pull a 16000# fiver and never have seen anything over 205 or so on a steep pull, hot day with air on. Just a thought.

RATTLINRAM

awmasparky,<br> I think if I were you, I would change the thermostat. I tow a 30' 5er (10k) and I've rarely seen the engine temp run over 190*. Most of the time it runs between 180-190 and that's even towing in the mountains with the AC running. My truck is also stock.<br> You might want to do a search for the topic &quot;thermostat&quot; because I know that some folks have posted concerning the same problem with overheating.<br> As far as the shift kit is concerned, I'll let someone else answer that question for you and I'll sit back and read the responses. I am also curious about what kits people are using if they haven't gone the entire high-dollar tranny rebuild. ;D

awmasparky

The radiator was flushed and refilled in november of 2002. While towing my jeep just after I had the same problem. Sounds like I will be replacing the thermostat this weekend.<br>I am on my way to have the tranny serviced and a shift kit installed, I'll post on what I fnd out.<br>Thanks

RATTLINRAM

Almost forgot,,,,,,
You might want to take a look at this TSB from the DodgeRam.info site also.

Bart Timothy

Could be your fan clutch is worn out.<br><br>The dirty secret is that when towing up long steep grades, at higher altitudes, on warm days, your stock radiator and engine temps are a bigger limitation than EGTs. Especially when you consider that EGTs are also indirectly tied to engine coolant temps. Putting in a 180* thermostat only slightly delays the inevitable. <br><br>Nobody ever talks about the limitations of the well designed, stock cooling system. It's good, but can be overwelmed.

awmasparky

Thanks for the input, I am having the heating problem looked at next week. As for the shift kit, I had the trans seviced and they found metal flakes so I did not have the shift kit installed. Whole new post on this problem in the engine and drive section. <br>Thanks again for the quick responses.

bulabula

Lots of good advice here; but there a couple of things that haven't been mentioned, and thats if your current radiator is crudded up on the inside, and is the radiator airway clear? Being only 4 years old its probably unlikely, but possible. What did the coolant look like when you flushed it last November?<br><br>When I had my old F350/auto, it had a huge transmission cooler and engine oil cooler as well. The fan clutch worked fine - you could tell when it engaged. My over heating problems stopped after I finally replaced the radiator - I replaced it due to its leaking.<br><br>I also found that without the lock-up torque converter in the C6, it would get warm at high speeds under heavy load. Same in heavy stop and go gridlocked traffic. I always thought a lock-up TC would help in minimizing tranny temps on the road. Don't forget that the tranny coolant lines go through the radiator thereby adding heat into the equation.<br><br>Not that it will make your truck run cooler, but how are the hoses before you depart on the trip?

awmasparky

OK I had the thermostat replaced, the dealer said it was good and did not need to be replace. I had them replace it anyway. Even though &quot;it doesn't need to be replaced&quot; it runs much cooler. Towing 8k in 95F with A/C on stayed under 190F. Glad I didn't listen to the dealer. I also had the tranny shift kit installed and I like it. Don't know if it was really worth the money but I like it much beter. Also installed tranny temp gauge so I'm not running blind. Ready for a road trip starting Monday.

Holycack

When running hot a good thing to check for is oil coating the inside of your radiator, this is caused from the oil breather bottle puking out oil. Look and you will be suprised by the amount of oil and dirt built up.

awmasparky

Hmm, going to look under the hood again, I have no idea what you guys are talking about. Unless its the hose that spews oil all over the trans cooler lines near the radiator. Makes a mess and I thought at first that the lines were bad. ???

routerguy99

Ok I have an 03' I noticed something here that cought my eye. It was 97 deg F outside, I was pulling a 5000lbs TT. 8% Grade with A/C and my Temp was about 210-220. is that not normal ? :P

KC

It was 90 today pulled my 5th wheel (31') back home, trans temp never was over 160. I do use amsoil!<br><br>KC

chuck3

[quote author=routerguy99 link=board=11;threadid=16462;start=0#158136 date=1057778155]<br>Ok I have an 03' I noticed something here that cought my eye. It was 97 deg F outside, I was pulling a 5000lbs TT. 8% Grade with A/C and my Temp was about 210-220. is that not normal ? :P<br>[/quote] <br><br><br> Mine has been up there too, everyone I know says there temps are 200 or so in traffic in this weather. My Son's 03 is doing the same. My trans temp got up to 185 running empty just an hour ago, the stop and go will kill it, I use Amsoil too.