I have read some forums and heard about overheating while towing. I will be moving in about 7 months and i am currently in oklahoma (gets hot here).I had no problems driving to OK from NJ, but this was in the winter. The highest temp was 70 degrees and my temp never went past 210.

WHat else can I do besidesan external tranny cooler.Also, does anyone have a separate tranny cooler? I want to know if you still route it through the radiator and into an "Auxillary" cooler.

I have heard of the 20lb rad cap upgrade, and HD fan clutch. Someone even said that UNDERDRIVING the water pump pulleywould help since it cuts the flow rate and gives a little more time for the water to cool off in the radiator before it goes back into the block.

I was thinking of getting dual electric fans, but I am afraid once I start towing...my truck will get hot. The system i was looking at flows 5500 FCM and comes with a custom shroud. But I don't want to sacrifice my engine for a power/mpg gain.

Thanks

 

stick 180 tstat in , trans cooler i have it using the rad then the cooler..

 

Personally I would not remove the viscous clutch fan if you plan to tow heavy,
and if you fit electric fans do it in front of the clutch fan so that its blades can be re-installed
temporarily for towing.

20 psi radiator cap is good...but replace all hoses first including the hidden bypass hose from intake manifold front down to water pump.

You have the option of putting the larger V10 radiator in for extreme conditions.

I have been running the Evans NPG water-less coolant for several years in a 1995 Magnum 5.9V8 and it pretty much eliminates boil over due to its 360+ degrees boiling point, and you don't have to run any psi pressure in the system which reduces stress on hoses and water pump seals...but the NPG only carries away about 85% of the heat per gallon pumped that pure water could.

 

The Lucas Stop Slip tranny additive says it lowers operating temps...

http://www.lucasoil.com/products/dis...2&loc=show

So does Royal Purple...

http://www.synerlec.com/transmission-fluid.html

These are relatively inexpensive ways to help cooling, and coupled with a good tranny cooler, may make a drastic difference.

I will also be moving in May of this year, driving from Utah to Tennessee and towing my wife's Mazda 626 (about 3K lbs.). I am also going to add some of this to the radiator:

http://www.synerlec.com/radiator-additive.html

 

PA,
I am a little hesitant with using a 180 degree thermostat. I am afraid that the t-stat will always stay open because the coolant will never get back down to 180 once the truck has warmed to that temp. Then the coolant will never get enough time in the radiator to cool properly. I am just speaking from experience with my 1986 camaro. My dodge has never given me overheating problems. But sometimes when towing my motorcycle trailer in hot weather and running the AC, it will get to 240 when driving up hills and the tranny downshifts and the engine has to work. After I get past the hill, the temp goes back to normal.

I also need to install a new fan shroud that i picked up from a junkyard. Mine is cracked and caving in fromposting my hand init whenchanging my cap and rotors.

I just get paranoid when it comes to engine temp.

Thanks for the info

 

I added the lucas oil before my 2300 mile treck, towing my motorcycle and trailer, plus a full bed packed in (Have a camper so it was packed high). Theweight slip difference was 2660 lbs. Abouthalf of that was payload weight, the other half was towed. I noticed it helped smooth everything out and my tranny light never came on.

Next move I won't be towing/hauling more than 2k lbs.

 

do the 180* t-stat you wont have any problems with it in there. one suggestion I could make would be to insulate your fuel rails with insulating tape from thermo-tec... it'll keep your fuel rails from getting heat soaked and heating up the incoming fuel. Why you might think??? it'll give you slightly more power along with slightly better mileage, if your making more power with the cooler fuel, 180 deg t-stat and the recommended 3923 autolite plugs your motor will work less to move the same load. May not be alot but every bit helps.

 

Steve,
I have the thermo tape, I wrapped my Fitch Fuel catalyst in it when I installed it a few days ago. I will go ahead and do up the rails as well. Thanks for chiming in about the 180*, I'll mod that too.

However, now I am running Autilite 3924 plugs gapped to .047 with my MSD 6ALand hypertech coil. Should I run the 3923s when i tow?

And yes, every little bit helps. THanks

 

wait, you've installed a Fitch??? you have to tell us how it does. to my knowledge your the only one on this board who has one. Its been debated a few times here and no one has given it a shot so it would be awesome if you can give us some feed back on how it does for the mileage. What is your setup like? do you have pics of the install?

I found the autolite 3923's worked best for me overall... I compared the bosch, ngk's & autolites when using the MSD setup on my 2000 5.9 gasser (sold a couple of years back), they seemed to work the best. I'd stick with them. I would however re-gap them down to the .040~.044 range, as they wear, they will increase in gap and you will not have to regap them before swapping them out. In a sense, they will come closer to the ideal gap over time.

I should also add that on the fuel rail wrap & mileage... I saw a 6% increase in mileage on the hiway when I had a fuel cooler & fuel rails wrapped, I'm not sure what just the rails would give you but it should help. The fuel cooler mod put the cooler up by the radiator which is a potential hazzard if you get in a front end collision so I wouldnt recommend it.

 

I have been running this is my radiator before and after the 180 degree swap (street version)...

http://www.pro-blend.com/coolsys.htm

I have been running this in the tranny (2 bottles)...

http://www.crcindustries.com/auto/co...=05502&S=N

Never had a problem towing