Jim73
Full Access Member
OK, took the IDI to Grand Canyon last month towing my 5700 lb travel trailer, whole rig weighed maybe 14,000. Still cannot pull even a moderate desert grade without coolant temps creeping up past 230, fan roaring away, and if i don't watch coolant temp on the Isspro like a hawk, an eventual engine light. I'm forced to back off and lose revs and air flow, and resorting to running the heater full blast just to keep her out of meltdown, and I'm aware that I'm flirting with head gasket trouble. The after market radiator and all the other stuff (see signature) didn't get me to an adequately-cooled condition. The coolant has been maintained throughout the life of the truck. I wonder whether a custom five-row like icanfixall has is the next step. Or maybe a custom aluminum crossflow piece with factory hose locations? Doesn't seem unreasonable to me to expect to be able to pull a moderate grade with my truck and just shut off the A/C and not see this type of issue. My old Dakota gasser with a 318 and five speed towed the same trailer up the same grades in summer no problem.
Beginning to think that Ford just did a crappy job on radiator sizing - this thing is as close to Zero-timed as I could get it in the cooling system, but it just is not up to desert pulling so far. Anyone see something I'm missing? What have you done that helped cooling? JUst can't seem to reject enough BTUs in this thing...
Happy Fourth!
Jim
Beginning to think that Ford just did a crappy job on radiator sizing - this thing is as close to Zero-timed as I could get it in the cooling system, but it just is not up to desert pulling so far. Anyone see something I'm missing? What have you done that helped cooling? JUst can't seem to reject enough BTUs in this thing...
Happy Fourth!
Jim