Getting hot towing up hills

[shortygq]

While towing 1.2 tonne up long steep hills the temperature gauge gets to 3/4. After the hill the gauge falls back to normal operating temperature. I saw a radiator specialist & he said this was normal for a diesel. I was interested in removing the radiator & getting it rodded but the specialist told me to remove the radiator, flush it out, hose out the radiator fins & flush motor out. Replace the thermostat & radiator cap & fill with new coolant. If problem persist he will be happy to rod the radiator. Is it normal for a diesel to get very warm towing up long steep hills ?

[Phil]

No its not normal.
Mine will never go over half when towing the car trailer and thats through your neck of the woods including Mt Victoria pass.

I'd start by flushing the engine and then get the radiator out and cleaned.

[AJC]

While towing 1.2 tonne up long steep hills the temperature gauge gets to 3/4. After the hill the gauge falls back to normal operating temperature. I saw a radiator specialist & he said this was normal for a diesel. I was interested in removing the radiator & getting it rodded but the specialist told me to remove the radiator, flush it out, hose out the radiator fins & flush motor out. Replace the thermostat & radiator cap & fill with new coolant. If problem persist he will be happy to rod the radiator. Is it normal for a diesel to get very warm towing up long steep hills ?

Mine has only got hot once, loaded to the kilt plus towing a ton up Clyde mountain from Batemans Bay to Braidwood, full throttle, air conditioner on, early January, high 30's, only moved from normal temp to 3/4 when I was 4/5th up the hill..I backed off and killed the air con, as soon as we crested she dropped back down to normal.

I like the idea of cleaning the system out..might do that myself; rod later down the track.

[pjchris]

Mine did that through central Australia towing a 2 tonne van and that was AFTER having the radiator removed, dismantled and rodded, the engine flushed, coolant changed, and a new thermostat installed....

The radiator was 60% blocked before the rodding but it hasn't actually changed the overheating issue at all.

[AJC]

Mine did that through central Australia towing a 2 tonne van and that was AFTER having the radiator removed, dismantled and rodded, the engine flushed, coolant changed, and a new thermostat installed....

The radiator was 60% blocked before the rodding but it hasn't actually changed the overheating issue at all.

Hmm, you might need an aftermarket HD radiator before they next rip with that big van, and a auto trans cooler for the fun of it!

[shortygq]

Thanks for the feedback. I will see how it goes after it is cleaned & flushed with a new thermostat & radiator cap.

[Patagonia]

Is the coupling of the fan working well?, it should speed up the fan if it senses rise in temperature.

If its an AT check you set the correct shift to go up else the AT box can haunt for correct shift and get hot...not the engine but supose it can add to the problem...

regards

[rebelone607]

I would have thaught that 3/4 on the guage was quite normal towing that weight up a long hill - mine does and it has never caused me any great concern, the needle normally sits just a whisker under 1/2. In fact every vehicle I have owned increased in temp. when towing up long hills, they must as they are burning more fuel and that equates to more heat and then add to that you are usually going a bit slower so you are not going to have the same air flow through the radiator - drop it back a gear or two to increase the revs and take some load off the motor usually keeps it under controll
Merv

[pjchris]

Dropping back from fifth to fourth definately reduces the overheating, it both takes longer to overheat and the needle doesn't move quite as much.

This definately points to the Auto transmission as a source of some of the extra heat but the Auto cooler is not in the radiator like some, although it is in front of it...

[t0ne]

Mine got to 3/4 temp when i got onto the bottom of the freeway here in adelaide, going up our huge hill. Had almost 2 tonne on the back, once i noticed it heating up i slowed right down and the temp dropped off straight away.

Never did it going up any normal hill after that at all.

[Gus]

I would have thaught that 3/4 on the guage was quite normal towing that weight up a long hill - mine does and it has never caused me any great concern, the needle normally sits just a whisker under 1/2. In fact every vehicle I have owned increased in temp. when towing up long hills, they must as they are burning more fuel and that equates to more heat and then add to that you are usually going a bit slower so you are not going to have the same air flow through the radiator - drop it back a gear or two to increase the revs and take some load off the motor usually keeps it under controll
Merv

Spot on..

[Stevie-Ray]

Though not quite like this!

This thread reminded me of this funny clip I stumbled on yesterday (although I've seen it before, it's still made me laugh!);

http://www.youtube.com/user/TimxX#p/u/9/IgUqoY5o8GU

Cheers

[Gus]

Yea that's a classic that 1...

[shortygq]

I drive like a manual when towing, so i know I'm in the right gear for various inclines. I checked the coupling on the fan when cold & it has some resistance to turn which makes me think the coupling is o.k. Looks like the consensus is that this is normal towing up long steep hills.
Love the video clip.
If I get a Steinbauer unit will this help, as the Steinbauer unit has an automatic cutback facility to prevent exhaust temperatures rising too high on prolonged pulls ?

[sprintman]

If you are happy the radiator is clean as a whistle get some
Redline Water Wetter to add, not cheap but works.