High Temp Towing Uphill

[silver billet]

These 5th Gens have an all electric fan set up now

Caught me completely by surprise too. Middle of summer backing my trailer into campsite and thought my truck was going to explode. That thing can get seriously loud from the outside, thought it was busted for a minute until it calmed down eventually.

 

[Scram1500]

His is a 4th Gen

Well my reading skills are slipping, or my eyesight

 

[Oroman]

My 2019 Ram 1500 Classic Warlock is 5th generation. Looking under the hood yesterday, there are 2 cooling fans. One is right in front of the engine and is serpentine belt driven powered off of water pump? Not sure. This fan starts and stops with engine on or off. So it seems that this fan will obviously rotate faster at higher rpm's. Name of this fan? Don't know. The second fan (electric) is in front of the first fan, right behind the radiator...this is considered the main radiator fan. Called the radiator fan module. I've been told the electric fan is always on if AC is on. If the AC is off I don't know when it kicks on, how fast it spins or if it is mulit speed based on engine temp. I do know it is an 850 watt fan. Can't confirm when it is running since it is not visible and I can't hear it over engine noise when engine is idling.

 

[Oroman]

I take it back...my truck was the last of the 4th generation! Devildodge was correct

 

[Oroman]

Scram1500:
When you say 5th gen all electric fans, do you mean both fans? No mechanical/pulley fan? Any idea how the elec fan in my fan shroud works? How to confirm it's coming on?

 

[Scram1500]

Scram1500:
When you say 5th gen all electric fans, do you mean both fans? No mechanical/pulley fan? Any idea how the elec fan in my fan shroud works? How to confirm it's coming on?

One electric fan, but it does two things. Runs when the AC is on and runs when temps get high. There is no longer a mechanical/pulley, viscous coupling for a fan.

The 4th Gen electric fan will run when the AC is on. It's pretty loud so you should be able to hear it if you're outside the truck. The electric fan may also come on if temps get high to assist the mechanical fan but I cannot confirm that

 

[Oroman]

I could definitely could see an electric shrouded fan if I leaned down into the engine compartment and looked into the shroud toward the radiator..only way to see it. And then there is the mechanical fan up against the engine. Wouldn't 2 fans as I have be better than 1?. Is that what makes the "Heavy Duty Cooling" that is provided on all HEMI's?

 

[Oroman]

2 fans better 1 electric especially when towing?

 

[Scram1500]

I think two is better than one. The odds of the electric fan failing is slim but higher than the mechanical fan

 

[JJRamTX]

I have done the IKE gauntlet with 9,300 Lbs (3.92 gears) and didn't see my coolant temp go above 230. Glad it cooled off again quickly but something doesn't quite seem right like reduced air flow across the radiator, your Thermostat sticking a little, or coolant being a little low.

 

[Buz]

Most reassuring. Thanks. One last thought, I will be driving that pass at 40 degree cooler air temp (50 deg vs 90 deg).

I have done the IKE gauntlet with 9,300 Lbs (3.92 gears) and didn't see my coolant temp go above 230. Glad it cooled off again quickly but something doesn't quite seem right like reduced air flow across the radiator, your Thermostat sticking a little, or coolant being a little low.

What about ambient temperatures for your run and the OP's?

 

[Oroman]

Ambient temp was 91. 6% grade for 6 miles. Towing 300# under GVWR. 3.21 gears. What are OP's? My coolant maxed at 247...no warning light. That comes on at 250. I didn't notice oil and Trans temps...I was glide to coolant temp only

 

[JJRamTX]

What about ambient temperatures for your run and the OP's?

The Ambient air when I did it was in the low 80's. Towing this beast to Lake Powell for the week.

 

[Buz]

Ambient temp was 91. 6% grade for 6 miles. Towing 300# under GVWR. 3.21 gears. What are OP's? My coolant maxed at 247...no warning light. That comes on at 250. I didn't notice oil and Trans temps...I was glide to coolant temp only

So his run was 10 degrees cooler outside and he has the 3.92 rear. It's really hard to say man. I think unless that temp light comes on you are just going to have to press on as if your truck is 'normal'.

 

[JJRamTX]

Ambient temp was 91. 6% grade for 6 miles. Towing 300# under GVWR. 3.21 gears. What are OP's? My coolant maxed at 247...no warning light. That comes on at 250. I didn't notice oil and Trans temps...I was glide to coolant temp only

OP's are Original Poster since you are the start of the thread.

 

[Oroman]

So I made my return trip up the other side of the same grade (6 mi @ 6%), the difference being ambient temp was 65 degrees (25 degrees cooler!) vs 90 degrees. I expected the coolant temp to be less at 65 degrees vs 90 degrees. It was not. Coolant hit 248 at crest. Same grade, same load, etc., 25 degrees cooler. Something seems off with something with this trucks cooling system, coolant temp should have been lower at 65 degrees. I'm going to take in for service and ask them to check temp sensor, electric fan (not hitting high speed), thermostat, etc.

 

[SD Rebel]

So I made my return trip up the other side of the same grade (6 mi @ 6%), the difference being ambient temp was 65 degrees (25 degrees cooler!) vs 90 degrees. I expected the coolant temp to be less at 65 degrees vs 90 degrees. It was not. Coolant hit 248 at crest. Same grade, same load, etc., 25 degrees cooler. Something seems off with something with this trucks cooling system, coolant temp should have been lower at 65 degrees. I'm going to take in for service and ask them to check temp sensor, electric fan (not hitting high speed), thermostat, etc.

Not a criticism here, just curious, but how does outside ambient temp really effect operational temp? I can see cooler air helping intake charge for better efficiency in power, but not sure how that effects operational temps.

Hot ambient temps are still much cooler than operating temps, so it being 25 degrees cooler shouldn't make much a difference to the operating temps of vehicle. Say your truck's Idle temp is about 220F, what difference does 65F vs 90F ambient will make to that?

Going up a hill towing heavy, the cooler air will allow more power than hotter air. But does that effect the operational temperature of the vehicle in those conditions? If so, will it be enough to measure?

 

[Oroman]

You make good points. I'm just searching for answers .... I have read a lot of threads on different blogs regarding peoples experiences towing with this truck and experiencing what they perceive as high coolant temps. I seem to be the only one to experience temps over 245. Many, many people express high coolant temps during towing in the 230 degree range. So I am clearly an outlier for some reason. I'm quite sure the other people are pulling loads similar to me (within payload, GVWR and GCWR).

 

[SD Rebel]

You make good points. I'm just searching for answers .... I have read a lot of threads on different blogs regarding peoples experiences towing with this truck and experiencing what they perceive as high coolant temps. I seem to be the only one to experience temps over 245. Many, many people express high coolant temps during towing in the 230 degree range. So I am clearly an outlier for some reason. I'm quite sure the other people are pulling loads similar to me (within payload, GVWR and GCWR).

Did you have a chance to check out your radiator and cooling system? I mentioned someone earlier who had a radiator partially covered in mud that escaped initial inspection to his overheating issue. Not that we have confirmed you are overheating yet.

The guys on TFL truck did hit 240F during their "hardest towing test" video, when you get these temps, what is your oil temp? TFL guys were hitting over 287F on the oil.

 

[Oroman]

This is a brand new truck with a spotless radiator. I again forgot to notice the oil temp. I saw the FTL video and they were screaming up a grade similar, or worse, then the one I climbed. They were pulling 10,000 lbs, whereas I'm pulling 6800. I should not be hitting 248!