Yes, I have the factory HD tow (included with the 202a package). I just made a 5 hour trip without the trailer on the same roads with the cruise set at 80mph and had no fluctuation of engine temps. The truck kept in 6th gear the whole time, outside temps were similiar. It seems when a downshift is needed and the rpms climb on a grade, the engine temp goes up. This is to be expexted, just not as high or as fast as the guage was indicating. I don't believe it to be a flaw isolated to my truck though after reading many similiar stories occurring in the F150s. The popular theory is Ford introduced a pcm update sometime in 2014 to the ecoboost drive train that too eagerly raises the red flag warning of an overheat when towing.
Overheating ecoboost
- Thread starter coolzzy
- Start date
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Yes, I have the factory HD tow (included with the 202a package). I just made a 5 hour trip without the trailer on the same roads with the cruise set at 80mph and had no fluctuation of engine temps. The truck kept in 6th gear the whole time, outside temps were similiar. It seems when a downshift is needed and the rpms climb on a grade, the engine temp goes up. This is to be expexted, just not as high or as fast as the guage was indicating. I don't believe it to be a flaw isolated to my truck though after reading many similiar stories occurring in the F150s. The popular theory is Ford introduced a pcm update sometime in 2014 to the ecoboost drive train that too eagerly raises the red flag warning of an overheat when towing.
I just took my 7.5k RV over to Yellowstone and Glacier NP with no issues. Some big hills going up to Butte MT. I have the tow package and was watching the trans temp... it hit 223 but the gauge was still in the middle. Not sure where it gets too hot. 90+ degree days on some of the days pulling. Not sure what gear I was in... Next to the RPM is a section that should show the gears but mine is just blank.
rdlangston13
Full Access Members
If you press the minus button on the shifter it will display the gears for you.
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I didn't have a transmission temp issue, it was the engine temp (coolant) that got too hot in my case. If you press the up arrow from the screen that shows transmission temp you will see the coolant temp guage next to speedometer. If you are seeing 223 for more than a minute or two you should slow down and pull off to let the truck cool itself down while running at idle.
If the display is off, pressing either button (+ or -) will enable the display. The only way to turn it off is to press + until all gears are available, then press it one more time to turn the display off.
Maintain 65-70 mph in 2nd gear?
rdlangston13
Full Access Members
Yeah to make it up a hill. It was screaming at about 5,000 rpm or maybe a little over. Only for 5-10 seconds though.
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I dont own a 4th gen. But if I did I'd dare you to find where in the manual it would say that.
This is so 2013 news.... move on would you, read a people's or US magazine once in a while........ it'll HELP you lol
My Ecoboost overheats too! I exhibit the same behavior as coolzzy on long steep grades with my foot in the gas.
I just took my 2017 Limited Expedition EL on the first big test up the IKE Guantlet. I drove from Frederick CO, through Denver then up over I-70, then down to Silverthorne. I had my 4 kids in the expedition, dog, and the trailer had a moderate amount of camping gear. I didn't weigh it this time but it was likely around 6500lbs in the trailer + our passengers/dog (750lbs).
The only time I experienced overheating was coming from the Denver side which is backwards from what you'd see in the youtube/IKE tests that TFLTruck performs. From the Denver side you end up climbing at 6-7% grades, you have some steep down hill runs, then some flat or gradual runs, and some really steep 6-7% runs. Overall though, coming from Denver side heading west, you experience a lot longer pulls. It's a harder test than what those youtube guys do...at least for engine temps.
I received the overheating/dash warning for the engine temperature when I had my foot about half way in to the throttle, the engine seemed to be handling the load just fine, it just must not have adequate cooling to handle the sustained grade. I will admit though, I was probably doing 65mph or a hair more when the light came on, and I had been going up a very long grade not giving the engine much break at all, once I backed off the throttle a bit, dropped it to about 55mph, it started to cool down. The gauge showed the temp around 3/4 of the way up, not in the red yet, once letting off the gas, it began to drop slowly. It took about 30 seconds to a minute or so come back down to reasonable mid range on the gauge. Once back to normal, I didn't have the issue again and just kept it around 60-65mph. If I hit a really steep long grade, I just watch the engine temp gauge, if it started to creep up, I'd slow down to 55 or 60 and it seemed to hold there.
On a side note, the ecoboost pulled the IKE gauntlet very easily compared to my old 8.1L vortec. It also pulled much better than the 2017 Sequoia I had....gotta love those turbos at high elevation.
I was thinking I could probably add a larger radiator, or maybe a lower temp thermostat, but honestly I probably shouldn't be doing more than 60mph up that pass anyway, so I'll just go a hair slower in a few spots to keep the temp down. I don't ever see much worse temperatures or grades than I do here in Colorado.
The only area that it didn't perform well was with the rear end wiggle. Compared to my old 3/4 ton Yukon it wiggles a lot with wind/semis, but it still wiggles a lot less than my Sequoia did. It was manageable, just not great with the wiggle. I have my WDH and 4 point anti sway setup pretty well, lots of end bar weight for the sway control, and I increased my rear tire pressure to almost max.
What was the outside temp when this happened? I towed a similiar grade last weekend and the outside temp was 80, and the temp guage never budged (transmission or engine temp). I'm headed out in two weeks for some steep grades as well upwards of 7500ft and will monitor temps closely.
You might consider a stiffer side wall tire, an LT tire preferably to reduce the wiggle even more. Once I wear out these cheap oem tires I'll be looking for something a little firmer myself.
You might consider a stiffer side wall tire, an LT tire preferably to reduce the wiggle even more. Once I wear out these cheap oem tires I'll be looking for something a little firmer myself.
Outside temp was in the 70s to 80s.
also my transmission will see up to 210 or 212 degrees up i-70, though most of the time it hovers around 203, but that's what my 3/4 ton Yukon gets up to as well. Going from 4900ft to 11,000ft + is just not friendly to the drive train
.My transmission temps are the same, max I saw was 210 for just a second or three on the steep climb when the engine overheated. Otherwise it sits at 203-204 uphill and down which is normal even without a trailer in the Summertime. I'm thinking of swapping the stock 7 row cooler for the 11 row cooler but we'll see how it goes over time.
Yeah I was thinking about swapping the cooler too until I realized that it holds about 200 degrees without the trailer. It seems like they designed it that way. I think I read somewhere in the forums they don't even open the auxiliary cooler until 185 or so? Not sure if that's true or not....and not sure a larger radiator would do much if that's the case.
I'm not sure I agree with that LOL.
I think more air = more gas = more heat. Don't the tunes typically add more boost....which adds more air (even if it is cold with larger intercooler), that means more gas and hence a lot more heat.
It is about effeciency. The cooler air charge is more about allowing the engine to make the same HP with less heat. So pulling up a hill the engine should create less heat with cooler denser air coming into the turbos. Less heat soak and transfer to the engine. The fuel consumption should be less since less work is required.
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I researched the intercooler issue. Looks like even the 2017 ecoboost F150s have overheating issues up steep grades, and they are the gen 2 ecoboost.
I researched a first gen ecoboost F150 owner who had the same overheating issues in hot weather up passes, it sounds almost identical to what we are experiencing. He said he pretty much got rid of the overheating...or at least made it a lot easier to manage by upgrading the intercooler like you suggested. He said the head temp still rises but not nearly as fast, and it's completely manageable at higher speeds (70mph was his towing speed).
https://5startuning.com/product/front-mount-intercooler-upgrade-f150-v6-3-5l-ecoboost-2013/
I still feel like I shouldn't have to pay $1000 on a new intercooler (or more) just to get what I expect it to do stock. For now I think I'll just manage it by slowing down to the 50mph range if it shows it's heating up. It seems like a lot of guys downshift too, manually, and try to holder a higher rpm with less boost at slower speed...that helps as well.
mach1expedition
New Member
Hey has anyone been able to prove out a solution here? I have the same problem. 2016 Expedition, I tow about 6600 Ib boat in Colorado. One time last summer we had to pull over for a minute or two to let it cool down going up Monarch Pass. I notice if we don't try to push it, use more gear and less turbo as well as back off the throttle a little, it gets warm, but we don't need to pull over. The day it overheated it was low to mid 80's.
I just don't want to waste money throwing aftermarket garbage at it. Does the intercooler solve it, or at least help it? Do you need intercooler and radiator? Cold Air intake?
Also what about putting a down pipe and tune on it? I know putting the downpipe on will help expel the hot exhaust and potentially keep EGT's down, which will result in lower ECT's.
Just based on what I have read so far on here and the F-150 sites seeing the same issues, I am leaning towards the intercooler and downpipe + 91 Octane towing tune. I know the added power from the tune is just doing to make more heat if you use it, but perhaps the efficiencies will reduce ECT's.
I just don't want to waste money throwing aftermarket garbage at it. Does the intercooler solve it, or at least help it? Do you need intercooler and radiator? Cold Air intake?
Also what about putting a down pipe and tune on it? I know putting the downpipe on will help expel the hot exhaust and potentially keep EGT's down, which will result in lower ECT's.
Just based on what I have read so far on here and the F-150 sites seeing the same issues, I am leaning towards the intercooler and downpipe + 91 Octane towing tune. I know the added power from the tune is just doing to make more heat if you use it, but perhaps the efficiencies will reduce ECT's.
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