Running hotter than id like

[mescobar350]

When towing a fairly large horse trailer the coolant temps and trans temps will creep into the upper 210s and close to 220. I've talked with a tuner who assures me its ok but id like it to be lower. I tow in 8th gear max but is there a way to trick the cooling fan to come on earlier to hopefully run a tad cooler.

 

[Left Coast Geek]

towing my 4500 lb (loaded) fiberglass camp trailer on a warm day, my trans runs around 220 F per the dashboard display, I'm using tow/haul mode, so its keeping the gear down and rpms up, and I'm cruising easy, doing 60-ish on the freeway, etc.

 

[Grrumpy]

My 2019 Expy is new to me, but I came from a 2021 Ranger which also tends to run hot.
But, a Ford master tech told me that they (techs and Ford) do not consider the trans hitting operating temps till around 215 degrees.
In fact, when checking the trans fluid levels, they try to get it to at least 210-215 before getting a correct reading. Was told the synthetic ULV fluid is very stable even upwards of 240 degrees.
Just Friday I hooked up my 7000 lb camper for the first time and ran it to check hook ups and it hit 220 on the trans and 215 on the coolant.

 

[Fizzy]

When pulling our approx 8000lb trailer, the highest I see uphill is 101c (so 214f), and on flats coasting I see an average of 97-99c (206 - 210f). And we live at altitude (3700ft) so the air is thinner.

I checked the specs of the ULV trans fluid Ford uses and that temp is well within spec. Still, it's something I worry about.

Incidentally, I also use adaptive cruise in tow/haul mode (with 3 or 4 bars distance ahead set) and find it does an excellent job of maintaining speed and decelerating. Maybe that's why I'm seeing lower temps? It does get wonky when it tries to get up to speed after a big deceleration (sticks in a much lower gear for much longer than I like) so I take over in that case.

<cue the hate for using ACC in tow/haul haha>

 

[Calidad]

The fan kicks on at 212
Getting hot us 230- hot hot is 240- cooking stuff is 250.
200-220 is pretty typical towing temps. Only way to see lower towing temps would be a larger air to atf cooler.

Non towing you should never see over 210 in worst conditions. If you do? First suspect is the coolant thermostat which affects the heat exchanger for the transmission first.

 

[Calidad]

Hose trailers are heavy! Limit your max gear to 7 see if that changes anything.

 

[mescobar350]

Hose trailers are heavy! Limit your max gear to 7 see if that changes anything.

It's more the physical size than weight but yeah they get heavy! This thing is several feet taller than the car so its like putting a sail out over 60. Usually run 8th gear and upwards of 70 will run about 2500rpm but seems happy. Usually onky needs 7th on a really steep grade.

 

[Grrumpy]

Been 3 weeks since I bought Tank and noticed a constantly high coolant temp (via Scan Gauge lll) while driving solo...no trailer. Temps fluctuate from 210 to 225 even with outside temps of 50-55 degrees. Around 215-217 the fan comes on and stays on till below or around 210. Pretty sure the original 195 degree thermostat is still installed, and although prior records are with it, no sign of coolant swap over it's 6 years. Thinking the old thermostat has become wonky. The one time I hooked camper up to get it dialed in the temp spiked to 230 than dropped to a constant 215 while cruising and spiked to 230 and back down again several times.
AC works perfectly, and when switching to heat, the heat works as it should, so no apparent blockages.....hoping just a bad thermostat and old coolant.
Have an appointment for a coolant flush and new slightly cooler thermostat install on Thursday....hopefully will take care of problem.

 

[Calidad]

Definitely the old crummy thermostat causing high temps.

 

[Grrumpy]

Definitely the old crummy thermostat causing high temps.

That was it, that and possibly old coolant. Got a flush and new thermostat (190 degree) installed and Tank runs 30 degrees cooler. 220 coolant and 210 trans before with a 55 degree outside temp........now 188-195 coolant and 190 tranny now with an 80 degree outside temp. Once temp hits the 195 you can see (via ScanGauge) the thermostat start to open and temp goes down....
Couldn't be happier.....I know temps will go up when I start towing, but it now should be in an acceptable range.

 

[Calidad]

I just hauled my boat for the winter. The only situation where temps climbed to 218 was in stop and go traffic. Hauling up a long mountain grade at 40-45mph I saw 212 and it dropped to 198 quickly on the flat and down hill. Running 50-55mph on the flats I was seeing 205-209 most of the time. Keep in mind this is with a 13ft high, 9.9 wide oversized permitted boat haul pushing 8700lbs. Very draggy aerodynamics. Also its not fun to tow over 50-55 regardless of tow vehicle so I fly my flags and giant signs and just plod along even truckers give me room. This trip I averaged 11.5mpg vs last yr with the crappy failing thermostat hitting 230 twice then getting back down to 212 my mileage was 9mpg. Not sure if the temps and mileage are related but they could be? My haul back up in the spring I’ll probably borrow a F250 again given this yrs haul up the mountain that F250 didn’t see more than 214 and that was in stop and go traffic and cooled down under the longest toughest climb right after the traffic jamb and 214 temp.