'02 F-250 XLT Superduty. Tow package, plow package, X-cab, 8' bed. 5.4L triton with about 85k miles. 285/75R16 mud tires (265/75R16 factory), no gear changes.

Have towed this rig several times w/o issue (except the time I forgot and left it in OD "off" and it ran super hot - oops!).

16'x7' trailer, 4 quads, 4 people and all the camping gear we could fit. I estimate 5,000 lbs combined payload (one quad in bed) and trailer with 3 quads plus gas cans, tent, clothes, riding gear, etc.

Coming home from Hatfield & McCoy in W. Va. the truck overheated and I had to pull over to let it cool. It was running hot on the way there and I put in about 1/2-gallon of water before we left to come home. When I pulled over I see the tank spit some of that out. After cooling (ran heat on full, opened hood and let idle - but gage never moved. I was positive it returned to normal temp. (I had to turn truck off and back on before coolant temp gage returned to normal - WTH??), so we headed up road.

I had to turn off OD on several big hills b/c it seemed that the truck was way low in RPM's (way below good power band). I had to "baby" it to keep it from overheating.

Coming up I-77 it overheated again after a long ascent. I took it to a dealer in Ripley and got screwed for $153 for a faulty t-stat. $153!!! I wouldn't even complain if it fixed the issue!!! 5-10 minutes up the road, the gage sneaks right back up to overheat and the "check gages" light comes on (as it did before). The check engine light came on the first time it overheated (right when we left to come home) and the dealer didn't even clear the code.

I continued to "baby" the truck all the way home (4 hours from that dealer). Since it was later into the evening and it had cooled down I think that helped. Made a few key stops along the way to allow it to cool as it was running at the high end of the normal range on the gage.

I am puzzled as to why it is still overheating. They checked and topped off the coolant, checked the fan clutch and replaced the t-stat.

I watched a Chevy Avalanche towing a 28' (guess) travel trailer as he PASSED me on an uphill run in WV. I was already sneaking high up on the gage and was giving up speed (would reduce from 60-65 to about 50-55 before cresting).

I'm sorry, it seems to me I should almost be able to run that set-up with those hills with the A/C on!! I certainly should be able to maintain 60-65 mph (70 limit in WV) with no problem w/o the A/C!!

Any ideas?? The truck runs dead center (nominal) w/o trailer attached...

 

It should do just fine. You SHOULD be towing with OD off, so that's another symptom if it overheats there too. Is the trailer pulling badly, as in the brakes or axles slowing and adding a ton of drag?

 

If you tow regularly, you should add a REAL temp gauge and I'd also add a tranny gauge. Those 'idiot' lights that come on the truck do you NO good..... With the add-on gauges, it is a no-guess what the real temps are....

There is no telling what damage may already had been done to the tranny without really knowing what temps were reached in there. Running a real hot trans temp can (and will) run the coolent temps up too.

First thing I'd do is get your trans fluid flushed as soon as practical. No more towing until you find out the problem, except of course, to test whatever has been done to hopefully repair it. Get the codes pulled from the computer and either get a dealer you trust to check it out. Insure the final test is a tow of that same trailer - loaded -. If it continues to overheat at that time, you will know what's heating first...the tranny or the engine by watching the gauges.

Let us know how you make out.

 

I had a 1988 Ford SC with 351. Around town was no problem but once I hooked the camper to it (only weighed 4000#'s) the raditor was clogged enough to cause it to overheat

 

Be sure engine oil is at proper level. If its low, that's probably good. If its high, you're probably screwed.....

If its okay, pressure test the radiator.

 

you should check water pump, pully might be moving but is the blades?????... and yes i have seen the radiators clog up with this white chalky stuff...

 

You put in 1/2 gallon of water.... When was the last coolant flush/change? Wondering if the system has corrosion/lime in the radiator.

 

I'd replace the fan clutch and the radiator cap. Both are known to cause overheating problems and are cheap to replace.

 

Second on the radiator cap. Everything else can be up to snuff, but an unpressurized cooling system will overheat faster than a pressurized one.

-blaine