Is the 2.4 up to the task

[kennyrodg]

Hey Folks,
I have some engines to collect from London and bring home to Lancashire, it's a 500 mile round trip. My question is this, on the return 250 mile journey the trailer will be loaded with 1200kg. Having had the 2.4 overheat pulling "itself" up a hill I'm worried that the old girl aint up to it. What do you guys think, go for it or hire a van for the weekend. Hiring is a pain though as that'll be £100 minimum. As far as I know she's pretty sound mechanically.....touch wood.
Any thoughts please let me know.

[Chris QTown]

sheezus if it overheats going up hill on its own i wouldnt want it pulling anything, especially not 1.2 tonnes !!!

Unless its a fairly flat drive, id be opting for the van for sure.

[Maverick]

A working 2.4 will manage it easily. One that has overheated pulling it's own weight is a great concern.

[kennyrodg]

Thanks for the replies, it's a bit of a worry I'll admit.
The overheating happened just after I got the truck about 5 years ago. She's not done it since but I've never quite trusted her since then either. The hill in question is on a very steep dual carriageway and it's a good mile and a half drag. I've towed a ton of sand or stone or whatever since but only on fairly short distances, 20 miles or so with no problems.
Should you engage the torque converter lock when your towing ??
Thanks again.

ps, the head was changed to the stronger one before I got the truck.

[Maverick]

What do you mean by engaging the torque convert lock?

[kennyrodg]

What do you mean by engaging the torque convert lock?

Sorry bud, I meant the ECT switch, as in to select "Power" rather than "Normal"
Thanks again.

[Diesel Turbo]

heat from auto

A working 2.4 will manage it easily. One that has overheated pulling it's own weight is a great concern.

I don't know if they are the same but have you checked the fan to the auto-box, the heat built up effects the water in main rad if you don't get the air flow from the from aux fan, good luck

[Maverick]

Sorry bud, I meant the ECT switch, as in to select "Power" rather than "Normal"
Thanks again.

Personally no I wouldn't as it makes the gearbox hold the revs longer before changing up, and changes down sooner. Which will increase the transmission oil temperature, raising engine temp.

All my towing (which has included a 1800kg caravan from Southampton to sinnington north Yorkshire) has been done with ect off and overdrive on.

[Maverick]

When did you last change your coolant?
Have you got an abar full of spots on the front? (removing mine did increase the airflow.

The biggest difference I did to my truck was fit an additional transmission cooler.

[Maverick]

I don't know if they are the same but have you checked the fan to the auto-box, the heat built up effects the water in main rad if you don't get the air flow from the from aux fan, good luck

That addional fan is not for the transmission part of the radiator. It is a back up system incase the temperatures get to hot. The viscous fan does all the work normally.

[kennyrodg]

Hi
I didn't realise there was a fan for the transmission.
Thanks Maverick, no need for the ECT then. I realise it should do it with ease but I've never been 100% happy or should I say trusting with the truck since the incident. My mate who I got the truck of suggested at the time that it could have been an air lock perhaps, he's an excellent mechanic as well but still, I'm a wee bit concerned.

[kennyrodg]

Is this physically another fan ?? If so where is it
I've got the A bar with 2 spots fairly wide apart. I disconnected the wire for the fan at the thermostat back then so it runs all the time. I can see the snse of fitting a transmission cooler as well but I'll not have time to do it before next weekend.

[Maverick]

Do you only have an electric fan?
There should be a large viscous fan between the radiator and the engine block. With a small electrif fan between the radiator and the slam panel.

[Maverick]

This was taken when I was replacing the radiator(& adding the tranny cooler). You. Can see the electric fan on the left hand side of the picture (offside/riverside of the truck) and behind that you can see some of the viscous fan.

An air lock could explain the overheating, did you burp the system?
From cold if you take the rad cap off and start the engine up does the coolant overflow?

I'm starting to think someone has altered your cooling system (I'm at work using my phone am could be wrong). If that is the case the safest thing would be to get a vehicle that you trust to do the job.

[kennyrodg]

Sorry for the confusion. There's both fans, the viscous and the electric one out front. Is that the fan for the transmission ?? Fluid level in the trans looks fine, levels are good also. I took the wire out to have the fan running all the time not just when it gets hot.
Thanks.

As far as I know the cooling system is stock, my buddy did the head change and I'm certain he would have told me if he had. There is a thermostat fitted btw and it's doesn't loose coolant, I check it on a regular basis. When it overheated it basically just chucked the water out through the overflow if that helps. The temperature gauge didn't rise at all. At the top of the hill the gauge went to cold so I pulled over to check it. Thats when I noticed all the coolant had gone.Since then the gauge has never gone above normal but the truck has had an easy life since then.