View Full Version : How will I do towing?
Ok, I have a 1985 Blazer that I just put a 6.5 TD into it. I have a NV4500 and 3.08 gears. I dont have any temp guages, just dummy lights. I have a 3 inch open exaust too. I am going to tow my trailer today about 25 miles. In a few weeks I plan to tow in the mountains. How do you guys think I will do. Do you think I will have problems overheatings. I have a temp guage, but I can figure out how to wire it also. Thanks!
Guipo
How heavy and big a trailer? Weight and projected wind area are the two big factors for trailers. If you are going up a steep hill wind will not be a big factor (you will be sorta slow), so weight will be the main concern. The Blazer has the shorter wheel base, so is not as good a tow rig as the longer pickups. Lots of us have towed with the 6.5 diesel so that is not a big issue, but correct set up and gauges are important. An equilizing hitch and gauges are important. Water temp gauge is important, but the EGT (exhaust gas temperature) gauge is even more important. Tells you that things are getting to hot faster than the water gauge. Short hills you can power over, but if any long steep climbs get the gauges first.
oops, I guess thats important information! :)
I'm towing (guessing) about a 4500 lb trailer. I'm not changing altitude at all on this trip. I have stabilization bars. I plan in 2 weeks to go camping in the sierra's. About 7300 feet. I guess i'll need some type of guages before then.
john8662
09-01-2006, 13:35
I'm curious as to whether you can install an instrument cluster out of a silverado with all the gauges (except clock) of whether you'd be able to get signal at the connectors on the engine. You would have to install the 6.2 gauges sender units, like oil pressure and water temp in order to get a reading.
Yeah, I can't drive w/o gauges, at all!
Too boring to pay attention to the road, that's just not safe for the engine :D
I've tried. I'm sure its just the senders that are the problem. The easiest way to do it is going to be getting a aftermarket sender and guage.
Heartbeat Hauler
09-01-2006, 22:22
A 4500lb trailer is no big deal for a 6.5, but 3.08s seem purty tall for mountain work....or at least I think so.
JP
I think it is. It will be slow going for me. I just towed the trailer for the first time, and OD was a nono. Just too much fuel to keep up speed. So I drove in 3rd(same as 4th) the whole time. Seemed to do pretty good. I'll have a temp guage by the moutain run. Should be fine.
I need to get some better gears. There's the solution right there.
Guipo
4500# is not too heavy a trailer. The 3.08 gears will give you nice mileage on normal non trailer driving. Unless you plan on using the rig mostly for towing, I think you might want to keep them.
my only concern is that I want to do mountain driving for alot of my camping. In a few weeks I'm driving up to around 7300 feet, so I could see that being alot of work for the truck.
On another note, I did tow with it this weekend, keeping it valley level. I found out that my OD is useless at 55mph, so 3rd gear is manditory, or else you're just giving it just way too much fuel in OD, which will cause overheating. I think if I watch my RPMS and my foot the heat will be ok.
Heartbeat Hauler
09-05-2006, 12:08
What size tires are you running on this truck?
JP
Ok, here's another question. What boost should I be running for optimal EGT's while towing, and still not hurting the engine.
You can not rely on the boost guage to determine the load on the engine. You have to use an exhaust temperature guage to be sure.
I would not consider towing that trailer in hilly country let along mountains with the 3.08s. You need at leats 3.73s and even then over 8% grades you will most likely be in second to keep the trans temperature down.
Pulling hills with the convertor unlocked will run the trans temperature up real fast. And don't assume you will cool the trans on the othr side because the convertor is still unlocked and making heat while your foot is off the pedal.
Reconsider your options before you waste that new engine.
Well, I have a 5 speed Manual, so I'm not worried about how hot the tranny gets. I'm more worried about EGT's.
I just got my EGT guage in too, so I'm hoping that will help me when I do decide to pull. I did the same pull with my 6.2 and the TH400 last year. I boiled out all my fluid too. Thats one of the reasons I wanted a Manual.
Also, thats why I asked about boost. I know if you have higher boost(without more fuel), it'll actually cool the engine. At the same time, I dont know how much is safe in a unmodified engine.
I found with my 96, nv4500 and 4.10 gears with 265 rubber, that it worked best for lack of egt's etc, was about 2600 r's when I could not pull in the gear above, but could run to redline in the gear I was in. IE, if you can pull at 3500 in 3rd, but can not pull the hill in 4th, slow down to 2600 r's or so, and you will stay about as cool as that motor will stay all around.
For me, these are the speeds, and gears I was in, you will probably be about 1 gear lower with 3.08's, ie where I am in 3rd, you will be in 2nd, as a 3.08 is about one full gearing int he tranny lower.
4th at 2500 was 55 or so, 1900 at upper 40's shifting down to 3rd and went down to 2600 r's or about 35-40 or so. I rarely had to go lower on freeways, or even local roads. Third gave me to about a 15% grade at 15K before having to shift down to 2nd gear.
You will also find you will not want to tow in OD would be my guess unless really flat with a tail wind. For me OD was perect at 60 or so pulling. You will find direct to be about the same r's or ~18-1900 or so.
3.73 or 3.42 gear sets would be better for MPG and towing combined, with 4.10's best for tow power with your trans. In hind sight, I could have ordered my rig with 3.73's and been just as well off I feel for the amount of towing, steep grades etc.
Good luck.
Thanks Marty. Thats exactly the info I was looking for. EGT goes in Saturday! whohoo!
my only concern is that I want to do mountain driving for alot of my camping. In a few weeks I'm driving up to around 7300 feet, so I could see that being alot of work for the truck.
On another note, I did tow with it this weekend, keeping it valley level. I found out that my OD is useless at 55mph, so 3rd gear is manditory, or else you're just giving it just way too much fuel in OD, which will cause overheating. I think if I watch my RPMS and my foot the heat will be ok.
NV4500? 5th is OD. You sure you are towing in 3rd and not 4th?
good catch, typo on my part! I meant 4th gear.
Well, I took the trailer from sea level to 7000 Ft! My egt's only got to 1050F for a short time, and the water temp didnt get hotter than 210. I was in 2nd(3rd position, cause you know low is 1st, 1st is 2nd position, etc.) on the steep grades doing 40. All other driving was in 3rd(4th position). All in all, I'm very happy with my setup, and towing is now a very happy thing.
Guipo
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