2001400ex wrote:
4x4ord wrote:
I wonder why the Ford cooling fan was used so much? The powerstroke was putting out about 15% more power than the other engines but I don't think that would be enough to require that much more cooling. The other possibility is that the cooling fan was needed to keep the intercooler running efficiently?
What was happening with the Ram transmission? I think the torque converter must have been unlocking and locking?
For the cooling fan part, it's just basic math in a diesel engine. The more fuel you put at it, the hotter it is. The Duramax went from 235/500 in 01 to 445/910 now (for comparison, the new 3.0 is 277/460). It's the engine has changed over the years, they've added emissions, and beefed up the tranny. But the biggest difference is the amount of cooling they added to the engine. Look at the cooling stack now compared to prior years. All Ford really did was add fuel and then cooling.
That's the main reason I wanted to see the whole video of them pulling and see the DB readings (which they didn't take). Yes pulling 30k, the Ford did better, but it was much louder doing so. For most of us pulling under 20k, I would imagine both can go the speed limit the entire pass. My 08 Duramax pulling 15k would pull every mountain pass at the speed limit other than when it was 95 degrees out.
I realize that the more fuel these trucks are burning the more cooling is required. The thing that seems a little puzzling to me is that if the cooling fan was actually needed to cool the engine at 22* F the Ford's cooling system is no where near what it needs to be. Like you said it needs to keep the engine cool at 95*. The Ford was not running at maximum power it was only running 2000 to 2500 rpm. My 2017 Powerstroke running at 2800 rpm will put out very close to the kind of power the 2020 was doing on this test. I have had my pedal to the floor on long steep grades in the middle of summer and I have never noticed the cooling system as being a limiting factor.