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shadows4's avatar
shadows4
Nomad
Oct 23, 2014

Do you let your TV warm up before towing?

Reason I ask, left campground last Sat. around 11:30 am. Outside temps were about mid 50's. I didn't wait for the truck to warm up. When you leave the campground you turn on a two lane hwy. No way to get a run at a very steep hill about a quarter to half mile long. Maybe a 6% grade?

Anyway truck in sig. started up the hill, picked up speed fine. Shifted to second and it fell on its face. Started slowing down so I pulled it down into first gear and had my foot on the floor. Started picking up speed again, shifted to second same thing as before. Pulled back into 1st gear picked speed back up and just left it in 1st till I got to the top of the hill.

I noticed when I got to top of the hill the coolant temp was only about 65 degrees. I took it easy until the truck fully warmed up. Truck ran great the rest of the way home, about 230 miles.

My question is how much do you guys let your tow vehicles warm up before you start to tow?

P.S. For any of you that have been there it was coming out of Roaring River State Park.
Tow Vehicles

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  • Ductape's avatar
    Ductape
    Explorer
    Oct 23, 2014
    No, but I don't hammer on them until they warm up either. Just crank up and go, and then I don't use more than minimal throttle until the temperature comes up. If I have to crawl up a hill first thing in the AM then I just do.

    I believe that idling unloaded to warm up just increases wear and oil dilution.

    Some diesels can warm up stationary with the EB to load the engine, but I don't think that's necessary in the temperatures you're describing.
  • mosseater's avatar
    mosseater
    Explorer II
    Oct 23, 2014
    I give it 30 seconds or so to re-establish complete oil flow, then ease down the road until the temp starts to go to normal, say maybe 3 miles. Then if I need to flog it, I go for it. Nothing wrong with waiting to get a little heat in the engine, but I wouldn't worry too much about it.
  • Grandpere's avatar
    Grandpere
    Explorer
    Oct 23, 2014
    Our MH is not a tow vehicle in the common use of the term, but we do pull our toad and yes, I always let the engine run till it reaches operating temperature. If I don't I end up with it dying and running as you described.
  • Turtle_n_Peeps's avatar
    Turtle_n_Peeps
    Explorer
    Oct 23, 2014
    Nope, but I don't pound on the engine until warm either. Your engine should have gotten warm a lot faster than it did.

    BTW I would check your fuel filter on your engine. A diesel falling on it's face. Sounds like a bad filter to me.
  • robsouth's avatar
    robsouth
    Explorer II
    Oct 23, 2014
    HMMM. Never had that problem. Warm up is minimal. Start it up and go! Maybe some others will come in with ideas about that.

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