Hello, My family and I are venturing out into full time rv living. This is my first time owning a truck with this new venture and have a question related to my truck. We bought a 3500 dually 2008 Chevy Duramax Diesel with an Allison transmission. The truck runs great but has 200k miles on it. We are pulling a 2013 Keystone Fuzion 399 Toy hauler which is about 40 feet. The first day I drove it home the truck started to over heat on the way up a long hill. I had to slow way down to the whole way up the hill while the truck had to cool down. I know this is a big rig but is this normal when traveling/towing up hills? Is there anything I can do to prevent this from happening again? Thanks for any advice you can provide!Joel-

Joel75 wrote:Hello, My family and I are venturing out into full time rv living. This is my first time owning a truck with this new venture and have a question related to my truck. We bought a 3500 dually 2008 Chevy Duramax Diesel with an Allison transmission. The truck runs great but has 200k miles on it. We are pulling a 2013 Keystone Fuzion 399 Toy hauler which is about 40 feet. The first day I drove it home the truck started to over heat on the way up a long hill. I had to slow way down to the whole way up the hill while the truck had to cool down. I know this is a big rig but is this normal when traveling/towing up hills? Is there anything I can do to prevent this from happening again? Thanks for any advice you can provide!Joel-Try here: dieselplace.com

Have you ever cleaned the cooler area. At 200k I would suspect they are pretty dirty and buggy. Pretty soon the GM guys will chime in. Good Luck

I'd ask you to define "overheating". Did the radiator fan clutch engage?Factory gauges aren't known to be accurate but is it that reading that makes you think the truck was overheating?You should be able to hear the fan clutch engaging. If the engine got hot enough that the fan should've kicked in but didn't, then persue that avenue. If the fan kicked in but the engine temp still kept rising, it can be altogether different problems.Phil

Joel, I guess the first time you drove it, you had the trailer. Normally water temps will go up when pulling a load, going up a hill. But there are some things you might have someone check. Does the radiator have any flow restrictions, if it is equipt with a clutch fan & is it working right. Was the truck equipt with a tow package, thicker radiator, tranny cooler, etc.

Thanks for the feedback so far; to respond to you Phil,to be honest I'm not sure if the clutch fan kicked in, I will have to listen next time. How I new it was over heating was because the gauge was buried all the way and my air conditioner started to warm up and then the warning came on the monitor. That's when I pulled over to let it cool down for a bit and idle.

Newbie with Truck over heating | Good Sam Community

pugslyyy
Explorer
Jul 31, 2013
Going up a grade it can make a huge difference if you have a tailwind or a headwind. Much easier to overheat in a tailwind.
Joel75
Explorer
Jul 31, 2013
Thanks for the feedback so far; to respond to you Phil,to be honest I'm not sure if the clutch fan kicked in, I will have to listen next time. How I new it was over heating was because the gauge was buried all the way and my air conditioner started to warm up and then the warning came on the monitor. That's when I pulled over to let it cool down for a bit and idle.
yrusoslo
Explorer
Jul 31, 2013
Joel, I guess the first time you drove it, you had the trailer. Normally water temps will go up when pulling a load, going up a hill. But there are some things you might have someone check. Does the radiator have any flow restrictions, if it is equipt with a clutch fan & is it working right. Was the truck equipt with a tow package, thicker radiator, tranny cooler, etc.
Phils
Explorer
Jul 31, 2013
I'd ask you to define "overheating". Did the radiator fan clutch engage?

Factory gauges aren't known to be accurate but is it that reading that makes you think the truck was overheating?

You should be able to hear the fan clutch engaging. If the engine got hot enough that the fan should've kicked in but didn't, then persue that avenue. If the fan kicked in but the engine temp still kept rising, it can be altogether different problems.

Phil
45Ricochet
Explorer
Jul 31, 2013
Have you ever cleaned the cooler area. At 200k I would suspect they are pretty dirty and buggy.
Pretty soon the GM guys will chime in.
Good Luck
justALnow
Explorer
Jul 31, 2013
Joel75 wrote:
Hello,

My family and I are venturing out into full time rv living. This is my first time owning a truck with this new venture and have a question related to my truck.

We bought a 3500 dually 2008 Chevy Duramax Diesel with an Allison transmission. The truck runs great but has 200k miles on it. We are pulling a 2013 Keystone Fuzion 399 Toy hauler which is about 40 feet. The first day I drove it home the truck started to over heat on the way up a long hill. I had to slow way down to the whole way up the hill while the truck had to cool down. I know this is a big rig but is this normal when traveling/towing up hills? Is there anything I can do to prevent this from happening again?

Thanks for any advice you can provide!

Joel-

Try here: dieselplace.com

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