How hot is too hot

[Lee Bradley]

Make you wonder how trucks got over the hill in the 50's and 60's with a trailer grossing 58,000 lbs with 190 to 220 hp engines   and the GM gas rigs with the 261 CI chev engine or the  270 CI GMC truck engine.My dad ran trucks (80,000 lbs) from Houston to Alaska for years with the almighty 250 hp Cummins engines loaded with oil field materials 

I did plenty of those hills with 262 (turbo'd 220) 5 and 4 speed transmissions 68,000. Not unusual to be down to a fast walking speed.   

[luvrbus]

I did plenty of those hills with 262 (turbo'd 220) 5 and 4 speed transmissions 68,000. Not unusual to be down to a fast walking speed.   

You made it to top and over though 

[Tikvah]

You need to understand, I don't ever know the actual temperature of my engine.  With no toad, in cool weather I went over that hill at about 20mph.  Again never knowing the temperature.
Today I'm looking at that hill, no idea of engine temperature, towing a 6000lb Tahoe, in 90 degree weather.
You can brag about your Rocky Mountains, but without knowing what's happening to my engine in this heat I can't afford the chance.  What would you do?
I only have one of those basic stock gauges.

[luvrbus]

LOL don't let Dan kid you we have grade on 68 between Bullhead and Golden Valley Az it is only 3700 ft to the top of Union Summit but it's a 6% grade climb for 12 miles try it on a 112* day.You really should get the temp gauge fix so you know for sure where you are at 

[Tikvah]

Yes, hence this topic about setting up a new gauge with warning.  But that won't happen before we drive tonight. 

[luvrbus]

MCI gauges are usually accurate and reliable they just hard to read   

[Tikvah]

There are two numbers 180 and 240
There is a thin red mark between the two numbers that I assume is 210
That means if I hit the thin red line I'm done owning a bus.

I've never seen it go above the top of the wide white line that's part of the 180 space.  I assume the top of that line is 190

Hard to read?  That's an understatement!

[Beluga Bus]

luvrbus,
I pulled that grade on 68 this summer, I wish it was only 112 degrees!
Matt

[luvrbus]

luvrbus,
I pulled that grade on 68 this summer, I wish it was only 112 degrees!
Matt

I didn't want to mention the 120* lol that was the temp when we went up the grade in July

[Gary Hatt - Publisher BCM]

I was in Oregon two days ago at 8,000 feet on Rt. 395.  Beautiful country up there but it was nice and cool so my engine temp was no problem.

I have heard that some folks have put an alarm or flashing light (I prefer a disco ball, but that is just me) on the dashboard to warm them if the temp gets too high, so you are on the right track. Not sure you really need a rheostat  because there is a specific temperature which it should be set at, i.e. set it - and forget it. To have an adjustable knob on there may not be a good idea because I have seen kids get in my bus and twist all of the knobs on the dash and this is one knob you don't want touched.

This idea is great because if you miss the climbing temp, at least out here in the southwest when the road surface temp can be over 150 degrees the engine temp can sneak up on your really fast and before you know it your engine shuts down and you better be in the granny lane so you can get to the side of the road really fast.  If you are in the Show-Off lane and your engine shuts down, it may be difficult to get to the right side of the road then you will be stuck in the fast lane putting out your cones and safety triangles. 

Lettuce know how it works out.

[DoubleEagle]

For crying out load, 2 thousand feet is like scratching your butt, I LIVE at 6 thousand and don't even notice till I start climbing.>>>Dan

I have been out west many times up and over the continental divide; Jellico Mountain is still a respectable mountain in the grand scheme of things, and there are many mountain roads out east that have fooled over-confident western drivers. Altitude only affects the output of the engine, it does not change the grade.

[Beluga Bus]

Altitude has a great effect on the duration on the grade, it is a lot easier to pull a 6% grade from 1000 ft to 2000 ft than it is to pull a 6% grade from 1000ft to 8000ft. 20 miles of 6% grade is no joke.
Matt

[Iceni John]

There are two numbers 180 and 240
There is a thin red mark between the two numbers that I assume is 210
That means if I hit the thin red line I'm done owning a bus.

I've never seen it go above the top of the wide white line that's part of the 180 space.  I assume the top of that line is 190

Hard to read?  That's an understatement!

Ditch it!   That one's even worse than my old Teleflex International gauge that also had very poor resolution.   For less than $100 I solved it very simply by buying a Speedhut full-sweep gauge with stepper motor.   With three times the resolution and probably much better accuracy, and some very cool night lighting, what's not to like?   I also moved the all-important temperature gauge to front and center so it's directly in front of me.   I like the Speedhut gauges so much I just bought one for transmission temperature, and I'll soon buy one for oil pressure  -  when I've installed that one, all my critical gauges will be full-sweep.   No more quarter-sweep guessing games for me!

John

[Tikvah]

I crossed over Jellico last night at 4:00am pulling my Tahoe.  I maintained 30mph and held it in 2nd gear. 
The temp gauge never moved.
Now it's getting warmer outside and the hills are moving my gauge a bit, but I'll be parked in less than two hours.

[Oonrahnjay]

I crossed over Jellico last night at 4:00am pulling my Tahoe.  I maintained 30mph and held it in 2nd gear.    The temp gauge never moved.   Now it's getting warmer outside and the hills are moving my gauge a bit, but I'll be parked in less than two hours. 

    Thanks for the update, glad it was OK for you.  I was wondering how it went.  Will you be able to update the overheat alarm system and install an accurate temp gauge (as I- John suggested)?  Longer term, what do you think you need for cooling system maintenance; do you foresee a need to check thermostats, radiator for circulation, fans and ducting, etc. 
    It makes me happy when I don't read a post that says "I was climbing a hill and a lot of white smoke came out of my exhaust".