Ask The Expert: Change your driving style when towing your trailer.

Hey Adam,

I drive a 4.2L Patrol and I regularly use it for towing. I find on the straight roads it’s fine but when I get to a long hill she gets hot.

I watch my gauges and, firstly, the EGTs climb, then the water temperature climbs. It really only happens when going uphill on a long stretch.

Do you have any suggestions to help with this? I have been looking at the high flow water pump on your website.

Thank you,

Allan, WA.

G’day Allan,

It’s an interesting problem. Something which could be rectified by changing your driving style. I would firstly hook up what you are towing and go for a drive to replicate the problem.

You have mentioned that it happens up hill and that the EGTs climb first. I sometimes find that people drive in too high a gear. They hit a hill and keep the foot planted on the pedal to try to go faster but in fact what happens is the turbo slows due to the drop in speed of the engine. Having the foot planted keeps maximum diesel spraying into the engine.

With the drop in boost – less air is being forced into the engine, but more fuel, and that’s when the EGTs rise.

It would be interesting to see what happened with the EGTs if you dropped back a gear and kept the engine revs up a bit and travelled up a little slower.

It’s also worth having the tune checked, to make sure it is not over fuelling to begin with. The other thing that might help is a larger intercooler to keep the intake temps lower.

I think if you were going to add a high flow water pump you would also have to check your radiator. If you have a two-core radiator I would suggest upgrading the radiator to a high efficiency three-core radiator, replacing the thermostat, and then also adding the water pump.

With towing I think the combination of the radiator and water pump will work well.

Hope that helps,

GO NUTS!

Adam