High oil temps while towing

[colosimj]

I just got my Durango Hellcat last month, and wanted to tow the boat up to the mountains before it was fully broken in (850miles on it). I'm in Colorado, and the I-70 corridor isn't very forgiving, so I took my 6k boat in tow at night, vs during the day. My previous towing truck was a GMC sierra with a 408 and an undersized blower, so the blower would get hot on extended mountain runs - I used meth injection to keep the temps down --> I am always watching temperature. The hellcat has some great gauges, and although I expected my intake temp to go up, it pretty much didn't. In fact nothing really moved much at all besides my oil temperature. And boy did that move. I saw more time about 260F than I expected, with a brief peak of 271F leaving Denver and 275F (even briefer) at the top of Berthoud pass. I never went past 1/4 throttle (mainly under 1/8), the temps were 48F for the 275F spike (don't remember the other one) and was manually shifting at the time...not lugging the engine. These seem insanely hot to me, and I don't like seeing that. The same drive back (sans towing, and warmer ambient temps netted 237F max), and I plan to change the oil right away before I tow again. I know the SRT oil is rated for these types of things, and that I am still in the break in period and this could be extra friction, but still makes me uncomfortable. Calling Dodge was no help at all as you can't even talk to anyone that knows anything unless you have your car at a dealer. Looking for others experiences.

 

[SilverBillet]

The good thing is that the full synthetic oil resists breaking down and will maintain it’s viscosity under high temperatures

 

[colosimj]

Yes, that is a good thing. Oil pressure remained consistent at 67psi during that run. I think the SRT oil is rated to like 300F.

 

[1971demon]

I just got my Durango Hellcat last month, and wanted to tow the boat up to the mountains before it was fully broken in (850miles on it). I'm in Colorado, and the I-70 corridor isn't very forgiving, so I took my 6k boat in tow at night, vs during the day. My previous towing truck was a GMC sierra with a 408 and an undersized blower, so the blower would get hot on extended mountain runs - I used meth injection to keep the temps down --> I am always watching temperature. The hellcat has some great gauges, and although I expected my intake temp to go up, it pretty much didn't. In fact nothing really moved much at all besides my oil temperature. And boy did that move. I saw more time about 260F than I expected, with a brief peak of 271F leaving Denver and 275F (even briefer) at the top of Berthoud pass. I never went past 1/4 throttle (mainly under 1/8), the temps were 48F for the 275F spike (don't remember the other one) and was manually shifting at the time...not lugging the engine. These seem insanely hot to me, and I don't like seeing that. The same drive back (sans towing, and warmer ambient temps netted 237F max), and I plan to change the oil right away before I tow again. I know the SRT oil is rated for these types of things, and that I am still in the break in period and this could be extra friction, but still makes me uncomfortable. Calling Dodge was no help at all as you can't even talk to anyone that knows anything unless you have your car at a dealer. Looking for others experiences.

Not up on Durangos as some on here are....6000lbs lbs doesnt seem that heavy...does it have a towing package with oil coolers

 

[colosimj]

Pretty good size oil cooler, and no oil cooler thermostat that I am aware of. One I went down from the summit, I was seeing pretty large drops in temperature; which tells me that it still might be undersized

 

[fubar569]

I only have a GT Hemi 5.7 but am equipped with Tow & Go so I have all the SRT underpinnings (akin to a 392) and supposedly the cooling. I've seen 255+ pulling a loaded tandem enclosed so I'm seeing the same trends.

Does anyone have an upgraded cooler that would fit either of these? I thought the hellcat cooler would be an upgrade for me but looking like a stand-alone aftermarket would be the answer for both of us.

 

[vortecd]

I just got my Durango Hellcat last month, and wanted to tow the boat up to the mountains before it was fully broken in (850miles on it). I'm in Colorado, and the I-70 corridor isn't very forgiving, so I took my 6k boat in tow at night, vs during the day. My previous towing truck was a GMC sierra with a 408 and an undersized blower, so the blower would get hot on extended mountain runs - I used meth injection to keep the temps down --> I am always watching temperature. The hellcat has some great gauges, and although I expected my intake temp to go up, it pretty much didn't. In fact nothing really moved much at all besides my oil temperature. And boy did that move. I saw more time about 260F than I expected, with a brief peak of 271F leaving Denver and 275F (even briefer) at the top of Berthoud pass. I never went past 1/4 throttle (mainly under 1/8), the temps were 48F for the 275F spike (don't remember the other one) and was manually shifting at the time...not lugging the engine. These seem insanely hot to me, and I don't like seeing that. The same drive back (sans towing, and warmer ambient temps netted 237F max), and I plan to change the oil right away before I tow again. I know the SRT oil is rated for these types of things, and that I am still in the break in period and this could be extra friction, but still makes me uncomfortable. Calling Dodge was no help at all as you can't even talk to anyone that knows anything unless you have your car at a dealer. Looking for others experiences.

No air to cool. When I worked at the Dodge Dealership in Littleton, CO they were doing mods to Caravans in the early 90s because of getting hot going up into the mountains

 

[drag racer]

Your scenario just sounds like a "normal" severe terrain towing environment with an awesome vehicle arguably doing what it was intended to do. Yea, the oil temps got up there, but the Hemi's and the rest of the drivetrain is working hard. Towing is hard on any vehicle. The oil temp in the Hellcat I was road racing at Bondurant got up to 270 (in November in AZ), and they asked us to cooldown for a few minutes at that number. Doesn't bother me a bit with PUP oil. Just stay on top of maintenance and enjoy.

 

[Linda's Hell Cat]

I was thinking of Trading in my Ford F350 Dually Diesel thinking the Durango could Tow and be good to help out taking my Gran kids to sports events.
Bruce @HHP Said NO mainly because the Ford handles my towing so well and he would be afraid for me if I was towing in a wind storm.

There really isn't anything wrong with the 2016 F350, it was the last truck my husband built, He was so excited about the 2017 Ford truck that was coming out. But Rip.
I would look into more Durango forums and see what they say. Then bring the info back here so we know!

 

[colosimj]

Good to know about 270 being "a limit" at Bondurant. I didn't spend much time there; and I would totally agree about severe towing and the lack of air...but it was 48 degrees! I mean, it can't get much better than that for temperature, usually I tow up that grade when the temp is high 60's. And from what I can tell, noone makes a upgraded cooler, nor is there really much more room in there than what they already have. Thanks for all the advice so far; will see what else I can figure out...

 

[Jimmy N.]

For whatever reason, it looks like TRXs and Durangos run much higher oil temps than Challengers do.

I'm made a cover for the cooler on my Challenger to be able to get it up to temp.

 

[drag racer]

For whatever reason, it looks like TRXs and Durangos run much higher oil temps than Challengers do.

I'm made a cover for the cooler on my Challenger to be able to get it up to temp.

Right on. Oil temps run quite higher on my two 392s over Hellcat. Hellcat's have a real air-to-air dedicated oil cooler, 392s have an oil to water unit that acts more as an oil heater than a cooler. Even in 115F summer temps w/ AC on, my Hellcat oil temp while steady state cruising will hardly ever get over the 185 t-stat level.

 

[BULL]

I just got my Durango Hellcat last month, and wanted to tow the boat up to the mountains before it was fully broken in (850miles on it). I'm in Colorado, and the I-70 corridor isn't very forgiving, so I took my 6k boat in tow at night, vs during the day. My previous towing truck was a GMC sierra with a 408 and an undersized blower, so the blower would get hot on extended mountain runs - I used meth injection to keep the temps down --> I am always watching temperature. The hellcat has some great gauges, and although I expected my intake temp to go up, it pretty much didn't. In fact nothing really moved much at all besides my oil temperature. And boy did that move. I saw more time about 260F than I expected, with a brief peak of 271F leaving Denver and 275F (even briefer) at the top of Berthoud pass. I never went past 1/4 throttle (mainly under 1/8), the temps were 48F for the 275F spike (don't remember the other one) and was manually shifting at the time...not lugging the engine. These seem insanely hot to me, and I don't like seeing that. The same drive back (sans towing, and warmer ambient temps netted 237F max), and I plan to change the oil right away before I tow again. I know the SRT oil is rated for these types of things, and that I am still in the break in period and this could be extra friction, but still makes me uncomfortable. Calling Dodge was no help at all as you can't even talk to anyone that knows anything unless you have your car at a dealer. Looking for others experiences.

Welcome to our place!

I'm just up the road from you. We have a Challenger HC, PW, & a DSRT.

The only thing I've towed with out of the bunch was the PW (6.4L). And while it was 11,000lbs, well over its rated capacity, it was not up over the hill.

I didn't log temps, but I vaguely recall numbers just a bit lower than that. 250ish is my best, and possibly wrong, memory.

But a personal policy i have, is any time I load an engine beyond a playful poke at the throttle, so racing, towing, road trip, etc, the oil gets changed.

Yes, this has resulted in some crazy short oil changes, both in time and mileage. But I'm happy to spend a couple of hours, and the money as insurance against contaminated oil.

Call me crazy... 🤪

Again, Welcome to our place.

 

[1971demon]

Welcome to our place!

I'm just up the road from you. We have a Challenger HC, PW, & a DSRT.

The only thing I've towed with out of the bunch was the PW (6.4L). And while it was 11,000lbs, well over its rated capacity, it was not up over the hill.

I didn't log temps, but I vaguely recall numbers just a bit lower than that. 250ish is my best, and possibly wrong, memory.

But a personal policy i have, is any time I load an engine beyond a playful poke at the throttle, so racing, towing, road trip, etc, the oil gets changed.

Yes, this has resulted in some crazy short oil changes, both in time and mileage. But I'm happy to spend a couple of hours, and the money as insurance against contaminated oil.

Call me crazy... 🤪

Again, Welcome to our place.

Welcome to our place!

I'm just up the road from you. We have a Challenger HC, PW, & a DSRT.

The only thing I've towed with out of the bunch was the PW (6.4L). And while it was 11,000lbs, well over its rated capacity, it was not up over the hill.

I didn't log temps, but I vaguely recall numbers just a bit lower than that. 250ish is my best, and possibly wrong, memory.

But a personal policy i have, is any time I load an engine beyond a playful poke at the throttle, so racing, towing, road trip, etc, the oil gets changed.

Yes, this has resulted in some crazy short oil changes, both in time and mileage. But I'm happy to spend a couple of hours, and the money as insurance against contaminated oil.

Call me crazy... 🤪

Again, Welcome to our place.

Yup..yer crazy alright...