Travel Trailer Towing

[Retired Bones]

I have changed the oil early when I get high engine oil temperatures at my Dealers request. My next oil change will be in July after the fourth.
I just drove to so-cal without the trailer. North bound there are five steep climbs 6 degrees or steeper, some are short in duration. The Ashland grade is 7 degrees and lasts over nine miles. It is only 4400' at the top but it can be a grind.
There are tough grades in the Sierra's and the Siskiuyous in northern California. The Rockies in Colorado are a bunch higher.
If your truck is equiped with the selectable screens between the speedo and tack, one of them gives the four vitals for towing. Water temperatures, transmission oil temperatures, engine oil temperatures, then engine oil pressure. I have a 2015 Laramie, Ram, 1500 crew cab, with 3.92 gears, 275/17 wheels and tires. I do watch.
I travel with the above screen selected.
I still get the high13's when I tow. When I got home today after travelling the same "I"-5 route I have 25.8 mpg for 2,815 miles round trip.
I still challenge Fiat/Chrysler, fix the engine oil excessive heat. Your design puts way more heat into the oil than is SAFE.

 

[Mic Tod]

Very informative, thanks. We have a lot of high passes in Oregon too, and will encounter many more when we travel around the NW and SW United States, many that you mention. Our pickup is a 2015 LoneStar, similar to yours but with 3.55:1 rear-end and is a 2-WD. Don't know what your trailer weighs, but ours isn't heavy, around 4000 lbs loaded. I'm hoping for better than "high 13's" when we tow, but am realistic. No V-6 is gonna tow 4000 lbs over high mountain passes and get 25 mpg. 15 would be nice. BTW, there is a good video on YouTube where the TFL guys pull a loaded trailer over what they call the "IKE Gauntlet" described by them as THE toughest tow in the world. (Their words, not mine) The truck got around 6.3 mpg with the foot throttle buried to the floor for an 8 mile pull straight up, out-performing all other trucks in the Ram 1500's class. This was the Laramie eco diesel like yours. On the video, they never mentioned any problem with high oil or transmission temps. The pickup was completely stock (according to them) as sent by the manufacturer. Check it out if you like. They also tested the Ford Eco-Boost and the Chevy Silverado (both gas, of course).

 

[Retired Bones]

I will take a photo next time I tow up to the Ashland summit at the Oregon-California border. The reason being the "Temperature Gauge" the needle on the normal gauge cluster never gets to the warm/hot area in that "needle's" movement. The "engine oil temperature" gives the numeric temperature of the very hot oil that is uncomfortably hot that I have observed in my previous entries here.
I have been told also that "this is normal"! Get the oil changed when temperatures exceed 250 degrees. That statement alone makes me wonder if the service guys know this vehicle at all.
I was also told,on another vehicle, that two quarts of oil use while towing in three thousand miles, "is not excessive".
Fiat/Chrysler fix this. $200.00 dollars an oil change is gouging us retired people. Your truck is very nice, except!

 

[Mic Tod]

So, your analog gauge read cool (not warm/hot) and the digital gauge read 250 degrees? Weird. I wonder which one is right? Maybe that's why the TFL guys didn't report any issues when towing 7200 lbs, at FULL throttle, for over 11 minutes, straight up the Ike Gauntlet at 12000 feet! They were watching the analog gauges?
IMO, 2 qts of oil in 3000 miles is highly excessive. Makes me wonder if he was running the right oil and/or if his truck isn't having problems.

 

[HDFLSTC]

7,800 lbs 14000 miles hooked 15 unhooked 30

 

[BoostN]

7,800 lbs 14000 miles hooked 15 unhooked 30

Welcome to the forum!

 

[Mic Tod]

7,800 lbs 14000 miles hooked 15 unhooked 30

499.8 miles towing just under 5000 lbs, 18.5 towing average. Almost 19 on the interstate. Obviously, your extra weight cost you the extra mpg.
Unhooked, over almost 2,200 miles I'm averaging 29.5.+-