Engine Temp gets hot when towing

I have a 2008 tacoma access cab srs 6 cylinder 6 speed.



I tow a small drift boat fishing on weekend trips and the truck will get pretty warm sometimes.



It will never reach the red point, but it normally sits at 40%. When towing on the flats it seems fine stays around 40%. If I turn on the A/C it will shoot up to around 70% until I turn off the A/C.

If I go up hill it will go up to around 80% and I dare not turn on the A/C when doing that.

I can't imagine with two people in the car, the boat, and gear I'm adding more than 1500 pounds to the setup.

I've never owned a truck before and the only time i've seen the temp sensor move is when I blew a head gasket so I'm not sure how normal this is.

Please advise on things to do to keep the truck running for many more years.

 

Get a scanguage for your truck op so you can monitor the engine temp

 

thanks, I just bought an ultra gauge. I'll come back when I have some real data.

 

Stock temp gauges are not very liner they aren't really hot until they are in the red zone this keeps people from freaking out when the temp really isn't that hot your new ultragauge will tell you the truth it gets it's info from the engine management system.

 

HHHMMMMMM My Taco routinely hits 215-225 while off-roading. Under any load I easily hit 200-205 (even doing 75 down the freeway). In heavy off-roading it holds at 220-ish but never gets over 225. I am boosted so that is part of it, I know I produce a ton more heat because of it. That is with using the scan gauge, even at that temp my gauge is just barely above the half way point.

 

Ok, that does make me feel a bit better then. It must be an AZ thing then, because lets face it. ITS FUCKING HOT DOWN THERE.

Do you run anything different coolant wide or just the straight Toyota pink coolant?

 

I have tried changing to engine ice (although it takes a lot for a truck). It has worked on my Ducati's and MV Agusta in bringing the temps down on those because apparently italian engineers forget that the world gets warmer than 60 degrees outside. Those bikes are prone to setting parts on fire they get so hot.

 

That's odd. I tow a boat that probably weighs 5 times what yours weighs and my temp gauge never budges from normal even in triple digit air temps. I do have the tow package. That might be why.

 

Will an electric fan be the answer?

 

I've towed much heavier than the OP and my temp gauge stayed right in the middle. I can get actual temps from a UG next time I tow. I do not have the tow package.

 

Now do you just have the temp gauge or are you looking at something like a scan gauge? The temp needle barely moves until it gets REALLY hot but if you have a OBDII reader you can actually watch the temp. You might be running hotter than you realize towing a large boat in triple digit temps.

 

Just tossing here for comparison. I think highest temp I had seen on my scanguage was 196F. Normally it hovers 186-191F

 

Trailer with a car...never overheats. Do you have the tow package?

 

True that's why I wrote just tossed numbers for comparison.
BTW Those temps are with tow package truck, Mobil 1 5W-30 + 0W-40
You Running Mobil 1 as your oil right ?