V-10 cooling on hot trip

Hi all, I am planning a family vacation from Minnesota to Yellowstone in middle of summer pulling a 5000 pound travel trailer with my 2000 V-10 Ram that has 110,000 miles on it. It runs great locally, but have heard nightmare stories of the V-10 having bad head gaskets. I don’t know if that is true, but I plan on flushing cooling system and replacing water pump, thermostat, serp belt, and hoses for peace of mind. I hate to have any issues in 95 degree weather with an angry wife and family. I’m sure many of you know what that is like. Anyhow, any other suggestions? Thanks in advance.

Don't use over drive when towing! Sure way to cook the trans. If your truck doesn't have the optional trans cooler (tow package) i would add one. Possibly add a "pusher" electric fan to help with cooling.

I did a trip during August to Grand Tetons, then Yellowstone from NJ, 96 1500 Ram (3.92 gears) towing an almost 9000lbs trailer with all gear. Yes, engine coolant got a little hot on the long climbs, but not bad. I am running an underdrive crank pulley (180F t-stat), so whenever I slowed down, I had to keep RPMs up to keep things cool.

To me more importantly is your trans. I have a nicely built Level 10 trans in mine, so it was ready for it. I also have a deep pan and factory tow package cooler. I have a temp gauge in the pan and wow... does that fluid get hot on long climbs, over 230F easy (peaks higher). It was hard for me to look at that gauge. I would be more concerned about your trans fluid and for sure, if your trans cooler lines are original, keep an eye on the rubber sections up front. I would say bring some 3/8" trans line and some clamps or change that out ahead of time. They blow and you are done.

You may be disappointed in the naturally aspirated engine above 5000 feet. I swear it was like there was a parachute behind me going through Wyoming. Full throttle at times and could not maintain speed. Carry a spare 5 gallon gas can, as at times there are long stretches of nothing...

Oh and please have good brakes as well (truck and trailer). The downhill sections pulling a trailer will make you pucker, in particular when you start seeing the runaway ramps for trucks. Pulse your brakes.

But I would do the trip all over again. Loved it!

You didn't specify what trans you have but I will 3rd the trans temp and O/D if its an auto. Towing 5k should be no sweat.

Thanks everyone, I learned a lot. Transmission is stock overdrive, which I plan to not use. Pusher fan, trans temp, and extra gas, got it!

For general towing, I keep the rpms up, and don't have the pedal to the floor, going up long hills. Slow and steady. Should keep your coolant cooler. I know you don't want to be that slow guy going up hills, but you don't want to be that guy with the hood up on the side of the road either. As mentioned, 5000lbs should've a cake walk for your V10.
For an auto, if you can keep the torque converter locked up, that will keep your tranny temps lower. Diesel trucks have a way you could wire up a switch to keep it locked up. I don't have the switch set up in my 01 diesel, but when the torque converter is locked, the transmission temp stays below 160F. That's pulling 10,000lbs. With some research, I'm sure you could wire in a switch to do the same for the V10.

Had a 96 and 01 V10 with no cooing issues ever. My 01 Cummins had a radiator go out on me last year while towing from Chicago to Florida and went bad in Birmingham. Autozone had one so Ubered over there and back then changed it in a gas station parking lot, easy peasy! V10's use the same radiator and they have the plastic side tanks, check to see if there is any weapage on yours now...

I got a V10 if u have 4.10 gears u could tow in overdrive no problem 3.55 I don't know

I have a 96 2500 V10 with 3:55's and always tow in over drive with never any issues with trans or over heating of any kind. 174,000+ and it is still 95% all original.

Same here, 190k on the truck and never had any problems towing in Overdrive.
I'm also not dealing with serious mountains just some mid-western type hills and mostly flat interstates towing a 28 foot enclosed trailer.

Towing in OD will heat up your trans and put extra strain on the OD. If you look in the owners manual of your truck it will tell you to not tow with it on! Of course it depends on what you are towing.

thats why I like to add trans temp gauges, so I can monitor trans temp. and oversized trans coolers piggybacked with the original cooler in the radiator. There are things taht can be done with the trans behind that v10 to improve cooling and longevity as well.

The V10 trans is essentially the same as the diesel trans. Towing in OD is not a problem, especially only 5000 pounds. My V10, with 3.55s pulled my 30 ft enclosed at 80 MPH and never a problem. On long mountain grades you may need to turn the OD off but I wouldn't leave it off. Only turn it off when you need to. Don't lug the engine, slow down and downshift the trans.

If you can maintain converter lockup tow in OD. You’d be amazed at how cool a 47RE runs down the highway in lockup.

GJ is spot on with his advice…. Honestly we didn’t see the torque converter issues with the V10 like we did the diesels of that era.

The biggest downfall of the V10 was the owners and their lack of cooling system maintenance. I don’t recall much of a head gasket issue as much as porous heads but that was back in the mid 90’s. The corrosion probability was quite high as they still used the green 3yr coolant and the more often they were flushed, the better.

I always tow in OD with my 518s a-500s and now 68RFEs, the only time I turn it off is if it's at the point where it is running with the lock up disengaged or constantly locking and un-locking, then I drop it into direct. Another thing you can do is just watch your trans temp with an add on gauge.

I worked 2 years in a dodge dealership towards the end of V10 production and never did a head gasket job on them, as a matter of fact never saw any of the other mechanics in the shop do one either. I have seen a couple bad rockers on em. I have only seen about 2 V10 engines actually go bad in my life and I been a dodge specialist for over 20 years now (dang I'm getting old!).

Only real engine failures I remember was from detonation/crossfire from poorly routed low quality plug wires. V-10 was really a great package in its day….. but man that mpg towing! The coolant deal never really caused any drivability issues if you kept the reservoir full. If you run across one in a salvage yard good aluminum t stat housings and the front timing covers are getting hard to find.

They certainly know how to drink gas! My current 2011 ram 2500 I built a 392 for tows almost as good as my old V10 but over %50 better MPG

" flushing cooling system and replacing water pump, thermostat, serp belt, and hoses"
I would also look at the fan clutch and maybe replace.

Wasn’t there a period where the “Heavy Duty Truck Design” V10 thermostats were defective from the factory?

Magnum V8s had a stamped steel coolant pump impellor design that would go bad if the antifreeze got old or had the wrong chemistry, due to cavitation.
There was a TSB on this.
Did V10 coolant pumps also have stamped steel pump impellors?

1998 3500 V10 140,000 miles 4:10
19,500 total weight 28 ft trailer slide in camper , no problems, most time turn off o/d on big hills and set cruise at 60 mph on hills, 7/8 mpg

The early V10 had plastic t-stat housings that’d crack/leak. They were replaced by an aluminum unit. Both this housing as well as the timing cover we’re prone to corroding if cooling sys maintenance not followed.