So disappointed in this Diesel platform; wish there was a return policy.

[PancakeCritter]

These temps don’t seem terrible to me. A little hot, sure, but it’s a diesel with hotter combustion temps.

For reference, here’s a pic from this weekend of my Mojave towing maybe 4,000lbs on a 6% grade. Just sitting full throttle at 5k RPM, with only 2400 miles on it. And this is with the Mojave’s “heavy duty cooling system”.

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[JCC]

Reading through this and the other threads is really starting to worry me about my recent purchase of the diesel. I traded in my '18 JKU so I could still take it out on the trails, albeit more moderate ones, have a useful bed for project supplies, and pull our 2200lb camper through the mountains. The 3.6 in the JKU was absolute garbage at pulling the camper. Sure it wouldn't overheat but going 35 up Vail pass with it floored was a crap experience. Why would I get a bigger vehicle with the same exact engine to have the same exact problem? Ugh. We're taking our camper out this weekend and temps are supposed to be in the upper 80s, so I'll report back on the experience.

 

[CrazyCooter]

These temps don’t seem terrible to me. A little hot, sure, but it’s a diesel with hotter combustion temps.

For reference, here’s a pic from this weekend of my Mojave towing maybe 4,000lbs on a 6% grade. Just sitting full throttle at 5k RPM, with only 2400 miles on it. And this is with the Mojave’s “heavy duty cooling system”.

You do realize the is a diesel thread and here you are clogging it up with useless info and questions?

 

[PancakeCritter]

You do realize the is a diesel thread and here you are clogging it up with useless info and questions?

Are you being serious?

 

[Jt-wrx]

oil is oil, coolant is coolant, i think some references to temps from the gas motor are good to see here, so zip it ya crazy cooter, maybe tomorrow try milk in your frosted flakes

 

[Deleted member 28696]

Hi all, hope a few folks get a chance to read this post.

I purchased a new diesel gladiator with high hopes that it would out perform my Toyota tacoma towing my 2900lb travel trailer (RPOD 179). My hopes were crushed today on its first voyage.

I live in Golden Colorado, and spent an hour this afternoon adjusting my equalizer hitch to sit perfectly on the Gladiator. I made sure the the weights were set perfect, the brake controller was installed correctly, and got everything in check.

Trip Info

Air Temp 86*F

RPOD 179
--Apx 50 sq/ft of frontal area
--2890 ish dry weight; no water loaded, just basic camping gear (call it 250 lbs)
--Equalizer 600lb weight distribution hitch.

It is a 2021 Gladiator Rubicon Diesel
--Empty Bed
--Bag of standard tools (maybe 20 lb)
--1 Human
--Factory setup, no added weight at all.
--Tires set at 39PSI all around (standard 33")

The route was from 6th Ave and Simms in Denver to Evergreen (up the I70 Hill)

I could barely maintain 45-50MPH, that was floored the entire way....
Engine temps were through the roof (IMO), and so were oil temps.
I could actively feel the ECU pull power from the engine as the temps got hot, and it got harder and harder to maintain speed.

Once I got to evergreen the engine quickly cooled off and then ran great.
It's clear to me that Jeep couldn't build sufficient cooling, and handled extended high loads by pulling power from the engine.

DO not buy the diesel gladiator to tow, my 4.0L Tacoma I traded in with lots of extra weight, bigger tires, a lift, tools, etc would do this same route with the same trailer and hitch at 55mph and the temp gauge wouldn't rise at all.

The only positive I see is slightly higher fuel mileage. (This same route on my tacoma would be 7mpg, the jeep did 13.5)
I don't think it makes sense to take it to the dealer, as it didn't overheat, and it didn't have any 'problems' per say; it is just weak.


I really wish I could just take my tacoma back.... pay a small fee for the few days of rental, and be on my way.

Again DO NOT buy the diesel thinking it will tow up hills better than your Tacoma. It will not.

I just wonder if deeper gears would help? I added bigger tires and rims which added a bunch of weight & to get those tires rolling at a decent rate I did a regear, it's at stock or better now with plenty of power as far as I can tell. Not familiar with the in's and out's of the diesel model. but would think it might apply. Trail Jeeps in Golden did my lift and gears they might be able to guide you to a solution.

 

[yolo]

So I'm curious if anyone has actually determined what is triggering derating? Is it the engine temps, the oil temps, the transmission temps?

I personally would lean towards the transmission temps as transmission fluid starts to break down "varnish" around 220 (from my limited googling). Anything above that and the internets say it dramatically reduces the life of the fluid. And browsing other diesel truck forums with similar issues, they mostly seem to be upgrading/adding transmission coolers.

Could it be the turbo temps? We don't see those without a scan gauge, but maybe that could trigger a derate as well?

 

[lrtexasman]

TBH I think it’s restricted airflow. The Ram with the same drivetrain is not having those issues. I need a winch and this has me a little puckered.

 

[biodiesel]

So I'm curious if anyone has actually determined what is triggering derating? Is it the engine temps, the oil temps, the transmission temps?

Just for reference, my 2015 EcoDiesel will derate around 244*F coolant and/or 266*F oil temp.

 

[biodiesel]

TBH I think it’s restricted airflow. The Ram with the same drivetrain is not having those issues.

Correct, I've driven my 2020 Ram EcoDiesel over dozens of mountain passes with no overheating issues. My travel trailer is 8'6" wide and about 7,000 lbs.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

good catch, i didn't notice units on my display, will check again when driving, usually it runs around 88-90 which when convering from c to f would be 190-194 f, so the hottest i saw of 112 would convert to 233 f

i am in Canada and every other dang thing is labeled in metric etc.

also my a/c was running was well, it hasn't really turned off, bit of a heat wave, gonna edit original post as well with this response added

I figured - you were making perfect sense but the numbers didn't jive and I didn't think of the conversion factor. Maybe some day the US will adopt world measuring standards.......

 

[Abnmarine]

Correct, I've driven my 2020 Ram EcoDiesel over dozens of mountain passes with no overheating issues. My travel trailer is 8'6" wide and about 7,000 lbs.

Nice Arctic Fox camper. We had a 22H and it was great!

 

[biodiesel]

Nice Arctic Fox camper. We had a 22H and it was great!

Nice. Ours is the 22G.

 

[HighNoon]

I am glad some with diesels are doing fine. I can’t tow yet because I am waiting on a boat build but I am putting miles on mine while waiting. I hope the few of you get things worked out. I would have still bought a diesel after reading this thread because I never planed to tow max loads. I did not go gas because I did not want to gear hunt or drive in lower gears.

 

[biodiesel]

I would have still bought a diesel after reading this thread because I never planed to tow max loads. I did not go gas because I did not want to gear hunt or drive in lower gears.

Some people are towing loads with their Gladiator EcoDiesel that should be towed with a Ram 1500. Likewise, there are some people towing loads with their Ram EcoDiesel that should be towed with a Ram 2500/3500.

The Gladiator EcoDiesel is a great truck for the right application, but everything has limitations. If the Gladiator doesn't meet expectations, then it's time to move up to a 1/2 ton.

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