Sanity Check. Input Wanted.

[pinstriper]

[quote source="/post/7247/thread" author="@whoofit" timestamp="1424989060"]Pinstriper, those 69 cent 69oz fountain drinks at Irving are well spaced. About right for a pit stop every 140 miles or so. Fill er up in more ways than one! I bet they had this tow combo in mind....lol. I am seeking a scale in my area. The scrap yard I deal with won't do it. Every time they weigh it generates a ticket and each ticket is a $100 minimum dump fee. Still working on this. Any ideas?

[/quote]Our state DOT, or someone like that, has scales scattered on the interstates and some state highways in the agriculture zones. When they aren't there, they leave the scale turned on. Free weigh.

[solds88]

[p]Whoofit,[/p][p]
[/p][p]With reference to my "one or two gallons in the tank" post, I should have included " Over an extended period of time, if you consistently run you fuel tank at very low levels you could experience premature fuel pump failure primarily due to excessive heat" My bad, I didn't mean to unnecessarily cause you any concern, as I should have elaborated more on the subject matter. Here are a few links that relate to the subject.  [a href="http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2011/05/running-on-empty-low-gas-in-the-tank-can-be-costly/index.htm"]http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2011/05/running-on-empty-low-gas-in-the-tank-can-be-costly/index.htm[/a]  [a href="http://www.boston.com/yourtown/somerville/articles/2011/03/27/letting_tank_get_low_risks_more_than_just_running_out_of_gas/"]http://www.boston.com/yourtown/somerville/articles/2011/03/27/letting_tank_get_low_risks_more_than_just_running_out_of_gas/[/a]  [a href="http://www.agcoauto.com/content/news/p2_articleid/195"]http://www.agcoauto.com/content/news/p2_articleid/195[/a]  [a href="http://carterfuelsystems.com/fuelpumps/consumers.php"]http://carterfuelsystems.com/fuelpumps/consumers.php[/a]  [/p]

[whoofit]

Tinker, the Escape does have a cooler OEM. Don't know how sufficient it is but it is there. I understand it is a challenge to mount an auxiliary one or a larger one on that TV. Front shrouds removed, intercooler and the like. I look under the hood and can hardly see an engine at all. This and also the computer system might not like it as it is balanced in some way with what was OEM. These trannys in the new stuff are pretty amazing things so I've read. They do a lot more than the shifting like the older ones do.

I'm sure they break just as easy or easier even. There is no magical physics, mechanical engineering or thermodynamics going on. Having said that I see no part number for a temp sensor for that tranny. An external may need to be retrofitted.

[whoofit]

Pinstriper, up here I've seen them locked closed. Even some are not plowed out yet even. Still searching but not aggressively yet.

[whoofit]

James, that makes perfect sense now. I would have never thought of it. Thank you for your research!

[spot1]

Here's a thread about Escape tranny temps.

http://www.fordescape.org/forum/engine-technical-discussion/28362-transmission-temperature.html

[mitch]

Here's a thread about Escape tranny temps.

http://www.fordescape.org/forum/engine-technical-discussion/28362-transmission-temperature.html

without causing too much thread drift (hopefully), I use a DashDaq engine monitor in my Tacoma, it's connected via the ODB port and allows me to create a gauge for any piece of information that is monitored by the truck.  Since I tow I have gauges set up for trans oil temp and engine oil temp among others. It's very interesting to see the impact of towing and the impact of hills on the transmission.  

[pinstriper]

[quote source="/post/7263/thread" timestamp="1425047029" author="@whoofit"]Pinstriper, up here I've seen them locked closed. Even some are not plowed out yet even. Still searching but not aggressively yet.[/quote][p]Hey, no problem. You're in New-by-gawd Hampshah or some such place, right ? Just take whatever state highway south to I-95 south, pick up I-80 west at NYC to Salt Lake City. Then I-84 west to Portland.
[/p]

[whoofit]

Hey Mitch is there an exhaust gas temp sensor in that truck?

Pinstriper I wish I were in NH. I'm in Taxachusetts. Moab is on our shortlist. Probly need a bigger TV for that trip. I am an avid mountain bike fanatic and would love to run the Bronson Carbon C up there.

[mitch]

[quote timestamp="1425064086" author="@whoofit" source="/post/7271/thread"]Hey Mitch is there an exhaust gas temp sensor in that truck?

Pinstriper I wish I were in NH. I'm in Taxachusetts. Moab is on our shortlist. Probly need a bigger TV for that trip. I am an avid mountain bike fanatic and would love to run the Bronson Carbon C up there.[/quote]I don't think so but I'll check.

[pinstriper]

[quote timestamp="1425067333" source="/post/7275/thread" author="@mitch"][quote source="/post/7271/thread" author="@whoofit" timestamp="1425064086"]Hey Mitch is there an exhaust gas temp sensor in that truck?

Pinstriper I wish I were in NH. I'm in Taxachusetts. Moab is on our shortlist. Probly need a bigger TV for that trip. I am an avid mountain bike fanatic and would love to run the Bronson Carbon C up there.[/quote]I don't think so but I'll check.[/quote]Hmm. That would require some sort of exhaust gas temp sensor sensor. Wouldn't it ?

[whoofit]

[quote timestamp="1425067333" source="/post/7275/thread" author="@mitch"]I don't think so but I'll check.

Hmm. That would require some sort of exhaust gas temp sensor sensor. Wouldn't it ?
[/quote][p]HA![/p][p]
[/p][p]Or at least an exhaust gas sensor detector. Operated by an exhaust gas temperature detective.[/p][p]
[/p][p]Seriously though seems a pretty useful data point for towing.[/p][p]
[/p][p]At any rate I don't see one listed for the Tacoma. Is there even a slot in the software package for one? And Pinstriper, don't get me started on this one....;p;
[/p]

[mitch]

No exhaust gas temp sensor that I could find but there was a catalyst temp sensor that, I believe, give the temp of the catalytic converter. Not exactly the same but it's close.

[whoofit]

Thanks, Mitch. When I was a mechanic in the 80's I remember certain rich conditions that would make CC's glow cherry red in daily use. Maybe the newer tech has changed but I believe we would need to sample before the CC to be accurate. I could be wrong. I've been wrong once before you know.

In any case it is a data point that may be useful to us in some way.

Packing up to spend the night on the NH border. 6F outside so don't think I'll be overheating any time soon. I appreciate you checking this out!

[whoofit]

[p]Just to round out this thread I finally weighed the trailer (2013 16DB) at a local CAT scale. I weighed it with our camping contents in it then weighed the camping contents separately using a precise Feedback Sports hook scale.

The certificate of origin said it weighed 2700lbs as shipped.
The CAT scale said it weighs 2720 + 280 tongue as loaded. For a total of 3000lbs.
The contents not supplied with the trailer (all but the hookup cord and the sprayer, propane tank and battery) weighed 241 lbs.
This means the trailer as supplied by the dealer weighs 2759 lbs as shipped. This with todays version of the XL package.

Wow, this was pretty close. only 59 lbs over. Escape has been doing good but I see and agree we need something more next time.[/p][p]
[/p][p]After getting all the weights, talking with Ford and getting more specs, it appears by using the online calculator that our max limit with 10% tongue weight and zero safety margin the top end of our Total Trailer Weight can be no more that 3326 lbs. This with keeping the TV weights in our normal cruise mode.[/p][p]
[/p][p]The real danger comes from the cargo carrying capacity of the TV. We are only 75 lbs short of the the max with a 330 lb tongue weight. Wife and I are going on a diet to increase this safety margin. We may jettison the dog too. She eats too much anyways and think of the 15lbs of dog food in the trailer!...lol.[/p]