Expert: Dusty Granata - 7/7/2009

Question
i have a 1997 ford f150.2 wheel drive 4.2 engine,auto transmission,everytime i go to pull my boat the temp needle goes up,i changed the thermostat,that didnt help,i dont know what else to do without guessing ,,maybe radiator? fan clutch,,i dont know,,thanks,,allen

Answer
is it spiking right into the overheat zone or is it just running hotter? you can usually run an engine at 75% up on the gage with no harm to the engine. modern coolant systems keep typical operating temps way lower than older vehicles, but when you work them they will heat up. also, how big a boat? if you are trying to pull the RMS Titanic with a V6 4x2 you are not going to have a cool running engine.