No, the turbo won’t be “glowing red hot”. It will be water cooled, well-lubricated, and just fine under load.My aunt has been on the lookout for a replacement vehicle for a while now, something that can tow her 2023 NuCamp Tab400 camper. She’s pretty set on the new Lexus GX550 but who knows when it’ll be available.
With the new 4Runner that was just released, that could be a great option. However, it’s a 4 cylinder turbo. Has quite a bit more power than the V6 it replaces but I’m worried towing would stress out the turbo long term. For comparison she has a 2014 Grand Cherokee 3.6L and it’s pretty stressed. It isn’t just the weight, it’s mostly the camper being a giant parachute going down the road.
Would a small turbo be glowing-red towing a lot?
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I’ve towed with a 4 cylinder turbo that had far less power and the turbo was cooled only by oil. Idled it for a minute before setting off. Idled it for a minute before shutting down. Both to let the turbo warm up, and to let it cool down.
The engine you’re discussing was designed for this. It has far more sophisticated engine management - and can manage EGT and fuel temperature through fuel enrichment and other techniques.
I wouldn’t worry about towing with that engine one bit.
Just don’t run “cheap” oil. Use something that meets Toyota’s spec and change it on time.