I've lost track of who said what, so . . .

IF the stock engine cooling system is up to snuff,�any normal vehicle
operation will NOT cause the engine to overheat.

If you want your wasserboxer engine to have a long and healthy life,
keep the rpms under 4K.  That's conservative, but prudent.  Yes, I
know it will take more (I've done it), but why?

I drive 6% (and greater) grades regularly ('85 fully loaded Westy with
2.1L and standard 4 speed tranny).  Gear down, stay between 2500 and
4000rpms, kick back, and you'll get to the top just fine.  "If I
wanted to get there faster, I would have driven something else".  (No
Jeff, not the DOKA!)

It IS normal for the engine to get warmer (evern hot) on long grades.
This is NOT overheating, unless the red light starts flashing.  If it
does, pull over and let things cool offf for a while.  If you
regularly experience the red flashing light, something is wrong, and
you won't be rid of the problem until you spend the appropriate amount
of $$$ to fix it right.  Add-ons don't work.

Drafting will NOT cause your engine to overheat, even though there
will be somewhat less air flow (remember the radiator fan?).

Drafting IS NOT safe practice, though many do it to one extenet or
another.  The limiting ffactor is NOT the braking ability of the truck
in front of you, but the lack of reaction time should
God-only-knows-what happen in front of the truck (another truck; big
rock; elk on hiway, etc.)

The vehicles are well designed to do what they do.  Porsche designed a
different vehicle to fly up hills.  I can't afford one.

Rant over,

Karl Wolz