fields_mj
Full Access Member
In Mid Oct I was having several starting issues. Thought I would give a bit of an update. The real problem is a fuel leak, when I have a trip to the mechanic scheduled to repair. Since that problem developed in Aug, I've burned through the old starter (a little quicker than normal), destroyed a starter that was defective (lasted 5 days), and gone through another starter that may or may not have been any good to begin with (got about 2 months out of it). I'm no longer trying to deal with the mechanic who replaced my IP, and created the leak to begin with. Problem is that the good mechanic in this area has a 6 week waiting list, which I'm now on.
The problem in Mid Oct was a week battery. I swapped out the week one, and was back in business again. Then some idiot (me) managed to loosen the train on the fuel filter last time it was changed (mid Nov) just before taking several 2hr road trips pulling the camper or trailer. My fuel gauges haven't worked in years, so it has been my standard practice to always keep one tank full. When I switch tanks, I make plans to stop and top everything off. Well, during these drips, the drain valve worked its way open some more. At some point I started going through fuel 2X as fast as I normally would and didn't really notice it. I swapped tanks in the middle of the boonies and forgot about it. So, with a 16' trailer full of manure on the back, I ran out of fuel. What a load of crap (sorry, couldn't resist). The farmer gave me several pull starts to no avail. Finally turned it over with out the filter on, and noticed there was no fuel coming out. That's when I checked the drain valve. So he gave me 5gal of fuel, and we were able to pull start it. I ran into town and filled up, then gave the farmer $40 for the manure (which was free), the fuel, and his help. It took some persuading to get him to take that second 20, but I wasn't taking it back.
History has now taught me that pretty much any time I have a serious starting problem, I'm going to kill a battery. I try to swap them in pairs and that helps, but last time I just did the one because I had so many other things I was dealing with at the time. Since I had one battery that was new, and one that was older, I was pretty sure that this most recent mistake was going to cost me that other battery, and probably damage the new one in the process. Sure enough, the starts were getting slower and slower, and 3 days later I was dead in the parking lot at 7:00PM. Thankfully, I was right behind an AutoZone at the time. So, I walked over and checked to see if they had any Group 31 batteries. I was sick and tired of this issue, and didn't care to have to preplace the 59s again. I paid too much for them, but they were still cheaper than the 59s, and they were walking distance from the dead truck, even while carrying the G31 batteries. I had to get the adapters for the threaded studs because I didn't have the time or $$ to deal with new cables or changing to a different connector, but it got the job done. I couldn't close the hood all the way because the driver side battery sat a little too high, but it was enough to latch and get me home (about 2 miles). After dinner it took me about an hour to remove the battery tray allowing that battery to drop down far enough to get the hood to close all the way. It sucked to have to spend another $300 on batteries, but I'm SO glad that I did. It made a HUGE difference. The extra 100cca per battery, and the deeper cycle of the G31 give me that warm fuzzy. It's not that I won't kill another starter, run her out of fuel, or otherwise end up stranded on the road, but next time she goes down, the batteries won't be the part that I'm worried about.
If there isn't one already, someone should really put something in the Tech articles about the G31, and a good way to make room for them.
The problem in Mid Oct was a week battery. I swapped out the week one, and was back in business again. Then some idiot (me) managed to loosen the train on the fuel filter last time it was changed (mid Nov) just before taking several 2hr road trips pulling the camper or trailer. My fuel gauges haven't worked in years, so it has been my standard practice to always keep one tank full. When I switch tanks, I make plans to stop and top everything off. Well, during these drips, the drain valve worked its way open some more. At some point I started going through fuel 2X as fast as I normally would and didn't really notice it. I swapped tanks in the middle of the boonies and forgot about it. So, with a 16' trailer full of manure on the back, I ran out of fuel. What a load of crap (sorry, couldn't resist). The farmer gave me several pull starts to no avail. Finally turned it over with out the filter on, and noticed there was no fuel coming out. That's when I checked the drain valve. So he gave me 5gal of fuel, and we were able to pull start it. I ran into town and filled up, then gave the farmer $40 for the manure (which was free), the fuel, and his help. It took some persuading to get him to take that second 20, but I wasn't taking it back.
History has now taught me that pretty much any time I have a serious starting problem, I'm going to kill a battery. I try to swap them in pairs and that helps, but last time I just did the one because I had so many other things I was dealing with at the time. Since I had one battery that was new, and one that was older, I was pretty sure that this most recent mistake was going to cost me that other battery, and probably damage the new one in the process. Sure enough, the starts were getting slower and slower, and 3 days later I was dead in the parking lot at 7:00PM. Thankfully, I was right behind an AutoZone at the time. So, I walked over and checked to see if they had any Group 31 batteries. I was sick and tired of this issue, and didn't care to have to preplace the 59s again. I paid too much for them, but they were still cheaper than the 59s, and they were walking distance from the dead truck, even while carrying the G31 batteries. I had to get the adapters for the threaded studs because I didn't have the time or $$ to deal with new cables or changing to a different connector, but it got the job done. I couldn't close the hood all the way because the driver side battery sat a little too high, but it was enough to latch and get me home (about 2 miles). After dinner it took me about an hour to remove the battery tray allowing that battery to drop down far enough to get the hood to close all the way. It sucked to have to spend another $300 on batteries, but I'm SO glad that I did. It made a HUGE difference. The extra 100cca per battery, and the deeper cycle of the G31 give me that warm fuzzy. It's not that I won't kill another starter, run her out of fuel, or otherwise end up stranded on the road, but next time she goes down, the batteries won't be the part that I'm worried about.
If there isn't one already, someone should really put something in the Tech articles about the G31, and a good way to make room for them.
just fine!
