Cant Write
Full Access Member
Our 1400 mile round trip to Lead, SD went 99% without hiccup, and learned a couple things.
Under a time crunch, I tripped the 80 amp CB that feeds the back of the van. Cut the small wires back and rolled the larger gauge that I want to keep too reuse. Did the same between the front seats and found a spark, so I assumed it blew a fuse and left it at that.
Wife brings the kids home from school, I have the rig running with the AC blowing cold and we are ready to roll. 49 miles till fill up, need my $0.60 off a gallon. I notice the OD light blinking, I have no Speedo, ODO, or trip. Trans is shifting at full line pressure. Guess the government wiring I cut tied into the van's factory fuses, well I will figure it out in 49 miles. Found the 15 amp I blew, and bought a 4-pack for spares. Everything returned, and bless CC!
I left Montrose CO - GJ - Rifle - Craig - Rawlins - Casper - and filled up in Midwest WY. I won't lie, I started biting my nails kicking myself for not filling up in Casper. "But I was north of town and didn't wanna travel south into it for fuel" what a stupid excuse!! None the less a Sinclair truck stop in Midwest saved my bacon, I was right around 1/8th of a tank. My dad was worried too cause he hammered over the radio asking if I was lost. Calculated 19.34 mpg running 62 mph with 1.5 hours of idling for a rest and to keep heat in the van for the family.
Dad and I parted ways and screwing around in the Black Hills for a few days returned much less mileage. 14.33 mpg to be exact. Must have under-filled the tank before, and/or one heck of a tail-wind.
Leaving the hills, the good ol' wind came to visit, at least 20+ mph sustained head wind all the way home, it was ridiculous. Somewhere between Wheatland WY and Laramie, I noticed it would "miss/buck" if I pressed on the pedal. The kind of "miss/buck" you get when the fuel filter on dad's 79 C10 starts plugging up cause he needs to drive it more. I had packed an extra filter.
A ways out of Laramie I find a gravel pull-out that has a small dam for the kids to go through some rocks and run around. I get to work, no water came out of the drain, just ATF from my "injector un-sticky" trials. Pour the diesel in the glass jar, it looks clean. Look in the filter, looks clean, assume the filter media is plugged up. New filter on, fired up, load up, and on the road. Hey my "miss/buck" is gone!!! ........... 30 miles down the road ......... or so I thought....dang-nab-it!!
Stopped in Waldon to fill up, man I sure like rural ranch towns cause the fuel pumps go RIGHT on past $100 and thats nice. I get tired of the $75.00 shut-offs, I digress. Whilst filling, I thank the Lord for the house I live in. You see, I'm from South Dakota and according to the experts, there are 17 days a year where the wind blows less than 10 mph. And it was HOWLING through Waldon this day, it blew my doors closed on a van where the doors wanna fall OPEN ...... I'll be. The house I live in now is in a pretty deep draw and the wind blows over top of me, oh thank you LORD!! 15.34 mpg, that sounds reasonable running 65 into a 30 mph headwind.
The "miss/buck" has returned, not quite as fierce, but I'm annoyed, no parts, and I am going to just drive it. Up over Rabbit Ears pass it comfortably holds 50+ in 3rd locked. Ask the wife to look up to see if high falootin' Steamboat Springs has a Walmart. Sure does! Pull in a buy 2 quarts of Type F ATF. Pour one in and head for Craig. Wanting to get home I start driving harder. 9 mile gap must have had a solid 30 mph wind howling up through there, .... good golly! Jumped on I-70 towards GJ and set the cruise at 70 mph.
Made it home without issue, and drove around the next couple days with my outlaws (wife's parents) and filled up. Added my last quart of ATF. checked mpg and it said 15.88 mpg.
Now I am working 9 straight night shifts and gearing up for our trip to CA for Thanksgiving.
Under a time crunch, I tripped the 80 amp CB that feeds the back of the van. Cut the small wires back and rolled the larger gauge that I want to keep too reuse. Did the same between the front seats and found a spark, so I assumed it blew a fuse and left it at that.
Wife brings the kids home from school, I have the rig running with the AC blowing cold and we are ready to roll. 49 miles till fill up, need my $0.60 off a gallon. I notice the OD light blinking, I have no Speedo, ODO, or trip. Trans is shifting at full line pressure. Guess the government wiring I cut tied into the van's factory fuses, well I will figure it out in 49 miles. Found the 15 amp I blew, and bought a 4-pack for spares. Everything returned, and bless CC!
I left Montrose CO - GJ - Rifle - Craig - Rawlins - Casper - and filled up in Midwest WY. I won't lie, I started biting my nails kicking myself for not filling up in Casper. "But I was north of town and didn't wanna travel south into it for fuel" what a stupid excuse!! None the less a Sinclair truck stop in Midwest saved my bacon, I was right around 1/8th of a tank. My dad was worried too cause he hammered over the radio asking if I was lost. Calculated 19.34 mpg running 62 mph with 1.5 hours of idling for a rest and to keep heat in the van for the family.
Dad and I parted ways and screwing around in the Black Hills for a few days returned much less mileage. 14.33 mpg to be exact. Must have under-filled the tank before, and/or one heck of a tail-wind.
Leaving the hills, the good ol' wind came to visit, at least 20+ mph sustained head wind all the way home, it was ridiculous. Somewhere between Wheatland WY and Laramie, I noticed it would "miss/buck" if I pressed on the pedal. The kind of "miss/buck" you get when the fuel filter on dad's 79 C10 starts plugging up cause he needs to drive it more. I had packed an extra filter.
A ways out of Laramie I find a gravel pull-out that has a small dam for the kids to go through some rocks and run around. I get to work, no water came out of the drain, just ATF from my "injector un-sticky" trials. Pour the diesel in the glass jar, it looks clean. Look in the filter, looks clean, assume the filter media is plugged up. New filter on, fired up, load up, and on the road. Hey my "miss/buck" is gone!!! ........... 30 miles down the road ......... or so I thought....dang-nab-it!!
Stopped in Waldon to fill up, man I sure like rural ranch towns cause the fuel pumps go RIGHT on past $100 and thats nice. I get tired of the $75.00 shut-offs, I digress. Whilst filling, I thank the Lord for the house I live in. You see, I'm from South Dakota and according to the experts, there are 17 days a year where the wind blows less than 10 mph. And it was HOWLING through Waldon this day, it blew my doors closed on a van where the doors wanna fall OPEN ...... I'll be. The house I live in now is in a pretty deep draw and the wind blows over top of me, oh thank you LORD!! 15.34 mpg, that sounds reasonable running 65 into a 30 mph headwind.
The "miss/buck" has returned, not quite as fierce, but I'm annoyed, no parts, and I am going to just drive it. Up over Rabbit Ears pass it comfortably holds 50+ in 3rd locked. Ask the wife to look up to see if high falootin' Steamboat Springs has a Walmart. Sure does! Pull in a buy 2 quarts of Type F ATF. Pour one in and head for Craig. Wanting to get home I start driving harder. 9 mile gap must have had a solid 30 mph wind howling up through there, .... good golly! Jumped on I-70 towards GJ and set the cruise at 70 mph.
Made it home without issue, and drove around the next couple days with my outlaws (wife's parents) and filled up. Added my last quart of ATF. checked mpg and it said 15.88 mpg.
Now I am working 9 straight night shifts and gearing up for our trip to CA for Thanksgiving.