Grumpy Bears 2015 Silverado 2WD

[Grumpy Bear]

Data recorded every five minutes then loaded and plotted. Last number of each data set is its median value. As one would expect there is less control with what is basically a restrictor orifice than a true thermostat.

 

Oil and water temperatures loosely follow each other and are subject to load more than ambient temperature. Load again is more than speed but is also wind and terrain plus traffic. That big up tic for example in under hood temperature is sitting in Mickey D’s.

 

I reoriented the thermostat and it’s drillings as they address the spring seat to alter the amount flow permitted past the thermostat to raise the temperature of the water while maintaining something below 212F for an oil temperature. The earlier setting gave good oil temps but would get a bit low in the late evening and took too long to warm up. Actually fine for most of my driving but required I driver faster than desired for good economy to support fluid temperatures.

This setting actually will induce the thermostat to open in certain situations. An assurance there is some back up for heavier loading.

 

Motorad is the OEM supplier and guess what. A replacement thermostat is not availiable even from GM. What you can buy is the entire housing thermostat inclusive for just under a hundred bucks. Cheaper on eBay when available. AutoZone, NAPA etc. will let you part with a $100 if you willing to wait. NO ONE carries them in stock. These use to be two dollar parts from Stant at any mom and pop parts house in the country. Actually you can by a 2014 Ford Van E350 for under $7! Can we say GREED!

 

I contacted JET Performance about this failed unit and they say they haven’t experienced ANY trouble with them and are willing to fix/replace this one…soon as I find my receipt. 2 year warranty on them. Under $25.

 

[Grumpy Bear]

40,000 mile report card. In a year. Really? I do love to drive.

 

Tires are 8/32” down the middle and 7/32” on outside rows. (Original set)

 

Brakes are 75% + on the front and 90% out back. (Original set)

 

Lifetime economy 24.6 mpg. Last 24 tank average 27.4 mpg. Still creeping up there. Will for tens of thousands of mile yet. The nature of averages.

 

1000 Engine hour milestone nets 39.866 mph life time speed average. A bit quicker than the national average.

 

Oil filter service. Purolator and Red Line 5W20. Still 5K intervals.

 

Total detailing inside and out and even under the hood. All day event but use to take several. Refining my process and products.

 

One new chip to repair curb side door. Minor.

 

Dog chewed shift lever replaced.

 

Still waiting on parts deliveries for suspension upgrades.

Edited August 21, 2017 by Grumpy Bear

[Grumpy Bear]

Two products that work IMO.

1.) Meguiar's Natural Shine Vinyl and Rubber Low Gloss Protectant

2.) Rain-X Spot Free Car Wash

 

Pepper has a raw flat black natural plastic grill, fascia and headlight surround and huge like finish mirror backs. Hot, humid summer nights it is a bug mine field around here. Combine it will make a grown man cry over the cleaning after a multi-day detailing…unless you applied the #1 product on my list and subsequently clean it with product #2. If you start killer clean then apply the protectant the cleanup is very easy.

 

Add one ounce of Rain-X to two gallons of cold tap water. Yea, half strength. Hard or soft it doesn’t matter. Use a cheap medium nap microfiber. Like the wash cloth size you buy in a bundle at the Dollar General. Wet it in the solution and wring it out as dry as you can and wipe the bugs off like your dusting cracker crumbs off the kitchen counter.

 

The Meguiar’s product, unlike Amoral, isn’t oily. Doesn’t attract bugs (no animal fat based antistatic) or dust. But the surface has to be very, very clean before you apply it. I use a stiff mixture of cheap pine cleaner and microfiber in warm water for that task. I use a damp microfiber to apply the Protectant as well. This may take a few applications to get an even finish as the cloth likes the product more than the plastic until it reaches some saturation point. The spray applicator makes the egg crate grill easy peasy. Light mist and a wet wipe. Do it last. Polymer science is coming along nicely.

 

We went to dinner about sundown last night and cross a river that was teaming with bugs. Sounded like we were getting sandblasted. It was nearly midnight when we got back and took a second hit. They were worse at sundown. Next morning I groaned when I saw the nose of Pepper. Man this is going to be a two hour job I said to myself.

 

Not!! I was done in five minutes so gave her a complete wipe down in ten more. Stunning results is a quarter of a hour. I am more happy with the ease of maintenance than the actual look, which is quite nice anyway. A win/win.

 

On the exposed paint the Rain-X Spot Free is just that, spot free; IF you wet wipe it with the microfiber. My water is nearly 40 grain hard. It test the limits of most claims about spot free anything. Shade is still good. I haven’t tried letting it air dry without a wipe down. It is too much work to remove spots from red paint.

 

On the 3M clear bra the same Rain-X solution works just as good at removing the bugs from it. And on Rain-X coated glass ditto. I may never use a Bounce dryer sheet again.

 

Under hood plastic bits benefit as well from the protectant and inhibit dust collection. Nice!

 

​And were back to photo upload issues. Grrr.

 

Edited August 21, 2017 by Grumpy Bear

[Grumpy Bear]

Cracked the RPO codes for this vehicle.

 

AE7 SEAT FRT SPLIT, DRIVER, PASS EASY ENTRY

DE2 MIRROR O/S LH & RH, MANUAL CONTROL, FOLDING, COLOR

JD9 BRAKE VAC POWER, 17" DISC/DISC, W/VSES, 7700 LBS

RD6 WHEELS, 17" x 8" (43.2 cm x 20.3 cm) PAINTED STEEL

UMN SPEEDOMETER, MILES/KILOMETERS

WMF VIN MODEL YEAR 2015

7A9 COMPONENT FRT RH COMPUTER SEL SUSP (7A9)

AKP GLASS, SOLOR ABSORBING

EF7 COUNTRY UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (USA)

KC4 COOLING SYSTEM, ENGINE OIL

R5C TIRE BRAND ALL BRIDGESTONE

UQ5 SPEAKER SYSTEM 4, DUAL FRT DR MTD, DUAL EXTD RGE QTR MNTD

XL7 FREQUENCIES RATING 315 MHZ

8X2 PARTITION SOLID TYPE, W/CTR DOOR, TIE RINGS

ALO SENSOR INDICATOR INFLATABLE RESTRAINT, FRT PASS/CHILD PRESENCE DETECTOR

E63 BODY EQUIPMENT FLEETSIDE PICK-UP BOX

KG4 GENERATOR 150 AMP

R9N CONTROL SALES ITEM NO. 89

U2J DIGITAL AUDIO SYSTEM S-BAND "NOT INSTALLED"

X88 MARKET BRAND CHEVROLET

9X2 COMPONENT RR RH NON-COMPUTER SEL SUSP

AU3 LOCK CONTROL SIDE DR, ELEC

FE9 CERTIFICATION EMISSION, FEDERAL

K34 CRUISE CONTROL AUTOMATIC, ELECTRONIC

SAF LOCK SPARE TIRE, HOIST SHAFT

U73 ANTENNA FIXED, RADIO

YM8 IDENTIFICATION LIMITED PERSONALIZATION OPTION /LPO

AXK VEHICLE TYPE TRUCK

FHS E85 FLEX FUEL CAPABLE

LV3 ENGINE GAS, 6 CYL, 4.3L, GEN 5, SIDI, V6, VVT, OHV, E85 MAX, ALUM

SFE LPO WHEEL LOCKS

VH6 BUMPER FRT BLACK

ZBZ TIRE, SPARE P255/70R17 ALL-SEASON BLACK WALL

AY0 RESTRAINT SYSTEM SEAT, INFLATABLE, DRIVER & PASS, FRT & SIDE, ROOF SIDE

FWI PLANT CODE FT WAYNE, IN, USA

MAH MARKETING AREA NORTH AMERICA

SLM SALES PROCESSING STOCK ORDERS

VJG BUMPER RR BLACK

ZY1 COLOR COMBINATION SOLID

A60 TAILGATE LOCKING

GCN PRIMARY COLOR EXTERIOR, VICTORY RED

MYC 6-SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

S2B FLEET INCENTIVE DIVERSIFIED MAINTENANCE SERVICE SOUTH (TRK CKGMLST)

VK3 LICENSE PLATE FRONT FRT MOUNTING PKG

Z85 CHASSIS PACKAGE, INCREASED CAPACITY

BG9 COVERING FLOOR RUBBER

GU5 AXLE REAR 3.23 RATIO

NK5 STEERING WHEEL STANDARD

TG5 HEADLAMPS HALOGEN, PENCIL BEAM

VRK VALUE ADDED ASM ROOF TRIM

1SZ DISCOUNT OPTION PACKAGE

BWN STEPS CORNER ASSIST, BUMPER

H2R INTERIOR TRIM CONFIG CLOTH, LEVEL 1, JET BLACK/DK ASH

NT7 EMISSION SYSTEM FEDERAL, TIER 2

UDC DRIVER INFORMATION CENTER

VT7 PROVISION OPTIONS, UNREGULATED COUNTRIES

1WT PACKAGE WT OPTION 1

C67 HVAC SYSTEM AIR CONDITIONER FRT, ELECTRONIC CONTROLS

IO4 RADIO INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM - BASE WITH CONNECTIVITY

N33 STEERING COLUMN TILT TYPE

UE1 COMMUNICATION SYSTEM VEHICLE, G.P.S. 1

VV4 CONTAINER, STOWAGE

4D7 INTERIOR TRIM JET BLACK/DK ASH

C7K GVW RATING 6,500 LBS

I15 ENGINEERING YEAR 2015

RBZ Tires, P255/70R17 ALL SEASON BLACK WALL

UJM TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM

V8D VEHICLE STATEMENT US

6B1 COMPONENT FRT LH COMPUTER SEL SUSP(6B1)

 

​

 

 

 

 

[Grumpy Bear]

Evidently we have a total file size limit per person for photo loading. Not just per photo or per thread but per person. One of those things that would have been more useful to know “YESTERDAY” as Adam Sandler said in the Wedding Singer. I was pretty intent on giving good quality photos and used high resolution for most everything. You might want to give that a thought as you build your threads.

 

No I’m not opening a third party photo host nor am I buying another device as a work around.

 

Well it looks as if I’ve exceed my lifetime limit. So…..I won’t be able to show photos of the suspension modifications (or anything else) and we will have to be satisfied with word pictures. I might be able to pull that off if readers can be content with radio instead of T.V. I can. I’m looking at it.

 

That said we are still waiting on the Deaver Springs to arrive. Another week or so. Everything else is here and at the Deegan’s shop. Jason is chomping at the bit and all egger beaver. Me too.

 

​Different topic:

 

Run you hand carefully behind the rear wheel well seam above the tire. You will find three holes about 21 mm each just above the spot weld area between the tub and outer skin and just above where they join. That nasty little place where salt loves to eat holes in your box. I’m sure GM has a good reason for placing them there and equally sure that the $3.48 a piece plastic plugs are not given much thought during final assembly and inspections. But are glad to sell you the replacements. I have a half dozen on order which will be glued in. Rust and corrosion protection is a relentless task.

 

[Grumpy Bear]

Finally got a repair order validation number from Jet to repair/replace the 180 F thermostat. Shipping it off this week. Investigating a 192 F replacement.

 

Still waiting on Deaver. Gave Scott a poke today. We are a week over due.

 

26.5 MPG is the new life time average. 24 tank average now 27.6 and six tank average a stunning 28 mpg Part of that a 1021 mile run that averaged 29.1 mpg. Yes mostly Interstate running. Closing in on a running 27 mpg average. And it’s getting easier to do. But fun time is coming to a seasonal close. Fall is our second windy season and temps are falling like leaves. I expect tank over tank to take a hit soon and hard.

 

If and when we get this suspension done...ha-ha…I have two more planned projects on slow simmer. A regear and a tire and maybe a wheel change. All moves intended to help efficiency. We’ll see.

 

Body plugs arrived and soon the install.

[Grumpy Bear]

GM part # 22579564. 20 mm fender plugs. They cost about $3.50 each. There are six in the rear inner fender area over the spot welded seam. Now installed with RTV black after clean up with solvent. This is the box area trucks love to rust. No wonder. Built in 'salt funnels' with interior 'trap lip' built in.

 

Deaver Spring is behind on orders several weeks. Still waiting. Still getting assurance.

[CadillacLuke24]

Hmmm...I checked mine and no holes...but then again the LTZs have wheelhouse liners out back like the front liners.

 

Nice work on the rolling average! You did quite well to boost your numbers!

[Grumpy Bear]

Hmmm...I checked mine and no holes...but then again the LTZs have wheelhouse liners out back like the front liners.

 

Nice work on the rolling average! You did quite well to boost your numbers!

 

They are under that liner. Sneaky, right?

 

Like dimes making dollars it isn’t one big thing but a collection of small adjustment. I have a few left. The Linear Logic Scan Gauge II has been a great tool for sorting out the minutia. Things you wouldn’t see in a life time of driving without that pair of electronic eyes looking inside your ECM.

Edited September 13, 2017 by Grumpy Bear

[mookdoc6]

40,000 mile report card. In a year. Really? I do love to drive.

 

Tires are 8/32” down the middle and 7/32” on outside rows. (Original set)

 

Brakes are 75% + on the front and 90% out back. (Original set)

 

Lifetime economy 24.6 mpg. Last 24 tank average 27.4 mpg. Still creeping up there. Will for tens of thousands of mile yet. The nature of averages.

 

1000 Engine hour milestone nets 39.866 mph life time speed average. A bit quicker than the national average.

 

 

I know what you mean about the full detail! It took me two days last weekend but dang those mpg's are crazy!

 

Oil filter service. Purolator and Red Line 5W20. Still 5K intervals.

 

Total detailing inside and out and even under the hood. All day event but use to take several. Refining my process and products.

 

One new chip to repair curb side door. Minor.

 

Dog chewed shift lever replaced.

 

Still waiting on parts deliveries for suspension upgrades.

[Grumpy Bear]

 

40,000 mile report card. In a year. Really? I do love to drive.

 

Tires are 8/32” down the middle and 7/32” on outside rows. (Original set)

 

Brakes are 75% + on the front and 90% out back. (Original set)

 

Lifetime economy 24.6 mpg. Last 24 tank average 27.4 mpg. Still creeping up there. Will for tens of thousands of mile yet. The nature of averages.

 

1000 Engine hour milestone nets 39.866 mph life time speed average. A bit quicker than the national average.

 

 

I know what you mean about the full detail! It took me two days last weekend but dang those mpg's are crazy!

 

Oil filter service. Purolator and Red Line 5W20. Still 5K intervals.

 

Total detailing inside and out and even under the hood. All day event but use to take several. Refining my process and products.

 

One new chip to repair curb side door. Minor.

 

Dog chewed shift lever replaced.

 

Still waiting on parts deliveries for suspension upgrades.

 

 

That should have been 26.4 mpg. Dyslexic fingers. Sorry.

[Grumpy Bear]

In my glove box we find RPO code KC4 COOLING SYSTEM, ENGINE OIL. Standard issue all trim levels starting 2015. Didn’t know that. Assumed it was the same as the 2014. Not only do I have the cooler I have the larger Max Tow radiator as well; although I don’t have the max tow package. Cool!

 

I was looking for a way to mount an external cooler and assumed the plumbing to the radiator was the trans cooler. Confused as it was on the opposite side from what I had read. Well yea, it’s an internal oil cooler on the hot side and the trans cooler is on the cold side. That’s good on a couple of levels. I have a larger lever than I thought on oil temp. I also have an oil preheater in cooler weather. Both good for efficiency.

 

Moving on. Jet Performance delivered my replacement thermostat today. Right package. Wrong thermostat. That is, I sent in a 180 F unit for repair/replace and received a 170 F. Was it going to be too much? As it turns out it isn’t at all. After installation I went for a 100 mile test ride and wrung it out.

 

Logging data every 5 mph from 40 mph to 65 mph. Graphed it and as I can’t post photos anymore word pictures.

 

Biggest step change yet. The factory unit had the oil temps over 210 F as slow as 40 mph. Reaching 237 F by 70 mph. ( all test were performed on days between 72 and 76 F) Almost 250F by 75 mph on 90 F days. That’s nuts.

 

Combining three changes the oil temperature is 185 F by 40 mph and never broke 197 F to 70 mph.

1.) Blind top section of the air inlet.

2.) Red Line 5W20

3.) Jet Performance 170 F Thermostat

 

So the million dollar question is; is 5W20 too thin running like this?

 

Nope. SAE viscosity is actually higher now that the 5W30 was factory stock anywhere in the speed range I use.

 

5W30 Vis cSt ran between 13.0 and 9.3 for the temperatures recorded between 40 and 70 MPH.

5W20 Vis cSt runs between 20.0 and 13.9 for the temperatures recorded between 40 and 70 mph

0W20 would run between 18.8 and 13.4 cSt.

 

That’s an average 52% thicker at operating temperatures at real road speeds and yet 25% thinner on start up on 40-75 F days. I still have room to run 0W20 and have excess cushion for an addition 5% cold start up reduction.

 

You’re asking yourself wouldn’t that mean that you have an increase in oil drag that will result in higher fuel usage? Yes it would IF the increase was not needed to keep parts from kissing parts. Evidently it was needed.

 

Longer term testing will be needed but over 100 miles it looks like another net increase in mileage.

 

BTW the replacement thermostat has the seal cemented on unlike the one I sent back. That’s good.

[Grumpy Bear]

45,000 mile service. Tires 7.625/32. 5W20 Redline and filter. Rotate tires. Replace left rear tail lamp assembly.

 

Yep…got clipped in a parking lot by a motor home. Bruised the tail light. Chipped the box and nicked up the rear bumper. Paint work alone is running $800. No sheet metal damage. Got to love the new paints. Nothing I fogable or blendable. Week of Oct 2 it goes for repair. Over a grand all said and done.

 

Deaver is telling me the springs will ship sometime next week. Great! So while I am having the box looked at the service guy is telling me that the bed cannot be lifted on this truck without spoiling the Line-X. We are not going to gas axe the bed seam or beat on my truck with a hammer to bring it to submission. Studs and a cut off tool will be the weapons of choice. No butchers allowed and I don’t care how common the practice is.

 

​

Late addition: Some cooling testing today. Upper grill half blinded mind you. I-39 headed South over 3 to 5 % rolling grades into a 20-28 mph head wind on a 94 F day running 65 mph netted 97 F under hood, 173 F water, 189 F trans and 199 F oil after an hour. It also returned 20.8 mpg for 50 miles. On the return I was laughing watching that same wind on my 6 yielding 40.5 mpg. In fact the wind was strong enough to maintain the V4 mode climbing 5% grades a half mile long. I love this truck.

Edited September 20, 2017 by Grumpy Bear

[Grumpy Bear]

It’s one of those times I wish I could post more photo’s. I chose to fix the box myself and kids did it ever come out nice. This divot was a quarter inch long by an eighth of an inch wide and all the way to the bone.

 

I wipe repair area with an alcohol lint free patch. A ‘0000’ sable brush soaked in alcohol then dipped into a bottle of Dupli-Color Victory Red wetted the surface and sealed the repairs edges. It’s a lacquer based primer paint. A paint pen like you get from the dealer for chip repair. It takes only a few seconds on a humid day to tack it so a quick switch to the bottle brush with most of the paint feed back to the bottle so it doesn’t drip and run dabbed into the chip builds the coat up waiting an hour or more between coats. On a vertical panel it’s a challenge to get enough paint without so much as to make it sag or run. This one took three coats. Each shrinks as it dries. The object of the exercise was to be a hair proud of the surface and fully wetted. No pin holes. I gave it a full day on the last coat to assure it was proud.

 

Paper punch some 1500 wet dry and CA glue one to a pencil eraser. Using soap and cold water as a lubricant I work the high spot down close. I have a few pieces of one inch square counter top material and I wrap a larger piece of 2000 grit that has been soaking in a bucket of warm water for as long as it takes to wet the paper. I use it to blend the repair into the surrounding area. I know when enough is enough when the chips edge disappears into the panels color. That is to say, flush. A small amount of rubbing as I'm finicky with 3M foam backed 5000 and water/soap.

 

3M Final touch and a damp microfiber rag removed the haze followed by a damp cloth and some Maguire’s final polish. Gave it a few days then seal and wax the area.

 

Smaller chips are much harder. Surface tension of the paint prevents it from wetting in small holes. This is a place where Dr. Color Chip does a better job than a paint pen.

 

So can you find them? The chips that is. Yes; but it will take some effort and some good light and nine times out of ten it’s because the shade of color will be slightly off. A casual look will not find it. Larry and Robert my painter count eight shades of Red in my factory paint. I can see about half that number with an untrained eye.

 

Warning Will Robinson. This is not a job for the ham handed or weak of heart. Factory paint is unbelievably thin and clear extremely easy to sand through. If you do, you’re painting an entire panel. Thus I do not do this for hire. I fixed several chips this way all with good results and the more I do the better I am getting at it.

 

I actually did a quarter inch square chip dead in the middle of a large flat midnight blue metallic high gloss 2K sprayed hood on the car I traded for my truck that the dealers buyer nor their paint department detected.

 

This truck is now three model years old and you can’t find a chip, dent or scratch in it…today that is. It varies from week to week.

 

Disclaimer. This is not a repair guide. It is simply a sharing of some experiences. Don’t try this at home without adult supervision.

Edited September 25, 2017 by Grumpy Bear

[Grumpy Bear]

Scott shipped springs from Deaver today. Freight added $140 to the last reported project cost. Brings the grand total on parts to $3861.01 to date. We have some incidentals yet such as mounting studs and some paint for the Bell Knuckles, pinion angle correction wedges. We are not beating on my box or using a gas axe for shackle bolt clearance. We are not spoiling the Line-X to raise the box. We are using bolt cutters and new studs.

 

Now to make the check list of items that will need a punch list to get this right.