Grumpy Bear

I guess I'll start with the pinion seal leak. It was leaking from the OD, not the shaft. Looks like it was damaged during the installation. There was no Lithium grease on the spine either. Wow! The source of some intermittent back lash noise. Seal repaired, spline greased. Noise and leak plus $150 dollars all gone, bye-bye. Alignment up next. Remember I bought this rig with 1300 very soft old man miles on her. The before is the factory setup. Look below for after. Do not kid yourself. The alignment man was not happy with my fussiness. I chose the specs and the tolerance, nil. Another hundred gone and well spent. Tire wear is remarkable slow for a tire the press and key board reviews consider junk and a front end this messed up. I find it a pretty good tire. Just under 8/32” center ribs. 7/32 outer ribs. Lots of meat left in this set. I see no need to replace them. The result? 1.) Harsh jar is gone on bridge approaches, tar snakes and small pot holes. Not plush but no bump steer either. 2.) Slow speed near lock judder gone and steering effort at all speeds is remarkably lighter. 3.) High speed turn in noticeably quicker and more precise. Less caster induced understeer correction required. 4.) Tire temperatures are lower and pressures now remain even. 5.) Coast down from 55 mph to 40 mph takes 50-75% more distance. That's huge. 6.) Included angle which had nearly a 5 degree delta is now zero. SLA - camber delta now 0.1 7.) Steer ahead now zero. 8.) Thrust angle is cut in about half. It can’t get better until the rear axle is squared. Seriously? Rear axle off square? Charge like Bentley build them like a Tinker Toy. Nice job GM. I'll get to it.

Think I have enough information to have a useful tool. Let’s call it Peppers thermometer. I’ve removed the individual tank results. Both the calculated and the Scan Gauge II numbers. Narrowed upper and lower control limits that are set by the standard deviation from three to one unit of standard. Added the six point moving average of the calculated average and superimposed that upon the actual lifetime cumulative average. It’s less confusing that it sounds. The cumulative average, the centerline, will continue to shift as new data is added but slowly. Like watching paint dry. The upper and lower limits will also have a snail’s pace shift directionally lock stepped to the center tendency. The six point moving average is the tattletale. It is the average, naturally, of the last six tanks and the most volatile number in the group. It, as you can see already is a pretty noisy signal. It is tied to driving habits. Weather. Fuel quality and most importantly the state of tune. Meaning that all but the tune up should fall within one standard deviation of the central tendency. There are rules of statistics to observe so a single point is only a warning.

Not keeping the long term records on this daily driver I do on Pepper so trends I can't speak to. That said. I've mentioned the wife takes this work trip once a week that is 230 miles round trip down the I-88 corridor. Speed limit is 70 mph. She drives it 75. I've driven to Galena three times now which is a 210 mile trip down US 20. Four lane about half way with a 65 mph limit and 55 the remainder at 55 mph. I drive it 55 mph. Both are west-east-west round trip runs. Galena is very hilly on the two lane and the Moline trip is pretty flat. Sugar Bear 21-23 mpg Grumpy Bear 29-31 mpg The 2.4 I4 is economical only if driven so. Still it has plenty of power even in the hilly stuff.

The alignment chart in post #147 for reference. I meticulously set the tire pressures this morning. By my analog dial gauge 32.5 psig knowing that this gauge reads one pound lower than the trucks TPMS and also knowing that it rounds by the standard rules of math. Meaning that the TPMS screen reads 34 psig afterwards. Then we go for a drive on the highway and let things take their course. This snap shot below the result of that effort. As mentioned in post #147 excess positive caster works the outside rib hard on both wheels. But the right front is also being aggravated by excess negative toe while the right front has some counter force in the form of positive toe which act to nullify each other. Add the negative thrust angle placing extra force on that right front and some negative steer ahead asking for a left hand turn that requires some correction and the result is a 3 psig increase in tire pressure due all the added heat. The other tires are singing along cool as a cucumber at plus 1 psig. It is a 50 F day and my pace never exceeds 55 mph. ​ With this trust angle the truck is being drug sideways 12 feet per mile! At their maximum spec 37 feet per mile. And GM is good with that. Me, not so much. Your TPMS is good for more than telling you if you have a leak or a flat, eh? My drive is east west. The right side of the truck gets the sun. This will increase tire pressure 1.5 to 2 psig by late morning. You have to be aware of everything. ​While I'm writing. This thread is my truck log and these are more notes to myself than any attempt to tell anyone anything. Still I hope some find the information useful enough.

Knoweldge isn’t stagnate. I posted recently in Quantum Leaps (Off Topic Forum) that oils life is cut in half for every 20 F over 220F. It’s been the thinking for decades. When I was a younger man that number started at 240F. Anyway, newer informaiton has recently (to me) come to light. The entire article can be read at: http://machinerylubrication.com/Read/475/oil-breakdown It says, in part, that for ever 18 F over 165 F the rate of degridation doubles. Ouch! That is pretty low and it is for MINERAL OIL. Conventional non-synthetic oils. On another topic: In the graph the point of convergence is 225F which is also the operating temperature of the oil in my 4.3 liter Ecotec3 engine. Although the motor spec calls for 5W30 it is feed a diet of 0W20 Quaker State. The viscosity at this temperature is less than ONE centistoke different. 0.6 cSt to be exact. If I could take just 10 F out of the oil temperature the viscosity of the 20 weight at the cooler temperature would be twice that of the 30 weight unregulated. Viscosity slopes are linear. If you know two points of the curve you can calculate any other point you like. The flatter the angle the greater the viscosity index. That number on the contianer you call viscosity isn’t viscoisty. It is grade. To meet a grade a lubricant much have a viscosity that falls within a range at a given temperature. A range of viscosities the grade must meet to be labled such. The actuall number varies as can be seen in the three of the same range offered on the graph. ​Manufactures are attempting to meet some impossible government mandated fuel efficiency numbers. Low viscosity helps reach those numbers. Problem is high heat shortens oil life. Even synthetics. To compensate they are increasing oil volumes to unbelievable proportions. The thinking is more volume has more additives which take longer to deplete such as acid neutralizers. Which would be fine IF the oil were not so hot as to promote rapid oxidation which makes that point mute. The result is; I still change oil as often as I did before but it cost more and takes more. Manufacturing gets what it wants and I get to pay for it...again.

Fixed the paint chips in the box today. Mid 60’s F which isn’t warm enough long enough to put on the chip guards. http://www.aligncraft.com/terms/terms.html Above link is a decent reference I thought I’d share. Tire Rack answered my inquiry about the ST6 Enkei wheels and yes they can order them but haven’t answered the lead time or weight questions as of today. Added another X-Gauge to the Scan Gauge II package. EOT. Estimated Oil Temperature. So we of course go for a ride. 64 F Air Temperature. 67 F Inlet air temperature 189 F Trans fluid temperature 204-207F Water Temperature. 224 F Estimated Oil Temperature 60 MPH.

20K Report Card. Pinion leak. Yes this is a warranty issue and NO an authorized GM dealer will not get within a bow shot of this truck. Friday this will be taken care of by someone who cares about more than “booked hours” done on GM’s discount. Alignment. Yep needs one and we ran out of time today to get to it. Friday. In early post I complained about harshness when hitting square edged bumps like a bridge approach. Well I wonder why. Note as well that I observed the shoulder wear which is also partly a caster function when the amount is a bunch. We also have a toe issue (the root cause of the steer ahead) and some moderate thrust angle. Even though it is in ‘spec’ it is not in my spec. Front Caster Effects Effects of Positive Caster excessive caster will cause a high level of road shock to be transmitted to the driver when the vehicle hits a bump, Effects of Caster on Tire Wear With a high amount of positive caster, the camber changes that occur, especially at low speeds in tight turns, cause the tires to show wear on their shoulders. We did the oil change and tire rotation and noted a cluster of rock chips…you guessed it…leading lower edge of the box. So much for the factory ‘rubberized chip guard’. With 5K on the oil change the OLM showed 31% remaining.

Enkei ST6 17 X 8 +35 Pretty close to an OEM replacement. 28 lbs. they say. Here’s the rub I’m having. Those that have them don’t have them in the offset I want although it is a stock item. Those that don’t have them can get them with some ridiculously long lead time. A few that have them want $50 a wheel or more than most. And a few more have them at a decent enough price but only as a wheel/tire package with some tire I don’t want or need. They are sitting in the Texas warehouse and there isn’t a service number or a contact on the Enkei site to find some relief. These are the spec I want and they actually have them. They are also 25 lbs. Still, I don’t know these people and they haven’t a web presents. I feel a bit stuck. ​I put in a request at Tire Rack to look into a special order. I'll see what that turns up before I give up on Enkei. ​This happens all the time with nearly everything I try to order. Why is this so hard?

I use 0W20 or 5W20 Quaker State UD Syn. in all the cars and trucks no matter what the spec is. My 98 Honda Civic HX called for 10W30 and it got 20W for 300,000 trouble fee miles. Honda told me I would have all sorts of trouble with the VETC. Not a whimper. Then again I might be the only fella on the planet that runs Red LIne automotive 10W40 in an Electra Glide and in an 883 Sportster. I got stories about those last two.

Husky. Like they were vacuum formed right in place. Perfect fit. Thick too. Nice and as you can see, well used.

Another thought not based soley on weight although a few pounds lighter. A brand I actually have some experience with. They were OEM on my first Honda.

This second set?

Well KMC dropped me a line saying they would get me an answer and yet they have not. As the point of the exercise is lower wheel weight and wheel rate… Wife isn’t impressed either. I think it’s more the cost than the look. I really do like them though. That said it doesn’t hurt to keep looking and continued search found these. Even American Racing is made in China now so it hardly matters these Ultras are. I certainly can’t afford Foose. These are half the money. ​Oh, they are close to factory spec measurement. That is 17 x 8 with a +25 mm offset. ​Late correction; Ultra and the outlet, Tire Rack do not seem to agree on wheel weights. So the photo I had posted earlier (Mako) picked from Tire Rack that showed a 25 lbs. wheel is actually 31 according to Ultra. This wheel (Rogue) is show on Tire Rack as 25 lbs. but is actually 26. Devil is in the details. ​Click on truck photo for larger view.

30,000 mile service. 5 qt. Quaker State 0-20 Ultimate Durability and a Purolator filter. Rotate the tires and give it a good look over. All is good except it's filthy dirty.

​​How does it ride and drive vs stock?

WOW! If they are light enough, me and da wife is have'n a conversation. Those ROCK. Can you say ROCK at my age? ​Click on the photo and blow it up. Thoughts welcome.

Today I found nine more records preceeding the current string with one overlapping the current record to date adding eight to the string for improved accuracy. Each fills median value is 18.67 gallons. I have the SG set for 19 to empty, it showing 18.94 median gallons per fill. A bit over a quarter gallon error favoring the pump. Median distance driven per tank 476 miles. 11,488 mile of record using 451.9 meaured gallons = 25.42 mpg. +/- .961 Fill variation of about a quarter gallon accounts for about .35 mpg plus minus the average. More than half the signal noise. Referece post #42: 29.33; +/- .84 mpg for six cycles at 50 mph of hypermiling. We (I) know have an answer to a few questions. Driving technique and use of the Scan Gauge saves 15% in fuel. Half the advertised and still worth its cost. My “normal’ driving style still nets better than the EPA ‘sticker’ average which according to common complains is a major coup. New points on the graph are to the left.

19 F is what the truck air temperature said. The coolant and transmission indicators were in agreement. Pepper had been sitting for days. A single puff of water vapor exited the tailpipe when the motor caught having spun a revolution or two excess the normal. I gave her a second to bring the oil pressure up. About as long as it took me to put on my sunglasses and the instrumentation to cycle. It was a bright day with a light north wind. Backing out of the drive silent as her shadow. Reaching the street I find drive and amble through the neighborhood toward the county road. I have time to scroll the instrument cluster and check the tire pressure and remind myself I put her away full. Good, there will be no stops today to delay an already late beginning to an otherwise long days drive. I peg this a 7 hour drive. The 4.3 is a cold blooded creature and the fuel monitor shows it. Scan Gauge showing 7 mpg in the half mile to the highway and a 5 mpg average. I put the heater on recycle, the heat on high and leave the fan off waiting for my 150 F marker. The minimum I can expect something from the vents that resembles heat. First town in 2 miles away due west and I approach it at 50 mph in high gear coolant reading 130 F and trans 65 F. It drops back a few through town at the 30 mph speed limit. We won’t hit 150 F until Fairdale a few more miles down the road. I put the fan on low and watch it dip to 148 F as I slow to the 45 mph speed limit. Then rise slowly as I set the cruise to 55 mph. The state secondary speed limit. I will be in Stillman Valley 21 miles away before the gauge reaches something over 200 F. At Byron the thermostat is playing with the idea of opening when I get to Mickey D’s. Time for some breakfast. The gauge falls back as I sit in the drive through and note that mileage fall from 22 to 20 during the wait. Any day now would be good. The drive girl thinks the Truck Fox is cute and giggles like school girls do. Why do they call this fast food? I head west on the exit of town following state route 72 leaving the more picturesque 2 along the river for another day. My aunt is waiting for her visit. At 82 and in a nursing home she cherishes them. At the 27 mile mark the thermostat finally pegs 213, opens and drops to 198 in seconds, cycles a few times and settles in at 204 a few under its engineering set 207. Finally. Crank up the heat and now my body is warming to the level of my hand holding my coffee. Trans temp, 130 F. I will be in Mt. Carrol at the 73 mile mark when it rises above 160 F. The point lubricant is its most lubricous. It will reach 180 F by the time I cross the Mississippi some 95 miles from home and never venture above 185 for the day. I reach Monticello 150 miles from home to the tenth in 3 hours and 18 minutes and have a trip average 24.2 mpg. An average 45.45 mph although the resolution on the instrument panel give 45 mph and my cruise set point has been 55 mph save those first 3 miles of the day done at 50. Two hours later it’s time to say goodbye and head for home and dinner. Those 5 mph north winds are going to hold for the entire trip. Having set for two hours things are cooled off but not dead cold. Just under a hundred on the transmission and about 75 for the coolant. I get the thermostat open in under 15 miles but I will be in Preston Iowa some 60 miles from my start before the trans is back to 180. Return mileage is over 25 mpg before I make 20 miles and finishes the day at 26.5 mpg for this leg of the trip. 9.5% higher on the return thanks to a warmer starting point even though the air temp never gets over freezing for the day. I take one small deviation from the outbound path as the crow flies that shaves 4 miles from the trip. 146 miles in 3 hours and 6 minutes. 47.11 mph for the return due to lighter traffic in towns along the way and my short reroute bypassing on town entirely. I love rural America. On the way home at 450th place and Iowa state road 64 she rolls over 20 K and I have just under a hundred to go to home. Just a small amount of preheat makes a large difference in fuel usage on trips like this. Even more so when the trips are much shorter. That's good to know. Doesn't have to be up to operating temperature to reap 90% of the benefit. 20,000 / 511 = 39.14 mph life time average.

So…about to break 20,000 miles. A milestone of sorts. Means an oil change. A tire rotation and I scheduled some time on the alignment rack for a look see. Thing is the weather isn’t going to cooperate. Forecast is 5 inches Monday. Some more Tuesday and again on Thursday. That means salt and it means baby goes to sleep next week instead of making the trip to Deegan’s for service on Thursday. We have just under 8/32 of the original 10/32 tread depth in the center two ribs and 7/32 on the outer two ribs. Looks like this set will go 40-50K. The alignment rack is to check toe, camber, trust angle and steer ahead. I’ve made a religion out of tire pressure and still something is wearing the edges a bit more than my mind says is normal but it is dead even over all four tires. Maybe it’s nothing and sadly it will be awhile before I get it sorted out now with the delay.

Thanks!!

The box corner protectors came today. Now I need a bit of cooperation from the weather. Having seen them up close I feel a bit silly asking how they mount. Oh well. Thanks anyway (for not laughing too hard). ​I will need it warm enough to fix the chip it will cover meaning over 55 F for an afternoon. I will seal these depending on fit up. Nothing like trapping salt solution and road grit behind something it will be near impossible to clean behind. ​

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I love a simple answer to a simple question. That was a great help. Thank you.

How do they install? Counter guy had no idea.

Today I ordered the set of box paint protectors. The ones that go on the lower front edge just behind the cab. Place the rock chip is. $43 for the pair. OUCH. Still cheaper than paint. FYI the chip is in the chip proof rubberized paint they spray on the lower 6" of the truck to prevent that from happening. How's that for a testimonial? Nice job GM. Told me they will be a week coming and getting drop shipped to my address. Hey, might be warm enough to paint by then. Sundays forecast bombed out.