Grumpy Bears 2015 Silverado 2WD

[Grumpy Bear]

29 minutes ago, Black02Silverado said:

I have read that the GE Nighthawks are equivalent to the Silverstars and last.  I just have not gotten any to try.  

Well then if these don't last we give those a look. Thanks! I appreciate the advice. 

[Grumpy Bear]

Walking back to the truck after paying the bill and...boom! I'm not going to get a better picture of how she sits now so there it is. 

 

 

[Grumpy Bear]

The better you do the harder it is to do better.

 

Although one tank short of my data collection goal I'm going to call the 0W20 a solid 3% gain in efficiency. (About 1 mpg for almost 1500 miles)

 

 

I have no idea what that means for the long term life time average but in the shorter summer run....I'm loving it. 

 

Edited June 19, 2018 by Grumpy Bear

[CadillacLuke24]

Digging the new suspension setup. Pepper sits quite nicely!

 

I can see why the automakers have been trending towards lighter fluids. I remember being somewhat shocked at 0W-20 in the 5.3 and 6.2 when they first hit the market, but it makes sense now. That and improved passage through the AFM workings, possibly. 

 

Silverstars are a good middle of the road option for output and longevity. Silverstar Ultras are a step up even, but I only got 6 months/30k miles out of them, though I do a lot of night driving. 

 

Hahahahaha you hit the nail on the head, I run Nightbreaker Unlimiteds and they are definintely BRIGHT. Got them adjusted per the FSM, and it's turned out well. I got a couple of dissenters at first, but overall no flashes from oncoming traffic. The low beams are so heavily gated that they don't cause issue. Light output right up to the gate is incredible! I can see EVERYTHING headed towards me, which is nice in roadkill country. 

 

The high beams are good for coon hunting....and duck hunting...and plane spotting  They legitimately work 1 mile down the road, if not further. Anything reflective (signs, reflector poles) GLOW. The FSM says if the lows are aimed, the highs are by default too, so I'm ok with it. Not supposed to be driving with my highs on all the time.

 

The only downside is they flame out fast. Mine torched out in 3 months, or 15k miles, IIRC. I will keep track on this next switch, but with the performance I get out of them, and the price (they are $26 a pair on the web), I'm ok with that.

 

Sorry to ramble, just wanted to share my experiences. 

 

She ride nice with the new setup?

[Grumpy Bear]

That's fine Luke, ramble on. I love good information and others feedback. Rather learn from others mistakes then pay for them myself.   How about a list of bulbs you tired, their life span and cost. I got a little confused in the verbiage about what blub lasted how long. 

 

The difference in ride is unimaginable but still not car like. The main driver of this project was control. On rough surface roads I didn't have any control. Thing would dance sideways on anything resembling a washboard, rail tracks, bridge expansion joints or even closely spaced tar snakes. No brakes, no steering just dance. It was literally painful. Frightened the wife to ride in it. If I drove over a foot square road patch that sat a half inch higher than the road surface it sounded in the cab like you were struck by a large rock. Man Hole cover is a good example. Ridiculous! Toss 1000 pounds in her....different story but I wasn't about to haul rock or twenty bags of softener salt to get a ride that I could live with and tires on the ground. On glass smooth roads it was great but we all can't be driving the same ten feet of road in the country. 

 

Took about 20% out of the front and 15% out of the rear in spring rates then gave them a proper damper. The front is about perfect and almost car like but I could remove a few more leaves out back. I can still haul over a thousand pounds. That is a half ton, right?

 

Vastly improved handling was a side benefit. It's hard to get around a curve if your wheels are in the air over half the time. This thing was silly loose and now almost over neutral. Would benefit from a harder front bar bushings and stiffer end link setup. Projects are never done are they?  

[Grumpy Bear]

Jet 170 F Thermostat failed....again....time to try something else. She's going to sit awhile now. 

 

 

[Black02Silverado]

7 hours ago, Grumpy Bear said:

Jet 170 F Thermostat failed....again....time to try something else. She's going to sit awhile now. 

 

 

Man, that sucks.  Seems that thermostats are a tricky thing. From all the threads I have read on different forums this is one subject that a lot of individuals stick with the factory thermostat because others, ie Stant and such just don't last.  Weird.  Did it stick open?

[Grumpy Bear]

17 hours ago, Black02Silverado said:

Man, that sucks.  Seems that thermostats are a tricky thing. From all the threads I have read on different forums this is one subject that a lot of individuals stick with the factory thermostat because others, ie Stant and such just don't last.  Weird.  Did it stick open?

I haven't done the postmortem yet but if it follows suit the gasket is what fails. Leak by is bad enough it might as well be open. This time however it is modulating just 10-12 F colder than normal and less controlled. It is a Jet Performance piece and the third and last item I will source from them. They have stood by their warranty but this is silly. If it would have been a Stant it would last longer than the truck. Stant does not make a unit for these Ecotec3 motors but I can fit one and will. I WILL have my way with this thing. 

[Grumpy Bear]

Ordered a PML 8 quart alloy trans pan for Pepper. Plain wrapper as cast. Why the larger pan? Because is was the same price as the stock volume pan. Why the pan at all? The filter doesn't need a change with every fill service and the pan hasn't a drain plug. This cost allot to have the exhaust dropped, pan dropped just to change fluids. Ridiculous. I could weld a bung in a stock pan I suppose and safe even more....yada, yada. Anyway that makes interval service an at home affair for the cost of fluid and my time. LOL who am I kidding. I'll still have Jason do it but it will cost about $150 a service less. Well...after the first one. 

 

Contacting a machine shop to make an inline thermostat holder I can cut into the upper hose. Of the premanufactured units I found not a one was sized for the odd radiator hose ID. Good job GM! IF that doesn't work out I'll buy a chunk of 6061 and spin it up myself. 

[Grumpy Bear]

Pan arrived today!

 

Thermostat housing ordered today from IPSCO.Org. Mid week next expected delivery. 

 

These Ecotec3 motors use an oddball sized hose at 33 mm (1-5/16) No one makes one that size and there was a two week lead on custom order. 1-1/4 it is then. 

 

Stant #45358 180 F SuperStat and Flepro #35710 Seal.

 

 

 

 

[Black02Silverado]

Anything special you have to change for the transmission filter so it will sit deeper in the pan?

[Grumpy Bear]

9 hours ago, Black02Silverado said:

Anything special you have to change for the transmission filter so it will sit deeper in the pan?

No sir. A true plug and play. There are some 'feet' in the sump that support the factory filter. There are about 3 ports on this pan that, for a price, can be drilled and tapped for ancillaries. Temp gauges or off line cooling systems, augmented filter systems. PATC has an oversized filter that can be used in either the factory pan or one like this. I'm just doing a WIX. You could add a baffle if so inclined. I'm not. It's a street truck, right? 

 

BTW, that inline thermostat housing looks HUGE but it is only 3" in diameter. They need to sit something beside it for perspective.

 

Next week is the fourth so it may take awhile to get all this in play.

 

I did take her for a 75 mile spin today. Heat index over 105F, meaning AC on, and some stiff Southwest winds killed the MPG numbers for this tank. I've also kicked up the MPH 5 mph for most situations. Ill control of temperature isn't helping.   

[Grumpy Bear]

Ever get a really, REALY nice surprise? I contacted Mark Johnson of IPSCO.ORG yesterday asking for a tracking number, shipper and date of expected delivery. I had forgot to get that info when I placed the order. By yesterday I was getting nervous. Didn't hear from him...hum... I had mentioned that I was a bit concerned about the device weight when I placed the order and we talked about that briefly....and then I dropped it when I realized the photo I was looking at was without an object reference. It's only 3" in diameter after all.

 

He didn't drop it. He responded today with a few photo's of this work of art that was shipped today. He didn't want to reply until and unless I was getting exactly what I wanted. I am stunned at IPSCO's, Mark's commitment to excellence. Why stunned?  He took this upon himself; spending his time and his money to write the code.....He spent more on the code/setup than I paid for the part including shipping. I would expect to see this on his web site and in his order books soon. 

 

Floored, simply floored. Thank you Mark Johnson (ISPCO.ORG). 

 

 

Edited July 7, 2018 by Grumpy Bear

[Grumpy Bear]

Please excuse the mess during the remodel. Installation and operational details to follow soon. Real soon. 

 

 

[Black02Silverado]

6 hours ago, Grumpy Bear said:

Please excuse the mess during the remodel. Installation and operational details to follow soon. Real soon. 

 

 

Refresh my memory. You installed this for what reason?  It is a true piece of art that is for sure.  True craftsmanship and high quality work.