zetan
09-07-2007, 07:37 PM
I just got back from Burningman, part of 40,000 people in the Black Rock Desert in NV. I drove my 6.2 van with a 2500gvw cargo sport box trailer. On the way back, with one less person and 30gallons less water, the trailer weighed in at 2400lbs and the van at 6100lbs.
1077 miles total, 73.5 gallons fuel, 23 of which was b100 that I mixed in during the trip. 14.65 MPG, total cost of $215 (not including cost of home brew fuel), $0.20 a mile.
Before the trip, I upgraded the intake manifold to a J-code, added a 4" dryer-vent pipe cold air intake, and replaced all the injectors with new Bosch ones.
Compared to last year's driving, I had a LOT more guts and uphill ability and had to shift down to 2nd rarely on mountain climbs. Driving at night also helped a lot. Engine temp never went past 1/2.
On the flat stretches of Hwy 31 in Oregon, I got up to 65mph in OD by driving in 3rd up to 2400rpm then shifting to OD (loosing 500rpm and almost falling outside the torque zone) and maintaining a constant speed. Zero to 65 mph in 20 minutes, baby.
Driving in OD is weird. It's a trade off between high-rpm (2000) with very little foot in 3rd gear, or low-rpm (1600) with more foot, more heat, and little ability to accelerate. Really depended on the terrain. The interstate is nicely graded and OD rocks, but those desert roads are a series of mild hills and turns and it's impossible to hold constant over the whole thing.
Sadly, I lost 1.5quarts of oil on the way. There's oil all over the bell housing, the exhaust, and trailer hitch, and fresh oil on the drivers side of the engine V under the manifold. Not the oil cooler, filter, or any rubber lines that I could see.
Perhaps my CDR valve needs cleaning (as discussed in other articles here).
The old manifold had 2 CDR inlets, the new only one. There is a SLIGHT oil film next to this inlet (manifold was previously clean).
Perhaps my rear main seal is in the processing of blowing.
Any other ideas?
1077 miles total, 73.5 gallons fuel, 23 of which was b100 that I mixed in during the trip. 14.65 MPG, total cost of $215 (not including cost of home brew fuel), $0.20 a mile.
Before the trip, I upgraded the intake manifold to a J-code, added a 4" dryer-vent pipe cold air intake, and replaced all the injectors with new Bosch ones.
Compared to last year's driving, I had a LOT more guts and uphill ability and had to shift down to 2nd rarely on mountain climbs. Driving at night also helped a lot. Engine temp never went past 1/2.
On the flat stretches of Hwy 31 in Oregon, I got up to 65mph in OD by driving in 3rd up to 2400rpm then shifting to OD (loosing 500rpm and almost falling outside the torque zone) and maintaining a constant speed. Zero to 65 mph in 20 minutes, baby.
Driving in OD is weird. It's a trade off between high-rpm (2000) with very little foot in 3rd gear, or low-rpm (1600) with more foot, more heat, and little ability to accelerate. Really depended on the terrain. The interstate is nicely graded and OD rocks, but those desert roads are a series of mild hills and turns and it's impossible to hold constant over the whole thing.
Sadly, I lost 1.5quarts of oil on the way. There's oil all over the bell housing, the exhaust, and trailer hitch, and fresh oil on the drivers side of the engine V under the manifold. Not the oil cooler, filter, or any rubber lines that I could see.
Perhaps my CDR valve needs cleaning (as discussed in other articles here).
The old manifold had 2 CDR inlets, the new only one. There is a SLIGHT oil film next to this inlet (manifold was previously clean).
Perhaps my rear main seal is in the processing of blowing.
Any other ideas?