Gentlemen. This past 4th of July weekend I took my 1998 GMC Sierra, HALF ton w/ 6.5 Turbo Diesel, from San Antonio, Texas to Grand Rapids, Michigan. The reason I did this was for a couple of reasons.

First: The wife and I moved a month ago from Grand Rapids and had 3/4 of our belongins as well as my 1969 3/4 ton in storage because the tow bar I had that was purchased from Blue Ox, broke.

Second: I pulled the vaccum line offf my EGR valve and cleaned the upper plenum and intake out and wanted to see how it would do during the long haul.

The results, my half ton with a 2500 lb 3 axle trailer, plus the 1969 chevy 3/4 ton, PLUS having the cab as well as both beds loaded with stuff, made the 2800 (+ or -) mile trip in three days and maybe 7 hours of sleep.

Unfortunately I do not know the curb weight of the 3/4 ton, nor how much crap we had my diesel loaded up with, OR the gear ratio in the rearend of the diesel, but all I know is that it took about half a mile to get it up to 60 MPH.

Fuel efficiency, no idea. But what I do know is that I think after having cleaned out the plenum, and putting it through a constant towing hell for three days straight, what ever was left for soot in my intake system got cleaned out. I say this because this morning, with the truck empty and no load behind it, she pealed out of the driveway and left some really heavy thick black rubber marks on the road.

She has never done that before unless I was in gravel at the start. Was I impressed? Hell yea I am!!!!!!

Needless to say, the truck rested over night, I rested over night, and we are all back in SA in one piece and all in need of some recovery time from the lack of sleep. Well at least I am, the truck is fine. :)

Having regained some lost power might become addictive! Keep a close eye on the wallet......lol

Having regained some lost power might become addictive! Keep a close eye on the wallet......lol

When the only expenses that I am going to be incurring are the rebuild cost for the 1969 and the 1972 Charger, and helping my wife out with some of the bills, I think I can burn a little extra diesel......... it'll be the tires that I am worried about......... But hey, can't take it with you when you die, right?

Welcome to Grand Rapids!

Or San Antonio...

Gentlemen. This past 4th of July weekend I took my 1998 GMC Sierra, HALF ton w/ 6.5 Turbo Diesel, from San Antonio, Texas to Grand Rapids, Michigan.

I guess this is the only part that clicked with me....well....sorry to see you go!

I guess this is the only part that clicked with me....well....sorry to see you go!

Well there were several reasons for leaving Michigan. One, the company that I was working for got run into the ground over what I would consider a corporate monster that only wanted their names to be on the ownership list of the company.

Second, since this was happening I looked elswhere and found a better offer in San Antonio.

Third was more money for the job, and the cost of living down here is half of what it was in Grand Rapids.

So lets see, job disappeared, more money if I move south, AND I get to keep more of it.

Honestly though what I am going to miss is the snow and the changes of seasons with the fall. But hey, ROADTRIP!!!!!!!!!

I have read many posts where people say that a hard run or towing a load cleans the crapola off of the tips of the injectors and makes your truck run better until running unloaded around town gunks them back up.

I remember someone reccomending "Drive it like you stole it" once a month. :ro)

Congrats on the move with all the added benefits! I am looking to get out of Renofornia so I can afford to live again.

We probably passed each other somewhere along the way.....

Congrats on being able to find a better job. There aren't very many of those left, especially in Michigan.

Tom

Well there were several reasons for leaving Michigan. One, the company that I was working for got run into the ground over what I would consider a corporate monster that only wanted their names to be on the ownership list of the company.


Would'nt happen to be "Sara Lee" would it??

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Would'nt happen to be "Sara Lee" would it??

No, it is a smaller company called Excellence Manufacturing. Well it USED to be anyway. Can you swing by and see what the building looks like? Heard they locked the doors and boarded the windows.

629 Ionia Ave SW is the address......

I have read many posts where people say that a hard run or towing a load cleans the crapola off of the tips of the injectors and makes your truck run better until running unloaded around town gunks them back up.

I remember someone reccomending "Drive it like you stole it" once a month. :ro)

Congrats on the move with all the added benefits! I am looking to get out of Renofornia so I can afford to live again.

Guess I am not familiar with "Renofornia". I have heard of Mexifornia, but not the prior.

Yea I did some time in Chicago, got sick of the hussle and bussle, paying through the nose for an appartment that was smaller than most garages, and decided to head back home for a while where the cost of living was more tolerable. Then I met my wife, and we moved to San Antonio where the pay one would recieve at a McDonalds in Chicago would make you live like a prince in San Antonio.

Renofornia: What Reno, Nevada became when silicon valley oozed over the Sierra Nevada mountains and drove home prices up beyond the $300K mark.

Renofornia: What Reno, Nevada became when silicon valley oozed over the Sierra Nevada mountains and drove home prices up beyond the $300K mark.

Got it. The wife and I have a roommate who recently moved from California from somewhere outside of San Diego and said that his Mom's house is going for somewhere around 500,000 and her yard is about as big as the bed of a truck.

San Antonio, Texas, our yard is well HUGE. Big enough to build a 20 x 30 pole barn AND have room enough for the dogs to run around crazy in. (Thinking of putting a dugout in the floor to crawl under the truck too....... just don't tell the wife.......):)