budojeepr
04-01-2009, 05:53 PM
Well, after the transmission shop gave ol' Blue's transmission install a :thumbsup: I decided to use it to deliver a new computer to our office in Chico. That's a 150-mile round trip from Redding...I put the tools, floor jack, extra fluids, rags, and the kitchen sink (just in case) in the back seat and topped off the tank at Kent's Meat and Groceries ($2.25/gal for #2 diesel).
I set off at 7:45am, and cruised on south on I-5. Got to play with the manual torque converter lockup switch, keep eyes peeled for temperature, boost, oil pressure fluctuations. Happily passed a bunch of cars and trucks at 75mph (something that never happened before the diesel conversion!) while listening to the turbo whine. It's kind of like riding in one of those Embraer Brasilia twin turbo-prop puddle-jumpers - engine drone, turbo scream, synchronous vibrations at various speeds.
The engine coolant temp bounced off the thermostat all day (temps in the 60's and 70's) and I got to drive with the windows down. What a pleasure to drive!
When I got back to Redding I stopped at Kent's again and topped off again - 6.473 gallons for 150.3 miles. 23.22mpg!
Life's good... :fsj: ...until the next thing breaks!
I set off at 7:45am, and cruised on south on I-5. Got to play with the manual torque converter lockup switch, keep eyes peeled for temperature, boost, oil pressure fluctuations. Happily passed a bunch of cars and trucks at 75mph (something that never happened before the diesel conversion!) while listening to the turbo whine. It's kind of like riding in one of those Embraer Brasilia twin turbo-prop puddle-jumpers - engine drone, turbo scream, synchronous vibrations at various speeds.
The engine coolant temp bounced off the thermostat all day (temps in the 60's and 70's) and I got to drive with the windows down. What a pleasure to drive!
When I got back to Redding I stopped at Kent's again and topped off again - 6.473 gallons for 150.3 miles. 23.22mpg!
Life's good... :fsj: ...until the next thing breaks!