Home » Public Forums » GMCnet » Successful Trip, Lessons Learned and Marvel Mystery Oil
| Successful Trip, Lessons Learned and Marvel Mystery Oil [message #142463] |
Mon, 05 September 2011 13:06  |
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Michael Leipold
Messages: 318
Registered: April 2011
Location: Greensboro NC
Karma: 2
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So, I made it from NC to NorCal on technically my first trip since bringing the GMC home.
Wednesday:
I have done a few fixes to her and left my house Wednesday night. Water temp gauge reads 280 at idle, I am assuming something is wired wrong, I have a Mondello 160 washer installed instead of a thermostat. The climb up 40 into Ashville was not as bad as I was expecting.
Somewhere in Tennessee, my speedometer decided to stop working completely, the GPS was my saving grace. And I did not have any transmission shifting problems, so I kept going. I have no low beam headlights.
Made it to Knoxville, I think before I decided to call it a night.
Thursday:
Replaced the water temp sensor, still reads 280 at idle. Tried to get the low beams to come on and gave up.
Experienced vapor lock outside of Nashville, then I hit traffic, it was hot and miserable, and I just sat there, did I mention that the generator will not run when you have boiling fuel, which means no air conditioning since my motor does not have it.
Engine would only run with the electric fuel pump and the tank switched to reserve, I guess that tank was cooler.
Made it someplace in Oklahoma before calling it a night.
Friday:
Installed air deflector behind grill on passenger side. Fan ran less during the day.
Had catfish at exit 200, yummy.
Ran out of gas in the desert around 8pm, they brought me the AAA alotted amount of 2 gallons, I had to pay the tow truck driver to go and get me more, took 2 hours total from running out of gas to getting moving again.
Made it someplace in New Mexico before calling it a night.
Saturday
At 2pm the vapor lock was so bad, I just pulled over, decided to rewire my dash, while I waited for it to cool down. Installed the new water temp gauge and it was accurate. Trans Temp gauge is not working now, but it never got above 200 while I was moving, so I am not worried about it.
Made it to Kingman Arizona before calling it a night. Researched vapor lock on my phone and enjoyed a Mickeys Malt Liquor before going to bed.
Sunday:
Replaced the headlight connectors and now I have low beams.
Marvel Mystery Oil. Added a large bottle to the tank when I filled up in the morning. I did not experience any vapor lock. Added a second bottle when I filled up in Bakersfield CA, again, no vapor lock the rest of the trip. Whether it works or not is a debate, it was in the high 90's the entire trip through California.
So, I am now in Stockton California, will be heading to JimK's probably Wednesday to drop off some stuff and buy even more. Last minute preps for the wedding on Saturday, the moonshine made it. Then next Monday my wife and I will be heading back. I will be dropping her off in Albuquerque on next Friday.
And now I am tempted by this $1000 GMC in Gilroy. I would love the roof pod and newer windows.
So other than the vapor lock, I did not have any real issues. I saved the sight seeing for the drive home.
I am sure I have more to say, but I am a bit exhausted still, and have errands to run.
Ps, the brake pedal pressure came back on it's own after a few hours of driving in the heat, maybe I boiled the air out of the lines 
1973 GMC 26' Glacier - Unknown Mileage - Has a new switch pitch transmission with Powerdrive
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| Re: Successful Trip, Lessons Learned and Marvel Mystery Oil [message #142471 is a reply to message #142465] |
Mon, 05 September 2011 15:15  |
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mike miller
Messages: 3576
Registered: February 2004
Location: Hillsboro, Oregon
Karma: 0
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| WD0AFQ wrote on Mon, 05 September 2011 11:18 |
Sounds like an average trip in a GMC. Been wondering about you. Thanks for reporting in.
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While a "average" trip in the GMC, does include a little "tweaking," I do not normally have to re-wire my dash!
Mike Miller -- Hillsboro, OR -- on the Black list
(#2)`78 23' Birchaven Rear Bath -- (#3)`77 23' Birchaven Side Bath
More Sidekicks than GMC's and a late model Malibu called 'Boo'
http://m000035.blogspot.com
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| Re: Successful Trip, Lessons Learned and Marvel Mystery Oil [message #142488 is a reply to message #142463] |
Mon, 05 September 2011 17:14 |
chasingsummer
Messages: 434
Registered: May 2011
Location: asheboro, nc
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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nice trip,
marvels mystery oil? i would have never thought of it in tank,
i had similiar brake pedal results when i drove from iowa. pedal went spongy once, maybe twice, but pumped up and held coming over mountain. master cylinder did not loose or get low on fluid. i just assumed something that had not been used freed up.
i did appreciate the way S worked in trans as i came over mountain.
is the mondello washer better than thermostat? ??
keep us posted on return trip and
congrats on upcoming marriage.
brian
asheboro, nc
75 eleganza, 74 build
119k miles and counting,
DOG HOUSE
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| Re: Successful Trip, Lessons Learned and Marvel Mystery Oil [message #142558 is a reply to message #142463] |
Tue, 06 September 2011 01:20 |
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Michael Leipold
Messages: 318
Registered: April 2011
Location: Greensboro NC
Karma: 2
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Senior Member |
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Dropping the wife off in Albuquerque, driving the GMC home by myself. Had an eventful day, bought a lot of wine for the wedding, a case for me to bring home, my fiancee bought 2 cases of champagne from Korbel, traded moonshine for for some Port that is "not available" yet. My fiancee thinks the GMC in Gilroy might be worth looking at, who knows, can a GMC tow a GMC?
Thanks for the support...
Andrew, I wish you a safe and adventurous trip to Cali, wish we could have caravanned. I have been following your trip, it was nice meeting you.
I may have had a few tastings today, so not really sure if this is making sense.
And I mentioned to Marvels Mystery Oil to one of my friends who is part of the NASCAR circuit, and he gave me a 100% endorsement, along with some other pointers that racers use to combat vapor lock. I will see if I can get them done before the trip home.
More rantings in the morning, JimK, if you are checking in, when will you be back in Fremont, I have a lot of ladders for you....
I really need a top hat for the wedding.....
1973 GMC 26' Glacier - Unknown Mileage - Has a new switch pitch transmission with Powerdrive
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| Re: Successful Trip, Lessons Learned and Marvel Mystery Oil [message #142560 is a reply to message #142558] |
Tue, 06 September 2011 01:36 |
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mike miller
Messages: 3576
Registered: February 2004
Location: Hillsboro, Oregon
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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| lilmyk wrote on Mon, 05 September 2011 23:20 |
... My fiancee thinks the GMC in Gilroy might be worth looking at, who knows, can a GMC tow a GMC? ...
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Sounds like a keeper!
The gal, not the coach. Buying a parts or project coach on the opposite side of the country probably isn't a good idea.
Shipping and/or storage will kill any savings you might get. (Now if you have a way to cover this.... go for it!)
For the same reasons, some coaches are not even worth taking even if given to you!
I bet you could find a parts/project closer to home...
Mike Miller -- Hillsboro, OR -- on the Black list
(#2)`78 23' Birchaven Rear Bath -- (#3)`77 23' Birchaven Side Bath
More Sidekicks than GMC's and a late model Malibu called 'Boo'
http://m000035.blogspot.com
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| Re: [GMCnet] Successful Trip, Lessons Learned and Marvel Mystery Oil [message #142574 is a reply to message #142488] |
Tue, 06 September 2011 09:09 |
gmcrv1
Messages: 839
Registered: August 2007
Location: Memphis
Karma: -1
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Senior Member |
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For as long as I can remember the old time wrench turner at my uncles
service station added 1/2 ounce of Marvel Mystery oil to a gallon of gas for
using in lawn mowers, snow blowers etc. I have done the same thing since
the early 1960's and never had any problems with small engines. I have had
mowing decks rot away around the engines...
Also, a friend of mine was the *Snap-On-Tools* regional manager for New
England and they would refill the impact wrench oil bottles with Marvel
Mystery Oil - been doing that too - forever with great results. I make it a
habit to put 5-6 drops in the inlet each time I pick up an impact tool.
Remember, that air hose laying on the concrete floor collects moisture
inside - and it is heading for your favorite impact wrench...Store you hoses
off the ground. MMO was also used in the automatic air line oilers in the
Western Electric factories.
Tom Eckert N2VWN
73 Glacier
Oaklnad, TN
On Mon, Sep 5, 2011 at 5:14 PM, brian <chasingsummer@triad.rr.com> wrote:
>
>
> nice trip,
> marvels mystery oil? i would have never thought of it in tank,
> i had similiar brake pedal results when i drove from iowa. pedal went
> spongy once, maybe twice, but pumped up and held coming over mountain.
> master cylinder did not loose or get low on fluid. i just assumed something
> that had not been used freed up.
> i did appreciate the way S worked in trans as i came over mountain.
> is the mondello washer better than thermostat? ??
> keep us posted on return trip and
> congrats on upcoming marriage.
>
> --
> brian
> asheboro, nc
> 75 eleganza 2 74 build
> 118k miles and counting,
> DOG HOUSE
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
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