Home » Public Forums » GMCnet » Back from shake down cruise
| Back from shake down cruise [message #287771] |
Tue, 22 September 2015 19:04  |
Hal StClair
Messages: 971
Registered: March 2013
Location: Rio Rancho NM
Karma: -12
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Senior Member |
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Just got back from the Pueblo rally on our shake down cruise. It was great to be able to put some faces to some of the Forum names here. A really great group of folks in the GMC community. We had a great time at our first GMC event and hope to attend many more in the future, Lord willing.
We had hoped to make it to SD and the nationals rally but things just didn't all come together. The 6.5 diesel ran great with no unexpected shakes or rattles or groans. The temps all stayed where they should be and the front differential never got over 170 degrees which was an area of particular interest/concern. I saw 12+ lbs of boost pressure with the EGT never exceeding 800 degrees f. The fan clutch only locked up once each direction and water temps were fine. Sixty two mph @ about 2200 rpm and it only dropped out of overdrive once each way (Raton grade, 7800'). 700 miles round trip netted 13.8 mpg with my unsteady foot without cruise. It's sure nice to be able to go 700 miles and still have a quarter of a tank of fuel left. You can get diesel here for $2.09 which was at least .30 cents less than anywhere along the way.( I prefer to be called thrifty rather than cheap)
Anyway, just a matter of working through a few bugs but we were very happy with the way the swap has come together.
Hal
"I enjoy talking to you. Your mind appeals to me. It resembles my own mind, except you happen to be insane."
1977 Royale 101348,
1977 Royale 101586, Diesel powered,
1974 Eagle Bus 45',w/slideout,
Rio Rancho, NM
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| Re: Back from shake down cruise [message #287773 is a reply to message #287771] |
Tue, 22 September 2015 19:47  |
Steve
Messages: 506
Registered: September 2013
Location: East Greenville, Pa
Karma: 1
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Senior Member |
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Very impressive Hal. Better mileage than my pickup. You can work on my coach any time you like. Excellent results on the swap.
1978 GMC Royal
Eastern Pennslyvania
1968 Chevrolet C20 396 Camper Special
1969 Chevrolet C20 Camper Special
1985 Buick Electra Park Avenue
1992 Camaro 25th Anniversary Heretage Edition Black
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| Re: [GMCnet] Back from shake down cruise [message #287777 is a reply to message #287771] |
Tue, 22 September 2015 23:16 |
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It was so nice to have you as my neighbor for a few days, Hal. Your GMC is
a beautiful work of art. So much inovation and looks like it just came
off the showroom floor!
AMAZING!
bdub
www.bdub.net/GMCLinks.html
On Sep 22, 2015 6:05 PM, "Hal StClair" wrote:
> Just got back from the Pueblo rally on our shake down cruise. It was
> great to be able to put some faces to some of the Forum names here. A really
> great group of folks in the GMC community. We had a great time at our
> first GMC event and hope to attend many more in the future, Lord willing.
> We had hoped to make it to SD and the nationals rally but things just
> didn't all come together. The 6.5 diesel ran great with no unexpected
> shakes or
> rattles or groans. The temps all stayed where they should be and the front
> differential never got over 170 degrees which was an area of particular
> interest/concern. I saw 12+ lbs of boost pressure with the EGT never
> exceeding 800 degrees f. The fan clutch only locked up once each direction
> and
> water temps were fine. Sixty two mph @ about 2200 rpm and it only dropped
> out of overdrive once each way (Raton grade, 7800'). 700 miles round trip
> netted 13.8 mpg with my unsteady foot without cruise. It's sure nice to be
> able to go 700 miles and still have a quarter of a tank of fuel left. You
> can get diesel here for $2.09 which was at least .30 cents less than
> anywhere along the way.( I prefer to be called thrifty rather than cheap)
> Anyway, just a matter of working through a few bugs but we were very happy
> with the way the swap has come together.
> Hal
> --
> 1977 Royale 101348,
>
> 1977 Royale 101586,
>
> 1974 Eagle Bus 45',w/slideout
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>
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bdub
bdub.net
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| Re: Back from shake down cruise [message #287790 is a reply to message #287771] |
Wed, 23 September 2015 10:55 |
Bob de Kruyff
Messages: 4260
Registered: January 2004
Location: Chandler, AZ
Karma: 1
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Senior Member |
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Hal StClair wrote on Tue, 22 September 2015 18:04Just got back from the Pueblo rally on our shake down cruise. It was great to be able to put some faces to some of the Forum names here. A really great group of folks in the GMC community. We had a great time at our first GMC event and hope to attend many more in the future, Lord willing.
We had hoped to make it to SD and the nationals rally but things just didn't all come together. The 6.5 diesel ran great with no unexpected shakes or rattles or groans. The temps all stayed where they should be and the front differential never got over 170 degrees which was an area of particular interest/concern. I saw 12+ lbs of boost pressure with the EGT never exceeding 800 degrees f. The fan clutch only locked up once each direction and water temps were fine. Sixty two mph @ about 2200 rpm and it only dropped out of overdrive once each way (Raton grade, 7800'). 700 miles round trip netted 13.8 mpg with my unsteady foot without cruise. It's sure nice to be able to go 700 miles and still have a quarter of a tank of fuel left. You can get diesel here for $2.09 which was at least .30 cents less than anywhere along the way.( I prefer to be called thrifty rather than cheap)
Anyway, just a matter of working through a few bugs but we were very happy with the way the swap has come together.
Hal
That's an amazing feat !!
Bob de Kruyff
78 Eleganza
Chandler, AZ
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| Re: Back from shake down cruise [message #287791 is a reply to message #287778] |
Wed, 23 September 2015 11:09 |
Hal StClair
Messages: 971
Registered: March 2013
Location: Rio Rancho NM
Karma: -12
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Senior Member |
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Thank you for the kind words Billy, it was nice to meet you too and put a face to 'bdub'. There are still a 'few' things I'd like to do to the coach like most everyone else in the GMC community.
Don't know if I'm interested in working on your truck though Steve  , the GMC seems to take way more time and energy than expected.
The mileage 'should' improve after I track down a couple of gremlins. It seems the computer isn't communicating with the injection pump so the timing isn't adjusting properly. That sets a trouble code which prevents the cruise from working. With the timing as advanced as it is it makes for a pronounced diesel rattle at cruise which should improve dramatically with the timing corrected. One of the nice things about leaving the electronics in place is that the PCM will tell you what 'ails' it to help with diagnostics.
Diesel is a whole new world for these things. There were four diesel conversions at the rally, three of us just happened to park together with the fourth (Bill Hubler) a few coaches down. Fun stuff.
Hal
"I enjoy talking to you. Your mind appeals to me. It resembles my own mind, except you happen to be insane."
1977 Royale 101348,
1977 Royale 101586, Diesel powered,
1974 Eagle Bus 45',w/slideout,
Rio Rancho, NM
[Updated on: Wed, 23 September 2015 11:10] Report message to a moderator |
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| Re: [GMCnet] Back from shake down cruise [message #287794 is a reply to message #287793] |
Wed, 23 September 2015 12:45 |
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Hal also raised the body 2.5". He removed a crossmember and has one VERY
large fuel tank. 70 gallons, I think I remember. The frame is reinforced
considerably down the length of it. Again, it is a work of art!
bdub
www.bdub.net/GMCLinks.html
On Sep 23, 2015 11:26 AM, "A." wrote:
>
> That'd be 50.7 gallons of fuel burned, and you say you got a quarter of a
tank left? Did you install a third tank? With OEM fuel capacity, the only
> ways to have 1/4 of a tank (about 6 gallons) left would be if you went
700 miles on 44 gallons of fuel and got 15.9 MPG, OR you traveled 607 miles
on
> that 44 gallons at 13.8 MPG.
>
> If you have OEM fuel capacity, your calculations are off (either mileage
or fuel burned/fuel remaining). But very respectable no matter what. If you
> coasted into the driveway on fumes after 700 miles, it would still be 14
MPG on 50 gallons.
bdub
www.bdub.net/GMCLinks.html
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| Re: [GMCnet] Back from shake down cruise [message #287796 is a reply to message #287795] |
Wed, 23 September 2015 13:31 |
Hal StClair
Messages: 971
Registered: March 2013
Location: Rio Rancho NM
Karma: -12
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Senior Member |
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The tank measures 48 x 50 x 7 3/8" I.D. Works out to just a little over 76 gallons. Not sure on the usable amount and hope to never go there, diesels being unforgiving to fuel starvation. We went 673 miles between fills at the same station/location, 48.841 gallons which works out to 13.779 mpg. We have a GPS speedometer so the distance should be correct. I don't like using a single fill as a reference but only wanted to give an idea of the observed economy. I did attempt to top it off the second fill so that would skew the results but to the negative so the mileage should have really been slightly better.
BTW, I found a broken wire in the injection stepper motor circuit this morning so 'hope' it fixes my gremlins. Will know a little later. It all takes time...
Billy, I think I did tell you 70 gallons so your memory is spot on.
Hal
"I enjoy talking to you. Your mind appeals to me. It resembles my own mind, except you happen to be insane."
1977 Royale 101348,
1977 Royale 101586, Diesel powered,
1974 Eagle Bus 45',w/slideout,
Rio Rancho, NM
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| Re: Back from shake down cruise [message #287799 is a reply to message #287771] |
Wed, 23 September 2015 16:24 |
Joe Weir
Messages: 769
Registered: February 2013
Location: Columbia, SC
Karma: 7
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Senior Member |
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sweet.
76 Birchaven - "Wicked Mistress" - New engine, trans, alum radiator, brakes, Sully airbags, fuel lines, seats, adult beverage center... those Coachmen guys were really thinking about us second hand owners by including that beverage center...
Columbia, SC.
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| Re: Back from shake down cruise [message #287811 is a reply to message #287771] |
Wed, 23 September 2015 21:40 |
kerry pinkerton
Messages: 2565
Registered: July 2012
Location: Harvest, Al
Karma: 15
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Senior Member |
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I have been following Hal's build from the beginning and was very impressed by the fabrication and design of his installation. At Pueblo I got to meet Hal, his lovely (and probably very patient wife), and his coach in person. I have to say with total honesty, of all the coaches I've seen by ANYONE, this one is absolutely the most well done. Stunning is a woefully inadequate word to describe the fabrication and implementation.
I consider myself a pretty good fabricator but I ASPIRE to do the quality of work that Hal has in this coach.
Quite simply a masterwork.
Kerry Pinkerton - North Alabama
Had 5 over the years. Currently have a '06 Fleetwood Discovery 39L
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| Re: [GMCnet] Back from shake down cruise [message #287814 is a reply to message #287811] |
Thu, 24 September 2015 05:32 |
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USAussie
Messages: 15912
Registered: July 2007
Location: Sydney, Australia
Karma: 6
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Senior Member |
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Kerry,
When Helen and I visited you and Carolyn I saw examples of YOUR metal working skills and I say sincerely that the last sentence of
your email below is a glowing example of what my Mother once said to me; "humility is the correct estimation of one's self esteem."
Regards,
Rob M.
The Pedantic Mechanic
-----Original Message-----
From: Gmclist [mailto:gmclist-bounces@list.gmcnet.org] On Behalf Of Kerry Pinkerton
I have been following Hal's build from the beginning and was very impressed by the fabrication and design of his installation. At
Pueblo I got to meet Hal, his lovely (and probably very patient wife), and his coach in person. I have to say with total honesty,
of all the coaches I've seen by ANYONE, this one is absolutely the most well done. Stunning is a woefully inadequate word to
describe the fabrication and implementation.
I consider myself a pretty good fabricator but I ASPIRE to do the quality of work that Hal has in this coach.
Quite simply a masterwork.
--
Kerry
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Regards,
Rob M. (USAussie)
The Pedantic Mechanic
Sydney, Australia
'75 Avion - AUS - The Blue Streak TZE365V100428
'75 Avion - USA - Double Trouble TZE365V100426
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| Re: [GMCnet] Back from shake down cruise [message #287817 is a reply to message #287814] |
Thu, 24 September 2015 12:54 |
Hal StClair
Messages: 971
Registered: March 2013
Location: Rio Rancho NM
Karma: -12
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Senior Member |
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Always the southern gentleman Kerry thank you so much, I'm flattered at your praise though over stated I'm afraid. It is a new and unique approach to our coaches power requirements although it would be a difficult project to duplicate. Manny's approach should be a much less involved installation once he gets things sorted out. That being said, I do think leaving the electronics active makes for a nicer, more efficient package. Now with the computer communicating with the pump the whole package is a sweet running assembly. The ability to self diagnose a problem through the computer is a huge advantage.
There still are a couple of things on the check list to complete, the cruise being the major one. Unfortunately, no trouble codes are stored to help in the diagnostics on this one. I'll figure it out eventually with a little help from above.
Wish we were at the Nationals with you all. Have fun.
Oh, lovely and patient hardly describes my wonderful soul mate. How blessed I am
Hal
"I enjoy talking to you. Your mind appeals to me. It resembles my own mind, except you happen to be insane."
1977 Royale 101348,
1977 Royale 101586, Diesel powered,
1974 Eagle Bus 45',w/slideout,
Rio Rancho, NM
[Updated on: Thu, 24 September 2015 12:58] Report message to a moderator |
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| Re: [GMCnet] Back from shake down cruise [message #287836 is a reply to message #287817] |
Thu, 24 September 2015 22:47 |
Ken Henderson
Messages: 8726
Registered: March 2004
Location: Americus, GA
Karma: 9
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Senior Member |
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What more than I say that my "roomie", Kerry hasn't already said. We've
talked extensively during our stay at Pueblo, drive to Rapid City, and time
here. Neither of us has been able to think of a thing derogatory to say
about Hal's coach. It IS truly a masterpiece. The first time I looked
beneath the driver's side hood I knew I was about to see good craftsmanship
-- but not like THAT! :-)
Ken H.
On Thu, Sep 24, 2015 at 1:54 PM, Hal StClair
wrote:
> Always the southern gentleman Kerry thank you so much
> ...
>
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Ken Henderson
Americus, GA
www.gmcwipersetc.com
Large Wiring Diagrams
76 X-Birchaven
76 X-Palm Beach
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