| Trip Report [message #67155] |
Fri, 11 December 2009 07:28  |
jwillard
Messages: 118
Registered: May 2004
Location: Silver City, NM
Karma: 0
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I know often this forum has stories about peoples problems and issues. I thought I'd throw a "happy Story" here. Last Friday, my son and I left Southwestern New Mexico for a trip to Pennsylvania so I could winterize a vacant house I have there.
We bought our first fuel near home in Lordsburg, NM on I-10 at $2.45/gal reg. Headed east to Las Cruces and then angled up to Alamagordo and Roswell toward Amarillo. Hit some pretty cold temps in the mountains but the roads were dry.
I did have some issues with the coach heater. The Recirculate damper wouldn't close so I was getting all outside cold air into the heater which couldn't really keep up. At a gas stop I move a heater vac line from the pass side actuator and that closed it. I then taped up the remaining opening and that fixed it.
Other than cold, the trip was totally uneventful and I'm presently parked at my property in Pennsylvania. On Monday I'll be heading back to New Mexico.
Gas prices were in the low $2.40's until we got to Virginia and on to Pa where it jumped into the $2.50's - $2.60 range. The cheapest was Amarillo at $2.34
I used 2 quarts of oil on the entire trip out here.
We were towing a VW Corrado on a tow dolly on the way here. Fuel mileage average 8.117 mpg for the entire trip. I did better with mileage in New Mexico. Texas and OK. We were seeing over 10 mpg at times on the trip computer. I expected things to improve in the flat lands but it was not to be. I think either the gas quality changed or my "tune up" for altitude over I head back.
As I said, it's been a great rip and other than the cold, which is pushing the limits of the GMC insulation level (none), the excess of glass (lots) and a furnace that needs some air handling work, everything went very well. Oh... I turned 100,000 miles somewhere in Virginia too. 
Jeff Willard
Silver City, NM
1973 ex-Glacier
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| Re: Trip Report [message #67252 is a reply to message #67155] |
Sat, 12 December 2009 10:18  |
Luvn737s
Messages: 1106
Registered: June 2007
Karma: 2
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Sounds like a fun trip. I want to take the same with my family from AZ to PA. What has been the total fuel cost so far and how many days did you take? How many fuel stops? I understand Branson Christmas is a pretty nice side trip on the way home.
Randy
1973 26' Painted Desert
Ahwatukee (Phoenix) AZ
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| Re: Trip Report [message #67306 is a reply to message #67155] |
Sun, 13 December 2009 01:43 |
midlf
Messages: 2212
Registered: July 2007
Location: SE Wisc. (Palmyra)
Karma: 1
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| jwillard wrote on Fri, 11 December 2009 07:28 |
snip lots
We were seeing over 10 mpg at times on the trip computer.
more snip
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What are you using for a trip computer in the GMC?
Steve Southworth
1974 Glacier TZE064V100150 (for workin on)
1975 Transmode TZE365V100394 (parts & spares)
Palmyra WI
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| Re: Trip Report [message #67822 is a reply to message #67316] |
Sat, 19 December 2009 12:12 |
jwillard
Messages: 118
Registered: May 2004
Location: Silver City, NM
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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Wrap up trip report...
My son and I got back to Silver City New Mexico yesterday about 3:30pm. From the looks of the weather, we really dodged a bullit back east. We missed it all by a few days.
On the return trip, towing an empty tow dolly, I used 255 gal of fuel, about 20 less than the trip out towing a car. So, towing didn't effect the fuel mileage. However, I was able to go faster and it did a much better job of climbing hills etc. I was able to get the same mileage running along at 70 as I was going 60 with the car of the back.
I used a total of 5 qts of oil for the 2500 mile trip and had no real failures of any systems what so ever. The only minor thing was a problem with either the wiring or the sending unit for the electric oil pressure gauge. It's always been a little erratic but it really went nuts on Wednesday and then just quit. I also lost the throttle kickdown for the transmission. The two problems might be related with a wiring failure. I haven't looked yet.
So, other than not haven't the optional therapist installed, to keep a man, his 22 year old son and two large dogs, from all killing one another after 5 days in an aluminum death tube rolling down Interstate 40, it was a great trip.
Jeff Willard
Silver City, NM
1973 ex-Glacier
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| Re: [GMCnet] Trip Report [message #67848 is a reply to message #67825] |
Sun, 20 December 2009 11:25 |
jwillard
Messages: 118
Registered: May 2004
Location: Silver City, NM
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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I think it was dark then.
First night was in Roanoke, Va and we made the Mississippi River that night and stayed at the Tom Sawyer RV park on the Ark side. Great camp ground right on the river. You can sit in the coach with a cup of coffee and watch the river boats go by.
Jeff Willard
Silver City, NM
1973 ex-Glacier
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. I'm going to plan for a last night stop in Amarillo for a Big Texan dinner though. Thats a for sure. 
It's a fun toy but, it's damn accurate on fuel flow and distance/speed. I put the fuel flow sensor down by the tank transfer solonoid with the elec fuel pump. I also plumbed it so it also reads Onan fuel flow.