'91 K5 Four Wheel Camper

[ZooMad75]

Take it all in


Oh and Larry called you a

Me and Ian are. I'm flat amazed at every turn. Trail boss Bill had us get off I-70 at exit 131 today. We hit dirt and aired down. Crossed under the interstate and headed north twords Sinbad. What we ran into was the most epic stretch of off road running I've ever done. It took most of the day to cover about 12 miles from when we hit dirt.

The terrain was insane. Damn near flopped mine on the drivers side in one spot. Felt the right rear get light and Ian had me back up and take a new line. Got to a nasty spot with two stairsteps and got volunteered to take it first. My blazer walked up with little to no drama. Ian's spotting makes me look like a better driver than I am.

We didn't make nearly the progress we thought we did but it was awesome. 4 more days of this...

 

[Truckman4life]

So you were out at Buckhorn Draw and Swinging Bridge on the swell then? Or south towards Temple Mtn if I'm remembering correctly.

 

[ZooMad75]

We actually ended up on a trail called "devil's racetrack". We never saw a sign for it until we finished it Tuesday. It was only then when we realized it was a "Black" trail rated most difficult. Mind you mine fit the trail pretty easy.

Keep in mind with us we had 3 full size dodges with us. One had a full size Phoenix camper, the other was a 16 Powerwagon. Plus Larry's camper K10. It was tight for them. I ended up busting my right side outer stub axle on the way out Tuesday. I'll save the details for the trip report but we got parts to fix it in Moab and changed plans on where to go.

 

[Truckman4life]

I've never been on it but my in-laws have done it on side bys and 4 wheelers and it's pretty hardcore.

 

[ZooMad75]

I've never been on it but my in-laws have done it on side bys and 4 wheelers and it's pretty hardcore.

We got lucky on that one. We ended up only winching 2 of the 5 rigs in our group up the hardest climb.

I got home today late this afternoon. Last two days was straight out of Roadkill. The heat-related stalling issue came back even with our hand fabbed shield in place. We got stuck waiting for a pilot car to escort us down the Moki Dugway, I shut the truck off expecting a long wait. As it turns out they were ready to let us go after I shut the truck off. By then the fuel boiling in the line with no pressure. The outside temp was creeping to the century mark too. Needless to say the SOB wouldn't start. I hop out, throw the fuel pressure gauge on it and bleed the aerated fuel and the truck started. Ran down the dugway with no issue. Good thing too that's an 11% grade with multiple turns over 3 miles. We gathered up as a group one last time, said our goodbyes and split up. Larry, Lynn, Ian and I were heading to Hovenweep National Monument for a final layover spot before coming home today. The extended heat soak from the time below the dugway I left it running (so we didn't have to dump aerated fuel) and the high ambient temps really stacked up against us. We made it to Bluff UT without much issue but we needed a top off of water and Gatorade. Heading north again just as I'm cresting a small hill the truck cuts out again. This time we let it sit and wait some time. Got it started and made it to our turn and it shut off. We decided to just put it on the end of a strap and pull it on this side road to Hovenweep. Pull a few miles, start it and run another few miles. We repeated this circus a few times and I was able to pull into the campground under my own power. Lynn made us dinner as she felt sorry for us having trouble.

The plan for today was get an early start, beat the heat of the day and attack Wolf Creek Pass early. The run from Hovenweep to Cortez was good, no issues. Topped off fuel there and ran to Durango. Again, no issue. Stopped for lunch in Pagosa Springs and hit the pass after. About a mile up the pass it happens again. We go through the same routine, which I was getting too good at now. Get it running and pull another 5 miles up the grade to only have it happen again. The process repeats and we make one last effort for the pass. We made it and cruised down the other side. Still we had La Veta Pass looming on the other side of the San Luis Valley. La Veta isn't nearly as steep or long as Wolf Creek, but at this rate who knows. Sure enough on the east side of the valley floor right near the turn to the Great Sand Dunes the truck does it again. We get it rolling and get through 2 more small towns and it stalls agian about a mile past the city of Ft. Garland. After 10 minutes of waiting we decide to limp in and top off the fuel to give it more capacity to deal with the heat. I managed to shove 17 gallons of fuel when the gas pump stopped off at 14 gallons. It worked the truck charged over the pass at 75mph and the rest of the way home without a hitch.

I've got list of things to do, but highest up on the scale is reworking the exhaust to stop the heat source. Still had fun though!

 

[JoshHefnerX]

If you key on/ key off a couple of times does it bleed itself out?

 

[ZooMad75]

If you key on/ key off a couple of times does it bleed itself out?

Nope. The problem is a cumulative build up of heat from the exhaust to the fuel system. My right pipe is too close to the frame. I've driven it alot over the last year, but never did I push it like this. Every day except Monday we had 95 degree temps and up. Funny thing, even with all the crawling around we did Monday, we never had it happen. Probably because it was in the 70's. Once we got into the desert heat with two guys, gear and two loaded coolers was the problem really apparent. Running up the start of the Beef Basin trail coming out of Canyonlands was a constant up hill pull with deep silty fine red sand. The stuff was like flour. But the heat and the fact you couldn't maintain a decent speed was causing engine temp to creep up to the point it hit a limit set in the ECM and shut it down. We stopped to let it cool (I need an actual 5.3 fan blade and bigger radiator for that problem) and the radiant heat from the exhaust was boiling the fuel in the lines. It don't help that even the fuel tank was hot to the touch. Probably caused by the close proximity of the right exhaust pipe and the returned fuel soaking all that heat up from the exhaust. You know it was areated by the fact that when you dumped the pressure on the fuel gauge it still maintained about 10 psi and sputtered fine bubbles out as long as I would hold my thumb on the pressure relief valve.

One pattern developed later in the week when it occurred more frequently. The lower the fuel level, the shorter amount of time we had before it shut down again. Once I shoved 17 gallons back in the tank, it had enough volume to dissipate the heat from the return line and exhaust pipe. It didn't stop for the rest of the day and that was with temp around 95.

The bottom line is the exhaust is too close for comfort for extended runs in high ambient temps. Exhaust wrap didn't fix it. A big 22ga chunk of steel we installed as a shield didn't make the difference we thought it would. The only things that helped was time to let it cool off and bleeding the air out with the gauge manually. I've got some work to do for sure.

 

[ZooMad75]

Teaser pic. We have a lot of photos and video taken from the week that everybody needs to load up. But here's an image from our campsite off of the trail to Beef Basin looking into Canyonlands.



I can't say enough about this area. Ian and I were both first timers compared to the group and on every turn we were dumbstruck with the amazing vistas we were seeing. It's hard to comprehend the view is so deep and far out to the horizon you just can't focus it all in. Pictures don't do it justice.

I want to put most of the pics into our trip report so I'll trickle just a few in here. Besides I didn't get much of my own since I was driving and Ian was the chief spotter. I got some good shots of everybody else so I'm pretty sure they got good ones of me.

 

[Bent77]

So ya going to Blazer Bash now?

 

[ZooMad75]

So ya going to Blazer Bash now?

Man I would love to. I've got a small problem with the money to do it. The truck needs to be fixed before I can even think about it.

 

[ZooMad75]

Plans have been hatched to address the two heat related problems I had on the trip. #1 insufficient cooling for the engine. Running the 350 fan on the 5.3 fan clutch has the position well back from the shroud opening. We reused the 2 core brass radiator from my old 75 with the 91 shroud. In cooler ambient temps with shorter runs it never ran hot. But the action of running for a couple hours or better in 90+ degree temps found the weakness. Plan is to move to a spectra 6.2 diesel radiator. Larry has an extra one that came with the upper neck installed incorrectly. Spectra sent him another and didn't want the other back. I've located the correct shrouds at a local yard and have a line on the correct brackets. The correct 5.3 fan blade is inbound from eBay.

#2 issue is exhaust routing. Got a date next Thursday for my guy to reevaluate his routing and fix it.

For the extent we went through on this build to only have a couple of issues on it's first big trip I'm pretty happy. Plus the truck works very well off road. Between the tru-trac up front, bilsteins and shackle flip out back the truck was basically point and shoot easy to control.

We are working on the pics and videos from the trip. I took near 350 still shots and dozens of videos. Larry has a lot of each too plus the others haven't sent thiers in yet.

 

[sreidmx]

Wondering why no e fan? The windstar dual fan pack would work really well..

 

[mrk5]

Diesel radiators for the win! That's what I'm putting in the crew cab this weekend.

 

[ZooMad75]

Wondering why no e fan? The windstar dual fan pack would work really well..

Thought did cross my mind. Heck even my main tech suggested to go with the efans gm went to on the 08 and later trucks.

The issue I have is it adds complexity to the truck. I have to wire it in, relay with a switch or thermostatic control or to the ecm for that matter. Nothing is as simple as the correct fan and clutch. No wires. Larry's 8.1's are running the same setup and never once ran hot in the desert and both had the a/c going full tilt too. With no a/c (yet) and a much smaller engine on a 6.2 diesel radiator I bet it's going be just fine. I'll have the extra capacity when I do eventually install the a/c system.

 

[sreidmx]

Thought did cross my mind. Heck even my main tech suggested to go with the efans gm went to on the 08 and later trucks.

The issue I have is it adds complexity to the truck. I have to wire it in, relay with a switch or thermostatic control or to the ecm for that matter. Nothing is as simple as the correct fan and clutch. No wires. Larry's 8.1's are running the same setup and never once ran hot in the desert and both had the a/c going full tilt too. With no a/c (yet) and a much smaller engine on a 6.2 diesel radiator I bet it's going be just fine. I'll have the extra capacity when I do eventually install the a/c system.

I'll be doing the same thing as you because mine was a diesel. Good stuff .

 

[78K30]

The mechanical fan is also less likely to fail on extended back country trips. Not that E-fans are unreliable but in the event of an alternator failure it's just one more thing drawing down batteries as well

 

[mrk5]

Thought did cross my mind. Heck even my main tech suggested to go with the efans gm went to on the 08 and later trucks.

The issue I have is it adds complexity to the truck. I have to wire it in, relay with a switch or thermostatic control or to the ecm for that matter. Nothing is as simple as the correct fan and clutch. No wires. Larry's 8.1's are running the same setup and never once ran hot in the desert and both had the a/c going full tilt too. With no a/c (yet) and a much smaller engine on a 6.2 diesel radiator I bet it's going be just fine. I'll have the extra capacity when I do eventually install the a/c system.

My K5 had a 6.2L we replace with a 350. Kept the bigger radiator and I remember in the winter I would sometimes block the radiator off because it wouldn't warm up enough for good heater warmth. I'd rather have that problem again than too hot in the summer.

 

[ZooMad75]

My K5 had a 6.2L we replace with a 350. Kept the bigger radiator and I remember in the winter I would sometimes block the radiator off because it wouldn't warm up enough for good heater warmth. I'd rather have that problem again than too hot in the summer.

I was joking about that very thing with Larry earlier. Probably need a cold front to snap on to get heat on snow runs. I agree though, that is a better problem to have than running hot in the summer.

 

[ZooMad75]

The mechanical fan is also less likely to fail on extended back country trips. Not that E-fans are unreliable but in the event of an alternator failure it's just one more thing drawing down batteries as well

Having completed my first desert trip now I totally get keeping it simple. Sure mechanical clutches can fail too, but it's not going to lead to running to a boneyard to find another Windstar for it's fan. In my case any parts store in the country should have a 5.3 fan clutch in stock or can get one in less than a day.

When I broke my stub axle last week we were only halfway back down the trail back to I-70 I wasn't sure I was going to be driving mine out. Again simplicity helped, D44 stubs are pretty basic and with the help of Chris at ORD giving us some suggestions on who to see about getting the parts and Dave from Extreme 4x4 tours we located what I needed and booked back to Moab to get it.

 

[ZooMad75]

Rough day at work. I'd swear it was a full moon. Took my Blazer up to have Helen Keller's exhaust monkeys re-route the right side pipe. Dropped it off before 8 and it never got touched. I'm annoyed but understand, if they are fixing it like they should (meaning not charging me for it) they need to work it in between paying jobs. Later in the day I got the owner quizzing me on the whereabouts of our wrecker. What's the problem? I asked. Oh, the owner's Dad managed to get his tractor stuck while mowing weeds at the property they just bought. Hmm, interesting since the property happens to have a couple of good sized ponds on it and is situated right on the Arkansas river. So I ask just where the tractor is stuck at. I was told by the west side of the west pond, near the edge of the pond. The boss went out with our shop truck, a 2014 1/2 ton Silverado with an attempt to yank it out with a strap. He didn't try once it got out there. Said he needed the wrecker. Ok, how firm is the soil near the tractor and the path around the lake? I'm told it's ok, the shop truck made it over there. Here's where I interject some reality. Um, Boss the wrecker weighs about 3 times the amount of the shop truck and is riding on 6 narrow tires that might as well be pizza cutters. Oh yeah it's 2wd too! Are you sure it's not going to sink in? Nahh it will be fine.

I intercept my driver when he gets back from a call and give him some advice. I told him to proceed with caution. I'm betting the ground is soft and if it don't feel right, pull back and bail on the rescue. Sure enough about an hour after he left I get the call. So the wrecker is stuck. No way to get to the tractor as it's even worse near it. Wrecker is sunk up to the axles. Keep in mind this is a C4500 Medium duty Top Kick with a Dirtymax. Meaning heavy ass bitch. I told my driver I'd be there in 20 with the right tool as taking our second matching C4500 wrecker is a waste of time. Called the exhaust shop to get my truck out of jail and catch a ride with our owner. He's beside himself pissed off as he's been chasing his Dad all afternoon over this crap. So I bust over there to find the wrecker is sunk in deep. My driver is a crafty dude and used the rollback body to tilt down and effectively lift the rear tires out of the mud and stuff our low profile boards in for traction. I spool out the winch from about 75 feet out to pull from lower wrap on the drum and maximize the pull. This is a Warn xd9000i I'm pulling with too. Way too light for the pull, but it's all we got right now. Needless to say the Warn tugged it right out of the hole after I stood on the brakes to keep it from pulling the Blazer forward. No pics as I was in a hurry.

Onto the Tractor. The old man got that sucker so sunk you could barely see the rollover hoop in the reeds and cat tails. I lined up to get a straight shot and still be on firmer ground as the stuff a few feet in front of the truck was showing the black stinky goop typical to a shoreline.

After waiting for my driver to figure out how to get the tractor running we commenced to pulling. Yes, for the saftey patrol, I didn't have a cable weight on as I cleaned the truck out after the trip. I almost emptied the winch controller too. The cable weight will be in the truck. Still, the Warn tugged with all it's got to yank that damn Kubota out of the muck.

It's out..

I followed the tractor around the south end of the lake while my driver went the other way. The wrecker got stuck again in a sandy spot on the opposite side of the lake so I had to pull cable again.

Great way to end the day considering. Funny thing was the old man has talked to me at length about how crazy it is for me to deal with cars all day and then continue to play with them in my spare time. The Blazer in his eyes is just a nutty waste of time. He even thought I was crazy I took vacation to go wheeling in Utah. So once I had hooked up to the tractor with my winch I looked at him and asked who's crazy now? Told him if it wasn't for my crazy ass his tractor and wrecker would be sucked further into the earth by morning. I think he got my point.

I'll be handing the bill from the carwash I went through after we got done to the boss in the morning. I don't mind using my stuff to get them out, but I will not let that black gooey stuff stay on the truck and rot it out. So it got washed.