What's new
CK5
Register an account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members.

The Green Grendel

Overview Gallery Discussion
AgDieseler said:
See you in Moab!
Click to expand...

Moab. As in Blazer Bash 2017? IDK, man, that seems too far in the future to be making plans just yet. Haven't started planning out Summertime yet, though the project list is already growing. One thing I do know. Baby #2 is due in late May, so that will shift the dynamics again.
 
campfire said:
I haven't done a whole lot of wintertime diesel driving (due to salt). I'm kinda curious how quickly the engine pops off at zero degrees. Big Blue is pretty grumpy, but this engine is a bunch less tired, and the 24V starter whips it over a bunch faster than even the 12V MT-28 gear reduction starter. The two winters that I drove Big Blue I remember conscientiously trying NOT to drive it to work in sub-zero temperatures. I knew I could get it started in the morning, thanks to the block heater. But I wasn't sure whether it would start after 8 hours of sitting in a cold parking lot. I don't remember what my coldest successful non-heated start was, but it was somewhere near zero degrees.

I do know this, The Grendel starts pretty quickly at 20 degrees, and I'll be taking notes going forward.

:popcorn:
Click to expand...

I'm not sure if it's funny or tragic that my 220,000 mile 7.3 powerstroke started better. That thing would reliably start unplugged down to -10 that I know of. Dads 6.5 only had 118,000 and pops off like it's nothing as well.
 
AgDieseler said:
This guy going camping?
Click to expand...

We're planning out a bunch of homestead things (garden, pasture animals, etc) and I'm thinking that the Suburban likely won't be running soon enough for camping season. So this thing will probably be on primary camping duty this coming summer. It's a bummer for us, as we want the enclosed platform bed, but it will still be a step up from either the pickup or the TinyCar. And removing the hard deadline will give me some time to think about some other ideas. Maybe do a proper rebuild of the 6.5TD and use that instead of resealing the red block 6.2? It's just an idea at this point, but it wouldn't be much extra work. I have a tranny to redo and I'm planning on running the serpentine setup anyways, so the engine bay will be torn apart anyway. :thinking:

Just ideas at this point. We'll see what happens when the ice thaws.
 
78K30 said:
I'm not sure if it's funny or tragic that my 220,000 mile 7.3 powerstroke started better. That thing would reliably start unplugged down to -10 that I know of. Dads 6.5 only had 118,000 and pops off like it's nothing as well.
Click to expand...

Yeah. I never realized how sluggish Big Blue is until I bought the Suburban and realized that it ran significantly more strongly. More power, faster starts. Combined with lower gearing that thing will move out a bunch more quickly, despite being heavier. That is the strongest argument I have for redoing injectors on the old rig(s).
 
ZooMad75 said:
Ahh, EFI for the win. The K5.3 started this morning at 15 degrees on first hit of the starter. Had that been my 75 with the 350 and Q-jet I'd would have been out there for 30 minutes trying to get it to cough to life. I can imagine an oil burner being pain to get lit off without help at low temps.
Click to expand...

Yet another reason that I never wanna own a carb'd rig. My dad still marvels each time his modern car pops right off at -10 degrees. It's just the coolest thing in the world compared to when he used to drive the old C10 down the streets of Fairbanks.
 
I won't let another truck we impound with a 5.3 or 6.0 slip through my fingers again. Because the next one is getting pulled for my Nova. That's way down the road, but I will take it home.
 
So question. You have repeatedly said you want enclosed space for camping. You say big blue sucks because of the open space.
Have you ever tryed to look for a shell for it?
I know finding one would damn near be impossible, what about making a military style canvas cover or something? Or even making those wooden sides into a top?
 
beags86 said:
So question. You have repeatedly said you want enclosed space for camping. You say big blue sucks because of the open space.
Have you ever tryed to look for a shell for it?
I know finding one would damn near be impossible, what about making a military style canvas cover or something? Or even making those wooden sides into a top?
Click to expand...

I have looked for a shell. My folks had a homemade wooden shell on there 40 years ago. Normal campers all won't fit due to the spare tire holder (otherwise, it's not that hard to find a slide-in with a 4' lower footprint). I looked around for a cap a few years ago, but the decision to look for a Suburban came from camping in 2013.

P6083201.JPG

We enjoyed our nice, dry trailer during a rainstorm. But I still had to get soaked in order to climb around to the cab. Both places were dry, but getting from one to the other was not. That's what prompted the push for a single enclosed area. If I were to run any kind of pickup-based camping arrangement, I would want to cut out the back wall of the cab. I'm not willing to do that to the step-side, it's just not the right truck for the job. I've thought quite a bit about cutting out the back wall of the farm truck instead of building the Suburban. That would probably be less mechanical work than swapping parts over to the 'burb. And I could have a much nicer camping arrangement when I was done with it. But fancier camper = more weight & clumsy maneuvering on the trail.

Right now the pendulum is swinging toward building the 'burb, but I have all winter to change my mind about it. :rolleyes:
 
One thing I do know. Big Blue is permanently done with camping. As stated above, I have another car seat coming soon. Big Blue was cramped with 2 people, kind of workable with 3 people, but it is not going to work with 4, no matter how hard I try.
 
campfire said:
Moab. As in Blazer Bash 2017? IDK, man, that seems too far in the future to be making plans just yet. Haven't started planning out Summertime yet, though the project list is already growing. One thing I do know. Baby #2 is due in late May, so that will shift the dynamics again.
Click to expand...
Am I the only one who is still sitting on this post?!

Congrats @campfire !!!!
 
GWeakland620 said:
So you knew when you were here in Topeka?
Click to expand...

Yes, we knew that baby was coming. I even planned to tell you such. But it turns out that you are really good at talking. And my brother is also really good at talking. I mostly just sat back and listened to you 2 talk it out. Wifey did the same.

You were too busy, and we couldn't stay long anyway due to the late-night travel of having to drive another 1/2 a state away to find lodging for the night.

Some day, I am going to nail your shoes to the floor so you can't rush off, and you're going to have an actual conversation about real life stuff, instead of always being too "busy." :deal:
 
campfire said:
Moab. As in Blazer Bash 2017? IDK, man, that seems too far in the future to be making plans just yet. Haven't started planning out Summertime yet, though the project list is already growing. One thing I do know. Baby #2 is due in late May, so that will shift the dynamics again.
Click to expand...
Congratulations. From what I hear, Blazer Bash is a family affair.

David
 
I drove this thing to work today. So the final scary frontier has been conquered. I had it out in the pasture and then we got 8" of snow. What probably would have been a 4wd offroad situation in the blue truck was a 2wd walk in the park for this thing. No noticeable slippage in the deep stuff. Once I got out to the plowed pavement it was a bit squirrelly. The front steering is a touch loose, and I find the rear locker steer to be annoying. So it isn't the funnest vehicle for an icy road. But it's not the worst vehicle, either. And the pasture is easy street. :thumb:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest Posts

Top Bottom