Grumpy Bears 2015 Silverado 2WD

CadillacLuke24 · September 2, 2018

That seat cushion price is ABSURD!

Why does it need replaced?

On a somewhat related note, Osram released Night Breaker LASERS in Clyde's bulb specs.

TIME TO SPOT SATELLITES!

Edited September 2, 2018 by CadillacLuke24

Grumpy Bear · September 2, 2018

James: 255/70R17. I use an altimeter to judge a long straights general slope.

Luke: The cushion has molded into it the pad the senses weight. Something of a strain gauge I'm being told. It has a twenty pound voltage trigger to tell the air bag on the passenger side to arm or remain disengaged. I expect this is more for insurance than for safety. A bag that doesn't deploy on frontal impact when no one is in that seat is major cost savings for them. I get the reasons just not the treachery and greed.

Grumpy Bear · September 10, 2018

75,000 Mile Service

Pretty routine. Oil and filter, 0W20 Redline and WIX. No usage observed for past 5,000 miles.

Tire rotation and measurements. I'm uncertain how much longer I can get this set to continue. Long time readers might remember that the alignment was first corrected sometime shortly after 20K. Lots of caster and toe taken out. Four rotations preceded the alignment so wear was even but damage done. Outside shoulders are now becoming visible but they've been measurable for some sometime now. Still quite and serviceable so good for now.

Cabin Filter change.

Wife found this photo on her phone. We had driven from the dealer to our picnic spot, about 20 miles.

Peppers baby picture. Awh!

Edited September 10, 2018 by Grumpy Bear

CadillacLuke24 · September 11, 2018

LOL I took Clyde's first picture at the dealer's fuel pump. That was a great day!

75K is pretty remarkable for a tire in general, but then again it's a testament to your meticulous nature . What's the plan for new tires? Going to change wheels at that point, or stick with ye olde steelies?

qwank · September 11, 2018

I got my truck's first picture while it was on the carrier still

Grumpy Bear · September 12, 2018

18 hours ago, CadillacLuke24 said:

75K is pretty remarkable for a tire in general, but then again it's a testament to your meticulous nature . What's the plan for new tires? Going to change wheels at that point, or stick with ye olde steelies?

I had her on the lift again today in 'sunlight' so I could really examine those tires. Yea....it's going to be awhile yet before we need tires me thinks. Not as bad as my first on the pavement with a flashlight look. What I'm looking at is a pressure whose average was to low. Was 35, down to 28 and now 32 is my target and boy can I feel the difference.

That said, my efforts find replacements continue frustrated. You know my take on 'consumer reviews'. A zillion people with no expertise whose opines are clouded by their inexperience and unrealistic expectations rendering it all useless drivel. the few that do know are buried in the mire. Consumer Reports can't seem to make up their minds and change their order of best to worse seemingly without rhyme or reason every time I look. Dedicated tire sales reviews like Tire Rack...no bias their eh? Ditto truck and auto rags. Ten miles deep in stink without oar or rudder. Best advise I have so far is....rinse and repeat. (James Thx)

Rims. I gave this a look some time back. Weight and aero closure would be my main reasons for a change. Nothing I've looked at is filling that bill any better than the shoes she wears. There is a Caddy steel that Lake Moons would look good on but I can't find enough info on them to get a grip. Back spacing and all. I have time.

Grumpy Bear · September 13, 2018

10,278 miles from summers start till now / 350 gallons of fuel = 29.39 MPG. A fluke?

32 mpg a new one tank calculated average. One of only four tanks that are 31 mpg or better. Only second one outside two standard deviations.

Since the last service I've upped tire pressures twice and now at name plate value once again sacrificing ride for efficiency and note that this is the first time I put all fuel efficiency values in play at the same time.

This little town to my west has a declining speed limit. 55 then 45 then 35 and finial is 30 mph. If I'm actually doing 45 when I cross the 45 mph sign I click off the cruise and coast into town hitting each marker perfectly at it's sign save the last which I've been at for about a city block before hand. This was at 28 psi. At 35 psi, she rolls one city block further before slowing to 30 mph and on cue. I'm a bit over the limit at each sign before.

If you know the trucks weight and the time it takes to coast down you can calculate the horsepower dissipated by all frictional losses. Something I leaned from Jacobson Electronics decades ago. For now longer is lower losses and by a considerable amount it seems.

There was about four cold starts on this last tank thus room to improve. Remember I avoid town diving like a case of typhoid. Ditto short hopping. 50 mile minimum or the key doesn't get a turn. (Assuming the wife's permission of course ) Now it I could sit for the full time. Those days may be behind me. What would I do with a 35+ gallon tank?

Two more tanks to verify this isn't fill error driven. Repeated 32.98 with a 32.16 the took the gloves off and sat still for an entire 1/2 tank. 33.34 MPG New one tank average. (Add in revised chart above). 36.5 mpg new peak level ground nil wind number.

90 F day. 40% humidity. 0-3 mph South wind. 208-210 F oil. 182-186F water, 148-156 trans. All interstate miles for this tank save the 15 from I-39 to my home station 1.8 miles from the house. 55 mph cruise control. A/C off, windows open. Beautiful day!!! Have had three in a row.

Tire pressure increase to name plate at 64 F ambient. Trip in two legs with one 7 minute break. All Interstate miles. Cedar Rapids to Iowa City then west to Grinnell (Close to Des Moines) then return east along I-80 to north I-39 and home to the Rockford Illinois area.

Edited September 15, 2018 by Grumpy Bear

Grumpy Bear · September 15, 2018

On ‎6‎/‎25‎/‎2017 at 9:59 PM, Grumpy Bear said:

On ‎6‎/‎25‎/‎2017 at 7:09 AM, CadillacLuke24 said:

Think you can crack 27 mpg for your rolling average?

Done Luke. It's official.

See heavy edits to post above.

1031 miles using 31.827 gallons = 32.4 mpg mostly Interstate

Edited September 17, 2018 by Grumpy Bear

Grumpy Bear · September 17, 2018

William Frederick "Buffalo Bill" Cody

The Cody Homestead was Saturdays outing for the Mrs., Rex and I. South of Le Claire Iowa just a few miles off the Great River Road. US 67. $2 a head self guided tour.

The Limestone portion was built by German Craftsman in 1847 under the direction of Isaac Cody, Bill's father. The American Black Walnut flooring and trim is original as is the plaster and lath. Talk about built to last. Take that Pergo!! Yes sir, we've come a long way.....backward. Tell me again how everything is built better today??

The later wood framed structure was added by the McCausland family that bought it and founded the Iowa town of the same name.

Edited September 17, 2018 by Grumpy Bear

Grumpy Bear · September 17, 2018

60 MPH-MPG Test.

A note to myself:

Within spitting distance of Champaign Illinois on this outing for a total of 333 miles using 10.78 gallons of fuel = 30.2 MPG

What is different? For this trip the speed was 60 mph. I wanted to know what effect a simple 5 mph increase would have on her and given the day was as identical to the last few as God makes them it seemed the right time to get it done. Rain is forecast for tomorrow.

92 F, 36% humidity. Winds light and variable. Terrain undulated. Road Interstates I-39, I-55 and I-74. Traffic moderate. A/C off.

It's only one tank but against the last thousand miles at 55 mph this represents a 6.8% loss.

The speed increase raised the oil and trans temperatures a to my self imposed limits. 210 F oil, 160 F (173 F peak) Trans. Temp always spikes a bit when you leave the Interstate for a break. Odd note. Traveling 55 mph to Des Moines netted a 55 mph average. 60 mph to Champaign netted 57 mph average. Faster isn't always that much faster. AFM shuts off earlier on the hill at this speed by a good distance compared to 55 mph on the same grades. No surprise there. Trucks are not air friendly.

Harvest is in full swing starting today. It will be impossible to keep Pepper clean until they are done and we have a decent rain.

Edited September 19, 2018 by Grumpy Bear

Grumpy Bear · September 20, 2018

So out this evening in the rain and into a 10 mph head wind I put Pepper in tow mode, M5. Set the cruise to 55 mph then slipped the selector into M6. This engages the AFM while locking the transmission into 5th gear. With my 3.23 final drive this simulates running a 4.10 gear in 6th gear with an active AFM.

Observations. 29.5 mpg over about 100 miles at 55 mph, a 2.5 mpg loss over 6th gear Auto on a calm day, or 8.5%. About the same as running 60 mph in auto. Thing is it will do this into a head wind that would have 6th gear down to under 26 mpg. So a net gain into a head wind. In addition doing so I saw zero torque induced spark retard and one and only one occasion for ANY knock related spark retard. 87 octane/9% measure ethanal fuel load. That one was 3.5 degrees for about 50 feet on a overpass ramp. Right around 1700 rpm at stated speed on stock tires. Loafing still. It was a cool day so oil and trans temperatures were moderate. 204 and 148 F respectively. Hills that would have the trans kicking back remained in top gear lug free.

My guess is the 3.73 gear would be about perfect and allow 60 mph with similar results. Part of my planning stage.

Last three years September economy numbers with a solid improvement each year under every more demanding conditions. Higher speeds. More AC and the like. 15% second year over first and another 6.4% third year over second. I'd say there is little low hanging fruit left in this tree. 22% third year over first.

Edited September 20, 2018 by Grumpy Bear

Grumpy Bear · September 22, 2018

This is by month over 2 years. All down hill from here.

About time to get the fall detail and sealing done.

Grumpy Bear · September 25, 2018

First bar: 45 mph over hilly terrain, cruise control on in tow mode M6 which holds the trans in 5th gear and the AFM is active. Grade logic off. East against same wind as below.

2nd bar: 45 mph over level ground, cruise control on in tow mode M6 held in 5th gear with AFM active. Grade logic on.

3rd bar: 45 mph level ground, cruise on in M5. AFM OFF. Grade logic ON.

4th bar: 45 mph level ground, cruise on in Drive and Grade logic ON.

In 5th gear the rpm was right at 1420 rpm. In 6th gear 1148 rpm. Both numbers are a bit high for the math but the clutch lock up isn't active this far below converter stall. There is roughly 100 rpm of slip.

5th bar: 57 mph in drive with a 8-12 mph ESE wind north on I-39. This speed is the same rpm as 5th gear at 45 mph.

Runs for bars 2, 3 and 4 were 18.4 mile round trip loops on the flattest, straightest section of secondary highway in my area. Runs N/S and we had a 8-12 mph SE-SSE wind. 72-75F and 93% humidity with a BAR of 29.90.

I chose 45 mph as it is a speed the trans will stay in 5th gear with the AFM on or off, my choice, and still allow a sane speed in 6th gear for the same rpm. 50 mph in 5th gear AFM active is above the converter stall speed and it actually does a bit better between 48 and 50 mph in 5th with the AFM active WHEN into a headwind over hilly terrain.

The round trip numbers are the total average for that run. The spreads between into the wind and the wind at your back was interesting to observe although I did not jot those numbers down. For instance on the flat and into the wind 5th gear AFM active did a bit better than 6 gear. With the wind at ones back the opposite is true. 6th gear is more efficient. As one might expect the shorter gearing gave a lower difference between into vs at your back wind conditions. The more direct the wind to ones 12 or 6 the more pronounced the effect. No real surprises here directionally. Specifics however help me make better choices of route and run set up.

Note: AFM in this test sequence netting a 7% gain under the days conditions in round trip 45 mph runs. Under these conditions the AFM when active was off ONLY during the period of time it took to turn around and reacquire cruse speed. The distance was chosen in part for the fact the time period is to short for the ECU to shut the AFM down due to time-out alone.

Grumpy Bear · September 29, 2018

6L80E holds 12.5 quarts and uses 6 quarts for a dump and fill that includes a filter change.

6.5 qt. of old fluid and 6 qt. of new fluid = 48% new fluid.

Install a PML pan that holds 2.5 extra quarts.

For the second change 6.5 qt. at 48% = 3.12 qt. + 8.5 new qt. + 11.62 qt. new out of 15 qt. total new capacity or 76.7% new fluid.

On the third change 6.5 qt. at 76.7% = 4.98 qt. + 8.5 = 13.48 / 15 = 89.9% new fluid. Call it 90%

It takes 10 changes like this to replace 99.97% of the original fluid.

22.5 quarts in this scenario to change 90% of the fluid. In a flush situation the amount to replace 90% of the fluid is near a full barrel of oil! 42 gallons!!!

13% of the flush oil it takes to replace the equivalent amount of dump and flush. At $12.50 a quart that math is easy. Converter takes care of itself.

Drop and fill coming up. 90% Red Line, 10% Delco. Out with the Group III and in with the Group IV/V. I love esters.