Grumpy Bears 2015 Silverado 2WD

Doublebase · August 7, 2022

On 7/11/2022 at 4:58 PM, Grumpy Bear said:

Hi Mike. Where ya been?

159,008 as of this very moment. Just went out and checked just for you.

300K? I'd like to say 3 million but I doubt I will live that long and GM just fights me to much. Sometime this week I have to make an appointment for those "Killa" air bags. Told me about a year ago, maybe longer, the inflation cylinder may fail and KILL ME so park it until we get around to ya. Nice to see GM has my best interest held close to their little black hearts. They just sent me the 'were ready' order this weekend.

Other that that....she's running like a Swiss Watch. I have to admit I've been neglecting her of late. Putting all my time into Sugar Bears Terrain. That thing has become a non paying full time job.

Recalls account for 99% of all the work Pepper has needed non routine. Between these two we've logged more recalls and TSB's that in all my other cars combine. That's over 50 years of cars. Thing is Mike....were would I go?

So I make Pepper and Dizzy last as long as possible then do the down hill run with the Buicks sitting in storage.

Oh wow, I thought I had responded to this post, must have hit submit reply and it didn’t submit.

Good to hear pepper is still doing very well. I miss the days when you were putting a ton of miles on her. My car life has become boring (which is a good thing). My 2016 Toyota Avalon has just rolled over 100,000 miles with zero issues - and for the first time in my life I just did a 10,000 mile oil change interval...zero makeup up oil, oil analysis came back with less wear metals than a 5,000 mile interval. But it’ll probably be my last, I don’t have the stomach for that (probably back to 5,000-7,000 intervals). I do miss my truck though.

Keep on trucking, Grumpy. And good luck with that Terrain! That thing has certainly given you a run for your money.

Grumpy Bear · August 8, 2022

On 8/7/2022 at 6:47 AM, Doublebase said:

I miss the days when you were putting a ton of miles on her.

Me too. For a host of reasons Pepper and I have slowed down. Gas prices. Terrain has/had become a full time job. Very hot summer and extremely windy. Limits my 'windows down' time. Back has been a issue this year and worse with all the Terrain up and down. She needs some work that I don't have the funds for as long as Dizzy is being difficult draining the maintenance fund dry. She's not done either. Tires are due, alignment etc. Dizzy is at the 'drive clean' stage of repair so we take her instead of Pepper for most day trips. Put in a larger garden this year and that takes time. Excuses one and all. :crackup: Life is what happens while you are making plans for it...right? Patients sir...we'll get back to it.....I hope.

Edited August 8, 2022 by Grumpy Bear

Doublebase · August 8, 2022

1 hour ago, Grumpy Bear said:

Me too. For a host of reasons Pepper and I have slowed down. Gas prices. Terrain has/had become a full time job. Very hot summer and extremely windy. Limits my 'windows down' time. Back has been a issue this year and worse with all the Terrain up and down. She needs some work that I don't have the funds for as long as Dizzy is being difficult draining the maintenance fund dry. She's not done either. Tires are due, alignment etc. Dizzy is at the 'drive clean' stage of repair so we take her instead of Pepper for most day trips. Put in a larger garden this year and that takes time. Excuses one and all. Life is what happens while you are making plans for it...right? Patients sir...we'll get back to it.....I hope.

Back pain is the worst, hope you recover soon..

Definitely been one of the hottest summers I can remember, we’ve been in a heat wave where I am for almost a month! Does make driving less fun, but I’ve done a few road trips anyway...heading out today for another. Happy trails! Hope you’re back at it soon!

Grumpy Bear · September 9, 2022

160,000 Mile Services

9/9/2022

159,979 miles on unit

5,026 miles on oil and filter

Have added 16 ounces over this UOA but still full so only 8 ounces used to this point. All makeup CUMMINS RESTORE.

Pulled a 3 ounce sample for UOA

I've run out of the proper makeup oil and can not find a supply yet. Make up oil for this sample ONLY was BioSynthetic 5W30 per my lab analysis direction. 3 ounces out, 3 ounces in.

Unless it says HONDA on the valve cover I NEVER leave oil in longer than 5K and yet I am making an exception pending sample results. Because???

1.) I really REALLY trust my tribologist.

2.) Entire run has been on 75% E-85

3.) Oil is CUMMINS Valvoline RESTORE 5W30

*******************************************

Okay my mechanic has taken a day job. He has kept only a handful of his best customers. I'm on that list but his time is very limited so I will be doing the ****** and dunk and putting the things I can't on him. This is going to mean I will not be as punctual on services as I would like at times. Just say'n.

Grumpy Bear · September 15, 2022

9/14/2022 Lab Results

80,000 miles ago and 80,000 mile later

Exceptional wear control and great combustion dynamics. That is a really low acid number for this many miles. Lab recommends going another 5,000 miles. I will resample at half that distance. Inquiring minds and all.

Looks like the E85 has cleaned and sealed up my injectors/pump. Plugs and wires was the only response to the fuel dilution last go around. I wasn't Dizzy ed-u-macated yet This saves me a set of new injectors and HPFP. Now I have $$$$ for toys :crackup:

Zero is a crazy good result for a GDI motor. Zero viscosity drift. NONE! Ethanol is really easy on oil.

Elevated copper is typical Gen V SBC bearing leaching. No worries mates! Iron typical for the motor and miles.

Nitration is in spec and on the bubble. I'll toss a new set of plugs and a PCV valve/VLOM screen at her. It's time anyway.

Looks like ethanol price vs 87 price may go upside down again but ya know what? I'll keep the alky burning going even if it cost me some pennies per mile. Hard to argue with the results.

Okay my supply of CUMMINS RESTORE has dried up. Biosynthetic is the make up oil now in play. Best chemistry fit.

About time for the summer paint correction and chip repair. Dizzy is doing well and this welcome surprise has freed up some cash.

customboss · September 15, 2022

I agree with your analyst about;

"Nitration is in spec and on the bubble. I'll toss a new set of plugs and a PCV valve/VLOM screen at her. It's time anyway."

Air filter inspection worth a look too. That humidity you describe swell the filter media any? More dust sticking to it that one might think?

Fantastic result Grumpy Bear on a 160,000 mile 4.3, amazing .

Grumpy Bear · October 4, 2022

Summer 2022 Fuel Log

10/04/2022

June 2516 miles 108.489 gallons = 23.2 mpg

July 1211 miles 54.186 gallons = 22.4 mpg

August 274 miles 12.325 gallons = 22.2 mpg

September 962 miles 44.665 gallons = 21.5 mpg 1.311

In mid May I started the transition to E-85. Blending at 40% then 50%. Mid July I was on pump fuel at 75% whose carbon multiplier is 1.311 gives an E-10 equivalent mileage of 28.2 mpg.

Lifetime Report

As you can see in the chart below the year over year is still climbing (blue) and by year (orange) so far the second best year on record. Note: 2019 was a perfect storm of excellent weather and 0W20 Red Line. Not likely to repeat. As I've mentioned before I've traded horses. Exchanging the MPG horse for the longer life horse.

Grumpy Bear · October 5, 2022

General Notes:

10/5/2022

A bit over 6K miles on alcohol. October 15 and May 15 are roughly my trigger points for dialing back the percentage of alky in the mix. Aids winter starts so I'm told. I start a bit early both times to feather toward the new blend to allow the ECU to adjust.

So going into her 'second life' I'm pretty much committed to the tippler way. I'll dial back on alky to hold 20 + mpg during the winter and run full on for the summers. Record below from May 17 this year. Blue tank by tank and orange running average.

As I have no experience with alcohol in a street motor I track the running average mpg with tank corrections for E-10 equivalent so I can see if issues are looming. Blue alky and orange the E-10 carbon equivalent.

The drift down does have assignable cause. I picked up the pace over the summer 5 mph. Been on 10W30 instead of 5W30 or 5W20. Diesel oil has a higher HTHS even the same grade. More short trips as it become the go-to ride while Dizzy was sick. But mainly increases in alky load. Note orange line dipped less. Double checks the carbon calculation. Still on the money. Still well about the 27.8 mpg life time E10 average.

Grumpy Bear · October 10, 2022

Paint and Play Day

10/10/2022

Repaired a full one dozen small paint chips. Sunny day of 70 F and 39% humidity with winds under 3 mph. Perfect paint day for the great outdoors. Color all down. Color sand in a few days. (Pepper is filthy) I don't wash her during the harvest season. Spot cleaning for chip repair. She will get her fall wash and wax after the dust settles.

Good day for a drive and some sight seeing as well. Water was glass providing perfect reflections. This is the Rock River one mile north of the Oregon Dam at the Lowden State Park boat ramps west side of the river.

OnTheReel · October 11, 2022

5 hours ago, Grumpy Bear said:

Paint and Play Day

10/10/2022

Repaired a full one dozen small paint chips. Sunny day of 70 F and 39% humidity with winds under 3 mph. Perfect paint day for the great outdoors. Color all down. Color sand in a few days. (Pepper is filthy) I don't wash her during the harvest season. Spot cleaning for chip repair. She will get her fall wash and wax after the dust settles.

Good day for a drive and some sight seeing as well. Water was glass providing perfect reflections. This is the Rock River one mile north of the Oregon Dam at the Lowden State Park boat ramps west side of the river.

Beautiful area. I used to work a little ways from there in not so beautiful Freeport.

Grumpy Bear · October 11, 2022

How far away now? From Byron say.... time wise.

OnTheReel · October 11, 2022

32 minutes ago, Grumpy Bear said:

How far away now? From Byron say.... time wise.

Not too far. About 2 hours or so. I’m in Racine county.

Grumpy Bear · October 26, 2022

162,047 Mile Service

10/24/2022

7,094 this OCI (Longest OCI on this truck under adult [lab] supervision )

10/12 ounces make up oil added. About a quart in 20K. Well below engineering limits.

Valvoline blended CUMMINS Restore out. Cleaning cycle complete.

6 Quarts Red Line HP 0W30 in

1 FRAM PBL22500 (still have a few to work out of stock)

Pepper is parked most of the winter. Dialing back on the ethanol and 0W30 makes sense to me. Wired for a battery tender.

Ethanol might have some stretching out the OCI it burns so clean. Me, for now it will keep me from lowering it to 3K after getting back on the 5K cycle at 165K. So one short one then back on schedule.

Got a good look of the underside of this unit. Does not look like a rustbelt truck. Not as clean as Arizona trucks but very nice. It's why she sits during the salty season. Next fall I'll get her on a lift and start a "Lanolin" program. Rest of the herd to follow.

Grumpy Bear · November 9, 2022

Good 10-Footer

11/09/2022

Harvest is still underway but winding down and so are 60F + days. Good fall bath and polish. Also still working on chip detailing. Getting harder to manage. This truck use to be perfect under magnification. Now there are allot of paint 'bruises'. Not really chips and not scratches but like when a person puts a finger in icing and yet no larger than the point of a pen. Contact of a foreign object that doesn't chip the paint but does leave an imperfection. Not sure it can be rubbed out. And yet, what ya see is what it is.

Getting her all cleaned up to go to the dealer for the A pillar airbag recall. I want it back as perfect as I send it so the service writer and I will be taking a detailed walk around.