Gear Vendors Finally Coming!

[wanderingeye]

Tim, How is the installation going? When will we have performance data?

[noiva]

Originally Posted by wanderingeye

Tim, How is the installation going? When will we have performance data?

Tom,

This has been much slower to accomplish than I anticipated. My neighbor who owns the transmission shop turned out to know a lot less about GV than he had let on . After calling the GV people (great people, by the way), THEY recommended I find someone else. Found a shop that's been around this area all my life, although they have a new facility and now specialize in big rigs and MoHos. They have the Silver Blimp now. I took a 500 mile trip several weeks ago and made careful records of the performance without the GV, so I can run a fairly objective comparison as soon as I get it back. Should be early next week. I did take a few "before" pictures, but I sure had a difficult time getting decent pictures underneath the drive line. Anyway, I'm obviously very anxious to get this done and run the comparisons.

By the way, also discovered a leaking left rear axle seal (which is being repaired along with the GV installation), and the air control valve for the right rear tag axle was dangling by the lift rod and air hoses when I came in from the trip. Two bolts had fallen completely out. Fixed that myself . Two other quick items. I've had a very slight weep at the gas tank drain plug for several weeks. Tried tightening several times, but no luck. Finally pulled the plug, got my son-in-law to plug the hole while I put gasoline resistant grade Teflon tape on the plug. Really a fun job under a full 80 gallon gas tank . Anyone else have this happen? Finally, I found the large "keeper ring" from the left side tag axle just dangling around the axle. Put the ring back in place and tried to be sure it was set in position, but I can't be sure. Anyone ever had to deal with those before? Is there anything I need to do to be sure it stays there?

Sorry to run so long. I know you didn't ask about all this, but it does all fit together with the GV job.

I'll report as soon as possible on the results.

Best

[Chaplain Kent]

Tim,
If I have this right-you and your son-in-law were under the MH with 80 gallons of fuel, his finger was inside the drain hole holding back the flood while you put tape on the threads of the plug. He then took out his finger and you quickly inserted and tightened the plug. WOW! I'm glad you are able to tell the story.
I am eager to hear of the results from your new axle since I too need to do something with Chummy.

[noiva]

Originally Posted by Chaplain Kent

Tim,
If I have this right-you and your son-in-law were under the MH with 80 gallons of fuel, his finger was inside the drain hole holding back the flood while you put tape on the threads of the plug. He then took out his finger and you quickly inserted and tightened the plug. WOW! I'm glad you are able to tell the story.
I am eager to hear of the results from your new axle since I too need to do something with Chummy.

Chaplain Kent,

You have it right! I couldn't figure any other way to stop the weep (very slight, seriously), and it went much quicker and with less fuel leakage than one might expect. Notice I had my son-in-law plugging the hole . That freed me up for the more technical stuff . Seriously, we made sure all electrical stuff was disconnected, we don't smoke, no fire around, etc. I've done more dangerous things putting gas in my lawn mower, but I am not recommending anyone else copy me . (This is where faith comes into action.)
I'm not clear on your comment about a "new axle". Are you referring to the GV under/overdrive or the keeper ring on the tag back plate? I guess it couldn't be that, since you don't even have a tag.
Side note: got any cute name ideas for the Silver Blimp. I really like your "Chummy" name, but I haven't been able to come up with anything for this silver whale.

Best

[Geophilist]

Tim,

Be honest. Bet there was a lot of praying during that operation. My luck is to have someone come up to me smoking a cig while I am "bathing" in gasoline and want to know if I knew I had a leak!

With that new GV maybe you could call it the Silver Streak, or the Silver Flash. Let us hope it ain't the Silver Dog.

Steve

[noiva]

Originally Posted by Geophilist

Tim,

Be honest. Bet there was a lot of praying during that operation. My luck is to have someone come up to me smoking a cig while I am "bathing" in gasoline and want to know if I knew I had a leak!

With that new GV maybe you could call it the Silver Streak, or the Silver Flash. Let us hope it ain't the Silver Dog.

Steve

OK, Steve...

The praying went on in the form of thankfulness AFTER we finished. I know I should have prayed before, but I was truly thankful afterward. Fortunately, my MoHo sits so far back in the yard it would take a pretty good eye for a neighbor to have seen us crawling around soaked in gasoline .

If it's Silver Dog, I'll sell it to you for a very good price . Even deliver it, since you live so close.

I'm very hopeful I can call it something like Silver Cruiser, as in HIGHWAY cruising .

Best,

[GlenCoombe]

Tim, just got back from the left coast and wanted to check in for an update on the GV project. What's the scoop? Did you get your rig back yet?
We're all dieing to hear about it... and to see the before figures ... and the new test figures! Come on buddy, don't hold out on me man!!!
It really is amazing what you'll find if you take the creeper tour of your coach bottom from time to time. I do my tour once ever two weeks or so as I drive it so much. Forgot to do that a few weeks back and paid the price of having to replace some header collector bolts while on the road.

[noiva]

Originally Posted by GlenCoombe

Tim, just got back from the left coast and wanted to check in for an update on the GV project. What's the scoop? Did you get your rig back yet?
We're all dieing to hear about it... and to see the before figures ... and the new test figures! Come on buddy, don't hold out on me man!!!
It really is amazing what you'll find if you take the creeper tour of your coach bottom from time to time. I do my tour once ever two weeks or so as I drive it so much. Forgot to do that a few weeks back and paid the price of having to replace some header collector bolts while on the road.

Glen, OK, I'm not holding out on you ! Fact is, I got a call yesterday that there was one missing wire in the kit sent from GV. When the shop tried to wire it with another wire (not clear what they meant by that ) they "fried" the electronics box that goes with it . They've called GV, who is sending a replacement box and the missing wire. I was assured that the unit is in, the drive shaft cut, balanced, and reassembled, and the switch wiring was all that was left. Now they say it will be next Weds. before they get the parts from GV, so I "should" get it back by the end of next week. Kind of long for a job that was to take 2 days, but after I read the installation instructions I really don't know how so many people install these themselves (according to GV - at least). I'm fairly mechanical, but I would not have attempted this job. Anyway, the shop has been faithful about notifying me, so I think they are still trustworthy . I've had these kinds of delays before when I had the blimp at another local shop having work done when my brother still owned it, so I've sort of come to expect it.

Thanks for asking, and I promise I'll be more than happy to report the return of my coach . I'm going to report the performance data as well, but I don't have any long trips planned as yet, so I may have to report on shorter runs for a while. By the way, I can't use a creeper under mine. It's parked on rocks. Try a tour of the bottom on rocks . Also, try finding a dropped part IN rocks .

[GlenCoombe]

So if I hear this right, you and your son-in-law did the finger thing "on the rocks"???
Makes me kinda glad I extended the driveway this spring. It is actually level too!
O.K. Tim, you got us going.... now how about the early numbers? How was the speed/rpm/fuel use on the long vacation trip??? Huh??? Huh??? Give us something!!! Pleeeeeeease............

[noiva]

Originally Posted by GlenCoombe

So if I hear this right, you and your son-in-law did the finger thing "on the rocks"???
Makes me kinda glad I extended the driveway this spring. It is actually level too!
O.K. Tim, you got us going.... now how about the early numbers? How was the speed/rpm/fuel use on the long vacation trip??? Huh??? Huh??? Give us something!!! Pleeeeeeease............

Glen,
You got it about the gas drain plug fix "on the rocks". At least I didn't get any nasty stains on good concrete . I'm shopping for a good concrete guy now to see if I can at least afford a pad (other than gas absorbing rocks) to park this blimp on.

I was going to give all the figures at one time, but I sense you may have a medical emergency if I don't supply the "before" figures soon . So here's what I recorded: First leg - Air temp in low 80s, average speed 59 mph, typical rpm 3,000, engine temps between 190 - 210 depending on whether I was climbing or not, drove approximately 300 miles from flat Chesapeake to Blue Ridge Parkway at Afton Mtn, 30 miles south on Parkway and 30 miles back north - then first fill-up. Averaged 5.6 mpg (with generator running approx 2 hours). Second leg - Air temp in mid 90s, average speed 59 mph, typical rpm 3,000, engine temps between 200 - as high as 220 on hills (definitely can tell when outside temps go up), drove approximately 200 miles from Afton Mtn to flat Chesapeake - then second fill-up. Averaged 6.8 mpg (with generator running for approximately 1 hour). Dash AC on both ways whole trip.

Two quick observations: I've gotten as high as 8.6, but only on flat land, and in air temps below 90 degrees. As expected, 3 main fuel killers are outside temps, above 55, and climbing. Driving above 55 mph causes considerably higher temps, rpms, and gas consumption than staying at 55, but 55 is a real problem on interstates.

OK, now what do you think?

[GlenCoombe]

Tim, I think I'm surprised that you can get so much in the way of fuel economy ( I know that's an oxymoron ) out of the coach.
I'm going to be working on my rig today prior to launching tomorrow on another whirlwind fall booking time.... I'll see you all the end of September when I'm back home.
I'm certain the wait will be worth it all in the end and you have the 370 back. I'm looking forward to your first road trip, but then you knew that didn't you?
BTW I found my concrete guys in the yellow pages and they did the job the next day for cheap! Shop around.
I had already done the excavating as I wanted the dirt so they just had to form up and pour/finish.

[noiva]

Originally Posted by GlenCoombe

Tim, I think I'm surprised that you can get so much in the way of fuel economy ( I know that's an oxymoron ) out of the coach.
I'm going to be working on my rig today prior to launching tomorrow on another whirlwind fall booking time.... I'll see you all the end of September when I'm back home.
I'm certain the wait will be worth it all in the end and you have the 370 back. I'm looking forward to your first road trip, but then you knew that didn't you?
BTW I found my concrete guys in the yellow pages and they did the job the next day for cheap! Shop around.
I had already done the excavating as I wanted the dirt so they just had to form up and pour/finish.

Glen,

Thanks for the encouragement. Good luck on your trip. Frankly, I'm beginning to miss the blimp in the backyard. I keep needing things we keep in there . Hope you're right about this being worth it. Everything points to that, but I've dropped a lot of money , and have not yet been able to drive the "new" version. Anyway, I'm shopping for concrete guys now. Got one good lead, but I'll need them to excavate since my drive is compacted rock from almost 30 years. Not really a job for a shovel and rake .
Hopefully, I'll have some news by the time you return.

Best,

[GlenCoombe]

The compacted rock would be a good base for concrete. Some site evaluation could have you working with an elevated pad rather than excavating that much. I had a little deeper pour (6") done at the head end where the weight of the engine is generally parked. The rest is just 4".
If you form up on top, all you need to do is ramp up on the entry end. Excavate just for the landing areas for and aft... you'll also end up with better runoff and a more defined edge to mow around.

[MrGoate]

Originally posted by NOIVA: "OK, now what do you think?"

We think that when you get to the top of the entrance ramp and that beautiful 370 shifts into overdrive, running 65 mph at much lower rpms and temps with better mpg...

We'll see this:

Continue to hang in there; you won't regret it!

[ralley]

Tim:

Can you supply a bit more info about your missing gearvendors wire?

My GV showed up Friday, and I plan to put Zeppelin in the shop next Friday. If I can check to see if the GV is complete BEFORE I take it to the shop......Well, you know.

Thanks

PS: My (rather vague) average MPG on the 350 is about 6. The last trip to Harrisburg (which is mostly uphill, both ways (!)) confirms this. If I assume I can get about 8 MPG with the GV, my guesstimate of the time to return on investment is 27,000 miles driven at $3.05 per gallon. Your results will vary!!
(Disclaimer: These calculations were done with my shoes on, and are subject
to revision at any time.)

Rob

[noiva]

Originally Posted by GlenCoombe

The compacted rock would be a good base for concrete. Some site evaluation could have you working with an elevated pad rather than excavating that much. I had a little deeper pour (6") done at the head end where the weight of the engine is generally parked. The rest is just 4".
If you form up on top, all you need to do is ramp up on the entry end. Excavate just for the landing areas for and aft... you'll also end up with better runoff and a more defined edge to mow around.

Glen,

Actually, that was my plan. In Tidewater, VA it's always a good idea to put anything on a concrete slab high enough that you won't be stuck later having to raise the floor. I've already had to add 4" of concrete to my 50s era garage floor (fortunately, I had a row of cinder blocks before the sill plate, so I could just pour it in). My dad's garage is constantly getting water in the floor because the ground has risen in the 30+ years since he built it. When I added a ground level utility room to my house in 1990, I insisted the contractor pour a 12" slab to avoid future problems. I was thinking of a 6" slab for the blimp. Since I back it in, at least the front half would need to be 6". Thanks for the tips.

Have a good trip,

[noiva]

Originally Posted by MrGoate

We think that when you get to the top of the entrance ramp and that beautiful 370 shifts into overdrive, running 65 mph at much lower rpms and temps with better mpg...

We'll see this:

Continue to hang in there; you won't regret it!

Thanks so much for the encouragement. At this point I'm beginning to need a little positive assurance. I know it's just the delay, but it's big bucks in my budget , and I'm sure you're thinking is correct. I'll definitely post the as soon as I experience the overdrive, 65 mph, lower rpms and temps WITH the better mpg ! In fact, I'll settle for any combination of the above.

Best,

[noiva]

Originally Posted by ralley

Tim:

Can you supply a bit more info about your missing gearvendors wire?

My GV showed up Friday, and I plan to put Zeppelin in the shop next Friday. If I can check to see if the GV is complete BEFORE I take it to the shop......Well, you know.

Thanks

PS: My (rather vague) average MPG on the 350 is about 6. The last trip to Harrisburg (which is mostly uphill, both ways (!)) confirms this. If I assume I can get about 8 MPG with the GV, my guesstimate of the time to return on investment is 27,000 miles driven at $3.05 per gallon. Your results will vary!!
(Disclaimer: These calculations were done with my shoes on, and are subject
to revision at any time.)

Rob

Rob,

I should have gone through the box and checked every item with the installation instructions. The instructions are very thorough, and I would have caught that a wire was missing. According to the shop, the missing wire was white and goes to the "control box". Not having seen it since this happened I'm afraid I can't give you a better description. I will say that I've found GV to be outstanding in their support before and especially after the purchase.

Sounds like we get about the same mileage, which really isn't that surprising. Vehicles are very similar in size, engine, etc. (I know mine's a Ford and yours is a Chevy, but a big block is a big block.) I'm actually encouraged since my gearing is so low and I still manage to average about 6+. I may actually get 8 mpg with the overdrive! I already can do that easily running slower. By the way, I agree with you that it's uphill going and coming from Harrisburg. I've been through there many times, and it's weird how I-81 through PA is always uphill . Thanks for the return on investment calculations. Frankly, I'll figure I've got my return if I can cruise at 65 with rpms below 3,000 .

Best,

[GlenCoombe]

Are we there yet?? Huh?? Are we there yet??? What's up Tim?? It's Wednesday already, what are they doin' down there at the transmission shop? Using the 370 for a lunch room?
At this rate Rob will have the "after" numbers out first!
I like the ROI numbers actually. Now if I can just sell another 2500 golf shirts....

[noiva]

Glen,

This morning's report is that they are "finishing up the control box, have tested the overdrive and it's working perfectly." Then they want to "look at" the axle to see if the seal is really leaking . Apparently, since it hadn't been running in the street while they road tested the GV unit, their mechanic thought it might not really be leaking. Hopefully, they now KNOW it's leaking , since I reported again that it ran on the brake - causing it to smoke on the last trip, and the fluid level has dropped about an inch. (Apparently they can only work on one thing at a time, even if they're just waiting for parts ). Trust me, you'll hear as soon as I can get it back. I'm beginning to suspect they're taking company trips in the Blimp .

Hanging in, but getting very frustrated ,

PS What are ROI numbers?