Gray Man, Inc.

[DRIVEN]

Thanks, Wayne. I'm doing pretty good at this point.

[DRIVEN]

Over the 3rd and 4th, the ribs were still tender but that was about the only lingering malady. I wrastled the transmission swap on the Supervenza for a couple days. It was ridiculous amount of work. My dad was pretty instrumental for about 3 hours in the middle. The engine, transmission, transfer case, and cradle drop out the bottom. Then everything gets separated.

20240709_075101.jpg

The LKQ chimps had obviously F'd up several seals so I replaced as necessary.

Once I got it all back together, there's a 60 digit recalibration procedure. Fortunately, I have the factory software for that.

20240712_172333.jpg

The fluid top-off proceedure is ridiculous. Like many modern transmissions, this has no dipstick. You warm it up to 185deg (which takes about 40-50 minutes) then fill or drain through the bottom of the pan. I got it all buttoned up and took it for a drive. It shifted perfectly so I parked it in the garage. The next morning I noticed a bunch of ATF under it. Initially, I thought it was an axle seal. Once I got it apart, I found out that the yard chimps had poked a hole in the case. Fuck LKQ! I cleaned everything up and put 3 thick layers of epoxy over the hole.

20240714_124830.jpg

20240716_101344.jpg

After 3 layers, I called it good. I did about 1500 miles for work that week ( in a loaner Vibe), but when I got back I put it all back together. Surprise! Then I had about a dozen communication codes. None of the modules were being friends, and then I only had 2nd and reverse. It took a few more hours of diag via process of eliminating before I narrowed it down to a failed TCM. I swapped in the original and all was well.

20240720_081223.jpg

I put it back to work and it was great for 3000 miles. When it was time for the next oil change, I found that it was leaking again. I ground out all the JB Weld and figured I'd drill and tap the original hole.
Surprise! The case is super thin and there's no room for a tap because there's a hardened steel component right behind it.

20240825_170058.jpg

I cleaned everything up and forced a set screw with epoxy in the hole. So far, so good. Hope it holds.

20240829_125945.jpg

There is a common issue with the 1AR/2AR engine family to develop a timing chain rattle on start-up. This one began about 10,000 miles ago. The culprit is the intake cam phaser, and it's actually fairly easy to replace.

20240825_143257.jpg

One thing I can praise this car for is that it's really clean inside and doesn't use a drop of oil. I use Valvoline synthetic on 5000 mile intervals. I'm certain that this routine helped get Supervibe to 406,000.

20240825_150800.jpg

So, it's back on the road now. There's a few more things on the to-do list, but it's usable now.

[DRIVEN]

Somewhere in the mix the old septic system backed up. I dug up the tank and had it pumped. When the exit line was opened up, we found it totally root bound.

20240707_132416.jpg

20240707_132437.jpg

Yay! I got to hire a crew to drop in a new drain field. It was pretty well roughed in, but I needed to bring the old 8N back over from my parents' place.

20240911_114605.jpg

I got it all smoothed out. Should be full of weeds in no time.

20240911_113348.jpg

Every 6-8 weeks I make a dump run. It's literally the only time the Smell Camino gets driven anymore.

20240911_090628.jpg

When I got home I hit it with the pressure washer and wiped it down.

20240911_095034.jpg

Also, orange cat is a butthole.

20240802_193745.jpg

[DRIVEN]

I spent some time going over the scabby tractor in preparation for a long trip next week. I was going to start by replacing the inconveniently located fuel filter. That's when I noticed that I'm an idiot.

20240913_095657.jpg

About 2000 miles ago I replaced the badly corroded battery terminals. While everything was disconnected and I was cleaning all the connections, I had flopped the battery crossover cable on top of the engine. We'll, apparently I got sidetracked and didn't reattach it.

20240913_095330.jpg

20240913_095352.jpg

As you can see in the last photo, it arched the #3 injector line at some point. The black intake elbow is aluminum. A 12V Cummins isn't exactly famous for being a silky-smooth runner. I'm sooo lucky my dumb ass didn't burn this thing to the ground.

Anyway, after I fixed that. I replaced the fuel filter. Not super complicated, but hard to reach. It's buried under there somewhere. Just take my word for it.

20240913_175131.jpg

I serviced the rear differential, since I had no history on it. The fluid that came out was actually pretty clean. It got a finned Yukon cover because...well, I just wanted it. 3.54 highway flyers and limited slip inside the Dana 80.

20240913_123146.jpg

20240913_123833.jpg

20240913_131532.jpg

The transmission was reportedly serviced a few months before I got it and the ATF is still red, so I'll leave it alone. I'll replace the coolant and thermostat next. Then, it needs front springs and shocks. I need to pull the timing cover to verify that the KDP has been done too.

In other news, I put taller bars on the white bike. I stand on the pegs a lot and on the longer multi-day rides, that equates to really knotted up shoulders. Believe it or not, the extra inch or so makes all the difference (gigity).

20240819_160124.jpg

I also swapped out the rear spring for a slightly higher rate to compensate for camping gear.

20240907_133810.jpg

20240823_193528.jpg

Tomorrow I'll pull my daytrip bags and load up my Giant Loop and dry bag, then load it in the back of the Dodge. I've got to fly to Texas for a couple days for Toyota training, then I'm riding the old OBDR Route 6. Ride report to follow.

[wayno]

I did the same thing to my mountain bike, I did not like being bent down all the time, I also bought a taller handle bar connection/tree, whatever you call that.

I don't like working on my rigs so much anymore, but I put way less miles on them than I used to.

[Taterhead]

Glad you’re on the mend. Falls suck. When we were young we could fall off a bicycle on a gravel road and tear the skin from our knees, ride home 2 miles, wash up and be fine. Now we use the wrong pillow and are out of commission for 2 days.

Pics aren’t working for me. I’ll check back again because while I enjoy the story, I love seeing the places.

[BLUE]

Yikes , hope you’re doing better man

[DRIVEN]

Looks like my pics didn'tstick. I've been super busy with work but I'll redo the posts when I can.

[DRIVEN]

I'm just going to copy/paste the old post text and insert postimage photos. I could see the photos in the original posts. This is bullshit.

[DRIVEN]

I did the old Oregon BDR Route 5 with a couple TW buddies the week before the 4th. It didn't end as planned
.




We started at the California/Oregon border, then rode into the outback.

We camped by an unnamed creek for the night, then rode into Lakeview for fuel and water the next morning.



At some point in the morning hours, rider 1 tipped over while crossing a dry rut. Everything seemed fine and we kept moving. We headed north to Paisley and ate at the Pioneer Saloon, the oldest bar in Oregon.



Northward into the hills to overlook Summer Lake.



Our 2nd night was spent on the dry bank of Thompson Reservoir.





When I got up in the morning I found out that rider 1 had suffered some serious concussion symptoms; diziness,, convulsions, and vomiting. It was pretty concerning so we cautiously proceeded to Christmas Valley. It's not nearly as festive as the name might imply. We fueled up and grabbed supplies before heading through the most remote part of the trip. About 100 miles of forsaken desert. We sidestepped to the east 17 miles off the route to Riley for fuel and supplies. Then back west to the route and north to Elk camp. I got the trip's only flat about 5 miles from camp.

In the morning we got separated for a couple hours but met up at Delintment Lake. I waited there almost 2 hours.



Once reunited, we rode up to Frazier lookout. It's decommissioned, but was intact.



Our goal was Seneca for more fuel and food.