Had some company over, then unloaded the truck, time to spool down.
After the advice and tips when I started this thread, went to check her out. I did find three bolts loose from the drive shaft to T-Case, only about a quarter turn. Checked all the bolts on the U-Joints, tight, and found some zerts I had missed, greased em, and found the breather (thanks wsu). Got the breather to tap, don't know if it was still clogged inside, but it tapped and turned. Decided to press my luck. $1200 to throw in the towel at this point, or the cost of gas to try. (The night in Beaumount, I put the info into uship. Figured worst case, I'll have the wife be a middleperson for details where I was) Got 3 calls within 12 hours. Reminds me, I have to cancel that.
Off I go, Daytona Beach or Bust. I was so caught up on the trans. T-Case deal, I forgot to do basic PMCS. When I fired her up, she made a knocking sound that i've never heard her before. "Darn it" shut her down, checked the oil, and it was full. Start back up, warm up... normal, off I go.
All gears want as advertised, no noise, nothing. About three minutes in fifth, the noise started. "Crap", pulled off the next exit, and it hit me. Rembembering what Hndrsonj posted, that's just the way it's gona have to be. So, pulled into the station to top her off. (Didn't want to the previous evening, to waste $60)
The noise wasn't as bad, as the previous day, but still annoying. I didn't want to wear earplugs, or headset, for the fear of missing any sudden changes too late. Push the pedal, seemed the noise went away, or the exaust drowned it out. Off the pedal, hear the whistler, then intermiment grinding. Playing with the throttle, and thinking about what I have read, advice here, and the TM's, i decided to stop and try a few things. By then, I was 80 miles deep into LA, and found a place to stop. I only like easy on and off's, close to the road. Meaning I'll run out of gas before I cross the road or highway for fuel. (Drives the wife nuts)
Idle... shut down, oil check, and I notice the a small leak on the top of the front oil housing. I changed the oil two days previous, but did not get new o-rings fot the top. Grabbed a wrench and german torqued it. (For those who don't know that is "good-n-tightt" in your best german accent) The tach cable was leaking once again, oil still full. And I found two bolts needing snugging on the trans to drive-shaft. Everything else tight, I'm ready to roll. Rembembering the basics this time. Mine is start, oil pressure, look in the left side flap, lights on w/ hazzard, walk around, left flap again, climb in, hazzard off and go. This time after the start, oil was purging out of the front oil housing bottom. Shut down, (mabey those German's don't know everything), and say a few words.
NOTE: -Wait about 30 minutes before removing the oil housing after primed.
-Also make a bucket or bin that fits underneth her part of your preps.
I did or had neither. So, after I removed the housing, and threw most of my stash of rags on the ground, saw the top o-ring was split. (Germans), but no real reason for the bottom ring to give Resat, and gave it a "french" torque.
this was all after trying to barely maneuver the housing around a bit and starting starting her. All those attempts used more and more of my rags.
After the reinstall (had extra fuel filters, and rings, the old oil filters, and no rings. O-Rings are cheaper than a tow) started her, and woo hoo!!! three drips came out of the top, but the bottom held. I pushed the top ring down and it didn't leak anymore. (Still have to change that) warm up, then throttled her to 1500 rpm. No leaks, nothing strange, butten her up, and I'm outa there.
I did spray carb cleaner to see evidence of new leaks, after the fix. The picture is when I got home.
At this point, and the whole rest of the trip, I am worried about all her life blood pouring onto the pavement without my knoledge. I can only tell you this; my eyes were on the temp and pressure gauges as much as the road.
TIP: When you are in highway mode, when you hear the compressor cycle, scan the gauges. (At the same rpm, i could point to when it shut off)
To jimm1009, yes I knew of those bridges, in fact worried about being stuck on one, the havoc it would create. There should be a rest or picnic area before said bridges. I honstly do not rembember there being one rest stop in L.A. on the I-10, I-12, route eastbound. I can honestly say that the LA road men need to take a class on how to properly connent a road to a bridge. Don't know how many times the spring seat went to it's lateral stops, almost hitting my head on the soft top. Got to the point I was looking back after each mating for items departing the bed. Luckly, I sucered my cargo pretty good. If you notice the first pic with both tarps, and the one at the beach with one. Even at 45 MPH, those cheap Harbor Freight tarps don't last.
I contuned over the bridges, having the trucks pass me, (Eventhought the sign says 'Trucks RightLane Only', which I glad they did. I don't want to hold anyone up who makes money per mile, with a limited clock, because all I can do is........45.)
It was somewhere on I-12, after listening to the symphony of sounds; exaust, engine, whistler, and grinding, and the gauges were normal, I stopped babying her like a child. At this point, I pulled the throttle out and picked up the speed. Somewhere I read not to ues the throttle as a cruies control, but it worked marvelously. Up and down it held the rpm constant. That's why I contuined into the night. For this would be my first night experience, and I had only the left panel illuminated. I did however, have a crank flashlight. Gave me something to do while listening the the orchestra metal and machine play.
I topped off somewhere MI, and called 4x4, to give a sitrep, and made it to Howley, FL., for another top off. Kept on rolling, wondering ig I can make this nonstop. ie rest. Florida is great. On I-10 rest areas every 30 miles. Thats good, and bad. I'd see one and say, I can do another 30 miles. The worst time for me is a couple hours before dawn. After the sun is up, I can go the rest of the day. I also have a rule when I drive. That is if I hit the rumbel strip or middle reflector, I STOP. No sence in being a hero, if I cannot tell anyone about it. So, I stopped about 6am, Just at the crack of dawn, but I knew I was done. In the middle of trucks ideling, sleeping in the cab of a deuce, I was out.
3 hours later, cause the rig blocking the sun moved, I was on the move. Couple more phone tags with 4x4, and 5 hours later, you saw the deuce on the beach.
Observations:
I had three people give attention to her the whole trip. One in Houston, a good o boy in a pick up honked and waved. Another in LA, was a trucker that made sure to get my attention. The last made the whole trip worth it. Turning off I-95 onto 421 the road to the bridge where I live, an elderly, bearded man, sitting at the bus stop, saluted her as she passed. I returned the salute, but am kicking myself for not putting air through the horn.
No cop trouble! They didn't even bat an eye. Did not go throught weight stations. The last station out off I-95 south, I saw A DOT move as I passed the house, he kept on going, so i have searched to see if we have to stop or not.
I could't find a yes or no, so I threw that out. I will not stop. (of corse I do not have plate, she is registered as FMV in TX)
I'd like to sleep for two days, but I have to mend a fence in the back yard for the rabbits, and dog. But like I told the wife, that's why WE need the truck.....to go to Lowes!
Night all, and thanks