Useless Information

[swathdiver]

Thanks for the offer Charles, if I don't fix my hoist I'll look you up. Going with the RC 2" level, maybe.

This last tank of E85 we got 9.5 mpg average. Been enjoying the power, my wife even more, so it cost $.24 cents a mile to drive this time around. Bumped the tires to 50 psi last week too.

That P0430 is showing up near everyday now but no time to work on it. I hope those bolts and studs and nuts up there aren't rotted!

With a little free time today before a trip to the dentist I took her out on the highway to get an mpg profile at different speeds. Ran into torrential rains so it was a bust. However, after two minutes at 75 mph, the average mpgs were in mid 14s and upon entering the torrential storm the mpgs dropped off over a mile per gallon. Just driving on a wet road it lost near .5 mpgs and got worse barreling through that nasty storm.

The KO2s like the Radital T/As of my racing days were rock solid in the rain, the truck did not budge one iota.

 

[Jason_S]

You sound to be having a better experience with E85 than my Tahoe did. I gave it a steady diet of E85 in the summer of 2014 for about 5 tankfuls. My E85 fuel costs were comparable to running premium. After three or four tanks, I thought my fuel pump was on its way out as it had gotten way down on power and was very difficult to start. It was suggested that I switch back to premium for a bit, since that should give me a little more time to get it in to the shop and get the work done. By the time I had finished the first full tank of premium, it was pack to running perfectly and starting on the first try. It pulled a little Imprezza (and a spare subie engine) through the hills of West VA and half way across the country to the land of corn before I had the time and a driveway to service the fuel system. Oddly, here in the land of corn, I can't find E85 without going more than 30 minutes out of my way, in spite of driving past at least one ethanol plant every day. The Suburban doesn't do flex fuel, so I don't give e85 much thought any more.

As long as the KO2s weren't near bald, the Jeep loved them for everything except mud. They always seemed a bit short wearing though.

 

[swathdiver]

Sounds like your Fuel Trims also got out of whack Jason. I've been having trouble with the cat on the right side, it has got to be the gas mileage culprit. Curiously, while I can get nowhere the mileage I'm supposed to on gasoline, it's pretty close on E85.

I'm gleaning from reading many posts across the web, it seems those who run the KO2s with too little air are not getting the mileage out of them. Those running them higher get more life out of them. Running them in the 30s my expected life was barely 40k miles. Once I bumped them up into the 40s they did not lose any appreciable rubber and now have them at 50 psi. I'll be happy if they make it to 55-60k miles.

 

[swathdiver]

Last two tanks of E85 @ 71% average just over 10 mpg in city driving. Average speed about 19 mph. After fueling and picking up the kids, found out one was staying late for some math help so we headed for a road I'd been wanting to check out for some time and see the farms and homes along it. Anyhow, at 60 mph the truck averaged 14.2 mpg and in the 13s down to 50 mph. Any slower and the mpgs dropped. Didn't do too bad idling either which is something I've started to notice.

Even though prices are going up even for E85, this motor just loves it.

In other news I was able to contact the two previous dealerships that serviced the truck. The first one, Opequon Motors, serviced it until 2013 and the only significant thing they did was replace 7 tire sensors and do the front brakes and turn the front rotors. The second dealer, Strosnider Chevrolet, had the truck brought to them in 2016 with 110K on the clock with AFM problems. They replaced all 16 lifters, the latest and improved VLOM and put in the new left side valve cover. The AFM lifters are the latest Delphi II De-Ac lifters, 12645725.

So now knowing that the motor is fresh with all the improved parts, do I turn AFM back on or leave it off? If I leave it off, do I proceed with my plans to remove AFM completely from the motor or put that money towards my wife's replacement vehicle and do this later on down the road?

Oh, did the chalk test on the tires, LR and RF after about 100 yards (now at 50psi):

 

[swathdiver]

The Carfax for this truck showed 4 prior owners. Don't think so. The original owner is listed as two owners. Then it was shown as leased for two days and then I'm confused. From what I gather, the first owner bought it from Opequon new in 2009 and traded it in to the same place in April of 2016 with 110k. The third owner is shown to have owned it for two days and Strosnider is shown under the same ownership as putting on new tires and then checking the engine in May 2016 with the same mileage as the repair work done in December. The owner is listed as Strosnider but the repair records show Manheim as the customer. Strosnider kept the truck until February '17 and 111K, someone was driving it around. Then it went to auction once again and Certified Auto Direct picked it up and I bought it from them out of Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Maybe that two day 3rd owner had the AFM crap out on them and they took it back and got another vehicle or their money back?

Curiousities but ultimately like the title says, useless information.

Ohh, that chalk test mean anything other than what looks to me to be even wear???

 

[PG01]

Reading all the horror stories i would leave afm off and still plan on deleting it, in the future.
Tires look even to me.
My 2 c

 

[Tozan]

I have been running NON ethanol gas lately... I love it I am running at 4400 feet elevation most of the time and on mostly flat ground at 50 mph I was getting 20.1 mpg and at 65mph I was getting 18.6 mpg Pretty big jump from my normal 16.5

On the interstate running 80 to 85 it dropped down to 16.1 while going up and down some pretty big hills here in Utah. FYI speed limit on the interstate is 80 MPH.

 

[swathdiver]

Switched over to Mobil 93 in preparation for resetting the fuel trims and replacing the cats. Averaged 13 mpg and alcohol content was down to 17%. After filling up, I saw a high of 17.3 mpg on a drive with my wife but pulled into the driveway with 15.4 mpg.

Both cats have thrown codes now. On E85 the right cat would throw codes every time I took the truck out. On pump gas it takes a couple days. Y-pipe will get replaced first and then the O2 sensors if needs be.

Both Coax cables are also throwing codes. One for XM/Sirius Onstar and the other for the Digital Radio Receiver. Weird. The former pops up every so often the latter is a first time. FM radio reception is noticeably degraded. Sirius and car phone are fine. Not wanting to drop the headliner, I'll take that job to the dealer.

Magnaflow system is scheduled to arrive on Wednesday and hope to knock it out next Saturday, health and weather permitting.

Charles, I remember losing about 2mpgs when they started putting ethanol in our gasoline. My vans went from 25 to 23 on the highway. I remember too when oxygenated fuels was all the rage and while I do not remember the effect it had on mileage, I do remember it making our motors knock a lot more and having to reduce our boost pressure until we used additives or race gas. Do they even do that crap anymore?

Kids are growing up too fast. Our oldest is giving birth to our first grandchild next month, #2 just got her first car and last night had her first real job and #3, our baby, has lost her baby voice and is turning into a teenager. Our girls are growing up too fast. While they whined and moaned, their tutelage on working on cars is paying off. The oldest knows more about cars than her husband! She's done oil changes, changed air shocks, a hub and brakes and can plug tires. She's still somehow incredibly ******* tires though! That girl can run through a set of 4 faster than Tom Cruise at Daytona! Well, that's HIS problem now! hehehe

 

[PG01]

Funny, if im driving all weekend whenever i pull that truck into garage minimum mpg is at 15.5-16 and its only around town, minimal highway, if i do more highway i have it up to 18-19. But, whenever i get in and seat is all the way up (which means the wife has been driving) its always at high 12’s low 13’s.. man shes got a heavy foot...

 

[swathdiver]

Mine too! I got in once at it was at 8mpg! She said she liked the get up and go after the BlackBear tune. I averaged 13.0 mpg but had she not borrowed it earlier in the day it would have been almost 14! LOL

When we had just one auto, I would always best her mpgs by about 4. She drives a lot faster than I do, brakes later and takes off faster. Not bad mind you, just not as efficient. I'm perfectly comfortable with her behind the wheel. My sister on the other hand, she's a nut behind the wheel! Drives like I did at 16! Ohh and one my aunts, she's even crazier! When I was a kid I had to follow behind her for some reason. 25 mph in a 45. Then up to 55, back down to 40, then up to 60, she was all over the place. Thirty years later no difference! I'm the convoy leader or we just agree to meet at a certain time and make our own way.