February 21st 2010

February 21^st 2010

1. Replaced starter a couple of weeks ago, solenoid was intermittent on old starter.
   1. Have since come to the realisation that I had been babying that starter for a long time, and it was costing me serious money. I did a rough estimation that I had been idling the truck 8 hours every week! At about 0.6 gallons per hour (see previous date) idling fuel consumption that comes to 4.8 gallons per week. This situation happened just after installing new injectors and other mods. And until now I was at a loss as my hand calculations had shown that my mileage had gone down. Well I think I'm well on the way to atleast 13 maybe 14 mpg out of this tank. But you can't fully estimate with 1 tank.
2. Went to Hick's trucks where I originally purchased this rig and got a replacement glass bus door out of one of my trucks sisters that they have back in the woods. Our door was massively messed up. Paducah Area Transit had broken our door sometime in the past and had welded a round bolt for the upper pin, originally pin was hexagonal which makes the door very secure. New door is perfect and for the first time I finally have the bus door totally working as new! Previously in late September of 2009 had Parker machine shop rebuild gear mechanism which was also broken when we received it.
3. Need to change the oil as oil was last changed in august at 126,820 miles it's around 131,000 now. Wasn't able to secure the synthetic valvoline so will use Delo LE 400 15w40 for this change as I previously purchased that oil on sale. After much thought and the problem with my old injectors developing stiction I'm going to switch back to rotella next change.
4. Previously replaced hydraulic cylinder on our Braun Millenium wheelchair lift that was leaking. Cost $367.00 from braun dealer in evansville, IN ohhh installed myself price is for the cylinder only. This cylinder lifts the stop gate at the end of the lift.
5. Todo list:
   1. install belly toolbox
   2. relocate batteries
   3. reseal fiberglass cap.
   4. Beef up supports under wheelchair lift.
   5. Change oil
   6. change rear end fluid, and axle seals.
   7. And unfortunately a large group of items on the July 11^th 2009 list still need to be done... lol