Mission Prep
After fits and starts and not getting it done, lo these 5 years since I retired, I am going on a real, By God Road Trip. This is one of those "bucket list" things (to do list before kicking the bucket). I have alloted most of the month of March for this trip. I will be alone, this is time for ME ONLY.
The Little Black Truck (Mazda B2500) is, at about 100,000 miles, as reliable as it's going to be, has decent tires, and it will be my steed. I was considering taking my 1968 VW Bug, but it needs work, and is an adventure to drive (I hate slammed cars, but that's what what my dau. wanted when I bought it for her 14 years ago, so that's how it is).
My winter survival gear is always packed in the Winter Box, and I don't have to do a thing there. Packing clothes might take some contemplation, since the terrain will range from the High Sierra (near record snow there this winter) to the Gulf Coast. Musher suit to surfing baggies, and every thing in between.
Then, there's the matter of weaponry. I've been kicking this around for weeks in my head, but I think I will just go simple, and take Shorty and Snuffy (Ruger SP101 in .357 and Marlin 1894 in the same caliber), plus maybe the trusty little Kel-Tec P3AT for when I have summer clothes on. I would love to tote a battle rifle just in case I manage to visit two or five ranges enroute, but the logistics of loading and unloading rifles, as well as the suspicion factor when it's not hunting season, combined with the damnable security cameras everywhere, will cause me to leave them behind. And, I may just hit the occasional gun store or gun show enroute, too, and could conceivably come back better armed than when I left.
I will traverse Kalifornica as quickly as I can, with my first objective of Phoenix, AZ. If I do it right, I'll meet up with a SASS buddy (Sage Rat), who will be competing at the big winter SASS matches there. Then it's off to TX, where I am going to visit a few folks I know, then probably LA, maybe FL, then back west via KS, NE, SD and MT, where I have many friends, and have only visited a few of them.
Actually, it's going to be difficult to get this all into four weeks.
Of course, I'll be scribbling a "Travels with Rivrdog" series raht heah.
Excellent sir. One presumes you'v still got our numbers and all that.
Posted by: Chris Byrne | February 25, 2008 at 12:42
Yessir. You going to make a run up to Winter Range?
Posted by: Rivrdog | February 25, 2008 at 13:12
sound like fun. don't think the 1968 vw bug would make it.
Posted by: VW Double cab | February 25, 2008 at 19:13
What parts of Texas will you be in? Anywhere near Dallas/Fort Worth?
Posted by: Aaron Neal | February 26, 2008 at 02:24
Have a safe and fun trip.
Posted by: Morenuancedthanyou | February 26, 2008 at 05:42
You got the ECT switch replaced?
Posted by: og | February 26, 2008 at 06:38
Hey if you get to the Florida Gulf Coast be sure to hollar at me! Sure would like to see you.
Posted by: GUYK | February 26, 2008 at 13:55
Longest trip the Bug has made lately is Seattle, 200 miles.
Aaron, yep, Foat Wuth is on the list.
Og, did all four VOM checks on the ECT, well within tolerance. May be operator error in that if I make myself wait until the fuel pump charges the rail, it starts every time. When I try to just key it into life directly, it sometimes doesn't fire. Now, that didn't used to happen, so something is going South, but according to my DVOM, it isn't the ECT or the reference voltage, all are in spec. The fuel pump starts with a relay, I can hear it click, and when I don't hear it click, I get no start. My guess is the fuel pump relay, and I think that's in the fuse box, so I will look it up tomorrow, and if it's there, get a spare before I leave. The Haynes book and some tools are definitely going with me.
Posted by: Rivrdog | February 26, 2008 at 21:15
Want me to send you my fuel pressure gauge?
The fuel pump is easy to replace- if it's planned. If it fails completely, it will do so when the tank is full of gas and you are along the road wearing a tutu and a floral patterned latex swim cap, and clown shoes.
Not that that has ever happened to me.
A cheap gauge is around 15 bucks. Pitiably they all come from CHina- but some of that can't be helped. Here's a Harbor Freight variety:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=92699
The Craftsman version is the same gauge, china manufacture, just costs more.
You can make your own with a piece of 250 psi test hose, a gauge, and a schrader valve fitting (bicycle pump end fits your Mazda,I believe)
If you're not hearing the relay click, that can also be ECM, or even the ignition switch. What year is this?
ED NOTE: It is a 1999. My first inclination would be to replace the fuel pump relay (if there is one), since it is cheap and a 15-second replacement item in the engine electrical fuse box.
Yeah, could be the ECM, don't wanna think about repacing that, although it's also fairly easy, but a stock one is going to be around $300, and a tuneable one about twice that (I'd be an idiot to go with stock when they have these new tunable ones you can dial your desired running condition into).
There are no indications that the ECM is going south. No codes, no nothing.
Posted by: og | February 27, 2008 at 05:17