- Jul 22, 2015
- 2,724
Just got back from my scouting trip for next April's eclipse (yes, I found some promising spots / campgrounds).
Had some tools with me (mandatory for RV owners), but no code readers / dongles. To be honest, I trust the Sierra as a reliable vehicle, so I didn't even think about a code reader (it's never really thrown one, while I've had it)
Driving along a state route to connect me to another interstate, I ran into some sort of police action where they closed / blocked off the road, and made everyone detour. So a long line of us were driving at about 15-20mph through housing developments and cornfields (cue 'conga line' or 'baby elephant walk'). At that point, I saw another yellow lamp across the dash from the 'tow / haul' light -- the 'check engine' light.
"Oh NOES!!!111!!!111 She's gonna die, and I'll be stranded!"
As I saw the gages move nary a tick from their usual 'optimal' readings, I thought... "well, it can't be that bad... lubrication and cooling are fine, and so is engine power". So I decided to 'chance it' and drive the 100mi remaining to my next destination.
When I got there, I dropped the trailer, leaving the truck running as a safeguard, and headed for the nearest AutoZone, which was just a few miles away.
Sure enough, when they hooked their reader up, it reported a rear O2 sensor low voltage condition. Pffft! Nothing to worry about... and if I'd bothered to bring along a dongle, I could have saved myself a lot of stress and worry.
But that's how much I've come to trust the Sierra (granted, it has a LOT of replacement parts that I've put in it over the time I've had it, just getting it caught up on maintenance, etc., along with the cam / valvetrain upgrades I've put in). As an aside, the CEL turned itself off the next day (but came on again, after I'd been driving for a couple of hours).
On the bright(er) side, having now towed the trailer about 900 miles round trip across the plains of Illinois, which only gets slightly hilly in the south end of the state... I was rather pleased with both how the Sierra handled 5800lb in tow, and how GM engineered 'tow / haul' programming, at least in my truck's generation. With the exception of one thing -- 50-65 mph is apparently a 'no man's land' WRT getting the converter to lock up, while you're bringing the truck up to speed. So you have to endure that range with the engine revving about 500rpm more than it needs to. Once you get it to lockup in 4th, it'll sit all day on flat terrain at about 2000-2100 rpm, driving with load (at 65mph, which is the rated limit on our roads and for my trailer tires). Cruise control is useless; too much downshifting. 70mph will turn about 2200-2300 with my 4.10; 55mph will sit at about 1800rpm. Not bad for a 12,000 lb. rig and 4.10 gear! Basically, tow / haul mode will run about 200rpm higher at cruise, vs. not using it / not towing. It does hold shifts longer, of course.
Best part of all? I measured my first tank at almost 10.2 mpg (and the DIC reported almost 10mpg for the entire trip).
Most of you will probably say... "you're pleased at 'almost 10mpg?'
Well, compared to the expected 8mpg... that's almost a 20% improvement! And it convinces me to stop looking for the 'right' Duramax as a next truck, at least from a MPG perspective.
Had some tools with me (mandatory for RV owners), but no code readers / dongles. To be honest, I trust the Sierra as a reliable vehicle, so I didn't even think about a code reader (it's never really thrown one, while I've had it)
Driving along a state route to connect me to another interstate, I ran into some sort of police action where they closed / blocked off the road, and made everyone detour. So a long line of us were driving at about 15-20mph through housing developments and cornfields (cue 'conga line' or 'baby elephant walk'). At that point, I saw another yellow lamp across the dash from the 'tow / haul' light -- the 'check engine' light.
"Oh NOES!!!111!!!111 She's gonna die, and I'll be stranded!"
As I saw the gages move nary a tick from their usual 'optimal' readings, I thought... "well, it can't be that bad... lubrication and cooling are fine, and so is engine power". So I decided to 'chance it' and drive the 100mi remaining to my next destination.
When I got there, I dropped the trailer, leaving the truck running as a safeguard, and headed for the nearest AutoZone, which was just a few miles away.
Sure enough, when they hooked their reader up, it reported a rear O2 sensor low voltage condition. Pffft! Nothing to worry about... and if I'd bothered to bring along a dongle, I could have saved myself a lot of stress and worry.
But that's how much I've come to trust the Sierra (granted, it has a LOT of replacement parts that I've put in it over the time I've had it, just getting it caught up on maintenance, etc., along with the cam / valvetrain upgrades I've put in). As an aside, the CEL turned itself off the next day (but came on again, after I'd been driving for a couple of hours).
On the bright(er) side, having now towed the trailer about 900 miles round trip across the plains of Illinois, which only gets slightly hilly in the south end of the state... I was rather pleased with both how the Sierra handled 5800lb in tow, and how GM engineered 'tow / haul' programming, at least in my truck's generation. With the exception of one thing -- 50-65 mph is apparently a 'no man's land' WRT getting the converter to lock up, while you're bringing the truck up to speed. So you have to endure that range with the engine revving about 500rpm more than it needs to. Once you get it to lockup in 4th, it'll sit all day on flat terrain at about 2000-2100 rpm, driving with load (at 65mph, which is the rated limit on our roads and for my trailer tires). Cruise control is useless; too much downshifting. 70mph will turn about 2200-2300 with my 4.10; 55mph will sit at about 1800rpm. Not bad for a 12,000 lb. rig and 4.10 gear! Basically, tow / haul mode will run about 200rpm higher at cruise, vs. not using it / not towing. It does hold shifts longer, of course.
Best part of all? I measured my first tank at almost 10.2 mpg (and the DIC reported almost 10mpg for the entire trip).
Most of you will probably say... "you're pleased at 'almost 10mpg?'
Well, compared to the expected 8mpg... that's almost a 20% improvement! And it convinces me to stop looking for the 'right' Duramax as a next truck, at least from a MPG perspective.
to you many times for suggesting to focus on torque; along with what the HD full-size pickup platform provides, it's just a much more relaxing experience when towing).
