Not askin’ for a miracle

Just a little break for a bit

lifter noise,,,

Seriously, I have had some misgivings about buying Bloo the last week or so. Not that I think the choice was bad: I knew what I was buying into. Doesn’t mean I don’t have ‘second thoughts’. Part of me (My dad immulations) is saying, ‘Shoulda just put that money into a new engine for Buffalo’.

The shitty part, BOTH sides of my psyche are correct. BLoo is my ticket into a better future where I have more control. Buffalo is a damned fine truck that just needs some TLC to be better. (she still spins wheels, just tired worn engine.)

And I am refusing to let one go over the other since I DO need the option of a backup vehicle in my future. (Caveat to that: if a cheap Honda Civic fell my way, I might let Buff go,, MIGHT,,, Buff has functions beyond ‘back up’, like Kayak hauler,,, A honda would have a harder time with that role, especially as I prefer long boats.

Other than the lifter noise (thank you Brudda B for the use of your ears,,, I can’t hear it in the cab at all.) Bloo did that little trip to Brudda B’s flawlessly. yes, she burned some oil (not seeing blue smoke, but it may be so thin, it would show in profile, but not in the mirrors.) She used roughly 1/2 quart there and back. Was silent before trip (I had the hood up and was checking things before leaving. Not 1000% confident in her yet.) but ticktickticktickticktick on arrival there. Came home last night and popped the hood when I parked (engine running) and its still there (we tossed in some trans fluid at Bs place, hoping the drive home would wash out any gunk gumming up the lifter, if that was the case.)

Yes, I can ‘alleviate’ that issue by running THICK oil for a time. but the Engine was designed to use 5 and 10 weights, not 20+ (EPA restrictions on the manufactureres) Heavy oil really only masks the problem.

OR,

I can do the other ‘solution’ of “let her sit” until such time as I can do a top end refresh and new lifters/cam (tune of about $500 in parts) If a lifter is really bad, it will eat a cam. Is this one such? Dunno,,, better to guess to the extreme.

I don’t like either case. Sitting she is eating copious amounts of cash (that I could shut the flow off to, by dropping her insurance for the time being: not optimal.) Sitting, she has no chance of helping me turn a dime, Running with thick oil is just delaying the inevitable and making it potentially worse.

and Buffalo is TIRED dammit!!! Runs like a scalded cat, but idles like an old man on a walker. Handles in wet weather badly, thanks to that worn out front steering geometry and is wearing tires out for same reason.

‘TIcket to the future‘,,,, I keep saying that as I listen to the noises,,, Can’t buy similar for what I have put in her so far: still ‘cheaper to keep her’,,,,

But I’d like a break for a moment,,,

Gotta ‘grin and bear it’ right? keep pushing and eventually, it will all be right. Because there won’t be a thing untouched on that old truck LOL,,, yeah,,,

I knew what I was buying into: just feeling a little remorse, mostly because I am at wits end in the financial department, and not seeing a solution to that, that isn’t centered around the problem child being operational.

And dammit!!!! she ran SO DAMNED GOOD there,,, Hit 80W at 65-70, she just PURRRRRREEEEDDDDDDD!!!!! Didn’t need to shift gears until I got stuck behind a slow mover in the interchange. up/down hills, just change throttle position and she went up and down those hills with the same SBC rumbling purr of a big cat being content. Highway speed on 75? same!!! No slow creep up, just roar to speed and purred right along

No weird tire noises, or shimmies,,, Like a new truck with an exhaust leak (she is a bit on the loud side under load.)

Even on the way home,,, I didn’t shift gears at all until I was getting off 75S at my exit. Over 40 miles in 5th gear, even when shifting from 80E to 75S was in 5th. Engine rpms were the only change and she transitioned speeds with no lugging or chugging.

more parts to buy, more time under grease and oil, more ‘insurance’ for the future, right?

I’ll shush now. I know what to do, just wanted to vent a bit (and believe me, there is MUCH more to vent about than a tick-tick-ticky Twuck: I don’t unload ‘everything’ on y’all.)

L,L,L,L,L!

(, ‘)

((note: I also know that there are little issues in this truck that are NOT going to rear their heads ‘sitting’. Like that lifter suddenly starting to tick. Might have been gummed up with goop acting normal, then getting washed cleaned and collapsing. Sitting, would never have shown its true colors. That leads to other problems. Yes, I realize, I should have pulled the motor and done a full refresh on things, but the plan didn’t account for that. Now I Pay.))