Trip Report!!! - Printable Version
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Trip Report!!! - HoosierDaddy - 10-15-2014
We just got home from our longest trip yet in the 1993 Newell:: 1400 miles to Richmond, VA and back. In short, mechanically everything worked well. I had two minor issues that we were able to work around. The generator would not start. I could get it to start by holding the fuel solenoid open manually. With temps in the 50's to 70 we did not need any HVAC while traveling so I depended on the main engine to keep the batts up and the invertor to keep the fridge running. We boondocked two nights so I manually started the gen. and left it run all night.
The other issue was a strange "thumping" coming from the Freedom 458 invertor/charger. I ended up talking to Gordon (Bestgenman) by phone and he was very helpful. He recommended disconnecting the exciter wire that plugs into the generator motor's alternator. Apparently that small alternator was confusing the Freedom 458. I stopped by his business and picked up a new fuel solenoid on my way home. (Really disappointed that we did not get to meet!!) Hopefully that will fix the generator start problem.
We encountered several 7% grades of 2 to 6 miles and handled them well. I was towing my Grand Cherokee aboard my Imperial 18' car hauler trailer. Most of the time I could crest the grade at 35 mph. in 3rd gear. Once on the way home on the longest grade I was down to 25 mph in 2nd gear for the last couple thousand feet or so. The temp never got above 200 but I did "back off" the throttle a few times when it hit 200. It makes me wonder how it would have done if the ambient temp would have been 95 degrees. I'm curious to know how you guys do in the western mountains. Do you ever just stop part way up to let things cool down? Typically I would downshift at 1200 when my speed had reduced to 1200 rpm on the tachometer. I'm not sure if that was right or not but it "felt" right. Fuel economy worked out to 5 mpg..About what I expected considering the percentage of miles covered crossing the Alleghany Mountains.
RE: Trip Report!!! - folivier - 10-15-2014
Glad you had a great trip!
Since the 8v92 has a direct drive fan on the radiator the trick is to keep the rpms at least 1800 and up to 2000 on the steep grades. We all had to learn the proper way to drive the 8v92. You can actually watch the temp come down a few degrees when you go from 1800 to 2000 rpms.
RE: Trip Report!!! - HoosierDaddy - 10-15-2014
I've heard guys say "Drive it like you stole it" Yowsers! I thought maybe I should be turning it tighter but I'm gonna have to get used to that!!!
Thanks Forest!
RE: Trip Report!!! - ccjohnson - 10-15-2014
I always try to keep above 1800 rpm on grades & drop a gear if that doesn't keep temp below 210 (Now 200 since I just had to overhaul the 8V92. 10-15 extra minutes climbing a hill in 1st gear is WAY better than 3 months & 24K to overhaul again). Once in a while I also was having to drop a gear on very small grade with a REAL bad headwind usually 45 mph or greater. I will run as tight as 2200RPM on ours.
RE: Trip Report!!! - whatsnewell - 10-16-2014
Like others have said I had to learn how to drive our 6V92. Over the last couple of years I learned, finally, that I should keep it closer to 2,000 RPMS climbing to keep the temp down, and it works. Just like Forest said, once I get up up to that range I see the temp come down a few degrees and stop climbing.