Builds Big Red Toy (3 Viewers)

[The Phoenician]

A few more pics.

I've always heard about the Caddilac Ranch, so we decided to check it out. This is ART.

Being one with the ART

Rode horses, mine was called Bruce and he HATED being the last horse.

The Canyon from the entrance. The pictures don't do it justice.

It had been a decade since the last time I zip lined, so of course, we had to do it.

I have a ton of footage and video, but I have to sort through them first. Will post up as I go through them.

 

[Mr Cimarron]

I find I have the same complaints you have when I drive the wife’s 4Runner. Comfortable and refined but not up to par with diesel torque. The Cummins is slow but builds its power like a freight train.

 

[The Phoenician]

I find I have the same complaints you have when I drive the wife’s 4Runner. Comfortable and refined but not up to par with diesel torque. The Cummins is slow but builds its power like a freight train.

Yup, I constantly had to downshift at the slightest incline. On most of those hills, Big Red would just need more skinny pedal.

 

[Mr Cimarron]

Did you happen to drive the 4wd trail near the park? We attempted to find it but couldn’t. This was about 7 years ago and we had vague info from the internet.

 

[The Phoenician]

Did you happen to drive the 4wd trail near the park? We attempted to find it but couldn’t. This was about 7 years ago and we had vague info from the internet.

We couldn't find it either, but a local told us there's a public off-road park called the Canadian River ORV park not too far away, maybe 45minutes. There was also a ranch that took you in their HUMVEEs to the bottom of the canyon and back located right at the entrance, You can't off road your own vehicle.

 

[The Phoenician]

As seen on Ft Bliss.

Excuse the bad pic, we were driving.
I've thought about adding longhorns to big red, but i keep getting distracted with more important upgrades.

 

[Mr Cimarron]

As seen on Ft Bliss.
View attachment 2063792
Excuse the bad pic, we were driving.
I've thought about adding longhorns to big red, but i keep getting distracted with more important upgrades.

Do it.
I have kept this Buffalo scull somewhere on the truck at all times during the build. It has become my Cast Away Wilson. I don’t talk to it but it ALWAYS has to be in/on the truck. I really don’t know why at this point.

 

[Hojack]

Here’s my European mount from my Bull Elk I shot last year

 

[The Phoenician]

New drain location for the large turbo. New thicker gasket for the oil pan. New oil.

Had to retighten the oil filter. Need to get a spacer for the alternator fan, keeps coming loose.

 

[The Phoenician]

Added a spacer. Hopefully that snugs it up enough.

 

[The Phoenician]

Big Red just passed safety inspection. The horn didn't work and I had a burned-out tail light, but the guy passed me cause I let him drive it in the parking lot. He ran over a cone and was kinda freaked out at how it handled, so I think he was sufficiently embarrassed to pass me.

If it doesn't get too hot I'm going to undercoat the wheel wells and replace the tail light this weekend.

 

[The Phoenician]

Decided to go ahead and coat the wheel wells and change out the taillights and replace them with led bulbs.

Initially, everyone was excited to help me, then they realized it was hot. Diesel sat in his pool and Dixie went back under the fan. Alex stuck around just long enough to apply the brakes for me.

Here is what I started with.

This is what it looks like now. The light makes it look like it's applied unevenly, but it's on there good.

And while I was in there, I changed out two wheel studs, one on each of the rear wheels and checked the torque on the front spacers. All in all, was a good maintenance day for big red and it passed inspection when it should have failed.

 

[Hojack]

Now I need to get a shot of my Shepard and 60 Mike.

 

[GLTHFJ60]

FWIW, installing studs like that can stretch them, and lead to premature failure.

 

[The Phoenician]

FWIW, installing studs like that can stretch them, and lead to premature failure.

It was just the easiest way to do it with the tools I had. I get really impatient in the Texas heat.

 

[The Phoenician]

A little beauty and the beast.

@davegonz Thanks for grabbing the shirt for me.

 

[The Phoenician]

I found a piece of sheet metal while looking in the garage. Decided to put @davegonz idea to work and have a cold air intake area. I've been meaning to do this since the compound turbo install, but it just fell lower on the priority list. Anyway, it's not pretty, but it's functional, took maybe 30 minutes.

The final product, I drilled a hole and secured it so it's on there really sturdy. You can't see it from the air filter. The snorkel still rams air into that area, so hopefully, I can see some difference during the hot days.

 

[The Phoenician]

Just made it into San Antonio, a 105-mile drive from my house. Averaged about 68 mph the entire way with what seems to be roughly 50* lower on the normal EGT reading. I may have gotten lucky with the wind to my back, it's too early to tell if that sheet metal did anything. But I just topped it back off and it looks like 19.8 mpg. Not bad for a 4 cylinder carrying 6500lbs . The mpg is better than my Tacoma.

 

[The Phoenician]

Came out of the office to find this.

Initially thought it was an oil leak and was about to get really pissed off. Turned out the fuel/ water separator was leaking. This usually happens once a year especially when the weather changes. It turns out last night we got some severe thunderstorms so it was due. Had to locate an O'Reilly store that carried the part.

I usually use a wix, but they had a micro guard.

Does this happen to you 4bt guys and how often?

 

[boots4]

Nope, I've not had that happen to me where the filter just starts leaking. I have a store nearby my place that sells Donaldson stuff and that's what I run for fuel and oil filters.