Gunner and I took Dianna to the
Desert National Wildlife Refuge to drive 44 for the first time and to hike
Black Gate Canyon.
Once we turned off the highway, Gunner pulled over and showed her how to lock the hubs (easier to do with opposable thumbs!) and went over the transfer and had her select 4H.
Here, he's telling me his checklist is done and she's ready to go
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She did really well, not having used a clutch in 20+ years!!
We geared up (at 5186') and hiked into
Black Gate Canyon and started up the canyon. Having hiked this before, I knew it was a constant uphill hike in some very rough conditions (a lot of brush, cactus, rock and gravel). We hiked about 1/2 mile and it just kept getting hotter and hotter in the canyon - no breeze whatsoever.
I chatted with the NV Herpetologist a couple of years ago and learned that rattlesnakes generally become active after consistent overnights above 50*F and, at 5100', the past few nights had to be cooler than 50*.
But, he also told me that on days like to today, they may crawl out of their dens and curl up on south facing talus slopes... they wouldn't really be active, but you or your dog could still get bit.
Most of
Black Gate Canyon could easily be construed to be 'south facing'...
This photo is 'up'
Black Gate Canyon
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This photo is 'down' Black Gate Canyon' - with the
Spring Mountains, in the distance
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So, after 1/2 mile of this, we decided to turn back, rather than chance a snakebite.
This photo is Gunner and I , having crested the summit... of the parking area... and
Super Gunner taking off to retrieve Dianna
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I've had a problem with oil (blow by) from the air cleaner dripping down the side of the carb.
I mentioned this to my mailman the other day and he suggested I place a gasket between the air cleaner and the carb. Rather than check with the UPS guy, I cut a gasket and placed it between the two. While, driving up US93, at 55 mph, on the way to our outing, I started smelling oil smoke... then I started seeing it in the rear view mirror... then it started coming into the cab, on the passenger side.
I pulled over, popped the hood and found the oil filler plug had been blown out and was long gone.
The gasket between the air cleaner and carb was causing so much positive pressure in the valve cover that the filler plug had blown out.
I cut the gasket out.
We were almost to the turnoff, so I duct taped the filler hole and tied a
Nite Ize gear tie around it, to hold the duct tape in place. I didn't want to chance dirt in the valves.
My amazing fix worked quite well during our 10-15 mph drive, but once we returned to US95 and returned to mach speed, the smoke started billowing again.
We made it home fine and I am preparing to order another oil filler cap.
Questions:
1. Is it normal for the oil filler cap to be threaded, but the oil filler hole to be non-threaded?
2. I reported a while back... compression is ~105 across the cylinders - does the increase in blow by (oil) in the air cleaner, resulting in oil rolling down the carb, indicate anything that the low compression numbers didn't already indicate?
3. Oil pressure is fine, engine temp is fine, 44 comes up about .5 to .75 quarts low after every full-day to two-day trip... should I be more concerned than the low compression numbers indicate?
Rephrase: Gunner and I want to continue going to very remote places, with the same level of confidence that we have had thus far... are we zooming ourselves???
