Lost track but I'm back!

[rfross]

I joined this site quite a while back and lost track of it with all the clutter that is the internet. But this site is a very good tie-in with my blog: http://www.seetheusafor30aday.com which is all about road tripping on the cheap in my GMC Canyon. Cheap = $30 a day for meals and lodging and $30 a day for gas. I've included a convenient hotlink on my blog to take visitors here.

One of my tasks is to work on a partial grill block for my truck and I found some great ideas here in just a few minutes earlier today. I'm looking forward to spending more time on this site.

Bob

[Jay2TheRescue]

Nice to have you back... I just can't help but think about something else when I think about a Canyon though... (From The Simpsons)

Can you name the truck with four wheel drive,
Smells like a steak, and seats thirty five?
Canyonero! Canyonero!

Well, it goes real slow with the hammer down
It's the country-fried truck endorsed by a clown
Canyonero! Canyonero!
Hey, hey!

Twelve yards long, two lanes wide,
Sixty five tons of American pride!
Canyonero! Canyonero!

Top of the line in utility sports,
Unexplained fires are a matter for the courts!
Canyonero! Canyonero!

She blinds everybody with her super high beams
She's a squirrel-squashin', deer-smackin' drivin' machine
Canyonero! Canyonero! Canyonero!
Whoa, Canyonero! Whoooooaaaa!

[theholycow]

Welcome. Looks like a cool adventure. I wish I could do something like that! I'm tied down to a house, wife, job, life...I love it but I wish I could satisfy the wanderlust too.

From the blog:

Usually a free flowing exhaust that weighs less than the stock system should improve fuel economy, not reduce it.

I believe that it probably won't help. An exhaust that can flow enough for making maximum power will flow completely unrestricted when driving for economy, or even when driving more normally. The same logic applies to intake, also.

The weight is also probably not an issue; I don't know how much weight you saved but the Canyon is decently hefty. All the good data I can find shows that you have to change 20% or more weight to have an effect, except maybe for certain low-powered low-torque Honda Civics weighing under a ton, and a few similar cars.

Going downhill? Back off the gas and coast. Rolling up to a stop sign? Back off the gas and coast. It's easy and free.

That's actually not coasting. That's engine braking. It may not be much engine braking, but that's still what it is. If GM did a better job on your ECU than they did on my 2002, you get DFCO (Deceleration Fuel Cut Off) while engine braking. Mine has to do it for 8 seconds before it will DFCO. Anyway, if you're DFCOing and if your torque converter is unlocked while you do, that would be a good combination, though you'd still do better to coast while idling in neutral (only if you're comfortable doing so). If you do use neutral, be sure to rev-match when putting it back in D.

If your truck DFCOs well then you should definitely continue engine braking up to stop signs.

[rfross]

I'm going to have to keep a watch for that Simpson's episode!

And as far my adventure, I too am tied down with a wife, life, etc., but in the not too distant future my job will be going away so I'm making it a point to take some time for myself after that happens, hence a trip.

I've owned three Colorado's/Canyon's so far and all have been four cylinder regular cabs. In a 2006 automatic 3.73 geared truck I achieved a high of a little over 31 mpg on a highway trip between Detroit and the eastern Ohio border where the terrain is almost completely flat for the entire length.

I am now driving a 2007 Canyon with a 5 speed manual and 3.73's and I've gotten a best of 28 + mpg on the highway. Back and forth to work and around town of 50/50 city/highway is consistently in the 23 - 24 mpg range on summer blend gas.

I'm thinking that the grill designs between the Colorado's and the Canyon's may have some impact on economy because the Colorado's have a wide horizontal bar right through the center of the grill opening where the Canyon is wide open top to bottom. So that's my main reason for playing around with some sort of grill block.

[Jay2TheRescue]

There's a great grille blocking thread being discussed here... http://www.gassavers.org/showthread.php?t=10763

Granted, every truck discussed is a Sierra, but you can get the picture, and decide what's best for you & your truck. That truck is so pretty you may want a stealth grille block like is in my 1998 Sierra K1500. Also if you click on my garage link to the left on "The Beast" there are links to all the modifications on my truck. All mods on my truck are designed to be low cost (I think all physical mods were under $10) and designed to either be stock looking, or unnoticeable to the casual observer.

Oh, and a link to the Canyonero ad on youtube... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCzCXyQ-bv0

-Jay

[theholycow]

I like the Canyonero song. It was recorded by Hank Williams Jr.

[rfross]

I like what you have done on your Sierra, Jay. I happen to have some Coroplast at home so I'm going to tackle a stealth grill block perhaps as early as this weekend. I'm debating on whether to leave a small gap at the bottom or fill the entire grill and bore several holes towards the bottom like you've done. I guess I'll do the trial fit and then see what seems to be best at the time. Thanks for the tips.

Bob

[Jay2TheRescue]

If you don't have one, get a 4" hole saw at your local hardware store. They don't cost much, and it ends up looking much cleaner. I centered the first hole (passenger side) in front of the external oil and tranny coolers. The second hole was cut in because the a/c performance was diminished with only 1 hole. The second hole was placed to balance the first one. Cloroplast would be great, I used a flattened out black trashcan I got for $1 from Lowe's on clearance because the can was cracked.

-Jay

[theholycow]

You've got a manual transmission, right? If not, definitely leave a hole for the transmission cooler. On my truck that's the only thing that really needs any exposure, and it's the reason that I hastily removed my 100% non-stealth grille block in the middle of the winter and never got around to re-doing it.

Originally Posted by Jay2TheRescue

If you don't have one, get a 4" hole saw at your local hardware store.

Or Harbor Freight.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=36222
10 Piece 2-1/2" - 5" Hole Saw Kit with Case - $5. I've gotten it on sale for half that price.

[Jay2TheRescue]

That's even cheaper than I bought mine at Home Depot. of course now there's a Harbor Freight in the area. There wasn't one when I bought the hole saw years ago.