The Big Blue Car, Jw60's Expedition Max & Ozark Lite 1650bh

Well my wife just sent out the last payment on the Expedition. We told the salesman we would have it paid off in 3years.

2019 Expedition Max XLT 4x4, bought Sept 2020 with 39,000 miles. Paid off March 2023 with 61,000 miles


I don't really want to think about the cost per mile... fuel, insurance, oil changes, all that darn refrigerant.

 

I think I have a slow leak somewhere...
20230731_122327 by Joe with a jeep, on Flickr

There is dye in the high pressure service port I tightened the valve with a proper tool but I think I'll change that valve out. I just put $50 (8oz) and it got to here:

20230731_122723 by Joe with a jeep, on Flickr

I guess 16ounces will get it to 50psi, it's about 75°f today. I know one service line was replaced but I need to find the ticket to know which it was.
If it was the high side I'll ask them to make it right.

 

I remember R-12 at $1.00 per pound. R-1234-YF, just take my money and invest it in PFAS.

 

I invested in Honeywell today.

 

Yes you did.

 

You might check with the local flaps to see if they will loan or rent a leak detector.

 

More later but the Expedition is a darn good choice for pulling a 4000lb camper.
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And it is going to get full skid plates asap...
Day 1 camper jack failed
Yesterday we hit a tire carcass on i70

 

I guess I never followed up on the I70, we were cresting a hill while being passed by a semi and the tire carcass jumped out at us, all rolled up so it stood up. Luckily the car and camper survived.
That's all I have to say about that.

The jack was replaced by a "trailer valet" jack that accepts a drill adapter. We just finished our first trip this year, I should have gotten a stronger one because the drill isn't strong enough to get the equil-izer bars set.

I put another 24oz of 1234yf in.... $140 , 12oz included stop leak so I'm hopeful it fixes itself
Currently 38psi at 75°F

 

So clean Any kids puke in there yet?

 

Even I have vomited in that car, racoon poop, dog poop. The camper had puke on the floor just this weekend. We have a hoover 1gal upholstery cleaner that does a good job.

I need to clean everything up again lots of goldfish on the floor.

 

After camping I got the lp refilled.
$0.69 per pound and I got 30lbs. This will last the year unless we have a cold weekend.

Across the street is a car wash with truck bays.
$20 later and the camper is scrubbed up.


Now time for a question... anybody know what thread propane hose is feeding a camper fridge?

 

We finished our 2nd round trip of 2500miles to central Florida. Mpg was between 15 and 17mpg. We were loaded down with one layer of four full suitcases and a tote on the roof then the trunk filled to the shoulders of the 3rd row. Then snacks and stuffed animals in every nook and cranny.

Had to stop in Florida on the way down to charge the AC again, I added about one half Oz of dye and 8oz of refrigerant to get it to something like 55psi with 90deg ambient temps and terrible humidity.

A fold-up cargo carrier would be better mpg but I think we had too more than one could carry on a hitch platform. This cargo bag was only half full so there is the ability to put more up there is needed in the future.
20240518_084617 by Joe the adapter guy, on Flickr

 

Interesting the turbo V6 gets about the same mileage as the NA 5.7 V8 in the Sequoia. You were definitely loaded heavier than we usually are, but at the end of the day, it's more a function of weight, drag, rolling resistance, and friction that determine mileage than the engine. You can't work around physics.

 

Yes, the battle is to minimize inefficiencies.
The 3.5 turbo can do better than the 3.5 na if you are easy on the throttle. (Using the smaller turbo to capture wasted exhaust energy)
I actually got better mpg in tow/haul than eco or normal on this trip. Tow haul allows more torque than eco, so eco would run a lower gear but tow/haul would hold 10th gear with an abundance of boost on tap.

The ecoboost is paired with the 10speed with 7th gear as 1:1 and 3.31gears in the axles. It will drop to 8th and work up into 9th and 10 but all of those are still overdrive gears with shallow axle gears. Ours sounds like a regional jet when towing (all turbo) it accelerates about the same, building up speed and power.

I got to drive My inlaws older 5.4 v8 Expedition towing our camper, i've also used the old 5.3 v8 Silverado with the jeep in tow and they run a lot higher rpm in tow/haul being in a lower gear with a bigger step. Ours doesn't have the 3.73 gears or automatic 2 speed transfercase but I'm confident it can do the job of towing more than 6600lbs once the load is rolling.

But the biggest reason for using tow/haul was the stopping power of the engine. We went through the Ozarks, Up and down windy roads with alternating passing lanes. All I needed to to was lightly put my foot on the pedal for 3 seconds and it would downshift and keep the vehicle from accelerating, lightly press it again and the it will start engine braking, all the way to 5-10mph. But if you just slam on the brakes it's all on the powerstop service brakes (which I also love)

I'm also running some new nitto's at 37psi, slightly narrower than the old recaps and the new are a really soft winter friendly compound.