TS4-1 Hop 7
218 miles via US 29, I-40 and US 70. Cumulative tow miles: 1055. Truck miles: 230. Cumulative truck miles: 1905. The extra truck miles were due to one trip to refuel and get take-out dinner.
This was an uneventful trip. Almost. The first 200 miles were level, smooth and relaxing. The last 18 miles, though, included a long uphill climb that taxed the engine and a stretch on US 70 through downtown Black Mountain that was a little too tight for comfort. We made it, but not without some new concerns about the health of the truck.
The problem was the sudden “whooshing” sound that the engine started emitting about a mile before the crest on the long uphill. It was loud. It sounded serious. I considered pulling to the side but the gauges were reading normal and there was no discernable change in the truck’s performance. The moment I let up on the accelerator the whooshing stopped. Then it returned when I accelerated again.
Last night I researched the behavior and learned that it was almost certainly due to the engine’s turbo boost capability. I also found that some regarded the whooshing as a normal sound for the Duramax 6.6 engine. Well, I have had the truck for over 6 years and have driven it over 80,000 miles and I have never heard that sound before, so I have a hard time accepting it as “normal.”
I took the truck to a local auto repair place today. A mechanic took the turbo hoses off, inspected them and other turbo components and found no problem. Another mechanic took the truck for a test ride and declared it to be running just fine. A third mechanic took a look as well. They all agreed that there was nothing to be done and assured me that I could haul the RV over the Blue Ridge Mountains tomorrow.
I will hold you to that, guys.
Total repair cost: $43.
Our site at Paradise Lake
Our overnight stay was at the Paradise Lake and Campground in Keeling VA. Our site was spacious and, while far from level, wasn’t so uneven that the RV couldn’t level itself. The campground had no cable service but was close enough to Lynchburg that we could pull in a handful of channels with a signal sufficiently strong that the stations were watchable. It wasn’t much but after all the nights with no television at all it was a joy.
In the morning I took Rusty for a walk down by the lake and discovered just enough fall color to make for some good photos.
Paradise Lake
Paradise Lake