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Topic: Advise/suggestions regarding travel @ higher elevations with a Chevy (Read 11 times) previous topic - next topic
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Advise/suggestions regarding travel @ higher elevations with a Chevy
Yahoo Message Number: 108887
Hi All:

We recently purchased a 1989 Lazy Daze with a Chevy 350/carb.
It is in excellent condition with only 48,000.  We originally looked for a model with fuel injection and larger engine since we researched what to buy. However, we  had the opportunity to buy local and find one in very good condition and since we only were going to use it for short local trips thought this would be find.
 My question is directed to anyone out there that has experience driving an older model with the same engine. We have been invited to go to lake Tahoe this fall and knowing it is at a higher elevation and some mountain driving I am becoming concerned since I have read many posts  regarding the sluggish 350 engine.
 Does anyone know how they perform under such conditions and is there anything we should be doing to help the engine. ect..for such a trip?  Or am I really over thinking it and should not be so concerned that we may be riding on the shoulder because it can't get up the inclines.

ps. We may be pulling a very small fishing boat.

Thanks! Sherry
Re: Advise/suggestions regarding travel @ higher elevations with a C
Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 108888
Quote from: ss.twilight
My question is directed to anyone out there that has experience driving an older model with the same engine. We have been invited to go to lake Tahoe this fall and knowing it is at a higher elevation and some mountain driving I am becoming concerned since I have read many posts  regarding the sluggish 350 engine.

========================== We drove our '85 MultiPlan with the same engine to Tahoe from Southern California with no difficulty other than the usual concern for taking it easy with that Chevy engine. You must exercise your patience mode when going up any hills and pull out whenever possible to allow the loong train of vehicles behind you to pass. Keep an eye on the temperature gauge, keep your speed below 65 and enjoy the journey.

Anne Johnson

Lovely (67°) La Verne, CA
Re: Advise/suggestions regarding travel @ higher elevations with a C
Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 108890
Hi Sherry,  Yes the engine/carb will be a bit sluggish and mpg will suffer, but it will get you up the hill and back home again.  We have a 1983 rear bath 22 1/2' LD with 70,000+mi and visit South Lake Tahoe every year.  We usually drive on highway 50 although some times we take 88, the more scenic route.  On both routes we are usually forced to slow down to 35 mph on the steeper grades near the top,  just remember to keep to the right when there is a passing lane,  watch behind you and pull over into turn outs when ever you can to let cars stuck behind you pass.  The good news is we never over heat and home is down hill.  Good Luck.  Gene

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Re: Advise/suggestions regarding travel @ higher elevations with a C
Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 108923
Quote from: ss.twilight"

We recently purchased a 1989 Lazy Daze with a Chevy 350/carb.
My question is directed to anyone out there that has experience driving an older model with the same engine. We have been invited to go to lake Tahoe this fall and knowing it is at a higher elevation and some mountain driving I am becoming concerned since I have read many posts  regarding the sluggish 350 engine. Does anyone know how they perform under such conditions and is there anything we should be doing to help the engine...? Thanks! Sherry

Sherry, We pulled a 26" fifth wheel trailer for twelve years with a 1978 Chevy (350) Pickup.  I suggest you make sure there is no unecessary restriction to the air intake through the air filter.  Also, as age increases, there may be a tendency for the heat risers in the intake manifold to clog up with carbon.  If that happens the carburator will falsely sense that the engine is cold and it will keep the choke partially engaged blocking off air intake. Give the 350 plenty of air and it will give you as much as it's got for as long as it has it.
Nate
Re: Advise/suggestions regarding travel @ higher elevations with a C
Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 108924
Do not have anything to add about engine performance other than getting a Banks kit, but do have a story about driving at high altitudes.  Last spring, I left Corpus Christ, TX, about 20 feet above sea level.  The third day of the trip we were going up the mountains in Colorado. At about 7,000 feet was going up a grade when I heard a loud bang. Took me by surprise and scared the stuff out of me.  I thought it might be a blown tire, and as I have the Pressure Pro system, I glanced at the monitor, all six LD were fine. No red light on the engine dash monitor. I was towing a Jeep so I looked at the rear view monitor, and that seemed like it was doing well back there.  There was no place to pull off, so I continued a few miles at a reduced speed until I found a place to pull off.  I crawled under the LD and the Jeep for an hour and could not find anything wrong.
 I continued my trip and that night, I pulled into a campground for the night. Spent more time under the LD and the Jeep, nothing wrong.  Went into the coach to make a meal for myself.  Went into the cabinet above the booth and found potato chips all over the place.  A large potato chip bag had exploded, and I am hear to tell you they are load!  From now on, I am going to put a pin hole in the bag before I go into the mountains from sea level.

Larry
2001 MB
* Not to be confused with Larry W (3000 of my posts are actually from expert Larry W due to Yahoo transition mis-step)
Re: Advise/suggestions regarding travel @ higher elevations with a C
Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 108930
GREAT STORY LARRY!!!!!!!! I LOVED IT. BE WELL AND HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL. DALE.

__
Re: Advise/suggestions regarding travel @ higher elevations with a C
Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 108931
Quote
From: DALE DOLLINS
 To: lifewithalazydazerv@yahoogroups.com
 Sent: Saturday, January 02, 2010 9:04 PM
 Subject: Re: [LD] Re: Advise/suggestions regarding travel @ higher
 elevations with a Chevy 350 carb

GREAT STORY LARRY!!!!!!!! I LOVED IT. BE WELL AND HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL.
DALE.

__

Larry's story reminds me of a similar story that happened to me, except mine was an aircraft bomb!
 A friend (also a pilot) and I were flying my Mooney from Napa, CA up to Oregon to pick up my mother and bring her back to Napa for a visit. I let him fly left seat and I was co-pilot. My wife had packed us lunch for when we arrived up at the OR airport . . . including a big bag of potato chips (grin). As we climbed through 10,000 feet after departing Napa, we heard this very loud BANG!! It was loud even though we were both wearing headsets.
Seemed like the whole plane shook!
 Now a big unexpected bang is bad enough when you are ground bound or even when tooling down the road in your LD. But when you are in an airplane, it's borderline terrifying. I looked out on my side to see if there was still a wing out there. My friend, Dick, looked out his side and confirmed we did in fact still have a combined total of two wings. The plane was still seemingly under control and climbing, so all "seemed" well, but what just exploded? About then we caught the pungent odor of fresh potatoe chips . . .

We both laughed and agreed that a pin-hole would be a great idea!

bumper
bumper
"Yonder" '05 MB
"WLDBLU" glider trailer
Re: Advise/suggestions regarding travel @ higher elevations with a C
Reply #7 –
Yahoo Message Number: 108932
That's some funny stuff! Thanks. Happy New year! Dale.

__ From: bumperm bumperm@...>
 To: lifewithalazydazerv@yahoogroups.com
 Sent: Sat, January 2, 2010 9:58:09 PM
 Subject: Re: [LD] Re: Advise/suggestions regarding travel @ higher elevations with a Chevy 350 carb
Re: Advise/suggestions regarding travel @ higher elevations with a C
Reply #8 –
Yahoo Message Number: 108936
Thank you all for your advise, comments and humor.!! I was not quite sure if I respond to all of them individually or wait until I read a few and then respond. Being new to the forum I went for the latter. Because of the comments on the forum and emails I am a lot less concerned about the trip. I know we will get there and back and have a good time and great views.
 I will have to check out the banks kit thing, not sure what that is.

Many thanks again,

Sherry
Re: Advise/suggestions regarding travel @ higher elevations with a C
Reply #10 –
Yahoo Message Number: 108967
Don't forget other containers.  Traveling from Colorado to the flatlands and back several times a year, we have learned to vent many closed containers.  The soaps and lotions seem to be OK, but will squirt (or suck in) when opened.  I pay attention to electric shave lotion and tooth paste (because of the mess they can make).  Just be aware.

Gus Weber
Re: Advise/suggestions regarding travel @ higher elevations with a C
Reply #11 –
Yahoo Message Number: 108975
Don't forget other containers.


 That should include the new ketchup bottles that sit "upside" down in order to be used!  Be sure to right the ketchup bottle, making sure all the ketchup is away from the lid, BEFORE opening!  Otherwise, you'll have almost the entire contents of the bottle all over the place!

Linda Hylton http://map.datastormusers.com/user1.cfm?user=1167 http://earl-linda.blogspot.com
Linda Hylton
 
Re: Advise/suggestions regarding travel @ higher elevations
Reply #12 –
Yahoo Message Number: 108982
"Traveling from Colorado to the flatlands and back several times a year, we have learned to vent many closed containers. The soaps and lotions seem to be OK, but will squirt (or suck in) when opened."
 I've gotten into the habit of squeezing a container slightly before closing it. That way if it expands a bit, no problem. For really messy things like tubes of epoxy that don't lend themselves to that treatment, I put 'em in disposable Ziploc bags.

Andy Baird http://www.andybaird.com/travels/
Andy Baird
2021 Ford Ranger towing 2019 Airstream 19CB
Previously: 1985 LD Twin/King "Gertie"; 2003 LD Midbath "Skylark"