1997 Suburban

Hang the pump back up and start all over again. The RV pusher guys do this 6 or 7 times to fill their big tanks.

I know that is an option, just takes longer. I have seen guys with boats and RVs just go inside and give their card to the clerk, then they can pump as much as they want.

I’m pretty sure with a CC there’s no limit, mine doesn’t shut off at 100.

My Sam’s Club card has a $125 limit at the gas pump. I have a Visa also and that one stops at $100.

My grandmother kept a fuel log during her trips to AZ and back. I will see if I can find it and see how much gas was when the Suburban was new.

Weird, maybe it’s a setting you can ask to be changed, my visa doesn’t stop lol that log will be interesting!

Rob,
If you're not going to use it as an everyday vehicle, now that it's 25 years old it's eligible for antique auto insurance. Could save you a lot each year. You can call Grundy or J.C.Taylor antique auto insurance companies for a quote.

Paul

Rob R. wrote: ↑

Fri. May. 27, 2022 11:12 am

The results are in, 15 mpg over the last 300 miles.

I have to fill up at 1/2 tank to avoid hitting the $100 limit.

Glad to see that you made it!

I'm pretty happy I got a truck with a 4.8 now. Getting 16 MPG and using 87 octane with no problems is great!

How is the Bluetooth/FM working? I've never seen one of those before. I assume you are playing music on your phone, or other Bluetooth device, and transmitting an FM band frequency so you can listen on the stock FM radio. Neat idea!

-Don

-Don

Sunny Boy wrote: ↑

Fri. May. 27, 2022 8:43 pm

Rob,
If you're not going to use it as an everyday vehicle, now that it's 25 years old it's eligible for antique auto insurance. Could save you a lot each year. You can call Grundy or J.C.Taylor antique auto insurance companies for a quote.

Paul

I had the same thought. Turns out I drive too much to qualify and there isn't much for savings anyway.

Currently I am paying $200 per year for Liability & Comprehensive with full glass.

StokerDon wrote: ↑

Sat. May. 28, 2022 9:33 am

How is the Bluetooth/FM working? I've never seen one of those before. I assume you are playing music on your phone, or other Bluetooth device, and transmitting an FM band frequency so you can listen on the stock FM radio. Neat idea!

-Don

-Don

It is working out very well. I play music on my phone and it gets transmitted via FM to the factory stereo.

Trip log from fall of 1999.

Suburban would have had 4 people and a full load of cargo. They towed a tandem axle Holiday Rambler Camper. I don’t have the camper specs, but it wasn’t small by any means.

Rob R. wrote: ↑

Sat. May. 28, 2022 4:42 pm

I had the same thought. Turns out I drive too much to qualify and there isn't much for savings anyway.

Currently I am paying $200 per year for Liability & Comprehensive with full glass.

I don't what the Antique tagged rules are in NY but in Pa. an antique tag is legally allowed one use a week for transportation. Technically, you can't drive it after sunset which is a very old rule. Even if it's a '93. On an antique tagged truck you can't legally ever haul anything. A antique tag does get you out of all safety and emissions inspections though. Of course Pa. usually has the biggest PITA rules on anything for vehicles, from titles to emissions on all '75-on, etc., etc. Wouldn't doubt that NY is more lenient.

Rob, I'm real impressed on your insurance cost, especially with Comprehensive added! I pay nearly $300 year just for Liability (500/500) on my regular tagged '82 Dodge hoopty truck that sees 3k mi. a year. Maybe because yours is technically a station wagon?

hank2 wrote: ↑

Tue. May. 31, 2022 12:40 am

Rob, I'm real impressed on your insurance cost, especially with Comprehensive added! I pay nearly $300 year just for Liability (500/500) on my regular tagged '82 Dodge hoopty truck that sees 3k mi. a year. Maybe because yours is technically a station wagon?

I didn't ask any questions when my insurance agent gave me the quote. It probably has something to do with the vehicle type, and the number of vehicles & other policies we have. In total our premiums are about $3,000 per year.

In other news, I removed the Viper alarm system from the Suburban this weekend. Although the alarm still worked, it seemed more likely to lock me out of the vehicle than anything else. It took me about an hour, and so far everything works as it should.

This past weekend I ran the Suburban through the shop to get ready for winter. It was due for an oil change, and I decided to use up the ATF that has been in my shop for a decade by draining and refilling the transmission pan. I also replaced the blower motor that likes to make noise at low speeds. When I got the old blower motor out I didn’t see any debris, but felt around with my hand to see if I missed anything. To my surprise the heater core was PACKED with pine needles. What you see in the picture is just what I could grab with my hand. I sucked out a bunch more with a shop vac. Between the new blower motor and the clean heater core I have way more airflow through the vents now, and it is quiet!

Next on the list was a squeaky belt. The belt was nearly new when I got the Suburban last fall, but it had started to make a lot of noise and I could see that it was glazed. I went to back off the tensioner so I could check the idlers and found the tensioner seized in position. The belt has been running a bit loose, which is why it got glazed. A $65 kit (belt, tensioner, idler) from Gates got everything back to the way it should be.

Between the quiet blower motor and the non squeaking belt I am in stealth mode now.

Nice job Rob. I've never seen the belt tensioner seize before. Nothing better than driving an old vehicle that is quiet and everything works!

-Don