Re: [A/S] Raton Pass

[Terry Tyler <tylerbears@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Good question Jim, 

My '78 Ford Van has the C6 three speed automatic and I don't know anything
about locking or unlocking the torque converter OR if that's even a choice
with this particular transmission. If it is a choice, I've never done it.
You are the first person to ask me that question. Now that you have asked
it, I'll get the answer later this week.

I know our Suburban has an after market lockup switch on the dash - and I
left it in the locked position (and transmission in third gear) throughout
our cross country trip (with '67 22' Safari) when we followed the Oregon
Trail from one end to the other and then returned to New York.

But, let me tell you a few of the things I do know about our Ford Van.

While towing either of our big Airstreams, the temperature gauge needle goes
as high as the letter O in the word normal, except when we stop after a
long, hot haul. Then, sometimes the needle goes to the letter R in the word
normal. Every 50,000 miles or so, I have the radiator taken out and cleaned.
The hoses are replaced at that time. I change them more often if they seem a
bit spongy. 

When my 1978 Ford Van E-250 was new (almost 300,000 miles ago), I upgraded
the radiator from the standard 3 core that came with the factory trailer
towing package. I almost went with a 4 core radiator like is used in
ambulances, but opted for a special order 5 core radiator. After all, I was
going to keep the truck, it was going to work hard and I knew that heat was
the number one enemy for a long lived engine and transmission.

Also, I came to know that with my big 5 core radiator and a transmission
cooler that fills all the available space in front of the a/c cooler, plus a
180 degree thermostat (and occasionally, no thermostat), I never heat up -
ever - no matter how hot the outside temperature is or if I'm running the
air conditioner full bore while climbing the highest mountains in the west
with all the rpms this tiger of a V8 (no pollution controls required in
1978) will give me - while towing 8500 pounds of Airstream.

It is this setup that I've been towing travel trailers with for 23 years.
And - as you know, we have traveled all over the North American continent
many times and are still doing it with the same equipment.

One tidbit of laughable background. Back in 1978, THE (ugh) brother-in-law
(Mechanical Engineer) assured me that the changes I had made would ruin my
brand new truck with its 460 CID V8 engine and C6 automatic transmission.
His promise to me was that ruination would occur by 75,000 miles. He has
eaten those words many times over.

He still reminders me that it's his sister (whom I married) that he's
concerned about. <grin>  Riiiigght. During the last 23 years, he has gone
through 12 trucks and each year, he tells me my 1978 Ford Van is on its last
legs ("They don't make Fords to last."). I tell him, "Not the way you drive
your trucks." <with a smile>

It's now the end of May 2001 and after putting an additional 15,000 miles on
this truck during the last nine months, he's going to have another chance to
eat his words when we get together for the family picnic this Summer. I love
it. He'll look in the engine compartment and ask me, "Is that the same old
relic of an engine?" And, I'll say, "Yes, but ask your sister if you don't
believe me." He'll shake his head.

You know there's a certain degree of personal satisfaction listening to him
(THE EXPERT) tell me all these things and then, they don't come true. He
never eats humble pie. In July, I'm sure I'll get another doomsday forecast.
In spite of all this, I like him and enjoy watching him puff up. After all,
he and I are part of the family.

Jim, your question got me going. If you and I hadn't met with our wives and
visited together at a rally, I probably wouldn't have shared any of this
"stuff". But, who knows, it might be relevant to others as they make tow
truck decisions. 

Terry