Anything Auto Immune

Archive for March, 2010

The platform for the project was a Ford F250 pickup. (Many deer hunters prefer 3/4-ton pickups because of their greater load-carrying capability) The truck had previously been fitted for serious offroad duty so it was a natural choice for our upgrade.
Though I had no complaints about engine performance, I kit that the special demands of the deer hunter called for a transmission modification—one of B&M’s specialties. Brian Appelgate of B&M told me, “Hunters stress transmissions in several ways.They usually carry huge loads into camp, and they often tow utility trailers. Guys who hunt in the mountains require their trucks to climb steep hills, and these trucks often see rugged offroad duty, including deep mud. AU this creates heat, and heat is a certified transmission killer.”
Hunters who wear suspenders and belts are no-nonsense types who take nothing for granted. The same philosophy guides B&M’s recommendation for a pair of auxiliary coolers. The SuperCooler automatic transmission cooler and the SuperCooler engine oil cooler work together to keep the automatic transmission fluid and the engine oil nice and cool, even while the truck is pushed to the max.
B&M’s second recommendation is designed to improve the performance of the automatic transmission.The ShiftPlus electronic shift improver kit electronically recalibrates the transmission’s hydraulic system in order to eliminate “gear hunting.” Doing so not only improves shift performance but helps to reduce heat buildup. The result is better performance and longer transmission life.

Deer hunters are an opinionated lot. I know; every year in camp I get an earful about the “ultimate” truck for deer hunters. Funny thing, though. No matter where I roam, the essential premise boils down to a pair of basic concerns: performance and storage. As one hunter put it, pulling on his red suspenders for emphasis, “There must be a way to get a truck that can crawl through the mud and climb steep trails and carry all my gear into camp—plus get my deer back home:’
The search for this truck led to a joint venture that combined the talents of two very different companies: B&M Racing & Performance, and Deezee. Initially, I feared the venture might become the ultimate clash of cultures—B&M is a West Coast high-performance company that cut its teeth on racing; DeeZee is a Midwest-based manufacturer run by hard-core hunters that built its reputation by designing and building heavy-duty running boards, grille guards, and storage and dog boxes.
But, like the fortuitous accident that yielded vulcanized rubber, B&M and DeeZee bonded instantly. That’s because both understand the particular needs of the hunter.

Heat is the unavoidable byproduct of power generation, and hardworking or trucks need all the cooling capacity they can get. That’s why it’s Important to understand that your truck depends on three separate fluids to dissipate heat: engine oil, automatic transmission fluid (ATF), and antifreeze/coolant, If any one of these systems underperforms, the whole system will suffer. We’ve just discussed the role of engine oil above. As for coolant, it’s best to buy a high-quality brand that resists the buildup of rust and scale in the water jackets of the engine block and heads as well as the radiator Check the condition of the coolant at regular intervals with an inexpensive coolant system checker, available at any auto parts store.
A mixture of 50 percent water-50 percent antifreeze is a good compromise that will cover most situations. A fresh 50-50 solution will deliver boil-over protection to 265° F and freeze-up protection down to -35° E II’ you live in an area that experiences severe winters, you might want to use a 35 percent water-65 percent antifreeze solution, which will provide protection down to -67° E.

The lowly dipstick remains a great diagnostic tool—if you know what it’s telling you. After you check the level of the oil, look closely at the color. Though oil discolors over time, it should not look like tar. If it does, and especially if it smells “burned,” it’s time for new oil.