Just a quick recap of the trip so far. Basically, Biloxi to Dallas no drama. In Dallas, which I hate driving through, missed two turns, so lost about 30 minutes time. Everytime I drive through Dallas there is some snafu. Dallas to Amarillo was pretty uneventful, except for sporadic rain the last hour or so, plus great lightening show for about the last 3 hours.
Leaving Amarillo, heading west on I40 today sucked. Super strong unrelenting head wind the entire day today. On I40, I drafted an 18 wheeler for about 150 miles, easily maintained 70-75. One he got off on an exit, it was hell fighting the wind. Stayed on I40 till Gallup, then headed north on 264 through reservation land. I thought getting off I40 would help with the wind, nope. Relentless wind all day. Once I started gaining altitude, and fighting the wind, I just kept it in 4th hear, 3,000 RPM, 65-70 MPH. And it got. 15-16 MPG LOL. I took 264 to 89, then 89A. Very beautiful drive, big stretches of absolutely nothing, but beautiful scenery, so a really cool drive.
I highly recommend 89A, simply beautiful scenery. But, part of it is pretty grueling, you climb in altitude very quick on a very twisty narrow road. On parts of this, I was 3rd gear, 3,000 RPM, 45 MPH. On the most twisty hilly parts, I would have a single hiccup, like a quick starve for fuel moment. About 5 of those moments. I am thinking this could be because the tank was about half way empty, maybe the pick up sucked air. Once I got out the twisty hilly part, ran it hard for the next hour and a half with no issues.
I'll check the fuel pressure later on this week, make sure it is still good. I checked it before I left home, about 33 PSI at the rail, jumped to 40 with the vacuum line pulled off the regulator. After those few hiccups no problems, so hopefully just the pick up tube sucking air. I will probably install an internal fuel pump on this one soon, and leave the external mounted up as a backup.
I will have to average all my mileage numbers, probably got around 15 on this trip. Besides the gas hiccups, the only other issue so far is the headlights go out if you hit the high beam switch. Pretty sure I have a spare switch with me.