RE: Hello! plus "Saturday at Bernd's Shop"

From: Bernd D. Ratsch (bernd@texas.net)
Date: Mon Jun 24 2002 - 00:59:04 EDT


Thank you John. :)

The rev-limiter part could be due to the adjustment or a (going bad)
governor pressure solenoid. Either one can be easily fixed. Just call
me when you want to come on down again. :)

BTW: For those in the Austin area, our transmission person is in town
for two weeks and will be building a few "trick" transmissions as well
as installing shift kits, etc.

- Bernd

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-dakota-truck@dakota-truck.net
[mailto:owner-dakota-truck@dakota-truck.net] On Behalf Of John Bell
Sent: Sunday, June 23, 2002 3:15 PM
To: dakota-truck-moderator@bent.twistedbits.net
Subject: DML: Hello! plus "Saturday at Bernd's Shop"

Hello all!

Well, it's been quite a while since I last was on the list. Glad to see
things are still going strong :-).

Anyway, quick introduction: my name's John Bell, and I live/work in the
Austin TX area. This fortunate circumstance allowed me the opportunity
to visit Bernd at Speedtweaks last Saturday for some needed tuneup work.
The receiver of the TLC in question is a 2000 Dak QC 4x4, SLT+, 360, all
the goodies you could get from the factory at the time. It's a great
truck, love it. After 23000 miles though it was time for a tune. So, I
figured what the hey, Bernd's shop is open, I'll take it there.

Best thing I could have done to it. Let's just say the truck runs much,
*much* better now. I just
got back from taking my family on a trip to Sea World in San Antonio.
The Blue Beast got over 15 MPG after the tune (where it would get 12
before) running at 70 MPH with the A/C on for the whole trip. Given that
it's a 4x4 with 3.92 gearing and a 360, I am mightily impressed by the
results.

So, what did I have done that would hand back an extra 3 MPG to me?

- New cap and rotor w/ new 8mm plug wires
- Colder plugs
- Coolant service w/ some Radiator Relief thrown in (I tell ya, it's
nice to be haulin' down the
   road in 95+ degree weather at speed with the A/C on and see a nice
steady 180 degree
   engine temp.)
- 180 degree thermostat (of course)
- "Performance Tuneup" package from Speedtweaks (TB clean, injector
clean,
etc.)

Btw, that nasty "ping" problem I always used to have when hauling or
running up a hill with cruise control on is *gone*, period, end of
story. I loaded up on Chevron 87 octane and ran at WOT, cruise, up a
hill, you name it, *no ping*, nada. Excellent work, Bernd.

One nit to pick - I keep hitting the rev limiter going from a standing
start at WOT. She doesn't want to shift before that happens, so I have
to pull back a little bit. I figure that's part of the throttle
adjustment that I requested to have done, so it can always be pulled
back a little later.

Oh yeah, and that Viper Bernd was working on when I came to pick up my
truck looked sweet. White with blue race stripes. Slick :-).

Have fun,

--
JB



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