Fancy gap climb

[mikelutestanski]

Hello, the bus did fancy gap today in fine mettle.  The L10 @ 320hp ran the course at 50mph in 4th gear @ 1950 RPMs.  The pyro was steady and the temp gage never moved.
     Best run for me , light traffic, and no idiots pulled in front and slowed down.

Yesterday the temperature inAtlanta was 112.  Was glad to leave. Overnite  thunder boomers in Carnesville ga flying J. Temperature at flying j went from 102 at arrival to 72 this am. One crack sizzled and I wondered about the steel sign.
The great adventure is on..I have heard no electrical power in some of Wva because of last weeks storm but that's tomorrow's drive..
    Regards and happy bussin.   Mike

[bobofthenorth]

As long as your generator is running (a novel event in my case but perhaps not so odd in your situation) you should be independant of the grid.  Glad to hear you folks are mobile.  Drive safe and we hope we'll see you somewhere along the road.

[luvrbus]

Fancy Gap is that the long climb leaving Va on I-77 not very high like 2500 or 3000 ft ?

[mikelutestanski]

Hello,  Fancy gap is a six mile climb of about 1500 feet or so. The grade is 4.5 percent max.

 West Virginia  has some 11 percent grades in the mountains.  FWiW.

    Probably not impressive as some of the rocky mountain stuff . Last year we toured Colorado and Utah and parts of arizona and New Mexico.  
 Thanks Bob we are glad to be on the road again...
    FWiW the engine seems to run best around 1900 to 2000 in 5th gear around 65 . I seem to have good control and response as the road changes. Maybe I am just learning to drive it properly.. I don't have the truckers grasp of road shifting and that sort of experience , so. I make my own way and learn as I go.
    Regards from the road.   Happy bussin.  Mike

[Melbo]

Mike

My L10 is not set up with the HP you have but I agree that 2000 is the SWEEEEET spot. I run a couple of 10,000 plus FT passes on two lane roads in CO and climb at 30 to 40 mph and have no heat issues AND the retarder on the downgrades gives a comfort level that is incomparable to the downgrade with the 8V71 and spicer going into Laughlin when I took her in for the transplant --- Always fun to be "On the road again" --- keep us posted on your travels.

Melbo

[Barn Owl]

I chuckle at the comparisons between east and west. Having driven both, I have found 8% grades suck just as bad no matter where I am. LOL

[luvrbus]

We call something like Fancy Gap a rolling hill here ,AZ 68 going from Laughlin to Kingman on a 115 degree day now that is a climb lol I see the tour buses with the 60 series huffing and puffing on that one you start at 300 ft elv and up you go

[Van]

Yup! Clifford, that's the one that ate the old 6-92
Havin' a blast in the summer sun!

[luvrbus]

75 degrees where we are Van (inside)

[Van]

Clifford, you know how I love the hot dry (cough) climate  

[buswarrior]

Fancy Gap is one of the few good grades here in the east for using to see how the rig handles full fuel for an extended period.

Far too many "grades" in the east are too short, or they are variable in slope, not letting the drive train just settle in and run and show what it is going to do to the cooling system over time.

As for location, most folks in the eastern part of the continent can readily detour to run it on their trip up or down from the sunny south, if it isn't their primary corridor.

Results can be readily compared between busnuts, and the mileage to turn around and run it again isn't unreasonable.

There are those who might have a desire to experiment different settings, driving styles or modifications, and that is easily accomplished without a long turn around time.

Perhaps a "Fancy Gap Cooling System Sorting-Out Rally" might be organized?

Run alongside the "Fancy Gap Largest Manhood Over-Compensation Rally", with speed of ascent the goal?

And for some real bravery, the "Fancy Gap Self-Taught Brake Adjustment Rally", with speed of descent the self-awarding disqualifier?

What a sight, as the history of motor coaching wheezes its way up and down all weekend!!!

happy coaching!
buswarrior

[buswarrior]

Oh, and for comparison:

If I remember correctly, no doubt posted someplace years ago,

My '75 MC8, 8V71, stock 270HP, HT 740, 3.7 diff... lightly loaded early partial conversion.

Hunkers down and climbs somewhere around 43-44 mph in 3rd gear.

A 98/99 MCI 102E3 Renaissance, seated coach, Series 60, stock 400 hp, B500, 4.56 diff... loaded with spring training baseball kiddies and their coaches.

Climbs at 50 mph in both/either 4th or 5th gears, doesn't matter, neither will pull faster.

happy coaching!
buswarrior

[flynbanjo]

I just climbed fancy gap a few days ago with our MC-9. We have 8-71 with a 4 speed.  We made it in third gear at about 43 mph. fortunately no over heat problems. 

[bevans6]

My old 8V-71N on the MC-5C was just a titch off governed speed in third, maybe 50mph.  That's if I got a run at it.  The other time I got baulked by a slow moving circus truck (a friggin mary-go-round, of all things) and spent the whole climb sitting on the governor in second at around half throttle and 25 mph.  It just would not accelerate one iota in third, it would just lose speed, and I gave up trying and left it in second and read a book...

Brian

[buffalobob]

I live off 68 Golden Valley.Hill is just as steep going to Searchlite 163, about 12 mi each . towards Kingman they (GOV.) saved steepest part for last. Try to hit it @ daylite or disconnect toad. S>O>P for us (BOB)