TOXIC

I watched a video from a mechanic I follow on Facebook and he stated “There’s no such thing as a no change or lifetime fluid in your vehicle. If your transmission fails at 150k and you never changed the fluid, it lasted the lifetime of the transmission”. I have changed out every fluid in my truck. As for transmissions there’s 4 approaches. 1. Drive it till it fails. 2. Do regular maintenance by dropping pan and changing filter and topping off with new fluid. 3. Use an “Extractor” to get all of the fluid out, then drop pan and change filter or 4. Flush, which has the possibility on higher mileage vehicles to dislodge stuff better left alone. @DaubsNU1, there is a plug in disabler but it isn’t a fix since you still have the weak lifters. The fix is either have oem lifters installed when they fail or the real fix is to pull the motor, replace the lifters with aftermarket non AFM and cam shaft and have the engine tuned to remove AFM programming. I’m just on the fence since I’m not a fan of new trucks when I have a very well maintained, totally functional truck….minus the possible lifter failure. Heck, I just got back from driving it to Florida and it performed great.

Look, I’m not a stranger to running up the mileage and keeping vehicles maintained. My jeep wrangler currently has 475k, my wife traded in a Chevy equinox with 230k, I traded my 2004 3/4 ton with 175k, my Lexus SC430 has 225k. All have never had major mechanical issues. I don’t want to trade my truck, it’s pristine and I have invested a lot in maintenance per my initial post but it’s time to reconsider when you are looking at a potential $7,000 repair that would go a long ways to a new vehicle that for sure won’t have the AFM. Baby Duramax is a possibility and with the current condition of my truck, my trade in will be high. The other side of the coin is to drive it until it fails. If it fails. I’m not convinced.

First rule….no lightening. Other than that, I’ve fished when the water was swirling down the deck drain. Baitcasters can get a little finicky when they are chuck full of rainwater. I’ve been out when you cast, there’s sparks in the reel and my line hovers in the air and won’t fall to the water. Those are additional time to go in. If you spend any time in Florida, you are going to fish in the rain. Both guaranteed and welcome.🤣

For me it depends on what line I have spooled and what I am throwing. For example if I’m throwing a deep diving crank, I’m going to want to make longer casts so I’ll fill the spool to the top. If I’m throwing a C-Rig with heavier line and shorter casts, I’ll leave a little more spool. It also depends on how educated your thumb is…😂

My superglue tip is a little off base for those who build rods. I’m sure there is a special epoxy that is better for the guide seats. I use lighter gear than most and I catch big fish on that light gear, so I’m somewhat stressing it more than the average fisherman. What I have happen is the guide starts to crack the wrapping where the guide is attached to the rod. A drop of superglue while a bit unsightly, will seal the crack and avoid possible breakage. Now if the insert of a guide comes out or it gets a Nick that I can’t smooth out with fine sandpaper or emory cloth, it’s time to retire the rod or get a new guide put on.

@GReb until today I would have agreed with you. When I picked up my truck from the shop, the shop manager said that the tech was hearing the beginning of the dreaded lifter tic and he recommended getting one of those plug in disablers to keep it from going into 4 cylinder mode. My oil has been changed at or before 5,000 mile marks since new and it has 95k on it right now. I’m contemplating my next move.

I don’t nose hook my dropshots. I use a gamakatsu #1 (not a 1 ought) and a quick drop dropshot weight. I lose very few Texas rigging my dropshot baits which are mainly Yamamoto Shad Shape Worms, Pro Senkos and California Roll.

As for rods, I use simple green for overall cleaning, then I inspect the guide wrapping and add a drop of superglue to any that look stressed, then I run a Q-tip around the insides of the guides looking for snags. Finally, I coat the rod liberally with 303 Protectant . It has uv inhibitors. As for storage and transport, just make sure they are able to lay or stand without leaning on or bending the tips. I have seen them retain the bend. Likewise keep them out of the direct sun when not in use.

That’s why they call it a work/life balance. My fear is for the younger generation that gets the “life” but not the “work” side of the equation. This live now and don’t worry about tomorrow is a recipe for disaster unless you plan on being supported by a nanny government at some point.

Not that I think I’m right but I never use a swivel. BUT….I only throw Yamamoto DShads which are heavier. I use a gamakatsu 4.0 ewg hook and I am meticulous about rigging. I rig it to jerk left, jerk right, jerk up, jerk down or jerk horizontal/level. I’m not going to say I don’t get any line twist, but it’s minimal. I will feed out line with no lure about every third trip to remove any twist or if I’m bored, I’ll open the spool and pull the line out into my yard and rewind.

@MN Fisher agreed but my point is that when trying to calculate run time you have to allow for the amount of charge the battery holds in reserve and shuts down at, it’s not 100%. The complaint is that they don’t get weak, they just switch off and if you are running just 1, you are SOL😉

I don’t need wide spread attention. I have set some pretty lofty personal goals by species that, if met, would result in a replica on my wall. Here is my wall 😂🤣

Yamamoto is planning a phased rollout of 6 new products. Some before and some at ICAST.

Isn’t it also true that a lithium battery will not allow you to fully discharge it? Don’t they shut down at a certain point? That’s one of the negatives I’ve read about them. Also everybody including Walmart is now in the lithium game. Opens the door to some better deals. It was only a matter of time before the discounters got into the pockets of the first wave retailers.

@Woody B thank you for your expertise. I talked with the shop manager when I dropped it off yesterday and he pretty much echoed your reasoning. The only difference being he did not recommend trying to fully replace the fluid. He said they will end up putting in around 7 quarts of fluid with the pan drop and new filter. You read so much bad information on the internet it’s nice to get the straight scoop. Due to the year of my truck (2016) used models are becoming affordable to the younger crowd who have a penchant for “modifying” their trucks. Plug in programmers, huge lift kits, peddle commander, straight tube headers, CAI, waaay oversized wheels and tires, aftermarket transmission thermostats or removing the thermostat or flipping it, and on and on. Everyone of them thinks they are master mechanics and pump a lot of bad information out there. I’m happy having an “old man’s truck” and upgrading things as they fail. My decision time will come if the 2 known weak points of the 5.3 with the 8 speed ever rear their ugly head. The AFM lifter failure or the weak torque converter failure. With the level of maintenance I give my truck, hopefully I won’t have either one of those problems.

I understand your point but everything you listed is part of my skill. If I’m on the bank and fish are deep beyond my reach, no amount of skill will catch them. If the fish are up in the rivers and I can’t get there by kayak, or the wind is such I can’t get to them, that’s beyond skill. I see it on st Clair. We fish beyond where the yaks can get, that’s beyond skill. As for FFS, that’s another debate. It could be said that it removes skill from the equation. 😉

My skill doesn’t change no matter where or what I’m fishing from but my ability to get to the fish does. If my skill can pick out a spot on the bank where there’s fish, I’ll catch ‘em, if my skill in not turtleing a kayak holds, I’ll catch ‘em, in a bass boat it’s a whole different game. 😉

@A-Jay Used to be when the neighbors heard the blender fire up they would grab their glasses and head over. They have all moved away or passed on so it’s just me and the wife. New neighbors haven’t figured it out yet.😂You can get real fancy with a margarita or you can jut make them good. I use a couple shots of triple sec. You can get more expensive tequila and add grand marnier as well as all sorts of flavors but I am a traditionalist. Wish you were closer, I’d for sure have you and the wife over for for a backyard bash. Get her well!

Those that know me, know I am pretty meticulous about my trucks. I work them hard, keep them for a long time and maintain them well. Current truck is a 2016 Silverado High Country 5.3, 8 speed. It has 95,000 miles. It is running and driving fine. Spends the majority of its life hooked to my Z21 Ranger or my buddies 520L Ranger. I pull from Virginia to Michigan, Florida and Wisconsin. Never have had a problem towing. Current maintenance stats are……Replaced tires with Michelin LTX @65k. Upgraded brakes and pads all the way around with Powerstop (also flushed and replaced brake fluid) drilled and slotted rotors and pads. Replaced rear shocks with Bilstein. Flushed cooling system. New plugs and wires @90k with induction cleaning. Replaced fluids in front and rear differentials and transfer case with synthetics. Point being, I’ve got a lot invested in this truck. I plan on keeping it for the near future, at least to 200k. Putting aside the possible well known failures in the AFM and torque converter, it’s time for a transmission service. I had the dealer service the transmission under warranty for the “hard shift” issues. It was a replacement of the stock transmission fluid with an upgraded version. My truck was not hard shifting but the dealership agreed to do the swap under warranty. This was at 55k. It’s going in to a private shop today for a transmission service and the issue that been bantered around by all of my gear head friends is whether or not to “flush” the transmission and drop the pan to replace the filter or to just do the pan and filter then top off fluid. The shop manager had my exact truck and recommended just dropping the pan and doing the filter and topping off. With out telling them what he recommended he pulled his 3 techs in and asked them and they all agreed to just drop the pan. He did say that if they find shavings or glitter in the pan they will flush but considering the maintenance and the fact it’s not acting up, flushing is just inviting problems. What say you? 😂

Last minute request from the wife for some kabobs. Onion, zucchini, mushrooms, potatoes and beef from the steer my daughter has processed. Coupled with some top shelf margaritas, it was a pretty tasty Sunday dinner.

It’s just that time of year.

Obviously, you have a loss of power somewhere in your system. Verify you got the right fuel pump, replace all fuel filters, check venting, make sure your prop is not fouled with line, and lastly because it is the most expensive, remove and flow test injectors after you have a compression check done to verify you haven’t dropped a cylinder.

I’m another 303 addict. I buy it by the gallon. I use it on all my vinyl, rubber and plastic and have for years. These are 2005 seats that sit under a cover outside. Proof is in the pudding.

I had to look em up to see what exactly a PK grill was. I see nothing special about them unless I am missing something. I have used Weber kettles, offset box stick smokers, pellet and gas. If it’s a manufacturer thing, there’s a lot of more storied makers that I would consider first. 🤔

@moloch16 I pretty much only fish the private side also known as the “hot” side. It’s not unusual for the water to get upwards of 100 degrees in the throws of summer. It gets so warm on that side because the three pools are cooling ponds for the reactor water before it gets pumped back into the public side aka the “cold” side. I don’t fish it at all in the summer but it’s a blast in winter because the water stays warm. My fear is that the hot side is not far behind the cold side with development booming in the last 5-10 years. Areas that were pristine coves not long ago are now lined with docks and houses. Add in the much warmer water and it’s a recipe for disaster. Dominion owns the lake and all it’s going to take is some kind of lawsuit for them to rethink the “recreational” aspects. There is also a proposal out there to add a third reactor to the power plant. Heaven only knows what that will do environmentally.