I am running the same tires, in two years I have had three of them replaced with sidewall cuts. I think they perform fine but lack durability. My old BFGs stood up to alot more.

Yeah, I may look elsewhere next time... maybe something quieter too? I must be getting old. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/rodent.gif" alt="" />

More updates!

Pulling my little funfinder at 1500 meters up long hills in the Rocky Mountains is hell on a little diesel, especially when you have an EGT gauge and you know exactly how hard you're pushing it, so I rigged up a little intercooler sprayer...

Its my most ghetto fab mod ever (well, except maybe the electrical conduit head snorkel on Betsy II - remember that? <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/barf.gif" alt="" />). Anyways, I had an extra windshield wash sprayer left over from my previous Galant project, so I made a small hole in the plastic on the backside of the hood in the intercooler duct, at the leading edge. Then I connected enough tubing so it would reach a joint on the passenger side windshield washer line. Now when I'm towing I simply switch where the water goes, and at the bottom of a long gruelling climb, I clean the driver's side windshield and pre-spray the intercooler simultaneously. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" /> I've found this is good for 100-150* on the EGT guage.

Phil, would a larger intercooler have the same effect, too? That is clever of you. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

LOL, thanks! Where's the blushing face?

I'm sure larger would help, but the fit with the induction hood is of course factory good, so I'm afraid that any increase in intercooler size would be offset by either not getting directly fed air (blocked by the hood outside vent area) or loss due to leakage around the new larger intercooler.

Maybe a dual intercooler set up, with a FMIC added as a secondary? Hmmmm... could be something there if I could figure out how to plumb it? And fit it, what with the oil cooler, trans cooler, AC sub condenser, condenser, etc...

Hard piping would also help, or a recore of the old/tired OE intercooler... but my fix was cheap!

I've never liked the chrome bumpers, but have only replaced the front one... I decided I would try some "black chrome" paint...

More of a Gunmetal now... its a little better...?

Edit: pic is too big.. here's a link: rear bumper

Look sharp, good work. I noticed the custom plate, here in western australia, you can get custom plates in almsot and colour combination. I will be getting black with white letters i think, or will run a marroon to match the wagon

Looking good!

It's been a long time since I updated... A LONG time. Haven't done a heck of a lot with her except drive her. Bought an evo IV in 2011 and so the Paj sat for quite a bit of the time, reserved for towing, kayak hauling, bike hauling, and deep snow on the commute. Fast forward a couple years.. Sold the evo (sob) mostly because premium fuel was pricey, and the range was not great (about 350kms) which meant fuel every third day. Truck went back into active DD service in 2013. Then back in Nov, I took the plunge again, this time with a new Lancer Sportback. No, it's no evo, but it'll go 800kms on a tank, and mileage is excellent. So the truck is back to fun trips again. But it's got me thinking... Maybe it's time for a gen3, which my wife could drive during the week, but I could still have fun with on weekends? We could sell her outlander, get back down to 2 vehicles again, but still have the utility we do now. Plus the 3.8 would haul our trailer better through the Rockies.

Anyway, I think to this end, my build thread for this one may in fact be finished, unless I change my mind? It's been a great truck, and I've loved this 4m40 engine. There may be a gen3 build thread under "Betsy 6" sometime in the near future? We'll see...

<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />