How High Have You Driven Your Pinz?

[nicholastanguma]

What's the highest elevation you lads have driven your Pinzies, and how did they perform?

I'm becoming concerned that a search to find a couple of proper P80 turbodiesels to import into America may not be fruitful (only made from '86-'89/'90), and I may have to "settle" for a couple of gasoline 710s.

Even with Jim's 2.7 big bore w/ torque cam and a solid state ignition I'm sure I'd have to go through all the trouble of removing the engine shroud to reach the carbs for rejetting every time I ascend the Rockies or Himalayas and then descend back to sea level. And that would be annoying very quickly.

[audiocontr]

DUI is bad, mmmkay

[one2many]

Jim has just posted in carburetor footprint thread that he will have some more EFI kits finished soon, that would help a lot.

I've never heard of diesels struggling with elevation but then we don't/can't go anything close to the heights your talking.

Audiocontr where are you ATM...on top Mt Everest?

[kdiqq]

Mine has handled driving from about sea level to probably as much as 20 feet ASL.

In all seriousness, there are a few solutions for altitude compensation. Check a few threads here and do a little googling. If all else fails, the EFI kit is the ticket.

[63rover]

You may also want to investigate switching to variable mixture aircraft carbs which can be adjusted on the fly, so to speak. I've heard of them but don't know the source. Try a vintage plane site or magazine.

The diesels will just keep losing power as the air becomes more rarified as they take in a "full lungful" of air on every intake stroke. Even playing with the turbo boost will only have limited results.

Good luck.

Cheers, Clive

[krick3tt]

I have been over several passes in the rockies to as high as +12000 feet. Looses power that high as carbs are starved of air and the HP goes down.
I live at +5000 ft and am jetted and timed for that altitude. Don't consider changing the jets out every time I want to go somewhere, just not worth the time and trouble...I just go slower.

[pinzinator]

I drove mine to Toro Peak (you can Google that), elevation was around 8400'. The Pinz ran the same as at sea level where I live.

[ako]

Bleed in some NOS through the smallest jet possible

[Jimm391730]

My carbs have 125 main jets, since I live at 5500 feet elevation. The truck runs well at sea level and have been as high as 11,000 feet; only noticeable issue was the reduction in power at that altitude. I found no need to re-jet for that trip.

[Bruce Berger]

Back when I was running carbs I had a chance to drive to the University of California Barcroft Research station at 12,470 feet. There was a noticeable reduction in power. The worst affect was having to crank the engine much longer than normal to get it to start. This happened other times at high altitude as well. It always made me wonder if it was going to start. It always did.

I never checked the jet size. They were most likely stock.

I've had it up to around 10,000 feet several times since installing Jim's EFI system. Now it always starts right a way. There is still a lack of power but it is less noticeable.


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[Profpinz]

I live at 5500 feet elevation. The truck runs well at sea level and have been as high as 11,000 feet

Wow, the highest mountain in Australia is only 7,310 feet (2,228 metres)

The highest drivable point in Australia is Mount McKay at 6043 feet (1842 metres) but even if I'd been there, I don't think it would count in this thread

[Jimm391730]

The highest drivable point in Australia is Mount McKay at 6043 feet (1842 metres) but even if I'd been there, I don't think it would count in this thread

That's OK, Peter. Australia has plenty of other good points that we don't have over here. Someday I'll get down there to check them out in person. And if you ever get up here, we'll take you up where you can't breathe... ... and the Pinz can't, either!

[Haf-e]

The highest I have driven my Pinz was over Independence Pass in Colorado - 12,095 feet (3686 meters) and it did ok - but I was jetted for Denver at the time (5000 feet). One the way back to Washington State (sea level) I changed the carb jets out once I was about to leave from Utah.

I have also driven my 28 HP Citroen 2CV over Independence Pass and it seemed to have about the same performance as my Pinzgauer - but I guess that the HP/weight ratio would be about the same for the two vehicles. Both are faster than the 1965 Volkswagen bus with its 40 HP engine that I used to own during college.

[nicholastanguma]

The highest I have driven my Pinz was over Independence Pass in Colorado - 12,095 feet (3686 meters) and it did ok - but I was jetted for Denver at the time (5000 feet). One the way back to Washington State (sea level) I changed the carb jets out once I was about to leave from Utah.

Including having to remove the engine shroud, how long does it take to rejet the carbies?

[undysworld]

10 minutes or so for the main jets. (That's allowing 5 of the 10 minutes for pulling the doghouse out.) Just do it when the engine is cold, so you don't drop fuel onto hot exhaust parts.