Seems I've been somewhat preoccupied or something.  I didn't realize Dennis hadn't posted since 29 May.  Since he returned to Georgia today, I'll have to try to update y'all a little -- but I won't go into a lot of detail and don't have any photos to post.

From the Beckmans', we went straight to Jim Kanomata's Applied GMC in Newark, CA and parked in the yard there with a dozen or so other GMC's in various states of repair or awaiting repair.  Their new facility is considerably larger than the old one -- and still FULL.  Jim always says they've got everything for the GMC. That's not quite correct:  They've got SEVERAL of everything!  Y'All get your orders in now! :-)

We spent the afternoon of our arrival taking care of chores, such as laundry and coach-cleaning.  But the next day, Saturday, we went to downtown San Francisco.  Things have changed quite a bit since I was last there in the mid-'70's, but we finally found Fisherman's Wharf -- after parking (at $25 per day) a mile away and riding the streetcar the rest of the way.  The most exciting part of that visit was touring the WWII submarine tied up at the wharf there.  We also rode the cable car -- a frustrating experience.  With several empty cars available, each one was S...L...O...W...L...Y move into position for L...O...A...D...I...N...G.  Then, the loaded passengers had to W...A...I...T until someone finally decided it was time to climb the hill.  Meanwhile, hundreds of people, with tickets purchased, W...A...I...T...E...D... their turns to go through the same routine -- as even more cars arrived to W...A...I...T...  But the ride was fun -- including the W...A...I...T... when the operator stopped in the middle of an intersection and said as he departed "...you'll be here a while if you want to make pictures...".  Eventually his replacement did arrive and we clanged along toward the end of the route.  Unique...?!

Sunday we were due to visit HER cousin (and Maid of Honor at our wedding 54 years ago) in San Mateo.  They have a neighbor with 50' of level street in front of their house.  We've parked there before and had permission to do so again, so that's where we were headed.  It's about 40 miles from JimK's to their place.  About 12 miles short of there, on I-280, climbing a 5%-6% grade at 65 mph, the engine suddenly went "pop-pop-pop-pop":  Here's the posting I made to the GMClist:

"... a short series of "pop-pop-pop"'s came through the cockpit floor -- sounded like mild exhaust backfires.  Then the engine ran fine again.  When I recovered enough from "...what th...!!!" to check the instruments, there was no oil pressure -- down from 45+ psi.  Fortunately we were passing an area with a wide shoulder to park on.

Finding no visible explanation beneath the coach, I raised the hatch and still found nothing.  Since I still have the LOP switch protecting the "pusher" pumps, I put a voltmeter on it and started the engine to a few seconds -- no oil pressure.

"It's been 2:15 since I called RVRoadHelp/Allstate (India).  About 1:30 with the first guy brought a promise of wrecker by 1:30 PM  MDT.  Followed immediately by another Indian announcing that "...they can't do it today...".  He eventually found another service which promises to arrive by 2:00 PM (ain't gonna happen before 3:00).

Nope, the lifters never started to rattle -- I probably shut down <30 seconds after whatever the failure was.  The only explanation I can think of now is that the oil pump shaft broke, making thep"pop-pop...".  We'll just have to tear into it at JimK's and see.  Any similar experience reports appreciated."

Well, the tow truck did arrive, with a very capable driver.  He had us bacj at Applied GMC by about 4 PM.  JimK suggested that he'd once had a very similar failure which proved to be one of the valve rocker supports.  My diagnosis was that the oil pump's shaft had failed.  Manny Trovao arrived shortly after we did, having learned of our situation while we were awaiting the tow truck.  He offered Dennis a "real bed" and a shower at his place and received an immediate acceptance.  It was too late for me to get greasy, so Jim and I went to dinner and I had to spend the evening and night alone in the GMC.  The next morning, I pulled the external (Thank Goodness!) oil pump and found absolutely nothing wrong there.  So, I pulled the plugs on the left, easy to reach, bank of cylinders.  The compression on all those was 160+-2 psi.  Same for the first cylinder on the right bank.  But the second cylinder (#3 by Cadillac's scheme) had only 100 psi on the first test and 75 psi on the second.  Somethin' rotten about that!

So, I pulled the rocker cover and, lo & behold, there was the problem:  Cadillac mounts the two valve rocker arms for each cylinder on a stubby little "T", with a bolt through the pedestal and a rocker on the capital to each side of the pedestal.  Both rocker arm supports were broken off and the exhaust valve push rod was nowhere to be seen.  With no alternative, I removed all the plumbing and wiring and pulled the intake manifold.  There lay the missing push rod in the tappet galley.  The exhaust valve tappet was standing beside the bore in which it should ride on the camshaft.  The intake tapped was still in its bore, but far enough out that it would not obstruct the oil passage which should keep it functioning.  There's the explanation for the total loss of oil pressure:  Those open oil ports dumped all of the oil, leaving no pressure for the oil pressure sender, at the end of that passage,to sense.  The rest of the engine would have still had some, though greatly reduced, oil pressure -- thank goodness.

While Jim had a generous (well, over-whelming) supply of replacement parts for the busted pedestal and the bent intake pushrod, the composite intake manifold gasket I wanted was not available locally; Jim had to order it "overnight" from CadCo.  That left Monday afternoon free for us to visit India and Jay Gay, the cousin in San Mateo.  We didn't get the fine Sunday dinnered we missed, but we did have a great, short, visit with them before returning to Applied.

On Tuesday, we finished up Dennis' too-short sightseeing in SF:  He got to drive down Lombard Street (the famous multiple switchbacks down the hillside).  We then visited Ghirardelli Square and had some chocolate milk (for me) and sundae (for Dennis) before going to the Presidio.  We walked most of old Fort Point, a very impressive Pre- and During- Civil War fort, in exceptionally good condition, and with nice exhibits.  Directly beneath the southern end of the Golden Gate Bridge!  Don't miss it.


After crossing the Bridge, we stopped in Sausalito for lunch in one of the quaint little restaurants along the waterfront.  Expensive, but not as much as most of our stops over the past week.  Continuing North, we crossed the Richmond bridge southbound, which has no toll in that direction.  Since the GG has no toll northbound, we avoided those two tolls.  The 40 mile run back to Applied was crowded, but the traffic moved pretty fast most of the day; probably only took us an hour.
This morning, Wednesday, I took Dennis to SFO and stayed until he successfully cleared TSA.  Then I returned to Applied and reassembled the GMC's engine.  It was a simple process, but a little tedious since I removed just as little as possible from the top of the engine when removing the manifold, with throttle body attached.  Re-positioning that heavy piece without disturbing the gaskets nor the RTV seals at the end bulkheads required about all the strength left in this old 76 yo.  It would have been much easier if I hadn't had to lower it almost home, then slip it forward under the still-installed wires and radiator hose.  But it worked, so that's what counts.
After tending to a couple of other minor maintenance issues, I tried to start the engine -- no fuel spray!  JimK walked up while I was contemplating the situation.  When he walked away, I tried again, with no intervening changes -- it started!  Oh no!  Now I'll ride in fear of a sudden silence!
After pulling the now-mobile coach to the dump station and down & up loading liquids, I finally had a GOOD shower -- my first in 3-4 days (remember only Dennis went to Manny's).  After a few 'phone calls and a simple supper, here I am, about to call "Lights Out".  Tomorrow morning I'll try to get laundry done, visit with an old, un-met GMCNet friend, and then move on to Manny's for a few days.  Then I'll head North, since I've run out of  West.

Ken H.