The blow-by test

I really want a four wheel drive version of this vehicle so I'm going to sell this one. I really wanted to just buy the 4x4 and sell this one later but they are rare so I'm going put this one up for sale and improve it until it sells, updating the advert as I go.

So to prepare for that I did some research and found out one of the tests of diesel engine wear is a blow by test.  So I decided to record the test.
I didn't have it plugged in and it's 21' F here in Minnesota and it starts up with no hesitation.  It's so nice to have that assurance for when you're in the woods far from a cell signal.
The blow by test I watched on YouTube involved turning the oil filler cap upside down and watching to see if it was pushed off.  Since this is a van configuration instead of a truck the filler neck is at an angle.  So the alternative, and IMHO more stringent test is to use a ping pong ball.  Since there's just enough lip to keep the ball in place when the engine isn't running it should take very little blow by to move it enough for it to fall.  Happily the ball barely moved and I'm curious to know if the vibration of the engine isn't causing its movement, but since you can't do the test without the engine running...

Just resting..

The scene: Traveling from campground in the Mammoth Hot Springs area of Yellowstone National Park to Cooke City.

The views are fantastic but the road is narrow and the speed limit is appropriate.  The camper is wide though so I tend to give a little extra room to passing traffic. 
This is what happens when you misjudge where the side of the pavement is.  As many of you have learned the hard way...once the tire slips over the edge of the pavement the snow that is even with the road is 3" to 6" deep and it drags the vehicle in that direction.  If the ditch slants, like this one does, the progression is exponential as you move into deeper snow.  No reaction speed (including spiderman) is going to save you from sliding into the ditch.

 That orange marker is nowhere near the edge of the road...it's not really visible where I started the descent since wind blown snow has already obscured the trail.  You can see the crescent the wind has created on the ditch side of the rig.

My soon to be converted camper is 9000+ lbs at the rear axle (according to the sticker on the door jam) and it fought the good fight as you can see from how long the trail is into it's final resting spot.

I wrote in the snow sticking to the back "I will buy shovel" after about an hour of waiting for a park ranger.  Since there isn't a cell signal I was depending on them to either pull me out or arrange for me to pay someone to do it. 

Lots of people stopped and asked if I was okay.  One nice couple from down south [according to their accent]

asked if I wanted a snack 😊, and that went a long way towards restoring some of my lost faith in humankind. 

Only one person had any kind of tow strap or chain, (I am still skeptical of the rarity of this equipment considering the area), and they did try to pull me out.  No joy.
Interestingly nobody had a shovel either, even after I offered to buy it.

3 hours later and $325 a nice fella and his giant single axle tow truck from Cooke City pulled me out of the ditch. Look at the size of those tires!