Author Topic: Long trip preparation: (Read 4746 times)

strad · « **on:** November 04, 2007, 05:44:25 PM »

So the M42's going on about a 1500-mile jaunt this Christmas. As preparation, I'm replacing belts and all hoses, including the mess under the intake. water pump will be inspected. It will get an oil change and I will remove the pan (again) to inspect for loose parts. Filters will be checked or replaced. It has a fuel pump about 20k miles old--fuel filter is likely the same age. Timing chain tensioner was replaced about 1k miles ago -- no abnormal noises from the timing chain. Rear end and trans are both current on fluid maintenance. Brakes and clutch hydraulics are recently serviced/ not leaking, etc.

Are there any other gotchas I should be checking for. I'd really prefer not to blow up my motor on the way if at all possible, and of course not to get stranded

And in case you're wondering, the M52 is not in the stable yet -- that's one of the reasons for the 1500-mile jaunt, to pick it up.

haledj · « **Reply #1 on:** November 05, 2007, 02:17:12 PM »

check your spare, seems obvious, but its very important.
also a good jack, the e30 one blows, especially on gravel.

take wrenches, sockets, screwdrivers, wd-50, duct tape, coolant & water, oil , ect

strad · « **Reply #2 on:** November 05, 2007, 03:13:36 PM »

Yup. Always carry a toolkit on trips -- had to change an AC compressor on our 2000 Mustang on the roadside once, on a road trip! Damn serpentine system, couldn't isolate the compressor.

Spare is crappy, I'll borrow the one from my cabrio. Good call on the coolant and oil too -- usually do carry those items but a reminder is always good.

So my car prep looks okay on paper, huh? Any spare parts/fuses/relays I should bring?

tjts1 · « **Reply #3 on:** November 05, 2007, 04:36:13 PM »

Bring ear plugs. The noise level with 4.1 gears can wear you out faster than anything.

strad · « **Reply #4 on:** November 05, 2007, 05:55:44 PM »

^^^lol. I think we'll be fighting over who gets more seat time in the M52 coupe on the way back!

I just decided the water pump needs to be replaced as long as I have the cooling system apart -- ordered it and a Wahler 92-degree thermostat.

haledj · « **Reply #5 on:** November 05, 2007, 08:20:33 PM »

bring a bunch of stand up comedy- awesome on road trips

I sugest

demitri martin
daniel tosh
jim gaffigan
stephan lynch
dane cook

strad · « **Reply #6 on:** November 06, 2007, 12:44:16 AM »

Lol: missing from this picture is the water pump, thermostat and two small hoses.

It's not often I have this many new parts all waiting for install!

P.S. If I cared about not scratching the paint, I wouldn't have used it as a backdrop. It's hopefully getting resprayed this Christmas, with all but the spraying done by me!

pwforprez · « **Reply #7 on:** November 06, 2007, 09:41:50 AM »

thats alot of stuff. where did you get all the bent hoses. i need all that stuff as well. please point me in the right direction

strad · « **Reply #8 on:** November 06, 2007, 09:49:33 AM »

All but one of the water hoses come from bavauto's hose kit. I went with them because the package is convenient.

Pelican is where I got the two four-way hoses and the hoses leading to and from the idle valve, as well as all the gaskets, water pump, thermostat and belts. I got the plastic water pipe from the dealer (it was in stock!).

I should mention that several of the hoses are not necessary if you do what this guy did.

http://www.m42club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2742

I decided to put it back together the way it came from the factory though.

n2motorsports · « **Reply #9 on:** November 06, 2007, 10:25:32 AM »

AAA card

strad · « **Reply #10 on:** January 10, 2008, 05:16:01 PM »

An update: Besides losing a few ounces of coolant, 1500 miles went by without a hitch. All that maintenance paid off apparently.

gearheadE30 · « **Reply #11 on:** January 10, 2008, 05:49:45 PM »

Nice. My dealer also had the plastic pipe in stock. That's good, because mine grenaded not too long ago. Somehow it managed to break off at 3 of the 4 joints...

pbgd3skier · « **Reply #12 on:** January 10, 2008, 08:56:09 PM »

Amazingly you may have over prepared.

I try not to change too much right before a trip, some examples. Replaced a hose on a 535. It looked ratty at the end and I figured it would need it soon anyway. Filled system went on road trip. New hose burst in center, leaving me to AAA to the local autozone, and cobble together a hose. Should have kept that ratty hose, because really it was ratty for the last 30K miles and worked fine.

Had a similar event with a serp belt on a chevy suburban. A fuel pump in a ford probe, and a water pump in a Datsun. Maybe I just have bad luck but I come across these lemon parts more often than you could imagine.

My point being, next time you go on a 1500 mile road trip, install these things a few hundred miles in advance of the trip, then if it blows you will be in your neighborhood, and not on the side of a highway.

strad · « **Reply #13 on:** January 10, 2008, 10:22:00 PM »

Actually, I finished most of this about three weeks in advance of my trip, for the exact reasons you specified. And believe me, all of it was necessary! Although I had lifetime service records for the car, it was evident that the maintenance items I went after were due or overdue!