Road Trip - Maintenance Suggestions?

Icey1174 · 08-11-2009, 11:39 AM

I am getting ready for the first road trip with the P-Car.

I have spent the last 5 years repairing the car and for the first time ever I think the car is as solid as it can ever be.

I have replaced (within the past two years or 10K miles):
Water Pump
Belts
Pretty much all gaskets and seals (not a drop of oil anywhere)
Power steering pump
Alt and PS belts
New battery
All new wheel bearings
New tires
All new brakes
Fresh fluids and filters
All lights work
New ball joints - brass bushings from Rennbay
New sway bar bushings
New front struts
New strut bearings
New Odometer gear (on it's way)
New clutch
New fuel pressure regulator
New fuel line hose (damper to fuel rail)
New fuel injectors
New cap, rotor, and plugs

Anything else that I can do or check before I go on a 650 mile one way road trip to KY? It will be about a 10 to 11 hour drive with stops for fuel and lunch. This car is my DD and I now feel very comfortable driving it long periods of time. I can spend as much as 4 hours a day driving the car through out the day now. That is city and highway, The car is also turned on and off for periods of time thought the day as well.

I have always driven brand new cars. At least within a couple years old for long trips. This would be my first trip with a car that is 22 years old. Maybe I am just paranoid from past disasters when I was a kid and my parents' junk cars with zero maintenance.

Like I said, these repairs were within the past 2 years so I know the things that have been done have some miles on them and are in perfect working order.

Techno Duck · Techno Duck's Garage

Just drove fromy NY down to Houston, TX in a Jeep I bought 5 days earlier. 1700 miles. I'm sure the car will do fine with it's recent maitenance. Bring the commonly used tools with you, gallon of water, and extra quart of oil. A car charger for your phone aswel. Also make sure your spare tire air compressor works.

Icey1174 · 08-11-2009, 11:56 AM

Sounds good to me. I will have plenty of tools. The common tools, a good jack, and good jack stands do not take up much room.

Where in NY did you drive from?

krystar · 08-11-2009, 11:58 AM

bring yer AAA card

Icey1174 · 08-11-2009, 12:09 PM

That is funny. I was on AAA website a few days ago.

A tow for a Porsche is not cheap!

John_AZ · 08-11-2009, 12:17 PM

I'm always afraid my fuel pump will die. I replaced 2 on earlier 924 cars. I am still on the original fuel pumps on my current cars. I use a Lucas fuel treatment occasionally that has some additional lubrication and cleaning features.

Before you go, do a long night time drive with all accessories on. Head lights, radio/cd, cell phone charger, citizens band radio, 12 volt coffee maker

, fake police lights

....anything that draws power. Watch your idiot light. You do not want to see any hint of red flicker. I did not see that you replaced your alternator recently.

Go for it and have a great time. Take a laptop and a Pelican will be by your side or on the screen.

GL
John_AZ
1988 924S + 1987 924S
1979 924 + 1977.5 924 + 1970 914 1.7 +++===gone, past tutors

VII · 08-11-2009, 12:34 PM

I would invest in a cheap ebay front end bra or some paint protectant vinyl that could be applied to the hood/front end for the trip then taken off when you arrive. I have seen spray can paint protectants that wash off with soap and water but I can't imagine that they would do as good a job.

Techno Duck · Techno Duck's Garage

Long Island. Left at at 0330 and still took me over an hour to get into NJ. After that I pretty
much had he cruise control on he entire way down.

Another thing is bring windex and paper towels. My windshield was so dirty with dead bugs (worse at night) I had to stop a few times because I couldn't see anything. Wipers only do so much.

AAA everyone should be a member of. Great discounts at many places make it pay for itself. One I was recently amazed by is a 30% or so discount at lens crafters for glasses.

Another thing, not sure how many long drives you have done yourself, but I recommend stopping every 3 hours or so to stretch your legs and back. Granted my drive down was over 27 hours.. Stopping made it alot easier on me.

smokin_944 · smokin_944's Garage

Sweeeeet!! I love road trips. Last major trip in my car was 1650 miles each way. Ran the first leg (1650 miles) in 21 hours. The Porsche was scary in the Rocky mountains!! I Needed a pro windshield scraper unit and bug juice mostly, but the most useful thing was a whistler fastened on each side of the car to scare deer, bears, sheep,and moose. These guys can show up at any time, anywhere on the highway... FYI a whistler is a small wind driven unit mounted anywhere on the car on the front end. The pitch is painful to animals that disappear almost instantly. Good safety feature if you do a lot of highway driving. Available at Canadian Tire.

flash968 · 08-11-2009, 01:50 PM

spare DME relay and some fuses

a couple of bottles of water and a hat in case you break down in a hot spot and have to hoof it or wait

Icey1174 · 08-11-2009, 03:47 PM

I will get a spare DME relay. Have the lap top.

Maybe I will take a run to Rochester and back. I can turn that into a 3 hour drive.

I have driven many trips at the 400+ mark. Once to New Orleans from buffalo and back. The long drive is not too bad. I just thought it would be a cool experience for my 14 year old son and I. My parents live in Bowling Green, KY, so we are going to go on a tour of the Corvette plant among other things.

Rasta Monsta · Rasta Monsta's Garage

CV service!!!

Oh, and Duck, I drove my 931 from Phoenix to Portland 6 hours after purchase. . .it was 120 in the Sonoran Desert!!

mattdavis11 · 08-11-2009, 06:16 PM

Damn...mash the gas and go. My pop took me to visit Ole Miss from Dallas (9 hours) many years ago (16). There was no such thing as a list, we hopped in and hauled ass. I carry some tools, but jebus, these cars love the wide open road. Although this car has never left me stranded, I'd certainly expect it to happen within a mile of home.

I once lost the cam bolt, it snapped, and still made it. No worries my friend.

PS. Carry some ethernet cable to tie up the a/c compressor in case the tensioner strut decides to bid you farewell.

slow944s · 08-11-2009, 06:17 PM

MP3 player for the boy or a video player. Be safe.

Techno Duck · Techno Duck's Garage

I enjoyed my trip, was wanting to do a long road trip for a while by myself. Was hoping it woud be in the 951 but maybe next summer when I move back to NY. Have only done maybe 3-4hr trips in that car going to and from the track.

Oh yea, put sun screen on your left arm! I think I have a semi permanent truckers tan on my arm now.

The heat want bad the entire trip, only turned the a/c on once I got into georgia. Talk about under the gun, I had just gotten the a/c working on the jeep the night before leaving. Had to replace the compressor and overnight a mid year swap accumulator I couldn't get locally.

I was thinking in the next year or two about buying a car out in Cali and driving it back. Hope to add a 930 or 993 to the stable next.

Icey1174 · 08-11-2009, 10:45 PM

lol... "The Boy" have more than enough things to keep him busy!

CV's were just cleaned and repacked with the rear wheel bearings. I forgot that on the list.

I am sure there are other things I may have forgotten.

gobogie · 08-11-2009, 11:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flash968

spare DME relay and some fuses

a couple of bottles of water and a hat in case you break down in a hot spot and have to hoof it or wait

I'll definitely agree on the spare DME & fuses. I have only driven my car on one long distance trip from Colorado to Michigan after the purchase and had no problems (fortunately).

I like the hat idea

Cory

cvriv.charles · 08-12-2009, 02:33 AM

You know your car man. If you feel shes ready for such a drive then she's ready. Also,.... 10 - 11 hours for a 650 mile trip?!?! What are you going to be doing 50 the whole way? I just drove to TN from NJ which is about 800 miles and that took 12 hours exactly. Average speed being 75mph.

Have fun on your trip. You should stop by my place in belvidere nj which is probably an hour and change from you

Say hi

Icey1174 · 08-12-2009, 05:13 AM

lol... well at 65MPH and not one single stop for anything...

650miles/65mph = 10 hours

800miles/XMPH = 12 hours - you were driving 66 MPH.

It would take 13 hours to get there at 50 MPH!

We are also leaving on a Saturday at a busy traffic time of the year. So I am expecting to get some traffic throughout the day. There are at least 6 different cities to drive though.

And gas and food too!

cvriv.charles · 08-12-2009, 10:48 AM

Hmmm thats weird because we weren't doing 66mph?!?! We were doing 75+ and it took 12 hours. Well 12.5 hours. We made a few stops for gas etc but we didnt stop for long. We left at noon and arived at 12:30am. Weird.

Anyways enjoy your trip and take pics! We want to see your car on the road! Or at least parked on the side of the street in a cool position with a nice background