Getting the 120K mile Roady ready for it's 3000 mile Virginia trip

Figured I'd start a thread here so I can keep track of things...as usual I appreciate all you guy's advice!

I'm making a list of parts to order when I get paid at the end of the month.   Goal is to head off as many issues as possible before I load my wife, sons, and parents in the Roady for our fall vacation to Washington DC and then Wagonfest.  I actually got my wife's blessing to "do whatever I think (!!!) to get "that old car" ready for our vacation".   OK!

So far I've just been piddling.   Did the electric fan swap, K&N intake, and am putting in new rear speakers and lift-struts for the tail gate glass.    NONE of this was needed for reliability...but I wanted to do all this before Wagonfest!  Ha!

NOW, for a hopefully reliable vacation, here is my order list.   Tell me if I forgot anything:

- New Delphi Optispark  (Rock Auto)
- New Delphi Fuel Pump (just the pump..the float works fine and I should have no line corrosion being a Texas car) and a new Fuel Filter (Rock Auto)
- New Delco plug wires and plugs (Rock Auto)  Copper or Platinum Plugs?  Suggestions?
- Replace PCV Valve
- Radiator Flush
- Rear axle service, new fluid, GM limited slip add, new gasket
- Replace transmission filter and fluid in pan (not a flush)...this is the original trans, shifts fine at 120K miles, and was last serviced at 75K miles....but is my one real worry....I know these transmissions seem to fail around my current mileage...
- Oil and Filter Change (of course) - Castrol GTX High Mileage
- Pull wheels and inspect brakes/re-pack front wheel bearings
- Check U-joints
- Check Belt/Hoses
- New Tires (got a great deal on a set of brand new 235/55/17 Riken Raptors...  I'm not crazy about an off-brand, would rather have Goodyear GA's again, but these are brand new with a 35,000 mile warranty.) 
- Alignment

Then drive off and on for a month-and-a-half to make sure everything is "right"

Front end was rebuilt less than 10K miles ago.   Will grease fittings...but should be good.

SO WHAT HAVE I FORGOTTEN??   If this car craps out on the trip my wife will NEVER let me live it down...    

Can't wait to see everyone at Wagonfest!  

-Mike

Oh and I totally understand if I just changed the oil in the wagon and we got in it and went, it would most likely be just fine. That's all we did with the 189K-mile K5 Blazer that had been sitting for a year on wet New Jersey grass....but if I'm getting a pass to do all this work on the Roady....I'm going to do it!!   

-Mike

Its a damn good idea to do all this. I went to WF NY this past month and just changed the oil and trans fluid, checked out everything else and went. The week after I got back the water pump failed. Ha I got lucky.

MalibuSSwagon wrote:

Its a damn good idea to do all this. I went to WF NY this past month and just changed the oil and trans fluid, checked out everything else and went. The week after I got back the water pump failed. Ha I got lucky.

Did the water pump at 80K miles, so have 40K on it now. Hopefully that will hold together!   

-Mike

Bring a spare ICM/coil and coil wire and bring a double barbed brass fitting and two hose clamps in case the heater hose restrictor blows.

Tire plug tool with plugs and rubber cement is a good idea. I always bring that on trips. A small compressor is a good idea, too. I use the Slime one.

AAA gold card, too!

Check the water pump again. I've seen them leak as early as 20k after a replacement.

I know preventative maintenance can be good, but in all honesty, I wouldn't have done any of that. I probably would have changed the oil, only if it was time to. You're replacing perfectly good functioning parts.

The last time I went to WF VA, I brought an extra starter, alternator, water pump, fuel pump, coil, OPTI, hoses etc. etc. I was ready for anything or so I thought. The one thing I did need, I didn't have........ a transmission.

Tom

^ What he said.

Like, really. You've probably got the best maintained car on the forum. Change the oil, drive it, return home, continue to drive it.

silverfox103 wrote:

I know preventative maintenance can be good, but in all honesty, I wouldn't have done any of that.  I probably would have changed the oil, only if it was time to.  You're replacing perfectly good functioning parts.

The last time I went to WF VA, I brought an extra starter, alternator, water pump, fuel pump, coil, OPTI, hoses etc. etc.  I was ready for anything or so I thought.  The one thing I did need, I didn't have........ a transmission.

Tom

Yeah Tom, the trans is my main worry....it's fine now. Hope it continues to be fine!

-Mike

Stop worrying, drive it and have fun!

Tom

silverfox103 wrote:

Stop worrying, drive it and have fun!

Tom

That's the plan!   

That is quite the list.

I would drive it. I am over 145K on my daily with the original Opti and Transmission.
But I don't have the tribe with me..

Change the major fluids as you plan to or if they are due. Don't forget the brake fluid if it's older. Drive smooth and you should be fine.

You will get to see the condition of the Water pump when you pull it to get to the Optispark. Check the weep hole. No evidence of leak move on to Opti. Take your time. It's not as bad as everyone makes it out to be. Yes it stinks to get to but once you are there it's not that bad.

Don't forget a sock for the fuel pump. Hopefully it comes with one. You want to replace that when you replace the fuel pump.

Also a set of gaskets for the Water pump.

Platinum plugs are cheap enough. I would go with Autolite AP106. Copper means you will be changing them in 30k miles. It's painful enough to do every 100K.

Start looking for a small trailer to carry all your STUFF!

Your car,. do what you want,,.... you're going to anyway,.

start changing a lot of stuff,. and you may screw things up,. sleeping dogs lie etc,.

IF i owned your car,. all i would do is add a shift improver kit to the trans,. it really adds life to the transmission,.and clean the force motor screen while you're in there,.

make sure the front wheel bearing cups are full of grease,..

have a plan that will tow you to shelter,. fix as required in the parking lot,.

I have driven cars from one side of the continent to the other many times,.

its a crap shoot,....

new parts fail and break your heart too,..i,ve had new fuel pumps puke in 3 weeks,.

I had a rebuilt LT water pump leak right away,..

I had a rebuilt starter quit,.it was a month old,. etc etc,...

I like high mile vehicles,. they have proved their credibility,...

the orange wagon was a $600 special,. 3 oil filter housing gaskets and 1 new rad cap,.it went from jarrods to charlotte and home,.

My friend just had his transmission replaced in his truck,. a 2014 dodge 2500,.it had less than 2000 miles on it,..

Don't be like some guys and replace stuff for long journeys,. the have problems with what they were working on,. and they don't make it,..

see first sentence.

Take a lot of money or a credit card with a high limit and low balance. If it breaks get it fixed. 3000 miles is a small journey for these cars. That type of driving is the easiest on the car as well. Stop and go local driving will do more wear and tear than anything else.

I drove from Detroit to FL (unknowingly) on a set of REALLY loose wheel bearings, and for another year in FL before they were found. They were so bad that I had to replace the spindle. I rebuilt the front end, and found out I had a bent sway bar as well. It is amazing how much abuse things will take and still work.

Take a bottle of stop leak for the radiator. I would also suggest a couple rolls of duct tape, a roll of ceiling hanger wire, and a couple of tie-down straps. A list of the people on the forum, and their phone numbers, at intervals along your route would be nice too.

I think you should just stay home in fear that driving the car it might break.....

FYI...my fuel sender stopped working after a reputable mechanic changed the fuel pump....things happen.

I drove my 95 RMW down to Florida (1k+ mile trip one way) on 4 out of balance tires with 15psi in them, squealing brakes and bad rear shocks. In all of this my biggest concern was the new transmission, but I'm happy to say aside from overfilling the tranny and having it drip out the vent hose it was "smooth" sailing.

Thanks again all for the comments and suggestions. I've done this drive A LOT going to Pennsy and NJ from Texas and back...think I could do it blindfolded. Have done it so far in:

- 1969 GTO Convertible in 1992, NJ to Texas, voltage regulator went nuts in Tennessee and boiled the battery, fixed in Arkansas, made it to Texas with horrible sunburn. GREAT TRIP

- 1993 S-10 pickup....at least 7-8 round-trips from 1993-1997, twice towing cars behind it. Blew tire once outside Jackson TN, other than that no issues ever. GREAT LITTLE TRUCK

- 1996 SIlverado pickup - 1997 - Towing a flatbed trailer with '79 Corvette on the back, round-trip TX-NJ-TX, lost the a/c once back in Texas, HA, made it 3000 miles and lost the a/c 20-miles from home. Other than that, no issues.

- 1993 Oldsmobile Cutlass Convertible - 1996 - NJ to Texas delivery - No issues

- 1994 Pontiac Grand Prix Coupe - 1996 - NJ to Texas Delivery - No Issues

- 1979 Impala and 1967 Pontiac Executive , 1996, drove with friend moving to Texas, no problems with Impala, had to do a fuel pump and alternator on the '67 Pontiac in Virgina, which was a junkyard refugee, but it still made it! A drive to remember

- 1991 Camaro RS - 1996 - Black, a bit faded but zero rust, GREAT DRIVE, t-tops off the entire way from Texas to NJ. Was delivering vehicle for a friend.

- 1979 Buick Electra Limited Coupe - 2006 -2008. Drove it up in '06 and back to Tewas in '08. Trans fluid boiled in '06 between Little Rock and Memphis because I had buried the speedo....drove a sane pace the rest of the way and was fine. On drive back in '08 the a/c failed, so drove with windows down the entire trip..HOT...drove straight to see if I could do it...NJ-to-Texas....made it non-stop, totally exhausted...never straight again!!

- 2001 Ford Explorer in 2008. Refurbished truck for a friend - Texas to NJ - No issues

- 2001 Nissan Pathfinder 2008, NJ to Texas, towing 1988 Iroc-Z convertible rust-bucket - No issues

- 2001 GMC Denali - 2013 - towing to PA and then NJ, towed '82 Z28 back to Texas - No Issues

- 1990 K5 Blazer - 2013 - NJ to Texas. Rusted trans line in Northern VA, other than that, no issues.

I "think" that's it... So other than small stuff I've never had a major issue on this drive....have done it a bunch, and in all types of vehicles.

The ONE difference with this trip is I will have a carload of family with me. Normally I've been alone, or with a friend, my Dad, or my son.

Will be an adventure with 6-people in the car!!

-Mike

81X11 wrote:

Will be an adventure with 6-people in the car!!

-Mike

Should make for a longer but very interesting 81by11 story,..  

to quote,. "such fun!"

I hope you'll be using the 3rd seat, with 6 people, seeing you're driving 1400 miles.

81X11 wrote:

- 2001 GMC Denali - 2013 - towing to PA and then NJ, towed '82 Z28 back to Texas - No Issues

- 1990 K5 Blazer - 2013 - NJ to Texas.   Rusted trans line in Northern VA, other than that, no issues.

-Mike

I think I recall a Carlisle PA visit on this trip....

My concern with these cars is the transmission. Each year my wife and I and our 2 dogs make the trek from Pittsburgh to Florida, about 1200 or so miles each way. This fall will be the 4th trip, I think, maybe the third, and the car has always performed flawlessly. I know I shouldn't be paranoid, but the thought of a road side emergency of that caliber with my family, all the crap we take back and forth (thankfully less each year) just spooks me. When we arrive at which ever house we are going to, I always breath a sigh of relief. Have a great time on your trip with your family, and enjoy wagonfest!!

I'm thinking about driving my 138,000 mile roady to wf,all I'm gonna do is change the fluids,bring my tool,and a new water pump,starter,alternator,and serp belt and cpl jugs of coolant,just incase i need them.my biggest concern is that i have an original ohio car,and my son just damaged the front bumper,so kinda embarrassed my car won't measure up to the other
cars,I've only had it since may and haven't gotten t do any work on it.

just bring your tools,.. buy parts as and when required.

Yeah I debated on that, my line of thinking was if I break down in bfe with no parts places around. Might be left wishing I had the part, failing to plan. Is planning to fail. I'm not I'm looking to take back roads. But I know i may be getting caught up in worrying needlessly.

You guys are sounding like you're going to drive to Mars or something. It's America - there are parts places all around, especially east of the Mississippi. Just make a plan for each possible occurrence.

Here's mine:
0. Replace obvious stupid stuff like coolant restrictor/tee/hose assembly prior to trip if it's original. Carry easy-to-fix SMALL stuff like spare coil/ICM and the necessary tools.
1. Flat tire: full size spare.
2. Non-trip-stopping repair: get parts at a parts store, buy whatever tools you need (EVERY parts store sells tools nowadays)
3. Trip-stopping repair: pre-purchase towing coverage through AAA or insurance company (much cheaper), tow to local shop, get a rental if you need to keep going.
4. Major part failure like transmission: Have a Jasper reman installed by a shop along the way, giving you a nationwide warranty. I had to do this awhile back, and it wasn't the end of the world. Never had another problem with that transmission.
5. "Beyond Economical Repair" failure: Bring the title with you; trade it in or junk it and grab a rental to get home.

Really guys, this is easy.

As my family and I travel, I plan on taking all back roads, so..... Being a retired police officer there's not a thing wrong with being extra prepared. I could have my water pump on hand instead of waiting for only God knows how long for a tow, then you have to locate a place to stay, locate an auto part store if your lucky you can walk to it,or find a ride. Wich means you have to rely on a total stranger wich now knows you and your family are vulnerable. Um I'll take my chances with having a cpl parts in my enormous trunk seems.like a safer bet. I value your opinion but life experience dictates that I go the safer way, but thanks for your opinion,!! Hope tof see you at wf and hopefully neither of us will have a story about breaking down, lol

bcb577 wrote:

As my family and I travel, I plan on taking all back roads, so..... Being a retired police officer there's not a thing wrong with being extra prepared. I could have my water pump on hand instead of waiting for only God knows how long for a tow, then you have to locate a place to stay, locate an auto part store if your lucky you can walk to it,or find a ride. Wich means you have to rely on a total stranger wich now knows you and your family are vulnerable. Um I'll take my chances with having a cpl parts in my enormous trunk seems.like a safer bet. I value your opinion but life experience dictates that I go the safer way, but thanks for your opinion,!! Hope tof see you at wf and hopefully neither of us will have a story about breaking down, lol

I,ve travelled from one side of the continent to the other, i just take tools,.
you seem to be hung up on a water pump failure,.so change it before you leave, it'll start dripping and give you plenty of time to replace it or just add water to get you where you need to go,.

i guess you watched deliverance too many times,....

Everyone should be terrified of deliverance, lol if you happen to be driving the back roads and here me squeeling please renders assistance,lmbo

Part of the joy(?) of driving an older car is waiting for the other shoe to drop, break down wise. In an earlier post, I told the story of how one day the a/c was working fine, the next the compressor froze up. Since my 96 has a single belt, that could really leave you stranded on the side of the road! Luckily I was home, and not on the road when it happened. Someone mentioned the best insurance possible- extended range AAA. We have up to 150 mile towing (I think) and it is about $100 a year for us both. Not 100% sure on exact cost/miles but those numbers are close. To me, that is the best way to have peace of mind with an older car.

Both my wagons now have over 150k miles on them.  I had both motors and drive trains gone through at a big cost when I first got them.  So far all has been well as long as I keep up maintenance.

Just did a 1500 mile round trip and Goldy performed flawlessly!  Breakdowns can and will happen.  Recently had the transmission go out in my truck (105k) which I have had from new and babied....one just never knows.

Travel freely and don't think about it or your whole drive wil be in a panic.

i think im gonna take phantoms advise,im gonna drive on a hope and a prayer,if wife can get off work then it wf here we come,,,the barnacle boat is leaving dock!!!,lol