post playa engine clean?

[timzofrancis]

I am planning on driving my 1996 subaru out to black rock this year. It is old, and has been reliable in its old age, so I am wondering how I can take any precautions that will help it keep on trucking through exodus and for the next year or so after this lovely adventure.

I have been doing my best to stay up on the clean up: i.e. air blasting the engine post burn, a deep clean (or two), covering vents, vinegar and armor wipes, etc. But! my main concern is how I can keep the engine happy while I am out there, should (can?) I cover the underside of the car? would that protect it? in the post burn clean marathon how can I best clean the engine?

I am looking for advice from all of the brave souls that take their favorite beater out to the burn every year.
Thanks! See y'all at home !)'(!

[Captain Goddammit]

Well first of all, every vehicle I've taken to BRC has become rusty.
I will NEVER take another nice truck out there!
Covering isn't really an option. The bitch is that playa dust is super corrosive when you add water, and pressure washing is about the only way to really clean everything.
So the answer is, fuck.

[666isMONEY]

Fernley NV has a self-serve car wash.

Last year I thought I'd clean the air cleaner before leaving the playa but I was lucky and did not have to eat much dust on the way in (or out).

Other than that, as soon as I hit the pavement, I open all the windows.

[Molotov]

I'm carrying a spare air filter for my diesel Dodge and will change it out wherever I stop for the night after Exodus. (Probably Fallon) Oil change just before I leave and after I return from the 4000 mile round trip -not via the shortest route-I have relatives to see on the way back. Other than that-not much else.

[Patsh]

Ha! It must have looked pretty funny to the people behind me the last 2 years. As soon as I got to going fast on level pavement, I opened all the windows and turned the fan on full blast. The car filled up with a white cloud which billowed out the windows. I wonder what they thought I was smoking!

[shroom]

as everyone else has said, and you yourself said. you're doing good. my truck that i took didn't rust in the few years i had it before i traded it.

[geospyder]

I drive a Jeep Wrangler and the air intake to the cabin is from the louvers by the windshield. I cut down a FPR10 furnace filter to fit over the louvers. Also all the "seams" of the hood that would allow air into that area are taped with Frog tape. This prevents the huge dust clouds when you turn on the AC Day after I get home I pressure wash the entire Jeep and then even take it to the local car wash for their premium wash (under carriage). Prior to going to the Playa I also put on a protective layer of wax. It may be an overkill but other than a BRC sticker on the back window you'd never know it has been to the Playa.

[Morrell]

In years past we have rigged an army surplus parachute as a snood over the front of our RV. Seems to decrease the amount of dust that gets in the engine.

[theCryptofishist]

Ha! It must have looked pretty funny to the people behind me the last 2 years. As soon as I got to going fast on level pavement, I opened all the windows and turned the fan on full blast. The car filled up with a white cloud which billowed out the windows. I wonder what they thought I was smoking!

The people who came out of exodus just behind you? Yeah, I'm sure they were flummoxed.

[Thecatman]

Keep in mind your cabin filter if has one!

[Thecatman]

The bitch is that playa dust is super corrosive when you add water,

After attending BM 6 times as well as racing across the playa several times in the default world, I'm now getting cancer at all four corners of my 95 Ford. Now, I don't know if it's from playa dust not being completely removed or from going on 20 years of road salt during winter driving. I was guessing the later.