Get your vehicle ready

[maladroit]

There are some tips here: http://www.burningman.com/preparation/e ... xodus.html

Most of this is common sense for any long trip, but it'll be a horrible mess if you are stuck 50 miles from the nearest place that has a tow truck, which is already busy towing the other people with breakdowns.

If you take it to a mechanic and there's a problem, better to deal with repairs now. Give them time order any special parts, let the repairs settle in before the trip.

I'm doing maintenance myself, here's a few things I'm doing:

• Check and replace brakes - important due to riding heavy on twisty and steep roads
• Change oil from 5W-30 to 10W-30 for better high temp performance
• Replace/clean air filter and oil filter
• Inspect tires, pressure and alignment
• Replace worn shocks
• Check transmission and transfer case fluid
• Check radiator condition and coolant level
• Inspect fan blades
• Inspect battery and belts
• Check high and low beams, brake lights, turn signals
• Track down any squeaks or rattles
• Test and recharge air conditioner

I'm also bringing the following supplies:

• A couple quarts of engine oil
• Spare air filter
• Jug of coolant
• Fire extinguisher
• Can of gasoline
• Bottle of transmission fluid
• Bottle of windshield washer fluid
• Plywood for jack stand - push the car up, not the playa down
• Battery jump box
• Socket set, screwdrivers, and wrenches
• Air pump
• Spare fuses
• Spare light bulbs
• Liquid Wrench
• Rags and pumice hand cleaner
• Tow strap

Anything else?

[gyre]

10-30 isn't needed.
Won't hurt, but go to a better grade if concerned.
Best is a good synthetic like redline or better.

Good to change other fluids, rear end and trans to synthetic.

If you have an automatic, you need a trans cooler if it's fuel injected.

Current science on oil is that the thinnest will lubricate better.
It just has to take the heat, not hard these days.
0-5 is commonly used for racing now.

Use distilled water in the radiator, as usual.
Evans fluid is an upgrade.
I've used water wetter with standard coolant with success.

[maladroit]

10W-30 is recommended for my Jeep if 100F+ temperatures are expected during that oil change. The reasoning is that, with a temperature-dependent viscosity oil, 5W-30 will eventually get too runny to effectively protect moving parts, since it shears down to lower viscosity over time. It'll be especially brutal when starting and stopping the engine a lot during high ambient temperatures. I'm thinking about when I start the engine after it's been sitting in the heat for a week, and then starting and stopping it many times during Exodus. If you start with 10W-30, it slowly shears down from there. It's not recommended for freezing temperatures, which I haven't seen for years...

Synthetic probably does solve that issue entirely.

I do have a transmission cooler, I have the towing package. Should be fine since I'm not towing anything

I'm mostly concerned about the cooling system. Had to do major work on it recently, and I still need to replace the leaky heater core. Right now the heater core is bypassed with a small piece of hose and I don't really want to trust that.

[Jackass]

Synthetics suck, unless your vehicle came from the factory with it don't use it. Waste of money and if you never ran it in your vehicle it may start leaking, molecules are smaller or something to that effect. An oil change is better than no oil change, this isn't formula one racing, it's a festival camping trip.

[gyre]

Old technology.

They can see what happens under pressure to oil on bearing surfaces.
Higher viscosity actually is pushed out faster and you have metal to metal for longer duration.
Check the viscosities in your costly transmission.

If you have leaks, you have leaks,
You may not be able to afford decent oil if you have big leaks, but that is a different issue.
There were issues with Mobil One and some european seals.
Not an issue for many years.

You always want the thinnest oil that will withstand the temperatures.
Viscosity is not an indicator of temperature rating any longer.
An adequate oil shouldn't break down.

Synthetic is very cost effective now.
Quality does vary.
Expect to pay $8-10 quart for the better stuff.
Safe to run it further than average with filter changes.

[gyre]

Synthetic isn't actually synthetic, just processed oils.
Quality varies with each.

Any issues are with additives.

[Canoe]

Automatic Transmission Cooler

Never installed one of these before (I'd misunderstood the "cooler" tucked onto the bottom of the rad).

Jeep 4.0 litre straight six, towing up to 3,500 lbs., over the hills, the Continental Divide, Highway 50 and of course on to BRC.

Seems like the tube & plate is the best type.

How to size one?
Plumbed after the rad on the return to transmission line?
Mounting orientation to get the air out?

Thanks,

[unjonharley]

There are some tips here: http://www.burningman.com/preparation/e ... xodus.html

Most of this is common sense for any long trip, but it'll be a horrible mess if you are stuck 50 miles from the nearest place that has a tow truck, which is already busy towing the other people with breakdowns.

If you take it to a mechanic and there's a problem, better to deal with repairs now. Give them time order any special parts, let the repairs settle in before the trip.

I'm doing maintenance myself, here's a few things I'm doing:

• Check and replace brakes - important due to riding heavy on twisty and steep roads
• Change oil from 5W-30 to 10W-30 for better high temp performance
• Replace/clean air filter and oil filter
• Inspect tires, pressure and alignment
• Replace worn shocks
• Check transmission and transfer case fluid
• Check radiator condition and coolant level
• Inspect fan blades
• Inspect battery and belts
• Check high and low beams, brake lights, turn signals
• Track down any squeaks or rattles
• Test and recharge air conditioner

I'm also bringing the following supplies:

• A couple quarts of engine oil
• Spare air filter
• Jug of coolant
• Fire extinguisher
• Can of gasoline
• Bottle of transmission fluid
• Bottle of windshield washer fluid
• Plywood for jack stand - push the car up, not the playa down
• Battery jump box
• Socket set, screwdrivers, and wrenches
• Air pump
• Spare fuses
• Spare light bulbs
• Liquid Wrench
• Rags and pumice hand cleaner
• Tow strap

Anything else?

List checked..

Good list.. No (blah blah) debate from here.. Just getting it done....

[Martiansky]

Anything else?

Don't forget up-to-date insurance/proof of registration(yearly tabs) paperwork......you never know when you might be asked for it.

That's a really good list, thank you for posting .....Hope you don't mind I printed it off to use as a reference worksheet for getting my truck ready.

[unjonharley]

And your Burning Man TICKET

[burner von braun]

Helpful list, thanks maladroit.. and thanks Canoe for bumping it

I might add..

-Test your windshield wipers to see if they still get the job done
(bring window cleaning liquid and rags to clear heavy layer of dust off of windshield when you're ready to leave playa )

-Wax your vehicle before you begin the journey. She'll love you long time.

-Take a moment to become familiar with your tire changing gear if you aren't already, know your vehicles hard points now so you don't have to crawl around more than necessary on the shoulder of a busy highway if you have to change a tire.

[unjonharley]

Think I have mentioned a mechanics creeper somewhere else..

You should carry a cheaper creeper a.k.a. A nice sheet of cardboard,for getting on the ground.. Save wear on the knees and such.. If you have to get down on the road..

[maladroit]

One more important suggestion. De-moop your vehicle before packing it. If you have some parking receipts and fast food wrappers lingering around, guess what's going to happen when you open your door at Gate on a windy day?

[littlebird]

Anything else?

Don't forget up-to-date insurance/proof of registration(yearly tabs) paperwork......you never know when you might be asked for it.

Did anybody happen to see the post someone made about offering rides on their school bus from Portland? I'm pretty sure the mods pulled it. The poster wrote something along the lines of, "The bus isn't insured, but it's registered and the driver is licensed."

Well, two thumbs up for the registration and driver's license!! Two out of three is good enough, right? The cops will surely take that in mind and give you a pass, as will anybody you might get into an accident with, particularly if you're at fault.

[Canoe]

Make sure to top up your Blinker Fluid.
Be prepared to show LEO that it's full.

[burner von braun]

<bump> for Caravansary

[nixiebunny]

Don't forget to do the same for your bikes!

[unjonharley]

Got my bikes ready before the van..

[burner von braun]

<bump>

[Canoe]

<bump> for 2016, if a little late

[unjonharley]

New ties, brake job, plugs, coil, cap, and engine flash with synthetic oil's .. Hold it down to 55 pulling trailer .. Oregon Law on state hwy is 55 mph.. I 5 65mph ..

[Skuzzy61]

Uhmmm,....heater and radiator hose repair kit. Cheap insurance.

[Various]

A get your vehicle ready cautionary tale: My radiator just exploded. Fortunately, it was within two miles of my house. If it had waited a week to explode, I'd be in a world of hurt actually irritated but unhampered, because I rent a cargo van to take to the Burn every year - but if you don't, fix your shit before it assfucks you in the poop chute.

[Captain Goddammit]

fix your shit before it assfucks you in the poop chute.

I've been wrenching on cars and trucks a long time, and I gotta say this pretty goddamm well sums up what you need to do!

[Ratty]

Dudes and their trucks.

[Captain Goddammit]

Someone at work recently asked me how many times a week I wash mine... it depends on the weather mostly.
But I never ride dirty! I try to act like it's OK when it gets destroyed in BRC, but I may just never take it there again even though that's one of the main reasons I have it.

[GreyCoyote]

Capt: oh c'mon... Whats a little (pH=11, microfine, silica-bearing, 3-micron, hydrophyllic) dust between friends?

Keep Burningman toxic! Embrace the inevitable corrosion! Support your local smelter!!!

[Skuzzy61]

Well, all the preparations I did with the RV paid off. The poly sealer shed the dust like water off a ducks back. I was even surprised at how easy it was to clean the RV at the truck stop in Fernley. The seals all cleaned up with a single swipe. 3852 miles with only one incident, which was the AUX battery charging circuit fizzling out on the way to BRC.

Just meant we had no refrigerator as the propane relay would not hold without the AUX battery. Not a great design. But there was goodness in the design not allowing the primary battery to be reduced to the point where it would not start the RV.

Because the AUX battery was also used for starting the generator, we had to start the engine each day and charge the primary up high enough to start the generator, which would complete the primary charging. Speaking of generator. The camp had several Honda generators about so I got to compare the noise to the Onan in the RV. It was comparable in noise levels. Maybe due to being housed in the RV shell, but I was happy with it, as were surrounding camp mates.

Anyway, small potatoes as we planned on using the Coleman ice chest for most the heavy lifting anyway so loss of the refrigerator was not a biggy.

Very happy with the rental, overall.

[EGAZ]

My new to me '03 diesel ran perfectly after a complete fluid change and inspection. Hauled the RMC like it wasn't there. Except when it decided that two injectors needed to fail on the way home. In between Beatty and Vegas I started fogging the highway for Zika Skeetos all the way to Phx. LOL

The inside was fine, quick blow out, vacuum & wipe down..... done.

[Skuzzy61]

Yep, took us about 4 hours to detail it out once we got it unloaded. Power washing the under-carriage in Fernley was one of our better ideas.

When we returned it to the dealer, he came out from inside and looked at us and asked, "Did you guys even use this thing? It seems cleaner then it was when you picked it up?" It was.