How bad does the playa eat up your car engine?

goathead · Post by **goathead** » Sun Apr 24, 2011 1:55 am

Dam

you mean regular maintaince isn't enough, I have been doing it wrong all this time......?????

I guess I would worry more if I didn't live here.

carry 2 spares, that is one thing we do.

Donna Matrix · Post by **Donna Matrix** » Sun Apr 24, 2011 4:29 pm

DO THIS

Drive in. Park. Unpack. Have fun.

Pack up. Drive out.

Never start your car while on the playa except for entrance and exit. The more it runs the more playa you suck into the engine.

portaplaya · Post by **portaplaya** » Tue May 03, 2011 2:31 pm

There are year-round people working out there for Burning Man and residents in nearby Gerlach. They don't seem to have a problem with a new car dying the first week they bring it to the playa.

The mechanic in the original post was using scare tactics to keep you from taking the car to Burning Man. Yes, it'll get dirty, but it won't die from a drive in and a drive out of the playa. BRC work ranch vehicles go months long between servicing.

havoc · Post by **havoc** » Wed May 04, 2011 6:00 am

i took my little matrix out there last year. i cleaned my air filter (K&N) before we left. i stopped in colorado for an oil change and had another one when i got back to indy. i haven't experienced any mechanical issues with it (other than the crappy ECM toyota put in it).

i did have the interior detailed a few months after i got home...my cloth seats are still a little playa-fied, but for the most part, you'd never guess the thing had been to burning man. :)

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Wed May 04, 2011 6:32 am

There may be an alternative ecm from toyota.
There are aftermarket too.
I know someone that burns new ones, if ti's worth it to you.

scruffyboy · Post by **scruffyboy** » Wed May 04, 2011 4:17 pm

What's probably far more important is prepping your car BEFORE you leave for the Playa...

As for afterwards? Sure it'll be dusty as all get out but unless it's been run extensively while your at the event I wouldn't worry about changing out filters/oil till you get home.

DPW auto shop blows out air filters on the vehicles that are running on playa on an almost daily basis. But then these are vehicles that see a LOT of use during the event. And NO DPW Auto Shop is NOT available to participants, it is strictly for DPW vehicles! We simply don't have the manpower/parts/time to deal with participants vehicular issues, we're busy enough with the DPW fleet.

teardropper · Post by **teardropper** » Wed May 04, 2011 4:23 pm

havoc wrote:...my cloth seats are still a little playa-fied, but for the most part, you'd never guess the thing had been to burning man.

I have a cloth interior in my ancient motorhome, I vacuum multiple times and I can slap the seat any time and get a puff of playa. It never had air in the cabin and I seem to leave the windows open some of the time.

Aside from regular maintenance and a good rinse at the car wash it seems fine.

havoc · Post by **havoc** » Thu May 05, 2011 8:05 am

gyre wrote:There may be an alternative ecm from toyota.
There are aftermarket too.
I know someone that burns new ones, if ti's worth it to you.

oh, mine was part of the recall, so it's been replaced at (thankfully) no cost to me. :)

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Thu May 05, 2011 8:56 am

Glad to hear that.

There may be some upgrades available though.
Most cars have some untapped efficiency or power.
This really applies to older cars.

Fully mappable systems allow you to tune yourself, in some cases.
Factory settings tend to be general.

mvrs · Post by **mvrs** » Sat May 07, 2011 7:45 am

The modern engine lubrication system is sealed. Should not need an oil change. I drive a 35ft. school bus and air filter is $125 a pop. I create a pre air filter using house air filters and lube the with K&N filter oil. I put this on when entering the playa and remove it when I get off the playa. This keeps out most of the dust from the air filter. Have not had to replace my filter since I stared doing this.

If I were in my car I would take a new air filter with me and put it in just before I hit the road when I leave. This will help keep dust out of the engine when the engine is working hard on the ride home.

The big benefit is that you will probably pay for the air filter in gas savings because the air filter is not clogged from the playa dust.

I have done 1000's of miles off road in Nevada and other states (quite a few playas).

Thats my $125 suggestion or .10c

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Sat May 07, 2011 9:05 am

What kind of vehicle air filter is that much?

How bad does the playa eat up your car engine?

Car care