Tips for road tripping with an '81 240D

[seattle240D]

Hey all! I'm planning on road tripping from Seattle to San Diego (on highway101) and then back to Seattle (through the interior, via lake tahoe, crater lake, etc.) in June. The trip will last approximately 2 weeks with the average driving distance per day somewhere around 200 miles (subject to change, of course). As a little side note, my father drove the car up from San Diego to Seattle three years ago after he bought it in San Diego, so its done half the trip before...

Naturally, the thought of a 3000+ mile long roadtrip on some fairly intense roads (Big Sur, Death Valley, Yosemite, Route 49...) has got me a bit worried about the car. I'm just posting to ask for tips on how you would go about preparing for such an adventure with a 123; I'm trying to gain some perspective. My car is in good/great condition and has always run well and has somthing like 340,000 miles on her.

1. What are the five most important things you'd do before embarking (i.e. tune-ups, checks, etc.)?

2. What are the top 5-10 tools/supplies you'd bring along with you?

3. Most importantly: am I completely nuts?

Please feel free to post any general tips regarding road tripping with a 123! I know alot of you guys are filled with bits of knowledge I might find helpful when I'm stranded in the middle of Death Valley with nothing but a week old-half eaten burrito and a socket wrench...the wealth of information contained within the forum has been invaluble since I got the car and has gotten me out of a number of potentially bad (understatement) situations.

Thanks in advance,

Sean

[speedy82]

I always check/replace the braided fuel hoses traveling between the injectors & everywhere else, change both fuel filters, look for fuel leaks at all junctions, check for loose or worn vaccuum connections, check the voltage on the battery, change the oil/filter and I clear out any useless junk in my trunk to lighten my load. I always pack frequently used wrenches & a few flathead screwdrivers, spare fuel filters (& golf tees), misc. clamps, fluids (qt. oil, diesel treatment, coolant, gallon water, ATF, windshield wash, PB blaster), jack, lugwrench, portable compressor, flashlight, duct tape, tire guage, batteries & extra fuses including the fuse to the relay....wonder if I forgot anything.....clean underwear.

[Kuhlrover]

1. If the car hasn't had a "tune-up" in awhile, then now is a good time. For a 240D I would consider changing the oil, oil filter, clean the air filter, change the fuel filter, adjust the valves.
2. Check the remaining fluid levels: Transmission, differential, brake, power steering and washer fluid.
3. Check the rubber bits, such as belts and hoses. Replace if necessary. If you replace the belts, be sure to check them for proper tension after a hundred miles. Hint: put your hundred miles on the new belts and hoses on the car before you start your trip.
4. Check the air pressure in the tires and the spare. Grab the top of each wheel and pull back and forth to make sure the bearings aren't loose.
5. Have a partner help you check the turn signals front and aft and the brake lights. Check the remaining lights.

For a high mileage engine, I suggest a couple of gallons of 15W-40 motor oil in the trunk. I have found a long sustained run down the highway will consume more oil in blow by then I will burn in the same number of miles going to work. A quart of ATF and a couple of gallons of water is good. Safety equipment such as a flashlight, road flares and first aid kit our handy.

Be sure to pop the hood and the check the oil level at each fuel stop.

TimK

[seattle240D]

I've noticed a few posts about doing valve adjustments on the board. Can you reccomend any guides as being better or worse? I have been trying to get around to adjusting the valves and I think this weekend will be it...any tips?

thanks for the advice...note to self: clean undies

haha

[PatricdeBoer]

Make sure you take the 1 through Big Sur. That is quite possibly the most amazing stretch of road in America. Make sure you go to In-n-out Burger too, your life will never be the same.

[seattle240D]

oh ya. We're takin 101 and 1 just about the whole way down (until North of LA). No ther way to do it! I'm worried about how brutal it will be on the car though...

as for in and out, its alright. We have this place called dicks up here, it kicks in and outs a__. locally owned, only four of them, and great burgers for 2 bucks, mmmmmmmm...I guess I'll stop to give the aussie a taste of cali...

[Boardmonger]

The car ought to be fine, 101 is a mellow drive, I'm sure the 240 can handle it with ease.

We were planning a really long trip from SF to Alaska but that has since fallen through. I'm not afraid to take a w123 anywhere.

[KAdams4458]

Honestly? AAA membership would be handy.

Off topic: Now, you mention Dick's, which I've seen and smelled, but never visited. Is it really good? My wife is disgusted by the smell of the place, and I'm afraid she'd somehow know if I ever went there just by smelling me afterwards. I'll have to schedule my return home for after she's left to work the night shift. Ha!

[seattle240D]

you live in Seattle and have never been to dicks?! my suggestion is get there as soon as you can!! Its SOOOO good. Now by good I mean old time cheap fast food. I recommend the wallingford location anytime after 8pm or cap hill any time of the day (lots of crazies)...personally I'm closest to the Lake City Way one.

I definitly have the AAA membership. Got all my maps and campbooks ready to go. They've bailed me out before, after that I realized why my dad swears by them, haha.

Thanks for the reassurance. I'm not afraid the car's not able to handle the trip, its just that I know I drive the car hard (which its designed for, but still) and the over the time/distance of the trip the car could potentially experience something (from running out of washer fluid to blowing a gasket, who knows) unexpected. I'm hoping to use you guys as a resource in preparing myself (not just my car) for the ride. I'd rather use an ounce of prevention...I'm more wary of my personal inexperience with the car, so this will help me get to know it better in case something does happen.

[KAdams4458]

In my defense, I only moved to Seattle because of my wife, and I've only been here for a couple of months. The Capitol Hill location is the one I've seen, I think. I sort of kidnap their parking lot whenever I stop to visit the Hollywood Video right next to it.

AAA is good to have. In fact, I'll probably be signing up for it shortly. Getting to know your car is good, but getting to know your car when you're 1,000 miles from home isn't much fun, so just be sure to have a selection of common tools on hand - I know that I always do.

[PatricdeBoer]

Originally Posted by seattle240D

as for in and out, its alright.

Blasphemy!

The 1 should probably be the worst of your worries, and thats not bad at all. make sure you fill up around Monterrey, there is no diesel for a long time. Actually, there is no anything for a long time. I almost ran out of fuel the first time I came down it. If you do end up having mechanical trouble, you'll probably always be within an hours drive of someone on this forum.

[toomany MBZ]

Originally Posted by seattle240D

I've noticed a few posts about doing valve adjustments on the board. Can you reccomend any guides as being better or worse? I have been trying to get around to adjusting the valves and I think this weekend will be it...any tips?

thanks for the advice...note to self: clean undies

haha

If you can take pics of linkage prior to removal. Use new gasket, a helper and a set of valve wrenches help tremendously. Make sure you get the I and E valves correct.

[Stevo]

When passing through Oragon you CAN pump your own fuel so when the attendent wakes up and comes charging out just politely tell him to "check with the boss", you can pump your own DIESEL fuel.

[GreenMedallion]

I'm doing a drive from LA to SF and back on the 101. Much shorter than yours. I have in the trunk-
2 quarts of oil
wrench, leatherman, screwdrivers
diesel purge
1 can of fix-a-flat
jumper cables
flash light
jack
and 5 gallons of B99

its about 300 miles on the nose on the 101 between B99 in Santa Barbara and B99 in San Jose!

Recently had oil change, filters changed, valves adjusted.

If you do AAA - the "premium" membership covers towing for 100 miles, regular membership is something like 15 miles. I found this out the hard way once, and despite the higher premium, never looked back.