Long trip prep - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

JHZR2 · #1 08-30-2012, 11:02 PM

I drive a lt amongst all my cars, and do a lot of longer road trips. I'm going to be taking my 82CD on one soon. Essentially it goes like this - started working on window regulators last sept. Parked the car in the garage. Now that I have my window aligned, I'm going to take it on a trip, about a year later. It has sat in the garage on a battery maintainer for about a year. Car was running perfect before, but I won't have a ton of time to run it through the ringer before I go. Filters were all new as were belts. I will change oil before the trip.

Recommendations for getting ready, and suggestions for "kit" to bring along just in case?

Thanks!

Zacharias · #2 08-30-2012, 11:26 PM

I can't think of much before you leave, except you didn't mention if the transmission had been serviced in recent memory. If the fluid is looking kind of used, it might be a plan to do a service. Wiper blades okay? Rain-X isn't a bad plan either. How those rad hoses looking? Linkages nicely lubed?

Kit suggestions (some kind of out there):
- waterless hand cleaner and/or disposable gloves
- a shop towel or two or three
- paper towels
- glass cleaner
- JB Weld or similar
- injector return line
- spare fuses
- duct tape (yeah I'm Canadian)
- electrical tape
- GP relay fuse
- a glowplug or two or?
- spare GP relay if you have one
- voltage regulator
- fuel filters
- a diesel additive that dewaters bad fuel
- 12v electrical test probe or ohm meter
- jugs of motor oil, trans fluid, premixed coolant
- tire repair/inflate in a can (though only as a real last resort)
- a small tarp or something else you can lie on
- work shirt and pants
- plastic rain poncho
- I carry around a spare primer pump, believe it or not
- obviously a few tools to allow you to use any of the above, if needs be

Have a good trip and may you need none of the above....

JHZR2 · #3 08-31-2012, 11:49 AM

Yeah I keep after my cars well so they have fresh GPs, fresh filters, ATF doesnt have a lot of miles on it, etc. I even replaced the rad hose from the overflow tank to the radiator because it was showing some signs of weeping.

All is well with the car besides that it has sat for about a year inside in the garage, so whatever that can cause...

JHZR2 · #4 08-31-2012, 11:55 AM

OK, so looking at your list:

Kit suggestions (some kind of out there):
- waterless hand cleaner and/or disposable gloves - good idea on gloves
- a shop towel or two or three - Ill have a roll of blue paper towels
- paper towels - see above
- glass cleaner - plan on doing this before I leave
- JB Weld or similar - OK
- injector return line - OK
- spare fuses - in the glovebox already
- duct tape (yeah I'm Canadian) - OK
- electrical tape - OK
- GP relay fuse - Probably a good thing for the glovebox kit!
- a glowplug or two or? - Just did mine, not worried about hard starts in Sept.
- spare GP relay if you have one - I dont but good idea
- voltage regulator - Just replaced mine last year
- fuel filters - OK
- a diesel additive that dewaters bad fuel - Always
- 12v electrical test probe or ohm meter - OK
- jugs of motor oil, trans fluid, premixed coolant - I always at least carry 1 qt of oil.
- tire repair/inflate in a can (though only as a real last resort) - I was going to bring a bike pump and a plug kit
- a small tarp or something else you can lie on - OK
- work shirt and pants - good idea
- plastic rain poncho - OK
- I carry around a spare primer pump, believe it or not - replaced mine not long ago, its the new style
- obviously a few tools to allow you to use any of the above, if needs be - I have the car's kit. What tools are best? So much stuff on the car that would be practical to do is 13mm, so I have that with ratchet and combination wrench. What other tools?

Phillytwotank · #5 08-31-2012, 12:18 PM

that list looks fairly complete. ADD to the list a extra alternator belt, maybe an extra thermostat and one thing you should never leave home without.. A tow rope! and definitely gloves.

one good thing about w123 is that, a limited set of tools will do ya fo most jobs. Definitely set of ( like you said ratchet and combo in addition to the cars toolkit) 13mm,17mm,channel locks,duct tape and bailing wire. i assume that you have a jack and other tire tools.. add something to chauck(sp?) the wheels

Pack wisely to fit all that in the Coupe. i hope you don't need to use any of it

How long is your trip?

Zacharias · #6 08-31-2012, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JHZR2

I have the car's kit. What tools are best? So much stuff on the car that would be practical to do is 13mm, so I have that with ratchet and combination wrench. What other tools?

I carry extra long (no. 3) and regular (no. 2) flat and phillips screwdrivers and medium-sized adjustable wrench all the time. For a trip I would probably add shorty twos.

I also carry a 22mm open end wrench (large fuel filter) as my mechanic friend once ripped me a new one when he saw scars on that bolt from me using an adjustable to loosen it.

I also drive around with a complete (large) socket set in the trunk but that is more out of laziness than readiness....

If by combo wrench you mean one of those with the multi-heads, I thought about that but I wonder if the head would be too large for some confined spaces.

Come to think of it, I think I carried a spare injector with me when I did my 3500-mile trip with my SD in '97. Haven't done a trip more than 400 miles with my cars since.