how to (mechanically) prepare for travel

[decodancer]

I've got some time before I take to the road. November and December in Kentucky. New York for Christmas and New years then to Florida for two weeks or so to visit family. I'll finally start the long awaited trip out west (to maybe meet a few of you in Q) in mid January. That's a lot of miles on a 1987 van and I want to avoid mechanical issues as much as possible. The busy summer season is when I can afford to get things taken care of.
The van has no mechanical issues that I know of. My neighbor just remarked today that the engine purrs like a kitten while I was checking fluids. I had a tranny leak a while back and it was just a hose so an easy fix. I do remember that they said I needed something to do with the axel, I'll have to call on Monday and see if they kept a record of what it was as I don't remember.
I have four new tires and a fairly new serpentine belt. Obviously, I'll have the oil changed, luckily it does not leak and never needs oil. I have a roadside rescue through my insurance company, not sure if it covers towing, I'll have to check on that. My question (finally) is what do I need to have checked or done before I leave. Thanks in advance, everyone here is always so helpful.

 

[GotSmart]

I am in the middle of replacing the ball joints, and while I was there, I found some incidental damage caused by the previous owner. Being mechanically inclined, I am able to do things myself, and have saved 2X what the parts are costing me on all repair jobs.

If you have a mechanic you trust, have him give the van a complete going over. Have the gas filter changed, and ask about replacing the tranny and radiator fluid.

A $100 repair now will save you a $2,000 repair on the road.

 

[66788]

I'm doing the same thing to the van I just acquired.

Replaced all fan belts, radiator hoses, heater hoses, and the all important bypass hose. Flushed the cooling system and installed a new thermostat. Gas and air filters were changed. Found bad upper ball joints, so they were replaced, only $15.00 each with a lifetime guarantee from AutoZone. Front brake job consisted of new rotors $43.00 each, and semi metallic pads.

She should be ready to rock and roll mid summer and I can't wait.

 

[GotSmart]

I'm doing the same thing to the van I just acquired.

Replaced all fan belts, radiator hoses, heater hoses, and the all important bypass hose. Flushed the cooling system and installed a new thermostat. Gas and air filters were changed. Found bad upper ball joints, so they were replaced, only $15.00 each with a lifetime guarantee from AutoZone. Front brake job consisted of new rotors $43.00 each, and semi metallic pads.

She should be ready to rock and roll mid summer and I can't wait.

Look at the stabilizer bar bushings. Real inexpensive, and you can do them without even raising the van.

 

[Starlight]

One good thing about "shunpiking" or "avoiding major turnpikes" is that you usually pass through some sort of town or farms where you aren't too far from a rescue if something goes wrong. It makes for interesting travel, I'm sure. There are many towns that extend the courtesy of a free RV park for weary travelers. Combining Google maps with freecamp information, you can see the best secondary highways to travel, stop at museums etc.

I have to say... a few years back I had a brake shop check my brakes because I was planning a trip to the mountains. Nothing was wrong with them at all... I just wanted a check up. Well, lo and behold, if they didn't have to replace calipers, brake pads, the whole tamale... $400. Had me so scared I cancelled the trip. Now I ask my brother or get a recommendation from a friend.

 

[Reducto]

Assuming you have a mechanic you trust have them check the suspension and basically anything rubber - coolant hoses, brake hoses, belts, radiator cap (which has a rubber gasket)

If you don't know when the radiator hoses were last replaced I'd probably go ahead and do that or just buy some spares to have on hand.

If you're like me and haven't used your heater much I'd give that a quick workout - with the engine warm crank the fan speed and temp all the way up for 5 minutes. Check for sweet smells and fluid dripping from wherever the heater core is in those vans.

In my experience long trips are not terribly hard on vehicles. If it makes it the first 100 it will generally make it the next 1000. It sounds like you're taking good care of the van already so have fun!

 

[SoulRaven]

Greetings!

Definitely get that axle problem figured out, other than that, if your van is a regular driver, you probably already know the condition of everything else.

If it's not a regular driver, I usually recommend to people that they drive them around town for a month or so, or short trips, and that should give you a good feel of anything you might need to get checked out.

After a 15+ minute drive, I like to walk around and just put my hand on the center of each wheel or hubcap. If any of them feel hotter than the others, that could indicate a problem.

My emergency kit consists of:
2 x each fan belt
1 x each hose (ALL OF THEM!)
1 x each hose clamp (ALL OF THEM!)
2 x cans of flat fix
2 x quarts of oil & trans fluid
1 x can of brake fluid
2 x spare stop/turn/brake light etc. bulbs
2 x assorted fuses kits
Water (for radiator if needed, your drinking water works fine.)
TOOLS... (including duct tape, rope, twine, bailing wire etc.)

I carry a bunch of other stuff too, but the above should get you through any problem that you're going to fix yourself in an emergency. (I didn't mention the obvious like a jack, a spare tire, a tire iron, flashlights, gloves, etc.)

I've never needed any of it, but better safe than sorry...

Cheers!

The CamperVan_Man

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

What are your plans for dealing with a flat tire? Do you plan to call the auto club, try a can of fix-a-flat, or change it yourself?

I mention this because you said it has four new tires. Many tire shops crank the lugs so tight with their power gun that it becomes impossible to loosen them with a hand lug wrench on the side of the road.

I would try to loosen them now, and if you can't, they need to be broken loose by a shop with a power gun, and re-tightened with a hand wrench.

Personally, I carry a large 4-way lug wrench, which gives much more leverage than the idiot lug wrench the factory provides.

Regards
John

 

[Bdog1]

My all means, if you change hoses and belts, hang on to the old parts for spares since your sure they fit.

Add some extra clamps to your hoses and make sure you have a correct wrench for you seep. belt tensioner too. Draw a picture of your belt routing under the hood with a sharpie.

Spares can help even if your or doing the repair yourself. Nothing worse than having someone willing to help and no part available.

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Thoughts on tires. Most times it's easier to fix a flat than change to a spare. If you can plainly identify the puncture, in the tread area , a string patch and a cheapo compressor is all you need. Most already carry compressor ($10 and up) and a basic patch kit ($20) from auto parts store. Your repair should be re-done with an inside patch at the earliest opportunity.

 

[decodancer]

A lot of things I hadn't thought of. Thanks for all the info. Ball joints might be the issue the mechanic mentioned, I'll get those checked. I had a new master cylinder put on in December while I was in NY visiting friends. I have a shade tree mechanic there, well actually he's a real mechanic who does work on the side that I trust... when he's sober... He tells me he'll be there on Tuesday morning and shows on Thursday afternoon. I had the tranny leak fixed locally but heard some bad reviews recently about that shop, seems the sons have taken over and things that don't need fixing are getting fixed. I'll ask around and find someone who's highly recommended.
I do plan on avoiding interstates so lots of small towns but that can be an issue too. I remember a small town in Georgia on a Sunday morning... nothing open... no parts for my (previous) old van. I will bring spares. I can change a tire but you're right about the lug nuts, I'll make sure that they're hand tightened.
My heater does not work well, it never has. You can feel warm air coming from the defroster vent but there are no vents on the dash so it never really warms the van. Any ideas? Are there vents somewhere I don't know about? The van makes a tingling noise sometimes when I'm climbing hills, should I be concerned? I do drive the van almost daily but only around town. I take the 2 1/2 trip to NY every two months so that's where I can notice issues.

 

[steamjam1]

When I travel, I usually carry a spare alternator, starter, fuses, belts, and tune up parts along with the usual fluids. Your van is an 87, so unless its a Ford, its carbureted, so I would carry a fuel pump.

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

My heater does not work well, it never has. You can feel warm air coming from the defroster vent but there are no vents on the dash so it never really warms the van. Any ideas?

Several, actually.

If your van has ac, there will be a heater control valve in one of the heater hoses. It's purpose is to prevent hot water from flowing through the heater core while the ac is running. Some are controlled by a cable, some are controled by a vacuum hose. They can go bad.

I'm not sure if there would be one on a non-ac vehicle, there might be.

If somebody put a chemical stop leak in the radiator, that can plug the heater core up.

Any good stop leak will plug any hole smaller than 35 thousands of an inch. The tubes in a heater core are only about 40 thousands. If the system isn't completely clear and rust free, the heater core WILL plug.

Get the engine good and hot, with the heater controls turned on.

The hose from the water pump to the heater core is the feed line. The hose from the heater core to the engine is the return.

Both hoses should feel equally hot. If not, water is not flowing through the heater core.

The hoses on either side of the heater control valve should feel equally hot. If not, the heater control valve isn't opening.

If you decide the heater core is plugged, you can pull both hoses off of the engine and water pump, and hook a garden hose up to the RETURN side to reverse pressure flush the heater core. That usually will unplug it, but if it's old and the walls are weak, it might also start it to leak, which will require you to replace it.

Finally, the heater controls on your dash may have stopped working, which usually means it needs replacing. These were usually vacuum operated - at least in the old days - so it could be something as simple as a leaking vacuum hose on an old vehicle.

Good luck.
Regards
John

 

[decodancer]

It is a Ford Steamjam, does that mean I don't have a fuel pump? Optimistic or can I just use John since you signed it? I don't have ac. I did use stop leak in the tranny before I got the hose fixed. I also put it in the power steering fill spot (oops) because at that time I couldn't find the tranny stick. Why they hide it behind the air filter is beyond me. I'll try to see if the hose it hot. Thanks for that info, it would be great to have heat. Any ideas on the tingling noise when I climb hills, that will be a concern when I go out west. One other issue, my cigarette lighter does not work. I tried to plug in a fan that I know works and no go. I think it used to work before I installed the radio... maybe I disconnected something.

 

[Starlight]

One thing that sometimes happens is that a wrong sized fuse has been put into a particular function in a vehicle. Heaters would take a larger capacity fuse???? You might want to check all the fuses to make sure they have the correct size.

Also, I believe there are adjustments to transmissions and if it is "off" adjustment the rings will rattle. (lol, it's been a long time since I drove a manual transmission) -- and might just need to drive in a lower gear for your vehicle's weight going uphill.

 

[WheelEstate USA]

Yes hun, you have a fuel pump. Not positive, but I think yours is in the gas tank (pain to change).

Found this on another site. Seems the "blending" door/flap may have issues on some Fords....
http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1221309-heater-control-valve-location.html

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The tingling sound is a timing issue and can be low octane gas. Out this way lots of places have ethanol added and that can cause performance drops too. Try a couple tanks of premium gas and see if it clears up.
Our big block Chevy 454 doesn't care for the cheaper gas...another reason for our trade plan.

 

[decodancer]

Duh, I knew that :idea: I was told that if I bothered to fix the gas gauge I might as well change the fuel pump. I have noticed that if I get gas at the name brand place the van seems to somehow run better. My neighbor suggested a fuel additive, do any of you recommend that? Once again, thanks for all the input. Can't wait to get started.

 

[Lucky mike]

if you check the cost of fuel additive against buying a higher octane gas it evens out per gallon........

of course adding a can of Seafoam additive to a tankful when you take a long trip will help alot once or twice a year!!

 

[WheelEstate USA]

Seafoam is good when your sitting for long periods. I advise parking with a full tank to reduce condensation by reducing the amount of tank wall that might sweat with temp changes, especially summer.

This is my opinion and others may have other thoughts.

---

If your gas gauge problem is caused by a bad sending unit, which IS in the tank, I would advise the pump being changed at the same time.
However, if it is the gauge itself there are after market, underdash gauges that can easily added to bypass the old one.

Another opinion

`

 

[SoulRaven]

A lot of things I hadn't thought of. Thanks for all the info. Ball joints might be the issue the mechanic mentioned, I'll get those checked. I had a new master cylinder put on in December while I was in NY visiting friends. I have a shade tree mechanic there, well actually he's a real mechanic who does work on the side that I trust... when he's sober... He tells me he'll be there on Tuesday morning and shows on Thursday afternoon. I had the tranny leak fixed locally but heard some bad reviews recently about that shop, seems the sons have taken over and things that don't need fixing are getting fixed. I'll ask around and find someone who's highly recommended.
I do plan on avoiding interstates so lots of small towns but that can be an issue too. I remember a small town in Georgia on a Sunday morning... nothing open... no parts for my (previous) old van. Great idea CamperMan I will bring spares. I can change a tire but you're right about the lug nuts, I'll make sure that they're hand tightened.
My heater does not work well, it never has. You can feel warm air coming from the defroster vent but there are no vents on the dash so it never really warms the van. Any ideas? Are there vents somewhere I don't know about? The van makes a tingling noise sometimes when I'm climbing hills, should I be concerned? I do drive the van almost daily but only around town. I take the 2 1/2 trip to NY every two months so that's where I can notice issues.

Greetings!

For some reason I have to resist the temptation of addressing you as "Greetings Sweetie", because you remind me a lot of very long time friend that I lost a few years back..."

That "tingling" sounds like pinging to me, that probably means that your timing is off. Factory timing settings on these old vans aren't so accurate anymore, because of wear, and the fact that gas doesn't have as much octane in it as it did when our vans were made. Easy to fix though.

Your heat might be a little more complicated. Do you have a temperature gauge, or an idiot light? If you have a gauge, is the temp getting up into the mid range? Do you have a thermostat installed? Heaters require you to have a thermostat so the engine heats up enough to run efficiently and produce heat. If you follow the temperature control cable from your dash, on the other end of it, either somewhere along one of your heater hoses, or on the heater core box, there is going to be a valve. That cable moves that valve when you move the lever. Sometimes the cable will come disconnected on the valve end, or the valve can become clogged, or frozen. If it seems to just be stuck, some WD-40 should free it up. Also make sure your radiator is topped off, if your radiator is low, sometimes you heat won't work so good.

You should have the choice between defrost or floor heat. Only vans that had factory air conditioning had the dash vents.

If I was on your side of the country, I could probably have you fixed up quicker than I can type this message, but since this is a long distance job it takes longer... hehe...

Try those, and if none of them do the trick, just holler, and we'll get you fixed up.

Cheers!

The CampeVan_Man

 

[decodancer]

Sea Foam is what my neighbor recommended, I'll try that if I ever fill the tank. It's usually $20 here and there because I live where I work and don't drive much. Well maybe to the casino which is too close to be safe.... The gas gauge does move occasionally. It will usually move up to empty when I start it and to a quarter of a tank after filling and driving it a bit rarely. The temp gauge appears to work fine. I'll play with the heater issue tomorrow now that it's warm enough to want to be outside. Don't know if it's my face or bubbly personality but I seem to remind everybody of somebody they know.