Hey everyone.

I'm planning a trip to California and back with my 1992 Camaro RS. From my house near Madison, Wisconsin, it's about 2,500 miles. I am going to meet a friend and hang out for a few days and then come back. I have about 125k miles on it. It runs okay, transmission seems fine, engine has a lifter tick, that's it. New fuel pump, and cap and rotor. What do I need to do besides an oil change before I go? The car was pretty beat by the last owner but it seems to drive OK now. I've put about 1,000 miles on her.

Has anyone here taken an RS for that long of a drive? How many miles are on your car?

I'll probably put 6,000 miles on it within two weeks... Is that possible?

I have some video's of my car on Youtube, I hope they can help you all decide if it's really a sound enough car for such a trip. Just search "aarontheman38" and it'll come up. Thanks everyone!

 

I drove two different Lo3 formulas back and forth from Chicago to AZ, and again from AZ to KC. I would suggest to stay away from unfamiliar gas, I had one bad tank but it just gave me one tank of bad mileage.

I was moving so I had a set of spare tires. Just remember if you have posi to not put the dough nut on the rear. Front always better and 16" front fit on the back, not the other way. I put new tires and an alignment which made it a better ride.

A radar detector is worth getting. Maybe a fuel filter. Do you have a lot of leaks. Only trouble I ran into was my starter getting a bit hot, but I think that was from some other issues.

Do a test drive for a few hours at hi-way speed. It would be a great time to start logging data.

Check the diff and make sure it is full. They tend to leak and you will be running it hot for ling durations.

 

The previous owner used to take my old '92 RS from SoCal to NorCal and back all the time. That's how it got over 200k miles. Then my dad took it from SoCal to AZ and back. No problems.

Lack of maintanance is what kills engines.

What part of CA are you visiting? NorCal or SoCal? Just remember to keep California green by bringing money.

 

you should be fine if it was a well maintained car, put a quart of Lucas in it when you change the oil, make sure the coolant is nice and fresh, check your hoses, maybe a new fuel filter. as said it may be a good time to put some new oil in your rear end....maybe trans fluid change also

 

mine went fine to 200k miles. its got 250k now with 50k on a rebuilt 305, now 310 or so.

 

oh yea CREDIT CARD for just incase and a good small set of common tools you would need to work on your car......also heard that lifter tick, try running so higher weight oil when you go out there, along with that lucas

 

I think the last owners did absolutely NO maitainence on it. First thing I did when I got her home was check the air filter... PITCH BLACK. Car hardly ran, it had been carb'd, had a failing fuel pump, etc. Original owner had it for 11 years, took good care of it, then it had two owners from 2002 to 2007, one obviously made this car a guinea pig for his dumb experiments, bypassing the AC, cutting the fuel guage sending unit wiring, putting three different types of tires on it, and doing a home made beginner paint job. I bought the car hardly running for $3,000... I know I paid way too much! The odometer doesn't work either, it froze at 121,610, but several mechanics told me it's under 130,000. I believe it, the way it was running when I got it, this car wouldn't have even been a reliable grocery getter. I do intend on fixing the small things before I go, lifter, AC, gas guage.

I did use it to commute to school for about a month, did okay, except one time it shut down and the ignition locked up and I had to walk. We figured out that you need to push the key in really hard, then turn it and it'll fire right back up. I also took a road trip about 50 miles each way, did 75 most of the time and still got 25 mpg. Drove beautifully!

I'll definitly bring a credit card and cash, just in case something comes up.

I might not go until next year or the year after, that way I can restore it. The girl I'm meeting is really special and I'd love to impress her with an RS that looks factory new =)

So check the hoses, change filters, etc? I was also thinking I would adjust the engine fan to run more keep the motor from getting too hot. I'll most likely be driving for 10+ hours at a time at 70mph+.

 

Riverside, SOCAL. Do you live around there? I'm trying to find lots of thirdgenners who would be interested in a meal/cruise.

 

Leaks where? Fuel lines?

I will definitley do some long highway cruises before I take her, that's a good idea. Thank you. I don't have a spare tire, is it a good investment?

 

My 92 RS was has over 155,xxx on the clock and I don't know about maitence before myself but I would trust to drive the car anywhere.

One thing is for the the LO3 can be reliable as hell or the biggest pain in the but.

 

A decent full size spare from the boneyard is better investment for a long haul. Get one of those tire plug repair kits, a can of fix a flat and one of those combo battery jumpers / air compressor. Important thing is to stop when a problem start and just don't ignore it hoping it will go away. Stay on the main hiways and you'll be fine.

Agree with above by adding some Lucas and run 10w40 for the road trip. Get your oil changed down there and ask to go in the pit to get a good look at the underbody.

The only things that I would be extremely worried about is suspension; ball joints, tie rods and idler arm. I they are ok, leave em. But if they are really loose, then replace them esp if you are gonna want to open it up a bit. Don't lie and say ya won't. Going fast by doing some 50-100 bursts every once and a while is ok, but don't be like some people I know who push 100+ for extended periods of time weaving in and out of traffic.

Don't wait another year if the car is trip worthy. Get out and drive, see the country. Next year may never come. Hell, pick up and move out there why don't ya!

 

Yeah... I might try to get my dash lights (check engine, etc) to work too... they don't light up at all... not even during start up. The only light that works is the E-brake. So that might help if I have a problem my check engine will come on.

I do plan on staying at a pretty constant speed, but I'm hoping I can find a group of cars to travel with at 90-100 mph. That'd be great, and I'm sure I'll do a couple speed runs lol. I don't know how fast my RS will go, I've only had it up to like 75.

I'll definitley go to Cali, I can't wait!

 

yea i will secong all he said, even if he agreed with me i dont think you will have much trouble LO3s are good motors and a SBC is a real good motor, DEF put the 10 40 and lucas in it that should be a MUST trust me the $9.99 for the lucas will be well worth it......oh yea you may want to keep a can of gas treatment/dry gas (removes water from gas) just incase you get some crud o fuel......also stop for the night at a hotel, get you a good meal, watch TV, maybe swim or hottub, then a good night......make the next day 10 times better DONT PUSH YOURSELF i have done that and actually made my self sick when i got to where i was going, enjoy the ride, you are not on the cannon ball rally have a good time lock her at 75 or so and cruise.........be safe and watch where you go, if you dont like the looks of the area dont stop.....DUH use your brain LOL good luck, take some pic/videos of the trip for us!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Well I bought my '90 RS 305 about a year ago and was asking myself the same questions because I was going to take it about 700 miles roundtrip to NoCal for an ac/dc concert back in december, so I just bought new tires for the car (that pretty much cashed me out) and bought some spare fluids, oil, 50-50, and topped off everything before I left. Now a couple of tips.

I would definitely try to keep the speed between 65 and 85, what i tried not to do was ever let the tach go past 3500 RPM, just because my car had 220,000 miles on it and I don't have the money for a new motor right now, plus there was some scary a$$ fog the whole way up through the grapevine and the I-5 the whole night I drove up.

Definitely bring a spare tire, there was one point about halfway up the 5 at about two in the morning when I ran over something hard and not very round, I just heard a loud clunk and my body bounced off the seat. Luckily my tire didn't pop but you can never be too safe, especially if you're going cross country.

You should replace all the gauge lights that are out so you will know if something's going wrong, oil pressure-water temp-volts, and the speedo, it's too hard to look at it in the dark with no dash light.

I would not worry too much about the fan motor, you could shut the radiator fan off at those constant speeds and the freeflowing air would be enough to cool the water, trust me, i made it the whole last burning summer with no radiator fans.

Lastly, drive safely and don't get carried away, and make a really good road mix to listen to

 

Flashlight, fuses, spare wire and hose if ya got them. Come through KC, and I'll cruise with ya for a bit! I sure with some planning a lot of us could help ya out along the way from giving ya a place to stay to just meeting up. Plus, we might have a spare part ya need ....

 

For sure, I'll drop by. Thanks, that means a lot! Haha, what's this spare part?

 

One thing that I like on a road trips is satellite radio. It's popular with the over the road truckers as you get the same channels nationwide. I like that you don't hear the same songs every day like FM, and the comedy, talk, and weather is great. XM lost some of the channels after the merger but it is still cool to have. I drove 400 miles yesterday and snowmobiled another 110 and I take my XM with me every place! Just an idea.

 

dang i forgot all about XM lol dang its the best thing ever, i loved having it running OTR, you got your fav station no matter where you go

 

Riverside is about 30 miles east of me. I am in Orange County right next to Disneyland. When are you coming out?

There are a couple things coming up in March, drag racing, Super Chevy Show, and then our club meeting is the first Saturday in April.

 

I love it too! My mom has a decked out 2007 Chrysler Aspen with satilite radio. I'm addicted to channel 8... The 80's! Lol. Ever since I bought my thirdgen, I've turned into an 80's music buff =)

 

I most likely won't be going until summer, this year or next. And then again in 2011. Believe it or not but I'm actually doing all this for one girl... crazy, huh. She's worth it though.

We will have to stay in touch though, if there are any events when I come up, I'd be happy to bring the Camaro over and partake. The trip will probably be in late June or early July.

 

... a girl.....


I hope she is worth it lol

Had a buddy do that and I was his mechanic and he would drive the 3000 mile round trip every month in a little s10 with a 4cyl. But when I bought my car I decided I wanted to test my car and I drove to tampa to meet some friends and back and it drove so nice that I would at the drop of a dime go for a long drive if I could afford the gas.

CB Radio is a million times better than radar detector but its best to have both to get a smokey report.

 

This summer? What part about? I may be heading out there for a vacation, but it may be with my 91

 

Our club picnic at Mile Square Park happens about that time. Let us know when you're coming out and we'll plan the picnic in your honor . Last year we had Tony from Oregon come down and join us.

 

Sounds great, thank you!!! Just tell me what you need me to bring food or drink wise, and I'll bring it. We'll keep in touch, I'll cross my fingers that my LO3 is as reliable as all of yours!

BTW, that is a really nice avatar, how do you make them?

 

I drove my last 91 RS 305 all over the country camping. I would take out the back seat bottoms and load her up with gear. The last trip was from Chicago to Arkansas in the middle of the summer. I ran the air conditioner the entire time the car had 230,000 miles on a stock untouched 305. I traded the car in with 265,000 miles on the original engine and transmission.

Have a good time, these cars love road trips!

 

yea hope she is worth it

i got the best of both worlds, a CB (highly moddifed) and and linear (amp) and the best passpost radar detector you can get

plus the CB is great to find your way around thebad traffic jam and worth its weight in gold to ask the other drivers where you can get a good meal at

here is a pic of my CB and linear

linear is on the left with the 2 blue leds, the CB is on the right


stats of CB in VbGarage

 

She's worth it =) I've known her for four years, we practically grew up together, even though we live 2,000 miles apart! It's funny how similarly we've grown up, and she is such a sweet girl, and drop dead gorgeous. Every once in a while she'll give me a call on the phone, and I get so excited that I probably talk so fast that she can't understand what I'm saying! I hope I don't lol. Great girl =) lol I wanted to marry her without meeting her! She's the #1 priority on my "bucket list" and she knows it.

Lol, I'll have to send this link to her so she can see it!

Everyone say "Hi, Lizzy!" lol.

 

Thanks man. I think it should be an easy trip for a motor. Just hours of highway miles. And with 2.73's, it'd be like 1,800 RPM @ 75. My RPM's read high so I don't know what it is. I want to put 3.73's or 3.23's in, but instead of getting like 30 MPG, I'd prolly get like 15 MPG.

 

without a doubt, you NEED to fix the cruise control if it has it. Like others have said, be smart and have fun... I've made plenty of trips in my 305(LB9) and the SBC is a good motor. I have 2.73s in my car too and get avg26 mi/gal. 80mph at 2krmps. Make sure you tires and alignment is up to the task and properly lubricated. I hope to make a cross country trip within the next year or 2 myself just to see the country...

 

Send me a message or post in the SoCal forum when you know when you're making the trip, and we'll get it figured out.

I didnt make the avatar, I found it a long time ago. I dunno where anymore, its been so long, sorry.

 

Hi Lizzy!!!!!

i have known a girl for 10 years now that i meet on the net, its a rather funny story i was 16, at my friends house, im playing play station (NFS3 i think) and he was on the net talking to a girl (rolling my eyes) well.....he said hey man i got to go take a crap, talk to this girl for a while for me....i like ummmm NO.....few seconds later he is like, hey she has a friend with her....WHATEVER.....i start talking to her friend.....well 1 year later i went to fort worth tx to meet her, few more years later i went to betonville AR (she moved) for her homecoming, and again to her prom, she came down here after she graduated, for 2 months went home......1 year later she moved here, and adventualy went back home.....but we are like best friends, have been , prob will be for a long time....infact so many people feel i should of married her......but well maybe should of maybe not, IDK i got a good g/f now that i have been with for a while......just have fun with it

 

Lol, that sounds really familiar, I met Lizzy online to! I went through that whole nerdy "Runescape phase" in eighth grade and one night I was walking around and I walked by her and thought nothing of it, and I just kept strolling alone when all of a sudden, I got this weird gut feeling that I should turn around and go talk to her, and I did. I was bored with the game at this point and was just using it to mess with people. So I go back and start teasing her for the longest time, and by the end of the night, we had become excellent friends. We both started emailing each other, and then she sent me a picture of her in a dress, and I was amazed, she was beautiful! Lol, and I couldn't believe a girl like this could be met on such a nerdy game =) it's like going fishing in a freshwater river and catching a shark! So we did the whole "online dating" thing for two years, and I just couldn't get enough of her. I loved her to death. We broke that off and we've both been in many local relationships since, but we are great friends, and I am thrilled to meet her finally =) that's our story, of course, sparing all the great details lol.

The only thing she needs to be perfect is have a thirdgen, am I right guys???

 

if only she had a third gen ..............LOL my g/f needs a third gen.....

but yea the internet dating thing dont really work, tried that with the girl i talked about......then i got tired of that crap and paid to move her down here.....but how she got back to AR is to long of a story so o well

have you got a chance to do any of the suggestions yet or you going to wait awhile??

 

I've decided that any girl I get serious with is getting a thirdgen...maybe an IROC...lol, I think it'd be horrible to die without getting to own one lol.

No, it never works, I found that out the hard way, and I got hell at school for it, people really gave me a hard time and I felt like a big time loser!

No, haven't got a chance to check it yet, might go see the car again this weekend. I want to see if it has that ashtray light that has been such a big deal here on TGO for the past week or so!

 

LOL well now i need a new g/f maybe i can look to find one with a 3rd gen