Alright, well i'm going to be moving up to new york this september. I currently live in florida so the drive from florida to new york is about 1,000 miles. So I have a 1988 2WD automatic trans. toyota pickup. I already did a little tune up on it like change the oil, rotor, wires, change the transmission fluid, new air filter and I flushed the radiator. Before I go up ill be getting new tires, new brakes, new belts for the engine and ill probably change the oil and transmission fluid again. The only question I have, is there anything else I should change/replace before going on this trip? Like what is the most common things that could go wrong with any old car on a long trip?
The engine is pretty solid only 150,000 miles on it, basically nothing is wrong with it except it smells like it is burning oil but I think when they changed the oil or transmission fluid they dripped a little on the engine and its just burning off. Ill get that checked out though just to make sure.
Any tips or advice before I go on this trip would also be greatly appreciated..
Thanks,
-John

 

my experience with trips that long is wanting a different person riding along with me.
there is something about riding along with the same person for hours on end that ruins the trip.
It appears you've done, or will do, most everything a preventative maintenance service would do.

 

Get yourself some earplugs and pain pills for your back.
When my 81 was still a driver, I drove it from northern Minnesotas Iron Range to New Mexico. And back. Loooooong trip.

 

X2. I've driven across country numerous times. Both with people and without, I prefer to go just me and my dog.
As far as the truck, sounds like you'll be fine. Even if you did have trouble the right coast is much more populated than the left coast. So you could get out of a jam, but it'll be a good time driving up.

 

umm... what's the prob with the left coast? I live there most of the time.
*edit- okay, some of the time.

 

To be honest, if you want to be guaranteed of a safe trip all the way without problems, go to the dealer, have the engine rebuilt as well as the trans, brakes and all.

 

I prefer the left coast, I'm from WA. To be honest I hate living on the right coast, but circumstances???? Like your avatar says tasty babes and cool waves

 

rofl...
fast times at ridgemont high- hola mister hand!
...and it's cool babes and tasty waves.

 

Not if you're in WA. Waters cooler up north.

 

but whichever, the waves are tasty... like smooth and flowing, and the babes are cool, 'cause they're cool.

 

Sounds like you did a lot that will help you out. Hows your air filter? If you change oil and trans-oil again you can use synthetic, you can also Seafoam your engine and clean it out before the oil change. It will run better. Keep your tires inflated on the drive too. Gas is so cheap these days why wouldn't we want to do everything to make our trucks run more efficient...

 

so you guys dont think theres anything else I should really replace? oh and im not really concerned about the road noise, haha thats why I installed the 500 dollar stereo system in it.

 

Not really.....just make sure to check the tire pressure in your spare (most people never do).

With these trucks, it's rarely mechanical problems that leave them on the side of the road, it's electrical problems (bad sensor(s), relay(s), coil, ignitor, intermittently bad wire harness connections, ect.) which give no warning signs. It appears that you take good care of your truck, so you should be fine.

 

What kind of coolant do you have in the rad?

Rotate your tires, fill them up to 38psi and have fun. Bring a few quarts of oil with you (never know what might happen) and some coolant (mix it before you leave).

Make sure you top up your washer fluid, that stuff goes quick when you are driving a long ways..

Also, consider changing the rear diff fluid.

 

I always get AAA when I go on long road trips cheap insurance if you need to be towed.

 

Change the fuel filter.

 

sounds like you are on the right track. My wife, yellow lab, and I drove our '93 22RE regular cab from Maine (started in Orono) to Prince Rupert, BC by way of the Badlands, Tetons, on up to the Icefields parkway.

Maintenance pre-trip was replacing the radiator with a V6 radiator, new hoses, new belts, new shocks, replaced the broken leaf spring, air filter, and changed the oil. Also had the steering relay rod recall done and some parts up there replaced. Oh, yeah and a $25 plug in onfe of the MTRs.

Had no issues. Then drove from Prince Rupert through BC, and out to Forks, WA. No problems again (although this time I had a new caliper and air bag suspension in the rear).

While your truck is older, I think you should be fine. Have a safe trip!

 

A new fire extinguisher and a few gallons of water.

A friend of mine was driving back from Portland was in just past Las Vegas and he got a fuel leak that caught fire in the middle of nowhere on the highway he was moving back and had all of his stuff with him.
he put the fire out with a gallon of Gatorade he ended up renting a U-haul and leaving his 4runner behind this was 8 years ago if he had not had the gallon of Gatorade he would had lost all of his stuff.