Get your vehicle ready

[maladroit]

There are some tips here: http://www.burningman.com/preparation/e ... xodus.html

Most of this is common sense for any long trip, but it'll be a horrible mess if you are stuck 50 miles from the nearest place that has a tow truck, which is already busy towing the other people with breakdowns.

If you take it to a mechanic and there's a problem, better to deal with repairs now. Give them time order any special parts, let the repairs settle in before the trip.

I'm doing maintenance myself, here's a few things I'm doing:

• Check and replace brakes - important due to riding heavy on twisty and steep roads
• Change oil from 5W-30 to 10W-30 for better high temp performance
• Replace/clean air filter and oil filter
• Inspect tires, pressure and alignment
• Replace worn shocks
• Check transmission and transfer case fluid
• Check radiator condition and coolant level
• Inspect fan blades
• Inspect battery and belts
• Check high and low beams, brake lights, turn signals
• Track down any squeaks or rattles
• Test and recharge air conditioner

I'm also bringing the following supplies:

• A couple quarts of engine oil
• Spare air filter
• Jug of coolant
• Fire extinguisher
• Can of gasoline
• Bottle of transmission fluid
• Bottle of windshield washer fluid
• Plywood for jack stand - push the car up, not the playa down
• Battery jump box
• Socket set, screwdrivers, and wrenches
• Air pump
• Spare fuses
• Spare light bulbs
• Liquid Wrench
• Rags and pumice hand cleaner
• Tow strap

Anything else?

[gyre]

10-30 isn't needed.
Won't hurt, but go to a better grade if concerned.
Best is a good synthetic like redline or better.

Good to change other fluids, rear end and trans to synthetic.

If you have an automatic, you need a trans cooler if it's fuel injected.

Current science on oil is that the thinnest will lubricate better.
It just has to take the heat, not hard these days.
0-5 is commonly used for racing now.

Use distilled water in the radiator, as usual.
Evans fluid is an upgrade.
I've used water wetter with standard coolant with success.

[maladroit]

10W-30 is recommended for my Jeep if 100F+ temperatures are expected during that oil change. The reasoning is that, with a temperature-dependent viscosity oil, 5W-30 will eventually get too runny to effectively protect moving parts, since it shears down to lower viscosity over time. It'll be especially brutal when starting and stopping the engine a lot during high ambient temperatures. I'm thinking about when I start the engine after it's been sitting in the heat for a week, and then starting and stopping it many times during Exodus. If you start with 10W-30, it slowly shears down from there. It's not recommended for freezing temperatures, which I haven't seen for years...

Synthetic probably does solve that issue entirely.

I do have a transmission cooler, I have the towing package. Should be fine since I'm not towing anything

I'm mostly concerned about the cooling system. Had to do major work on it recently, and I still need to replace the leaky heater core. Right now the heater core is bypassed with a small piece of hose and I don't really want to trust that.

[Jackass]

Synthetics suck, unless your vehicle came from the factory with it don't use it. Waste of money and if you never ran it in your vehicle it may start leaking, molecules are smaller or something to that effect. An oil change is better than no oil change, this isn't formula one racing, it's a festival camping trip.

[gyre]

Old technology.

They can see what happens under pressure to oil on bearing surfaces.
Higher viscosity actually is pushed out faster and you have metal to metal for longer duration.
Check the viscosities in your costly transmission.

If you have leaks, you have leaks,
You may not be able to afford decent oil if you have big leaks, but that is a different issue.
There were issues with Mobil One and some european seals.
Not an issue for many years.

You always want the thinnest oil that will withstand the temperatures.
Viscosity is not an indicator of temperature rating any longer.
An adequate oil shouldn't break down.

Synthetic is very cost effective now.
Quality does vary.
Expect to pay $8-10 quart for the better stuff.
Safe to run it further than average with filter changes.

[gyre]

Synthetic isn't actually synthetic, just processed oils.
Quality varies with each.

Any issues are with additives.