Re: {Chrysler 300} ENews 53 is - long distance cruising -
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Re: {Chrysler 300} ENews 53 is - long distance cruising -
- From: Noel Hastalis <cpaviper@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 20 Mar 2021 23:49:05 -0500 (CDT)
Hello Mark and Club Members,
Having driven to 17 of our Club's 21 past meets in my F, and most of those trips running with John Begian in his G convertible, I'm often ready for another cross country adventure. Add in many shorter trips to events throughout the Midwest, and I've logged 64,000+ miles on my F since the Fall '09 Branson Meet, still running dual points and drum brakes. The longest of these trips was 1.400 miles to Alamogordo, NM for me from here in Chicago, and 1,600 miles for John from suburban Detroit on this trip, during which we ran through monsoon rains on 7 of the 9 days, with a hurricane sitting of the California coast. Westbound, we pulled into a gas station in Clovis, NM, our tires literally sitting in 3" of standing water.
Over all this cruising, I've experienced 3 issues -
- Heading south on I-57 toward Effingham, IL, where I was scheduled to meet up with John, and also have lunch with our friend Spanky Cox, my generator died, as my ammeter needle pegged hard left. I phoned Spanky about 50 miles out, and drove to his place. None of his rebuilt generators fit my F, so we took it to a shop he knew and, two hours later, we installed it, and bought a spare regulator for good measure.
- Heading north on I-65 from our Chattanooga Meet, sitting in heavy construction in 90+ degree heat south of Indy, my F started missing. I pulled a U-turn and exited onto a country road where the F died. A few minutes later, a Good Samaritan pulled over in his pickup truck, and we tried a handful of diagnostics, with the help of a couple Club members by phone. Bottom line, it was the small wire in the distributor that had separated. p.s. I had the same issue happen as we pulled into the Legendary Interiors parking lot at our Geneva, NY Meet, where a team of Club members fixed this, once and for all.
- I had a couple issues with one of my dual points shifting to almost shut a few times, so have pulled out my feeler gauge to readjust them. I've since changed the small mounting screw and washer, and this issue also appears resolved.
My list of travel accessories includes the following -
- 300 Club Roster, factory shop manual, plug-in cellphone charger.
- Spare belts, hoses, clamps, bulbs, fuses, wiper blades, tire air gauge, scissor jack (thought of my aluminum floor jack, but it's bulky), 2 jack stands, tow strap, towels, blanket, Gorilla Tape, Goop hand cleaner.
- Fluids - 2 gallons of old school antifreeze, and 2 gallons of water, 2 quarts trans fluid (Type F), 2 quarts engine oil Valvoline Racing 20W50 high zinc, 75W90 rear end oil, brake fluid. A funnel with extension for adding any needed fluid.
- Starter pack, and jumper cables, in case of dead battery
- Spare sparkplugs and some plug wires
- Rain-X for the windshield
- Full toolbox, including feeler gauge, plug gap, rubber mallet, box cutter, box/open-end/ratchet/Allen wrenches, screwdrivers, dwell meter
- Water pump rebuild kit, spare water pump, various ignition parts, coil.
- Marvel Mystery Oil - I add a few ounces with every gas fill-up. This tip was offered several years ago by a 300-G owner I met at the Iola, WI summer show. His business was building diesels and he added Marvel when running all his motors.
- Check all fluids and pack wheel bearings and grease fittings; air pressure in all 5 tires. Check hubcaps for tight fit.
I haven't driven my F at 7,000' elevation, as you mention, but don't expect that's high enough to cause any concern. My daughter attended NAU in Flagstaff, AZ - 7,000' elevation - and I traveled there often. I wouldn't have hesitated driving my F up there.
Best wishes for great cruising!
Noel Hastalis
Burr Ridge, IL
All;
With the driving season upon us and we start planning trips to far away places and not-so-far away destinations, I wonder if we could have a discussion on how members prepare their cars, what extra parts and tools they might carry with them and, if they’re travelling solo, if they try and set up a member network along the route they’re heading.
Personally, I am driving from Palm Desert CA to Calgary Alberta, about 1,750 mi. planning on late april. Interstate all the way but sea level up to 7,000 ft. and back down again. I drove my F from Palm Desert to Rohnert Park in 2018, about 1,200 mi round trip over that week and had no issues at all (except a brake shoe re-do on return and a tune, oil etc).
Who’s got some tricks to share? Good advice on what to do and what not to do.
These cars were meant to be driven. Does the age mean, not so much? I don’t believe it.
Looking foward to hearing from you.
Mark
Click here for ENews 53.
She's loaded with new stuff and old stuff and just stuff.
Bob
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