Road trip question

[Chad]

Hey guys,

I'm planning on going on a 22 hour road trip but I have some concern with the fuel due to our small tanks.

Has anyone brought one or two jerry cans in the trunk? If so how did you secure them and insure they don't stink up the car?

My concern is having accessible premium gas on the way and having the jerry cans would also reduce the down time. I plan on taking some fun roads that will be more remote than the main highways.

Also I'm going the end of October in the rockies. Should I be concerned about weather conditions at that time?

Any advice for this type of road trip will be much appreciated!

[chanomatik]

So what's your route? I just drove from Alaska through Canada to Washington, then to Southern California, over to Colorado and up to Alberta and back home. I'm full of input. Road trips rock!

[Calavera]

On my road trips I never let the needed hit below the last quarter before I fill up. Better be safe than sorry. Specially on that long road in west TX of a whole lot of nothing!

[FRSBRZGT86FAN]

There's a reason why most off roaders attach their auxiliary fuel cans outside and just pull them off when they need to fill up at baja and what not. Their is no way to seal the vapor/smell in without an issue of danger. You might want to pre-plan the route with gas stations along the way.

Dare I say maybe keep two or three bottles of octane booster?:[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Lucas-Oil-10026-PK12-Octane-Booster/dp/B001OZL9OQ/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top/178-9633922-8634542"]Amazon.com: Lucas Oil 10026-PK12 Octane Booster - 15 oz.: Automotive[/ame]

I have no clue how it will effect the engine, and I'm pretty sure no one else on the forum used it yet.

[5th 86]

Can you just buy like a whole bunch of octane booster? Iam still on vacation and i drove over 24 h closes i came to out of gas was 1/4, no matter what you do dont put ethanol gas in i tried 94 w ethanol engine ran like shit, put 91 without ethanol and was way better. Now i have access to 94 pure and its way way better.

[strat61caster]

You're going to be driving without access to premium fuel for over 200 miles?

Just fill up with the lesser stuff if you have to, it won't hurt anything.

[jonbonazza]

I doubt 200 miles will harm your engine. Lower octane fuel will cause knock, but 200 miles shouldn't even start to show symptoms, especially if they are highway miles at somewhat constant RPMs.

[FnFast]

Planning is key my friend. If you plan correctly and take your time, you won't get frustrated with traffic and won't have many worries.

I am trying to plan a small road trip down to Atlanta from Philadelphia.

Good luck and be safe.

[wheelhaus]

If you're on the highway you should be able to hit 300 miles per tank if needed. At this altitude, you don't need 93+ octane. The reduced air density allows for lighter octane, 91 is typically the max you'll find here.

Have you been calculating your ACTUAL mileage? (fill tank to full, then use as much as you can, then divide the miles driven by gallons required to refill).

October in the Rockies is a crapshoot, my snow tires are usually on before October ends. October is typically when the first snow hits the Denver area, but the hills may already have coverage by then. Usually the ground and climate are not yet cold enough for it to really stick to the roads around Denver, so they might be wet and slimy and sandy from mag chloride, salt, and sometimes small grain gravel.

If you're sticking to highways and major roads, I wouldn't worry about it. You can always plan a SAFE route, and then a FUN route (if time and conditions permit). If you're going to be travelling over any passes (Independence Pass or Loveland Pass for example) definitely check conditions of the pass before attempting the drive. Weather may be beautiful until you hit the pass at high altitude, then suddenly you' find yourself in blizzard conditions with 50mph winds.

What part of the Rockies will you be driving through? If you're interested, I may be able to recommend some roads if you'll be in any areas I'm familiar with.

[5th 86]

I found at very high altitudes the car sucks balls, no power and it sucks a ton of gas

[radroach]

Agreed, the car had no power on the uphill at altitude, everyone and their grandma was passing me. But when I reached the top of the mountain for the downhill, the fun began passing everyone who passed me on the uphill!

[WhiteLightning]

I drove my car from West Tennessee to South New Mexico in one day. It was about 20 hours. Mine did fine so yours should too. Fill up when you get to a quarter of a tank, and use cruise control. Most importantly though, have fun. It's my favorite trip I've taken yet. Take a lot of pictures too. You'll regret it if you don't (like me). Good luck and be safe!

[radroach]

Make sure you check your tire pressure when you go above 500ft elevation, your tires deflate at altitude and then they repressurize at sea level, so then you have to let some air out when you return from the mountains.

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by Chad

Hey guys,

I'm planning on going on a 22 hour road trip but I have some concern with the fuel due to our small tanks............Any advice for this type of road trip will be much appreciated!

Hi Chad ...... a road trip, what fun ....

I wouldn't worry about finding fuel, just don't let the tank get too low. I've traveled over 88,000 miles throughout the western US and Canada in a car with a smaller tank (MX5) and most always found premium fuel.

I would NOT carry extra fuel inside the car!

Have a fun trip!

humfrz