What Spare Parts Do You Carry In Your Starquest When You Go On Trips Greater Than 75 Miles From Home?

[Starfighterpilot]

This suggestion for this post's question was brought up about a week ago in another post, but no one followed up on it.

 

Here is my parts list and it's based upon the long trips that I drive out in the middle of nowhere out West and around the USA. You can pick and choose what parts you want to carry along - however, below I have given reasons why I carry the amount of spare parts that I do for critical Starquest components during my long road trips.

 

Ignitor correct year - used - if the installed one goes out away from home - you are screwed - try to find one in a podunk town in the middle of nowhere.

Dizzy stator and pick up coil - used - if either of the installed ones goes out away from home - you are screwed - try to find one in a podunk town in the middle of nowhere.

Brand new, never used, Mitsu OEM fuel pump assembly - simply because I'm still running the Factory installed OEM fuel pump which is still operating great - but I dont REALLY trust it. Try finding one or the correct Walbro in the Middle of nowhere in MT, WY, NM, OK, UT, or the rest of the Western states.

Spare set of TESTED & CLEANED primary and secondary fuel injectors and a complete set of their o-ring seals.

Rebuilt (Mom & Pop) alternator. If it goes out - in the middle of NOWHERE - I want to get back to civilization - especially at night.

Alternator/coolant pump belt.

AC compressor belt and it's tensioner pulley assembly w/o the mounting bracket - I like my creature comforts.

Full set of fusible links.

Spare fuses for the fuse block under the dash.

Rad fan motor - interchangeable for both of the rad fans and the AC condenser fan

Radiator Primary thermosensor - if the secondary one goes out, the primary will work just fine as a temporary replacement.

A complete used set of one each of all of the models/styles of relays in the engine house.

2 foot sections of all of the various electrical wire gages in the engine house & under the dash.

A selection of various wire metal terminal connectors.

Coolant thermostat - Murphy's Law - bit me in the butt last week.

4 quarts of engine oil

1 gallon of coolant solution

1 quart of ATF - for the power steering system

1 quart of brake fluid

1 foot section of 5/8 " ID heater hose - most of the engines hoses are 5/8" except for the rad hoses.

Various sizes of hose clamps in the engine house - 1 each

ISC/MPS

Zip ties

Roll of 3M Scotch # 371 packing tape - It's strenght and adhesive is better & lasts longer than duct tape.

Heat Shrink kit.

A sheet of 400 grit emory cloth - to clean any corroded electrical male & female metal terminals

1 Tube of Di-electric grease

Make sure that the spare donut tire is pressurized to 60 PSIG before starting the trip and that the Mitsu OEM scissors jack works - I've worn out 2 of the OEM MItsu jacks over the years.

 

For What It's Worth.

 

KEN

 

Edit - I don't carry most of these parts around for daily local driving in the Old Broad. AAA can get me home then.

[Killtodie]

I carry nothing but a few simple tools and a zip tie or two.

 

I had plenty of times my car broke down when I was over 100 miles from home, unless I carried a full asrenal with me, I wouldnt have been able to fix the problem so since then I just carry small items for minor adjustments or repairs.

[patra_is_here]

I carry my membership card to AAA plus.

[Starfighterpilot]

I carry my membership card to AAA plus.

 

 

ME TOO!!! But if you are out of the state in which you live, you're screwed.

 

I'd rather do the repair/rework myself rather than some mechanic that knows SQUAT POINT CRAP about Starquests, while paying him $85/hr, and waiting for parts to come in from a far away warehouse or another Starquester, which costs me a motel bill along with the cost of repairs.

 

For What It's Worth.

 

KEN

[Chad]

When I still daily drove the car :

 

Screwdriver

pliers

quart of oil

gallon of coolant

86 ignitor (86 car with the small balck ignitor)

 

that's it. I've only been stranded by it a couple times, one was a flat tire and the spare was underinflated. The other time, no kit of tools woudl have helped. A few times I've taken more tools (on very long trips) but no other parts.

[TexasQuest]

I always carry a spare set of fuseable links in the glove box.

[QuestFan]

I daily drive mine. I just carry around a pair of pliers,flat and philips screw dirivers, electrical tape, zip ties, oil, ps fluid and coolant. Was stranded once, starter went out.

 

I think if you have to carry around a butt load of parts just to go on a trip, you dont need to be taking that car on a trip.

Edited March 6, 2012 by QuestFan

[DMNDSTAR87]

I have not gone more than 25 miles from home since new build so I only carry a couple lengths of vac hose--small tool set w/asst length screwdrivers,wrenches and nutdrivers--qt oil--ignitor---2 long plug wires---dizzy cap/rotor---fuseable links--I also have 24hr access to a buddies flatbed(emergency only)---some asst zipties---credit card--once i start making some longer drives i will increase what I carry but I will cross that bridge when I come to it---

gig out

Edited March 6, 2012 by DMNDSTAR87

[Starfighterpilot]

I daily drive mine.

 

I daily drive my Old Broad too. I don't carry around the spare parts when I do.

 

I think if you have to carry around a butt load of parts just to go on a trip, you dont need to be taking that car on a trip.

 

When I'm about 100 miles away from home I WANT to have the no longer available Starquest parts, and unique Starquest parts not stocked by after market vendors along with me in case one of 'em decides to take a dump. It saves money, time and motel bills. Most of my road trips are 500 or more miles away from home - one way. I put on 62K miles on her in the last 2.5 years. My Old Broad always gets me to my destination and back home - but once in a blue moon she needs a little help from me to make it happen. THAT'S WHEN THE SPARE PARTS & THE REQUIRED TOOLS ABOARD TO ACCOMPLISH THE REPAIRS ARE WORTH THEIR WEIGHT IN GOLD.

 

Remember, my Old Broad is 24.5 years old and has over 400K miles on her clock and her virgin short block. I'm not braggin', but she runs as well as any other recently overhauled/restored OEM stock Starquest in Starquest Club. On our round trip to Chicago and back to Atlanta (1476 miles) last week, she lost no, zero, nada, engine oil - altho the recently replaced with new Mitsu OEM coolant thermostat took a dump, which I quickly resolved. But there were no other problems with her on the round trip when we were running between 70 to 85 MPH on the interstates.

 

QuestFan, you are 18 years old. I'm not putting you down but get some experience and mileage under your belt before you start dissing me for the spare parts that I carry on long trips. If you think that you can take an, at least, 23 year old car ('89 Starquest for example) on a long trip without the critical tools and spare parts that you may need, you are flirting with failure - no matter how well you maintain your Starquest. I know from having 28 years of experience with Starions. They are very reliable and kick butt on the open road, if properly maintained. However, occassionally, they do need help at sometimes the most inopportune time and places.

 

For What It's Worth.

 

KEN

[patra_is_here]

 

 

ME TOO!!! But if you are out of the state in which you live, you're screwed.

 

I'd rather do the repair/rework myself rather than some mechanic that knows SQUAT POINT CRAP about Starquests, while paying him $85/hr, and waiting for parts to come in from a far away warehouse or another Starquester, which costs me a motel bill along with the cost of repairs.

 

For What It's Worth.

 

KEN

 

i guess i didnt really think about the state thing, but, since it takes like 10 hours to get out of california, i don't drive that far ever. hahaha. ideally, i would travel with a gas can, belts, ducttape and a few wrenches. any thing else breaks and it's just something I'll have to deal with.

[jayro]

i dont go too far either, but if i was to drive to pf i think id pack it like ken does. but on the daily some screwdrivers tireshine/rim polish and a 10mm will solve any little bugs

[alp247]

For sure i always carry a small tool kit with my multimeter with wire leads. I do recommend the igniter...man i had that die on me and let me tell you if i didn't have my friends car to borrow then i would have had my car stuck out on the road for a bit until i get one from someone.

[polarisman14]

I bought mine sight unseen and drove it 350 miles back home, then 300 miles round trip the following weekend on a scenic cruise. No spare stuff at all.

[The Rabbit1]

wow, are you a airplane pilot or a plane mechanic? the way you overhaul the starquest on point routinely, even though nothing is wrong with her is above par even for a nuclear submarine!

 

I carry a small set of tools, wire leads, fusible links, a very bright 240 lumen flashlight, and cash. unless an electronic part goes out, then I can probably just deal with it. Or I will have to just deal with it.

[Komeuppance]

I drive my car 100+ miles daily... sometimes I'll have my tool box in the back, other times I won't. Only time I got "stranded" was when I had a tire go flat, and then the spare had just enough air to get me 100 yards then come off the bead lol. The most recent "fix" I had to do was the clutch slave... maybe. I drove it 25 miles to a friends house and it lost a lot of clutch fluid... I just had to shift without the clutch. I bought a new clutch master, and slave, and put on the braided SS line I've had waiting for 2 years.

 

I usually carry a 2x4 in case I need to lift the car to change a wheel, some brake fluid, power steering fluid.

 

Some guys really don't trust their cars for some reason... haha guess they have to put more work into it. If I'm going more than 250miles I'll make sure to bring a proper tool set though, no matter which car I'm taking.

 

-Robert

[Caliber308]

Robert,

 

No spare Turbo Oil Feed Line?

 

Bill

[Starfighterpilot]

wow, are you a airplane pilot or a plane mechanic? the way you overhaul the starquest on point routinely, even though nothing is wrong with her is above par even for a nuclear submarine!

 

I carry a small set of tools, wire leads, fusible links, a very bright 240 lumen flashlight, and cash. unless an electronic part goes out, then I can probably just deal with it. Or I will have to just deal with it.

 

 

Being stationed aboard USN nuc submarines as a Nuc Machinist Mate [MM1(SS)] Nuclear Engineering Watch Supervisor is were I learned about the benefits of preventive maintenance and carrying spare parts. Imagine being under the Arctic Ice Pack or the Soviets, in the Cold War, trying to blow your sub to the surface without a needed critical spare part to replace a failed critical part aboard the sub to get you out of there and safely home? I learned back then when Christ was a kid, as a young snot nosed whipper snapper, that you should be prepared for any critical emergency that can ruin your "day" far from home.

 

Granted that a 23 year old Starquest critical part failure does not have the same consequences as a critical part failure in a nuc submarine - but you can catch my drift. Without having the critical part and having the tools to install it, could leave your Starquest dead on the side of the road out in the middle of nowhere; or in the case of the nuc sub, adrift on the ocean IF she can get to the surface, or worse......................................

 

Perhaps the new guys should throughly read the Starquest FAQ's and the FSM for the Mitsu recommended maintenance chart intervals for changing of the Starquest fluids and the checking/replacement of parts that are known to wear out after a certain interval of operation.

 

For What It's Worth.

 

KEN

[QuestFan]

I understand what you're saying KEN, I MYSELF just wouldnt attempt to drive a 20 some year old car that doesnt really have a good reliabilty track record on a 100++ mile trip. There are other newer vehicles I would prefer to drive. And Im not dissing you, I respect that your can has made it this far. Edited March 7, 2012 by QuestFan