amcdonal86 Posted February 24, 2009 Posted February 24, 2009 Well, Spring Break is rolling around, and I'm preparing to the the LS for its first real road trip! Should be about a 1600 mile drive from Durham, NC to Miami and back. It will be me and 3 others. The car runs in tip top shape (and I really mean it!), but I'm wondering what I should do to prepare for this trip. It has new tires and just got a fresh oil change. I'm probably going to get the windows tinted to 35% next weekend. I'll probably give it a nice detail and do an application of Lexol on the leather to keep it nice and soft! One concern I have is related to the cigarette lighters all over the car (there are 3, plus one electrical outlet in the glovebox). If I ran electrical devices like iPods, laptops and GPS units from all of these outlets at the same time, would this cause any harm to my electrical system or place too much load on the alternator? I just had my alternator and battery tested at Advance Auto Parts and they said they were fine. Any suggestions or recommendations? Thanks!
PureDrifter Posted February 24, 2009 Posted February 24, 2009 Well, Spring Break is rolling around, and I'm preparing to the the LS for its first real road trip!Should be about a 1600 mile drive from Durham, NC to Miami and back. It will be me and 3 others. The car runs in tip top shape (and I really mean it!), but I'm wondering what I should do to prepare for this trip. It has new tires and just got a fresh oil change. I'm probably going to get the windows tinted to 35% next weekend. I'll probably give it a nice detail and do an application of Lexol on the leather to keep it nice and soft! One concern I have is related to the cigarette lighters all over the car (there are 3, plus one electrical outlet in the glovebox). If I ran electrical devices like iPods, laptops and GPS units from all of these outlets at the same time, would this cause any harm to my electrical system or place too much load on the alternator? I just had my alternator and battery tested at Advance Auto Parts and they said they were fine. Any suggestions or recommendations? Thanks! electrical issues shouldnt be a problem, buy a couple extra 5, 10, 15, 20, and maybe even 30amp spade fuses to keep just in case someone overloads/shorts something during the drive. make sure the coolant and trans fluid levels are correct, and that the tires are inflated to ~33-36psi. windshield wipers, and wiper fluid, blinker fluid, and the AC/Heater should all be in good shape.
amcdonal86 Posted February 24, 2009 Author Posted February 24, 2009 Well, Spring Break is rolling around, and I'm preparing to the the LS for its first real road trip!Should be about a 1600 mile drive from Durham, NC to Miami and back. It will be me and 3 others. The car runs in tip top shape (and I really mean it!), but I'm wondering what I should do to prepare for this trip. It has new tires and just got a fresh oil change. I'm probably going to get the windows tinted to 35% next weekend. I'll probably give it a nice detail and do an application of Lexol on the leather to keep it nice and soft! One concern I have is related to the cigarette lighters all over the car (there are 3, plus one electrical outlet in the glovebox). If I ran electrical devices like iPods, laptops and GPS units from all of these outlets at the same time, would this cause any harm to my electrical system or place too much load on the alternator? I just had my alternator and battery tested at Advance Auto Parts and they said they were fine. Any suggestions or recommendations? Thanks! electrical issues shouldnt be a problem, buy a couple extra 5, 10, 15, 20, and maybe even 30amp spade fuses to keep just in case someone overloads/shorts something during the drive. make sure the coolant and trans fluid levels are correct, and that the tires are inflated to ~33-36psi. windshield wipers, and wiper fluid, blinker fluid, and the AC/Heater should all be in good shape. I better get that blinker fluid checked out, LOL! :) Why should the tires be inflated to 33-36 psi?
SW03ES Posted February 24, 2009 Posted February 24, 2009 For best highway mileage. IMHo thats too high a PSI for the LS, I think the factory spec is 29, I'd inflate them to 30... How many miles on your LS?
amcdonal86 Posted February 24, 2009 Author Posted February 24, 2009 I have about 95k miles on it right now. I've only owned it two months now, but I have already replaced: **Front swaybar bushings **Front strut rods/bushings **Front upper strut mounts **Four tires (Yokohama Avid Touring S) **Cabin Air Filter It rides fantastically! Factory spec is 29 on the fronts, and 32s in the rears, which is what I have it at right now.
curiousB Posted February 24, 2009 Posted February 24, 2009 Power drain of that list of products is inconsequential to the car power system. The blower fan on the A/C probably consumes more power than all the items you’d use in the car (I didn’t see pancake skillet on the list, it could be a load). It’s really more an issue what the alternator can deliver than the battery. The battery stores energy, the alternator creates it (or more properly converts mechanical to electrical energy). The alternator is designed for worst case electrical load plus some safety factor. The total electrical loads of high beam headlights, fog lights, running lights, audio system, wipers, window defoggers, engine ECU, A/C blower motor would be in excess of 1000 watts. Your trusty iPod is probably less than 10 watts
amcdonal86 Posted February 27, 2009 Author Posted February 27, 2009 Actually, the inverter I have is a 10A inverter. The power outlet on the car says "MAX 3.5A." Also, I'm not sure about my laptop (I assume it consumes less power), but my desktop's power supply is rated for 550W and can get close to 400W if I'm playing intensive games, etc. I'm sure my laptop would be in the 100W range! This particular inverter has been used to power a small CRT television and a Playstation 2 at the same time in a Honda Odyssey minivan with no problems at all. Is there any reason to believe that there would be a problem in the LS? Haha, sorry for stressing this too much. I guess I will just prepare some fuses in case something goes wrong!
blake918 Posted February 28, 2009 Posted February 28, 2009 If you take care of things to begin with, there isn't anything to do before you leave other than filling-up the tank and cd changer. I put a quick 1200 unplanned miles on mine last weekend, and the car and I loved it! Also, I think you'll be fine with the electricals. I used to have a 3 in 1 that I'd put in the front cig lighter that would power my radar, GPS, and sat radio, and it never caused any trouble. Spreading the electronics out to the various power points should be even better. You'll see that the 22.5 gallon tank is superb for road trips. I haven't taken my '99 on a road trip yet, but I'd base food/fuel/restroom stops on my '95's 500+ mile cruising range--let's hope you don't have someone in the car that has to go to the restroom every hour! It's tough to drive for 7-8 hours straight, but it's quite exciting when you see 5xx on the trip odometer!
landar Posted February 28, 2009 Posted February 28, 2009 One concern I have is related to the cigarette lighters all over the car (there are 3, plus one electrical outlet in the glovebox). You have an outlet in the glovebox? I have a 98 and there are two in the back(each door), one near the ash tray and one in the armrest compartment. But nothing in the glovebox. Concerning your maintenance before a trip...I look it as what you should NOT do. Don't do any major stuff, (like timing belts, water pump or engine rebuild ;) ) And even seemingly simple stuff can get screwed up and should not be done more than a few days before launch. Give yourself a few days of test driving. Lastly, relax and have fun!
amcdonal86 Posted February 28, 2009 Author Posted February 28, 2009 One concern I have is related to the cigarette lighters all over the car (there are 3, plus one electrical outlet in the glovebox). You have an outlet in the glovebox? I have a 98 and there are two in the back(each door), one near the ash tray and one in the armrest compartment. But nothing in the glovebox. Concerning your maintenance before a trip...I look it as what you should NOT do. Don't do any major stuff, (like timing belts, water pump or engine rebuild ;) ) And even seemingly simple stuff can get screwed up and should not be done more than a few days before launch. Give yourself a few days of test driving. Lastly, relax and have fun! Sorry, I meant armrest! :D :D It's so big, I call it the glovebox! I just drove the car 260 miles today to visit my parents over the weekend. It drove like a brand new car. I love this thing!!!! BTW, I drove the speed limit and I got a record 29 miles per gallon!!!!! I had no idea a huge V8 sedan could get that kind of gas mileage.
amcdonal86 Posted February 28, 2009 Author Posted February 28, 2009 I have about 95k miles on it right now. I've only owned it two months now, but I have already replaced:**Front swaybar bushings **Front strut rods/bushings **Front upper strut mounts **Four tires (Yokohama Avid Touring S) **Cabin Air Filter It rides fantastically! Factory spec is 29 on the fronts, and 32s in the rears, which is what I have it at right now. I would definitely check that the tire jack and lug wrench is there, and check the pressure in the spare tire. This is great advice. I had a chance to look at the spare tire yesterday, it is soft to the touch so it's probably filled with 5 - 10 psi or less! But on the plus side, I found out that the spare is a full size spare with an ALLOY wheel!! And it's in perfect shape!!!! I thought it would've been a steelie!
curiousB Posted March 2, 2009 Posted March 2, 2009 Actually, the inverter I have is a 10A inverter. The power outlet on the car says "MAX 3.5A." Also, I'm not sure about my laptop (I assume it consumes less power), but my desktop's power supply is rated for 550W and can get close to 400W if I'm playing intensive games, etc. I'm sure my laptop would be in the 100W range!This particular inverter has been used to power a small CRT television and a Playstation 2 at the same time in a Honda Odyssey minivan with no problems at all. Is there any reason to believe that there would be a problem in the LS? Haha, sorry for stressing this too much. I guess I will just prepare some fuses in case something goes wrong! The 10A rating of the inverter is likely its maximum input rating. The actual current draw will depend on what you connect on the AC side of the inverter. With 10A @ 12VDC that is a 120Watt inverter. These devices aren't perfect converters of power so they lose a bit of energy as heat. So assuming 120W in, then it can handle around 100W out on AC side (probably could go a bit higher, maybe 110W but lets play it safe). That means you can plug in AC appliances up to 100W on the 120VAC side of the inverter. Now let’s turn to the car outlet. The 3.5A is probably the fuse for this port. If you try to pull 10A it will pop the fuse. So in your example the limiting factor will now be the 3.5A port rating. 3.5 x 12 VDC = 42Watts, and derating for inverter efficiency gets us to around 35W @120VAC. So that is about you upper limit of AC load you can hang on the inverter without popping the car port fuse. So if you use the 3.5A port keep your usage below 35W on 120VAC side, if you want more out on AC side plug the inverter into the cigarette lighter which is probably fused around 15A or so. Plugging the inverter in that port would allow you to get the full power out of the inverter (around 100-110W on AC side). Lastly, don’t put the inverter in a closed compartment like the glove box or arm rest compartment. The lost energy as heat has to go somewhere or the inverter might overheat. Keep it somewhere where it can breathe a bit.
amcdonal86 Posted March 2, 2009 Author Posted March 2, 2009 curiousB, thanks for that writeup. It is very helpful! So the power outlet actually has a lower power capability than the cigarette lighters? Sounds kind of counter-intuitive!
amcdonal86 Posted March 3, 2009 Author Posted March 3, 2009 BTW, how much luggage can be packed into this trunk? Can you guys give me an estimate (like 4 large suitcases + 2 carryon size bags--something like this)? Thanks!
HRP Posted March 3, 2009 Posted March 3, 2009 I'd inflate the tires closer to their max or at least split the difference between the max and the recommended. If you can't "read" the tire information on their sidewalls, it is available from most manufacturers sites (Michelin.com certainly his it). You will find that with a full load, you'll have better milage, handling, ride, and wear with the higher inflation. Also keep a can of Invisible Glass cleaner (Stoners) and paper towels as well as an emergency kit with reflectors, flares, flashlights, tire guage, bandaids, tylenol, etc. on board. And hide some cash in the glovebox. We prefer "soft" luggage or duffle bags since they will fit better and can be used as "pillows" in the cabin if necessary. Have a nice trip!!!
SW03ES Posted March 4, 2009 Posted March 4, 2009 I don't know what the tire spec says, but I'd definitely fill the tires to max air. With 4 people, plus luggage, laptops, etc, you can't do any harm by running at max PSI. Whenever I add load to my vehicles, I ALWAYS check the tire pressure and run them up to adjust for the extra weight. This is especially important here where the summer temps reach 100+ degrees F. I disagree. The max pressure is the tire's maximum pressure...or the most pressure that particular tire can hold before it may fail. I don't know about you, but I don't want my tires aired up to the maximum they can be aired to safely. The max pressure is just that, a maximum.
amcdonal86 Posted March 4, 2009 Author Posted March 4, 2009 I don't know what the tire spec says, but I'd definitely fill the tires to max air. With 4 people, plus luggage, laptops, etc, you can't do any harm by running at max PSI. Whenever I add load to my vehicles, I ALWAYS check the tire pressure and run them up to adjust for the extra weight. This is especially important here where the summer temps reach 100+ degrees F. I disagree. The max pressure is the tire's maximum pressure...or the most pressure that particular tire can hold before it may fail. I don't know about you, but I don't want my tires aired up to the maximum they can be aired to safely. The max pressure is just that, a maximum. I tend to agree with you. I don't mind bumping up the air pressure by 2-3 psi, though. (32-33psi.) Anybody know approximately how many full size suitcases will fit in the trunk of the LS? I'd go out and measure but it's too darn cold here. It's gonna be 8ºF tonight!
Budhah Posted March 4, 2009 Posted March 4, 2009 BTW, how much luggage can be packed into this trunk? Can you guys give me an estimate (like 4 large suitcases + 2 carryon size bags--something like this)?Thanks! you have a total weight capacity. take the sum of the passengers weight, and subtract it from the total cap. That is most you can carry in the car... My son took a voltage converter with him on a trip. Blew a few fuses, and burned a wire off the plug wire in the lighter socket where it was plugged. So be careful if your friends are using the play station. or WII... Tire pressure should be posted on the door post on the driver side. A few extra pounds would be on with extra weight. Do remember to check the air in spare and make sure it is same as the others... (This is for newer cars with pressure sensors.),, Low pressure would cause the tires to overheat.
amcdonal86 Posted March 4, 2009 Author Posted March 4, 2009 BTW, how much luggage can be packed into this trunk? Can you guys give me an estimate (like 4 large suitcases + 2 carryon size bags--something like this)?Thanks! you have a total weight capacity. take the sum of the passengers weight, and subtract it from the total cap. That is most you can carry in the car... My son took a voltage converter with him on a trip. Blew a few fuses, and burned a wire off the plug wire in the lighter socket where it was pluged. Tire pressure should be posted on the door post on the driver side. A few extra pounds would be on with extra weight. Do remember to check the air in spare and make sure it is same as the others... (This is for newer cars with pressure sensors.),, Low pressure would cause the tires to overheat. I'm more worried about volume! But I guess I will just have to test it out myself when it warms up!
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