RV Trouble In DEATH VALLEY! â ïž - Was This a HUGE Mistake??
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- Äas pĆidĂĄn 26. 08. 2024
- We're taking our RV to the HOTTEST place on earth - Death Valley! But in true Endless Adventure fashion, our vintage camper van started acting up only 30 minutes from our campsite. We honestly thought we were going to have to leave her in the middle of the desert. đ
We managed to limp to camp, and boy was it worth it! We saw one of the most beautiful sunsets ever and woke up to amazing views and some of the hottest temperatures we've ever encountered!
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We're Eric & Allison and we're on a journey to find the most interesting places and unique foods this planet has to offer! We've traded in our steady paychecks and permanent home for a life of travel and adventure. Come along and see the world with us!
Iâve always wondered who would take an old rv through Death Valley in the summer. I guess now I know.
Iâm still processing the decision to actually stay in Death Valley voluntarily in the middle of the summer. Growing up in the southwest, that is a winter only destination (at least for a pleasure trip).
And not with a car that breaks down twice each episodeđ”
Yeah. I dont get this..Unless their goal is to try to create unnecessary drama to m.j take content. But, every phone has a weather app...so..
Who would intentionally camp in a metal box in 110 degreesđ
@@margaretanglade5293 not at this point as it's getting beyond the joke haha
Thatâs why itâs an endless adventure đ
What a great response!
You very likely had boiling transmission fluid on the hill climb. Why Death Valley at the hottest and most dangerous time of the year? With all of the fantastic improvements to both vehicles, why not keep them away from dangerous situations so they can give you the level of comfort and reliability you deserve? The motorhome would need a very heavy-duty transmission cooler to keep it comfortable in summer heat, and even that might not be enough with towing. You should have the trans. drained, flushed and new fluid installed to prevent future issues. The failure of the trans. to down-shift is a telltale sign of heating issues. Once trans. fluid is compromised by heat it will not function as intended and will slowly wear out the friction bands with excessive slipping. Cheap to get it serviced now vs. a trans. rebuild. Vehicle manufacturers rate summer mountain travel in the desert as "Severe Duty" and as such vehicles need extra cooling for both the engine and transmission. The Suzuki was never designed for this type of usage and needs extra protection, too. Towing just adds to the stress. With so much of America to see, why not stay away from dangerous spots when they can so easily be avoided? Oregon, Washington, and yes, Alaska, offer much more weather friendly visits. Our company has offered Death Valley trips for over 30 years and we never allowed our tour coaches to visit the park between May and September, both to save the equipment and make the trips more enjoyable for our guests. Good luck with your 2023 adventures. Your restoration work on both vehicles is amazing and hopefully you will have thousands of trouble-free miles enjoying the sights and sounds of our beautiful country.
Also add a transmission temperature gauge ASAP! I agree that fluid is cooked and needs to be changed at the first opportunity.
I was screaming for them to just take the 5! I get so worried for CZcamsrs who make an unnecessarily dangerous decision because itâs better for content.
When you route plan, always check your elevation before committing to the route. This is increasingly important if youâre looking to do all the mountain passes required for Alaska. Donât get caught off guard by things you can easily check before going. Now go change your transmission fluid as it had been cooked and wonât work as it should.
Our passes up here in Alaska are less than 5,000 feet, I suppose atigan pass is the hardest and tallest.
Never go to D Valley in the summer. Even the people that live there leave in the summer đ
Seriously, not good planning on their part. The fact that they were the only ones in the RV park should have been a clue.
To voluntarily go to somewhere with âDeathâ in its name is asking for it.. đ
Same comment I left before I saw yours
Or Phoenix, AZ
Meh itâs not all
That bad.
Might want to keep "The Money Pit" RV away from areas that have the word "Death" in it đ Death Valley is no joke in the middle of Summer!
Looks like your trans just overheated. You will need to keep it in a lower gear so the engine is revving a little higher than normal. This keeps the waterpump rotating more which is required to keep the rad cooler. Running in a higher gear with a lot of strain just causes the trans to slip and overheat the oil. It is counter intuitive to rev the engine more to keep it cooler but it is needed in old heavy vehicles. A trans cooler could be a good upgrade if you have the opportunity and I would have a trans flush done now that it has been cooked a bit, get rid of all the burnt oil. Love your work, keep it up.
I hope they read this. You are spot on
If you guys struggle that badly in death Valley, I would be worried about taking that RV up to Alaska.
Alaska's passes will be so much more difficult on Clementine!
Seems weird though - they have a brand new engine!!!!
Only reason it did that was probably because the transmission was overheating from the very hot environment and all that weight it's pulling, and also the brutal hills. They should be fine up in Alaska lets hope.
Itâs pretty late in the season to head to Alaska.
itâs going to be rain and more rain in Alaska if they get there in a month.
You may be headed toward Alaska by now, but I have an important suggestion we only learned the hard way, and from other travelers. The trip thru Canada to Alaska may have improved in the past 15 years, however, while we have traveled in Canada, the trip to Alaska was a camper killer, we blew two tires, and lost a windshield on a slow treacherous trip. This would be so easy since you are already in California...
Take the beautiful ocean highway 1 to 101 to Bellingham, WA and catch the Alaska Marine Highway. It is a beautiful trip with whales, and dolphins, and so much more. The trip to Bellingham is beautiful, and then the inland waterway is smooth, with all the best marine life, from whales, dolphins, seals, and even eagles. We got off at Juno, Haines, and Sitka all which were great, then went on to Denali and Fairbanks. Glacier Lake has a glacier on land you can walk up, and the lake trip has 7 other glaciers.
Yo do that that Alaska Marine Highway is garbage? It cost more than double to take that little ferry than a cruise ship.
500 passengers and 110 room. Nothing is included.
You should unhook and drive seperate on mountain passes. Edit: Ah. I see you did. Always do that in the future.
Guessing your transmission overheated. Consider getting a transmission cooler installed. Itâs not super expensive and will extend the life of your transmission.
I put a really uge tranny cooler on my Allegro. Glad I did when in 90F plus weather beating down the highway.
Altitude can be tricky in the desert - but one of the first signs is that the carburetor on normally aspirated vehicles begin starving for air unless you adjust it for the altitude.
@@thegoodtom1718 Yeah the new LS should easily adjust for that and temps.
Crazy!
I traveled through Death Valley with my partner and our dog in a completely unreliable VW Bus which we loaned from a friend while she lived in our home in Santa Cruz. During our trip through Death Valley our air conditioning refused to function and the van was willing to travel a few miles at a time before overheating. We rescued ourselves and our dog by using our entire water supply to wet towels which we draped about our and her bodies! Death Valley has earned its name quite accurately. Iâm still amazed that we successfully survived that challenge!
That RV Reminds me of the house in the old Tom Hanks movie "Money Pit" always broken down and in need of constant repair. Breaking down out there in Death Valley could've been tragic
I kept saying "un-hook Ruby" and yeah DV in the late fall, much better Temps. Good luck đ
Death Valley is between some insane mountains. Itâs a very bad idea to be there in the summer. Normally late fall, winter and at latest early spring is a better time and still incredibly hot. Better to take clementine up hwy 395 through the sierras. Itâs warm but beautiful and near mountain lakes that you can explore in ruby so you stay cool. Death Valley is really cool to visit but NOT in summer. Iâm glad you guys were safe. But be careful there.
I can't believe you went there in the summer. Holy cow.
Whoa......NOBODY and I MEAN nobody goes to death valley in the summertime....Poor Clementine I feel sorry for the old gal.
I really can't believe you didn't unhook in the beginning đ€Šââ up hill and towing when there was two of you there
Best time to go there is in the spring when the wildflowers bloom.
When you tow in those conditions, climbing a long grade you unhitch and drive the towed car separately until clear of the mountains.
Never go to Death Valley in the summer! April to October, no go
You have wheels why don't you leave?
Death Valley is so hot in the summer time ...
Even. Wounder Hussy gets out of town đ„” stay hydrated y'all
Be safeđ
Does your mechanic in Chicago watch your episodes and start a running list of parts to order? đ€Ł
*Transmission
*Transmission cooler
*Transmission temp gauge
*Brake shoes, pads, drums, rotors
Foil on the RV windows has a Breaking Bad vibe to it.đ
Sometimes I watch this channel and really think...maybe they should pick another path in life and park the RVs for good. Without a doubt they have more trouble than most RV channels out there.
After all the heat of California, you need to drive up the northern CA coast, and definitely drive up the COOL Oregon coast!
OMG! Why Death Valley in the summer? Especially when you seem to have bad luck in Clementine. I thought I was crazy to come to Arizona in July. But seriously I love all your adventures. Sending you good vibes. Maybe you need to Sage Clementine! Lol
Clementine is like a commercial or cautionary tale to promoter buying new recreational vehicles. Nostalgia can only pull you along so far.
Not dying is a very important thing. đ I felt that way going skydiving. âIf I can make it to the ground Iâll have a good story to tellâ
Clementine is a little trooper. I feel like I was mentally getting her up that hill!
Happy to see you back on the road with C and R. Whenever you are going up a grade for a distance you need to unhook and drive vehicles separately. Glad you figured it out eventually but you put quite a strain on clementine.
Took the owners in the Winnebago to suggest unhooking
I'm glad you made it out of the mountains and are safe. Please be very careful when traveling through the mountains. My family are owner operators of big rigs and I'm telling you the horror stories they have told me. I'm not interested in going there at all. I'll be praying đ for you guys for your sake travels. †it really is beautiful though and thanks for taking us along.
Eek hope you both stay safe !just read about how hot it was đ„”đ„”đ„”đ„” No thank you
Hope you reconsider about staying and move on to a much cooler place than there đ€đ.
Yes the views are stunning and that sun set wauw wauw đ€© Breathtaking . .
Take care hope Clementine holds on donât push her too hard đ€đ€ đ„°
Hi - I hate to be one of those "comment experts". but I really encourage you to get the RV to a transmission shop as soon as possible - and have the automatic transmission fluid changed. Just because your radiator wasn't over-heating doesn't mean your transmission wasn't. You likely had the transmission so hot that the fluid was boiling and thinned out which didn't allow the transmission pumps to do their thing - that's why you didn't have shifting. When it cooled down a little - it started working again - but the fluid is very likely compromised and should be changed as soon as possible to avoid continued damage to to the clutches and the pumps.. Even if you didn't over-heat the trans fluid - it can't hurt to have it changed. A good trans shop could install a transmission temperature guage too. I recommend keeping it below 230 degrees. If mine gets to 225 - I pull over and let it cool down. Note; do shut the engine off when allowing a transmission to cool down. It keeps the fluid pumps moving the fluid around and cools down faster.
Youâre cooking Clem and Ruby. I think youâll be very very lucky to drive away.
Hey yaâll⊠we live in Alberta, Canada. If you are traveling on the Alaskan Highway(hwy 43), you are most welcome to take an overnight break at our place. We are only 2 miles off of Hwy 43. Itâs free and comes with a home cooked meal. đ„°
This is like The Hills Have Eyes đ
Recommend adding a trans temperature Gauge to that old Chevy!
The simple answer to the question is yes! It was a huge mistake especially in a rig with that age and history of issues! You could have lost your lives! What were you two thinking??
Great video! Glad you made it. If the transmission has a drain plug maybe just have it drained and add some fresh possibly synthetic fluid to it. It will only be 4-5 quarts but it may help replenish the additives that may have been depleted from excessive heat and improve shift quality. Heat is usually a major contributor to automatic transmission failures. Adventure on!
Glad you are ok! As other commenters have said, change the transmission fluid asap! Blessings â€
Wow, that was crazy! It looks so hot there. Lol, whose crazy ideas was it to go to Death Valley in this heat? It's definitely beautiful, especially at sunset. Stay cool!
I would have travelled OUT of DV as soon as the sun went down. Looking forward to seeing what you do in DV. â€đ Jane
Not only is it hazardous to drive in the middle of the day for over heating the engine but most dont worry about tires. In peak hours we always check our tires in South Texas heat
They call it "Death Valley" for a reason. I would avoid it during the summer months. I'm surprised your older RV is really hanging in there. Even a new RV would give some problems in that heat and with those hills.
It is NOT an older RV,it is an old shell, with absolutely everything mechanical replaced with new within the last year. It may be old on the outside, but underneath the skin, it is a brand new 2023
You alway's seem to have trouble with that RV. I really wouldn't trust it to go anywhere.
Itâs getting a bit too late in the season to head to Alaska.
Death Valley your crazy đđźđ đđ
You too are nuts đ! Glad the AC is working a bit. Another great video!
Wow, I cannot believe you guys went to death Valley in the summer! You guys are crazy adventures ! Lol I would never even consider driving my car out there even. Glad you guys made it out there safe. â€Wow.
Always to Death Valley in October. Crazy to go there in the summer.
Super smart unhooking guys. Didn't even think of that myself until you said it. Death Valley is my favorite NP. Hopefully you enjoyed it. I was there when it was 131 one time.
Weren't you guys up in the Northeast in the winter? Now Death Valley in August?! Who is planning the route?? Seems like the season has not been taken into account. Makes for an entertaining vlog though! Fortunately you have Ruby if Clementine truly breaks down.
Yess I was wondering the same thing
Wow. I thought another breakdown so soon after getting her back. I'm glad it didn't seem serious. You are crazy(Cray Cray) to go there in the Summer. As Allison mention people die there. There is a Death Valley Witch, nicknamed "The Desert witch" she prays on travelers/foreigners. Be careful.
Get one of those transmission coolers that go in front of the radiator.
Make sure the van is OK before you attempt to take it into Canada and Alaska. I talked to a friend in Arizona--a lot of people need gloves to drive because the interior of their car is so hot they can't touch the steering wheel!
Sure hope you come up to through British Columbia on your way to Alaska, it will be the best part of the trip, I guarantee. I don't know how people enjoy the desert, it's so hot, dusty and uncomfortable, but I'm from Vancouver where it's green and rains all the time except for now in the summer.
you need a trans temp gauge and a trans cooler if you don't already have them. towing is hard on transmissions and towing up hill is even worse.
You guys are gluttons for punishment I swear. đ âClementines heater went outâŠ.weâre going to Antarctica folks!â
Why would anyone be in death valley? Super hot and dangerous
Get some ceramic window tint installed on your rv it does an excellent job keeping inside temps down
Yâall are wearing me out with all these breakdowns and repairs. I know itâs part of the RV lifestyle but it seems yâall are looking for it.
Death Valley in the summer? Aha. I see.
Hey you said in your video that your lights get hot. I ordered replacement led lights for my camper. No heat from them!!! They are also very reasonable/cheap. I hope you try it!
It's probably too late, but when you leave, treat it like driving through West Texas.... DRIVE AT NIGHT! We use a windshield cover the same as you have but I have a big piece of that reflective insulation that I put over the windshield first. Makes a hug difference in the heat coming though. Be safe and have fun... see y'all out there! Find an oil change place and get both your engine and tranny fluid changed... trust me on this one. I'll bet you a dollar against a dog biscuit that your tranny fluid now smells burnt.
Pretty nice up in the Pacific N.W., 70 and low 80's, that will cool
You down!
The suspense!! Go clementine go!! At least she was able to limp along! Canât wait to see the road trip progress!!
This is wild, I don't understand why you'd choose to drive Clementine (or ANY RV) in Death Valley ... in the summer ... up hills....
You can add a transmission temperature gauge. Itâs really important to know if itâs overheating.
Glad you made it, but isn't it time to sell the old RV (get your money back maybe) and get a new(er) motorhome? Something reliable?
New ones F$%k up too!
True. But I think if you know how to properly keep these older motor homes maintained, then I donât see why anyone should get rid of an old motor home. Plus Clementine has some charm to her. đ
Go read some reviews on new ones. Breaking down left and right plus big payments on top of it. Plus it's content for the page. Who wants to read about some generic new RV cruising around. đ
100% this.
You went to the wrong place. On the south side of the park is what used to be called Furnace Creek Lodge. They have a campground near the rooms, and you can use the spring-fed pool for free. Even if you stay down the road at the park campground w/hookups, you can still use the pool for $5 pp per day. Mar & Apr are prime months to go though when wildflowers bloom EVERYWHERE the eye can see. Itâs beauty on top of beauty.
I guess the original plan of doing cold places in the summer and hot places in the winter is a big fail ;-)
Going to Alaska next. Get a new transmission first. That one is likely cooked now and if it's old could be due to be replaced any way. Hope you make it out of Death Valley. Want to keep watching your adventure videos.
My question is WHY?? Lolll . I live in Maine and extreme heat woops my but!! Brave Adventurerâs!! đđđđđ
Travel safely through that hot section. You probably already have plans for Washington state if you make it, but if not two suggestions I have is hit the Richland/Kennewick area specifically the Red Mountain wine region. Some of the best wines. Also about 25 miles east of Seattle is the Snoqualmie Falls. Woodinville also has lots of Wine Tasting rooms, and also some brewery and distillery.
Glad you made it there. Thanks for taking us along for the ride. Yâall stay safe and safe travels forward as well!!
If your motorhome does not have a transmission oil cooler you should consider installing one. The cooler is a smaller radiator the sits behind the engine radiator and it keeps the transmissions temp much cooler when working hard. In modern trucks the manufactures can add a trailering prep packages, snow plow prep pkgs, or ambulance prep pkgs and all of them have a trans oil cooler because of the heavy duty use they see. A motor home is a lot of extra weight and then the addition of Ruby it is most certainly considered severe duty when the transmission is involved. I used to plow snow with my truck and I changed all the transmission fluid over to Amsoil full synthetic ATF and never had an issue. Your engine oil changes in Clementine will also be shorter intervals as it is severe duty I would also consider full synthetic oil in that new engine.
What possessed you to go to Death Valley, that said return in February and the mountain passes are spectacular!
Hottest place in the US for sure, but not the planet. In 1922 El Azizia, Libya, recorded a temperature of 58.0°C (136.4°F). According to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), that remains the highest air temperature ever measured. But you're still crazy wanting to be there in summer!
You should see if you can get a bigger trans cooler
You could even do something as simple as putting a vintage Flax Water Bag on your van for when your doing that kind of driving
Bless your heart for taking the 15
"We're excited to explore - not die." should be your merch slogan ...
If you can get your hands on corrugate plastic to put in the windows, that will help insulate against extreme heat and cold.
Loved it. Well done Clementine on the climb.đđđđźđȘđșđČ
Sounds like you need a trans cooler if you don't have one already. If so you need a bigger one ;)
I love ya'll dearly. Please get a transmission thermostat. They can overheat without the motor overheating.
The 1925 silent film Greed was filmed in Death Valley. To keep cool the crews would soak towels and the tents with water, and in 20 minutes everything was dry. You wouldnt even know it was wet 20 minutes prior. A few crew members even had heat stroke. There is a scene of a dead horse in the desert and that horse actually died on location.
Why on earth would you head to Death Valley during the summer? Not a great choice. Do your homework next time.
Wrong place to break down. You travel at night during that heat.. hope you have plenty of cold beer in the fridge while waiting 4 help wish you all the best. Stay safeđ€ đ€ and đđ see if you can get in touch with wonderhussy she lives in DV maybe she knows a good Garage that can help
"A Million Ways to Die in the West: A Million and One - The Sequel"
Do you have an auxillary transmission cooler on Clementine? Sounds like you need one or need to check it if you do.
My experience going out there, your transmission probably got too hot. Your engine is doing fine but the trans is the one having trouble staying cool.
Aftermarket/secondary transmission cooler will help with this issue.
Death Valley in a vintage rv towing a vehicle in July/August ? Seriously ? đ€ŠđŒââïž
Make it a routine practice to disconnect Ruby on long hill climbs.
When you are changing elevation so much it affects the performance of these older vehicles. We crossed Death Valley on a day that was about 70 F and once we got to higher elevations our old van ran great!
Yep, bad place to go right now..they call it death valley for a reasonđ
I can't believe you went there in AUGUST!!!!
Thanks!
You just ran into regular traffic in the Cajon Pass. While it is a main truck route, the trucks aren' t the problem. In addition to the morning and late afternoon traffic, each of the lanes narrow a bit on either side of the freeway south of the CHP scales. It creates a phenomenon for nervous drivers feeling encroached upon by cars in the lanes next to them, who slow their roll, to the detriment and frustration of almost every other driver on the road, thinking all the brake lights indicate a potential accident, which also occurs frequently in the Cajon Pass.
Knowing this has helped me accept it for what it is rather than get hopelessly frustrated behind the wheel.
How do I know this? Before retiring from the fire dept, I drove this route every other day (48 hour shifts) & also during responses to incidents.
It has been almost two years since having to drive that route to work. Can't say I miss that drive. Nope, not a bit, especially from my home in TN đ
I am also "Jump Start Super Hero." That's about it for me too.
However, I'm also a wimp and would NEVER drive Death Valley in the summer unless someone held a gun to my head.