Can a high mile tacoma drive the grapevine I5? CA

It’s pretty crazy but they still have the old radiator water tanks on the pull outs of the grapevine should you see some smoke blowing out of your radiator.

 

And maybe do a little wheeling while you're there lol

 

Thats pretty cool I'll definitely stop in gorman! I don't think I would stop at those water tanks, I only use coolant and I'll be carrying an extra gallon of some just in case!

 

Coolant should always be diluted 50/50 with distilled water unless it comes pre-diluted in the bottle. Distilled water alone works great. Coolant is basically just antifreeze and distilled water anyway, the water is what actually keeps the engine cool.

 

For sure buddy. I’ve driven that hill tons of times. My folks live in the Central Valley and I was living down south for a while. I can also say that Frazier park has the cheapest gas if you must stop. Otherwise stop in Bakersfield if you drive the 99. Laval rd exit gas is expensive but in n out and all kinds of other fun stuff is there. Just plan your fill up in Bakersfield if you can because it’s cheaper.

 

Oh you bet I'll fill up before I merge to i5! lol I'm from the central also so I know the 99 up here. I've been a passenger down the 99 and i5 many times, but this is my first time driving down there so I just want to make sure Im all prepared

 

Yeah I have the peak 50/50 pink for the japanese high mileage 90s and up!

 

It be fine I would drive my tacoma all modded with 290k from Visalia to La every weekend for like 3-4 months no issues

 

My buddy just got stationed in San Antonio, he had no issues making the 1,600mi drive in his 99' w/ 237k on it...pulled a 5x8 uhaul trailer the whole way too

 

Driving in neutral is actually illegal in CA.

That being said, there's nothing to gain by it either. Put it in 4th and you'll cruise down the Grapevine at 65 without using any brakes, until someone cuts you off.

Keeping it in gear ensures that the transmission stays lubricated.

 

A friend of mine back in highschool would always coast the hills. I asked him why and he said his dad always taught him to save the transmission because they are super expensive to fix, compared to brakes.

So I just asked him what's WORSE to have fail on you going down a steep hill: transmission or brakes?

That was the moment he realized his hillbilly dad wasn't the know-it-all he thought he was.

 

Everyone uses coolant. Pure water is actually extremely good at dissipating heat, so not sure what you're worried about. But those water tanks aren't there to be used to flush your rad during regular maintenance. It's for emergencies. I'd piss in my radiator if it meant being able to drive the 10 miles to a shop to make repairs.

That said, the grapevine is hardly "wilderness" anymore. To go from one side to the other is like a 40-50 minute drive, and there are several towns along the way (Castaic, Gorman, Lebec) so you're never more than ~20 minutes from civilization.

I don't carry any fluids with me on a regular basis (unless I'm wheeling). Never did even with my 86 4Runner. In this day and age with cell phones, it's just a minor inconvenience IF you break down.

 

Update: Had no issues going uphill and downhill, kept my gear in 4th most of the time and was at a comfortable 65! I left the AC off the entire time, not that hot, my friend and I just rolled down the windows. Six flags was awesome, no lines and we went on most of the rides there. Went on Goliath 5 times xP