Ensuring your vehicle is in top working condition before and after disaster strikes is important to most survival plans. But what happens when it all settles down and you're getting low on engine oil?
First, choose your bug out vehicle and know your limits. See the article "Choosing Your Ride" by Eliot - Site Admin, which "addresses a number of issues including road conditions, vehicle durability and fuel efficiency in discussing the pros and cons of various modes of conveyance", for your own ideal vehicle.
Basic vehicle and mechanical maintenance is important, easier than expected and with this article, I will try to explain how to salvage the basic resources to keep up with maintenance, but let us start with the disclaimer and some safety notes.
Disclaimer
•This article is designed for a dystopia scenario, though the suggestion may be incorporated in society today or while on the run.
•The following suggestions are all of my humble opinion and research. If you do happen to find any error or discrepancies, please inform me with detail. I will not be able to cover everything without taking a full year but your extra suggestions can and most probably will be incorporated and quoted in the article.
•Do not trespass on property until after disaster strikes; this can cause complications between you, the land owner and the authorities.
•If you choose to incorporate any of this article in modern times please ensure you have any electrical, plumbing, mechanical, etc. checked by a trade-qualified professional.
•Consult the designated MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) when using any liquid, spray, etc.
•I am not responsible for any mishaps, misuse, etc., so use at your own risk and discretion.
Safety Awareness
•Please ensure adequate personal protection equipment is used during tasks.
•Lifting above recommended weight is not advisable.
•Your hands cannot be replaced; wear proper gloves.
•Eye protection should be worn.
•In situations where you believe a dust mask should be donned, put one on.
•Watch out for wildlife including, but not limited to: snakes, crocodiles, bears, wildcats, wild dogs, biting and stinging insects.
•Keep up your hydration; the more strenuous work you do the more water your body needs.
•If you choose to incorporate any of this article in modern times please ensure you have any electrical, plumbing, mechanical, etc. checked by a trade- qualified professional.
•Electricity or pressure could still be a thing of dystopia; ensure power and pressure is isolated in all circumstances (hydraulic line, solar power electricity, etc)
•If you do see a warning sign, pay attention to it, then take it and the pole for later use.
Grease, Oils, Coolant, Fuels and Other Mechanical Fluids.
While in dystopia there will be short supply of any lubricants or fluids. Storing these fluids before a disaster strikes will be an advantage. A simple concept would be keeping your vehicle at least half full of fuel at all times. A spare bottle of coolant (antifreeze, etc) should be kept in your car just in case, as well as a small sealed bottle of motor oil, brake fluid, power steering fluid, window washer fluid and transmission fluid. These can be kept in the boot of the car or behind the rear seat of utility trucks. I know these won't last long but it is better than nothing at all.
Collecting these during the days of dystopia may or may not be difficult. Expect the worse when searching for fuel, lubricants and other fluids, the obvious places may have already been cleaned out. These places include workshops, car yards, homes, home garages, sheds, car repair shops, junk yards, discount stores, car-related stores, barns, etc. In most cases these are all stored in containers already, though if you find similar stock in half- containers, top one container up and have a spare container. Tips: Collect the empty containers for use later. Grease cartridge guns may hold grease inside, so take the whole thing and check later
Salvaging the fluids and lubricants is a little more time-consuming. You will need containers to collect or store them, a siphon hose, various tools and a funnel. The funnel can be made from the top half of a plastic bottle. Tips: If possible, I advise you bring the vehicle back to your stronghold for disassembling later down the track for other parts.
Vehicles are an obvious choice for salvaging fuel, engine oil, transmission oil, brake fluid, coolant, power steering fluid and windscreen washer fluid.
Siphon the fuel from the vehicle. I personally do it with the old suck-through-the-hose trick. Another method is are used by using 6 foot of hose or tube and pushing as much as the hose into the fuel entry as possible, allowing the hose to fill with fuel. Place your finger over the end of the hose creating a suction hold than pull some hose out and hold over a container and release your finger, this should allow continuous flow.
Another great tip from L. Blaire can be found on page 173 here³. Tips: if you find yourself unable to siphon the fuel, a common thief method is to jam a knife or screwdriver through the bottom of fuel tanks and empty the contents into a container. Also, removing the pipes from the fuel tank can be done if you want to keep the fuel tank whole. Also check out THIS THREAD for more ways to siphon fuel.
Draining the engine oil(also know as 710), you will need a container, a funnel and a shifter/spanner or a socket set. Unscrew the oil cap, oil filter and underneath any engine is a "Drain Plug". Fit the shifter to the "Drain Plug" and turn counter-clockwise. Ensure you have the container ready to catch the oil (or set up previous to undoing the plug). Tips: You'll find that if you lift the front of the vehicle, more oil will drain out. If you have trouble undoing the oil filter, using a fan belt tightly wrapped around, a dog's choke chain, your own belt, or if worse comes to worse, punch a hole in the filter (while holding a container underneath) and allow the oil to drain. When the oil is drained from the filter drive a screwdriver or knife all the way through and turn counter-clockwise. Check the dipstick first before continuing to drain the oil; if the dipstick shows there is none, you just saved yourself a lot of time.
To drain the transmission oil of cars you will need a funnel, screw driver, shifter or socket set and a longish container. First, undo the bolts of the transmission plate / pan underneath the vehicle. Start By undoing the bolts on only one side of the transmission plate/pan, this will direct the drainage into one area and as the flow slows undo more bolts1. Undoing all the bolts at once will cause the plate to drop and make a mess, so be careful and leave two bolts on the opposite side left on until the flow has stopped and then lower the plate carefully as you undo the last two bolts and pour what is left in the pan into your container1. Remove the filter as explained for engine oil.
Brake fluid is highly toxic and wearing personal protective equipment is HIGHLY recommended, such as eye protection, face protection, chemical resistant gloves and simply don't let brake fluid touch you. The tools required to remove the brake fluid will be another person, a sealable (preferably air tight) container and a small shifter or socket set. Behind each tire you will find brakes, behind each brake you will find a brake bleeder hose. Place the bleeder hose into the container, and have the other person pump the brakes 2 or 4 times while your unscrew the screw on the bleeder hose carefully (if you break it you are going to need a new one). Be warned the brake fluid will squirt out in some force. Tighten the screw on the bleeder hose and repeat the process until all of the brake fluid has been flushed out. Note: once brake fluid has been exposed to the oxygen in the air, it will have its boiling point lowered; having filled a container to the brink and having a little overflow when you tighten the lid on will be very helpful in long term storage.
Coolant (antifreeze, etc) is one of the easiest fluids to collect and all you need is a container and a pair of pliers or a screwdriver (or a knife to cut the hose with). At the bottom of the radiator you will see a hose that usually runs up behind the fan, place the container under the hose to collect the coolant. The radiator hose will be held on with a hose clamp or a hose clip. The hose clamp can be loosened by turning the screw built onto the clamp, whilst a hose clip needs has two prongs that need to be clamped in order to loosen the clip. Loosen whatever is holding the hose and allow coolant to drain out. Tip: To drain the coolant faster, tilt the vehicle towards the side of hose to ensure you collect it all.
Power steering fluid is best accessed by the reservoir's hose, these can be a little tough to get to, but hey you don't want to turn that steering wheel six times just to turn a corner. Place a container underneath the hose and remove the hose from its bottom housing, usually no tools are required. Once you have accessed and removed the hose, allow it all to drain into the container.
Windscreen washer fluid is actually a little tedious due to its placement, but it is easy access. To remove the washer fluid you'll need a container & possibly a hose. The pipe leading from the bottom of the reservoir should be pulled off and placed into the container allowing the fluid to drain directly into the container. If the hose is to short you can add the extra hose to the end of the reservoirs hose for a lengthier drain pipe.
Battery acid for car batteries can be sourced from other car batteries. You will need a spanner to undo the brace holding it in place and a Philips head screw driver to undo the caps of each cell. Empty one cell at a time into a glass jar and keep the battery for the extra lead. Ensure to wear eye protection, suitable gloves and respiratory protection. Battery acid contains sulphuric acid which can be a dangerous substance, especially when exposed to heat.
Gasoline Operated Equipment will be a common source of fuel, oils and other mechanical fluids in an urban post-apocalyptic environment. Lawn mowers, line trimmers, hedge trimmers, chainsaws, ride-on mowers, generators, and other mechanical equipment will prove to be fertile hunting grounds for salvaging essential fluids. Removing the fluids from most small lawn and garden tools is as simple as turning the tool upside down and draining each type of fluid into a container individually. As for the ride-on mower, use the same techniques as explained for vehicles.
Desperate times call for desperate measures and living in dystopia, especially in a community, there will be plenty of time to work towards rebuilding. These are the moments you scrape out lubricating grease from worn bearings, old grease tins, discarded grease cartridges, inside the lines of grease cartridge guns, grease pumps, grease pump lines, grease barrels, grease fittings and articulating points on vehicles and machinery such as axles.
WD-40, Inox, Loctite Keep an eye out for WD-40, Inox, Loctite or similar aerosols and bottles. These will prove to be invaluable.
Substitutions may become necessary to run your equipment during hard times because once these manmade chemicals stop being manufactured and shipped globally; they may never be available in your area again. Starting at the basics
• Vaseline and other petroleum jellies can be uses as a substitute for grease. A cold weather substitute could be deep frying oil because once it cools, the fat separates from the vegetable oil and becomes solid that sits on top of the oil, although the fat should not be heated over 50 degrees Celsius.
• Any window and glass cleaning product can be used in your windscreen washer, but also consider diluted vinegar as a good replacement as well.
• Distilled water is used as a common "top up" method for car batteries.
• Any light cooking oil can be used for air motors and compressors when in tight supply.
"Brakes not working?
Got some detergent, an old tin can and some water?
Problem solved! Mix the water and detergent and use to replace the brake fluid. Sure enough, when tested out, the brakes work better!"
EzineArticles Submission
(2011) 2006 Outback Australia ... Bush Mechanic Tips!
http://EzineArticles.com/
Cleaning and preparing your salvaged grease, oils, coolant, fuels and other mechanical fluids can become a monotonous chore, but well worth it. We will look at some methods of cleaning or otherwise changing the usual method of use.
Fuel is a touchy subject when it has been contaminated with anything, but if it's just water, pay attention it will settle at the bottom of the fuel because water is denser than gasoline. Knowing this you can put it in a container with a drain hole, store the fuel for a day or two and then drain the water from the bottom until petrol is at its normal color. Additives are sometime required to remove any of the water that may be left behind by blending it with clean fuel you can dilute it. The higher the octane levels of fuel the better. If the fuel is too contaminated with water, dirt, rust, and other nastiness, you will need to look at utilizing it elsewhere such as fuel for lanterns, camping stoves, or as a base to start a fire (Molotov cocktails come to mind). You can also use the old gasoline as a cleaner to remove particles from mechanical parts. You can also use it to clean greasy mechanical parts or any bare metal surfaces by soaking them in the fuel, or use it as stain remover before washing your clothes (after rinsing fuel out). Last thing I am aware of is using fuel as herbicide when mixed with water and shaken vigorously before each use. Warnings: Using fuel as an herbicide in can result in big fines, check with your local authorities before using this method. Fuel is highly flammable and should be used with care.
The problem with used oils is that they turn into sludge when they oxidize, and are exposed to contaminants. Thankfully, there are simple ways to remove the contaminants and create usable oils once again. An article written on www.eHow.com by Heather Laurent can explain one of a few ways to do this. The article is called "How to Purify Used Motor Oil" and Heather explains in the article that all you need is a roll toilet paper, metal or fly screen, a couple of containers, a knife and a plug to remove contaminants from used oil. I advise you go to this article for details on how to create this simple filter.
Another option that I learned while working in the Outback, is to filter the oil by means of a large rag. You will need a long rag (thick wool will do), two containers and the natural forces of gravity. You first filter the used oil threw the large rag and into the first container, do this slowly and ensure spillage does not occur. Once this has been completed place the second container below the first container and dip the long rag into the oil (except the corner you are holding), leaving one end in the higher container, place the other end of the oil soaked rag into the lower container and this will create a siphon type system which will filter out contaminants. This will happen over a few days, but it is well worth it. I currently do this for my lawn mower using engine oil.
I am aware of other methods using specific electrical equipment or motors but in my opinion these options can be more difficult and utilize more resources. Though How to Make Diesel from Used Motor Oil by Darren Bonaparte on www.eHow.com was an interesting read and may come in handy.
It is possible to use the salvaged oils in oil burning devices such as lanterns and furnaces, but the oil will need to be burned at high temperatures. The oily rags used can act as wicks for light sources. Warning: burning used oil and oil rags may be against the law in your local area, please check with local authorities before continuing. Burning oil requires good air ventilation to prevent suffocation and poisoning, so ensure good air flow before lighting.
If you are going to salvage the brake fluid, make sure you check to see if it is clean, if it is store it in an air tight container. If the brake fluid is dark brown or has a lot of contaminants, it will no longer be useful as brake fluid, however it can be repurposed. Brake fluid can be used as a seriously good paint stripper, alternatively you can mix it in with your salvaged oil and use it in your oil burning devices. It can also help quicken the decomposition rate of an infected or a diseased corpse. For more information on this, go to http://www.youtube.com/ and search for chlorine and brake fluid.
Coolants (also known as antifreeze) are highly toxic, all those movies, survival shows, etc where you see the people drink the fluid from a radiator should of died a painful death (unless propylene glycol is in the radiator instead of the usual ethylene base, and then if it is boiled and treated, then maybe it would be possible.) I understand that some people in temperate areas use water in their radiators, but if you are in cold climates don't drink it. To purify coolant use the same methods explained for oils.
Coolants are usually green (unless it is Toyota brand, which is red) and if it isn't collected from a Toyota while and it is a color other than green, deem it useless as a coolant. When the fluid can no longer be used as a coolant, it can be used to melt permafrost. Otherwise (and with the warning bells of checking with authorities first) coolant can be used as herbicide.
GM Dex-Cool = Orange 1996-present
Toyota =Pink /Red
Universal = Yellow
The base chemical to 98% of all coolants is Etheline glycol, which means it's almost always compatible with each other. This is not true about Specialized coolants like Chrysler's extended life antifreeze, nor the Orange or Pink.
The difference is, GM, Chrysler, Toyota, and the other makers use special additives in their antifreeze, for example, GM uses a lubricant in the Orange for the water pumps.
NOTICE: Never mix the colors together, though it may look pretty, the chemicals do not mix well, and will become very alkaline, which just like an acid, is not gasket and metal friendly, in other words, the car's engine will start being eaten from the inside out. There are a few other reasons why not to mix the different coolants, but, I don't think I need to bore you with the details.
Universal antifreeze, like those made by Peak, or Prestone, are compatible with Etheline Glycol and Propylene Glycol, which means you can mix with any color.
Window washer fluid can be cleaned simply by straining it a few times into and transferrin it into a clean container. Use a tightly woven rag and hold it over the container as you pour the fluid through the rag and into the clean container.
You can make a simple strainer by placing gauze at the bottom of a tin can and a loose material, like sand or pillow stuffing or paper towels on top of the gauze to create a make shift filter. Punch a hole in the bottom of the can pour the fluid you want to strain into the tin can and allow the filtered fluid to drainage through the bottom of the can.
It is a good idea to store items such as engine filters that could be useful at a later date. The best option is to cling / shrink wrap the whole filter ensuring that no elements, like dust and water, to enter inside of the filter. As for motors and larger items, shove a clean rag (or a few bunched together) into all of the main holes, but make sure they can be easily removed later. Store everything in a cool dry place away from sunlight and away from insects or other animals that might want to make their homes inside of the items.
End notes: I am aware of other fluids and gases used in vehicle and machinery. The extraction methods are beyond my understanding or ability to explain how to create the equipment needed. Please, for any advice on salvaging any of these, let us know your tips and ideas. Any suggestions on salvaging or substituting any mentioned resources in the article will be appreciated. Any information you have on other common fluids and possible extraction methods please share.
Bibliography
1How To Repair Your Car
Paul Brand (published 2006)
Besides the windex and vinegar, metholated spirits (mixed 50/50 with water) and eucalyptus oil (50/50 mixed with water) work great as well.
On diesel trucks, it may just be easier to unscrew the hose at the bottom of the fuel tank. Gasoline cars, pop a hole in the bottom, and catch the spilling fuel.
Other than that excellent article.
Thanks for explaining that Sarge. To overcome the "security measures" get a long threaded rod or similar and than jamming it down will break them most times. This works with semi-trucks tanks and any car tank with a straight inlet pipe.
The following is hidden in there...
☺And thanks to both of you for the compliments.☻
"Leo84: id love to spartan kick a kid" - ZPI CHAT
DUMB WORKERS
It would, you could even just cut it, leave the lid of the reservoir open and work on the rest of the vehicle while it drains into a containers.. But I tried to write this with being able to salvage everything else from the vehicle later down the track. Nothing worse than ruining a brake line than needing one three days later.
"Leo84: id love to spartan kick a kid" - ZPI CHAT
DUMB WORKERS
Great article:)
About punching holes in the bottom of metal fuel tanks: Use a brass screw or punch instead of steel. Steel on steel can=spark can=boom. Using a cordless drill emits a spark discharge as well and could equal undesired results.
Fuel stabilizers are a great idea to have. I buy it in bulk since I have a classic car that doesn't get driven for long periods of time. I have Sta-Bil brand but sure other work too.
If you plan on buying several fuel, oil, cabin, air filters for a particular survival vehicle I highly recommend Wix brand filters. They are superior in design and function and cost the same as the rest. Fram's Air Hog and K&N fair filters are washable-reusable which could be handy if your driving in off road, desert, dusty, or fallout conditions.