Hello All,

I am giving my MK1 some long overdue love and having light restoration. Interested to hear what jobs people suggest doing regularly to keep them running. 1.9 JTD. Would be interested to hear any comments and suggestions
My suggestions :
a) hand brake cable support underneath - keep dish empty
b) ensure covers around hand brake cable and mud flaps
c) get wheel arch liners out every couple of years and check and treat issues
d) under car every year - check for underseal lifting and sort it
e) sill covers off every 2 years - check and sort
f) seals on sun roof - treat with something to feed the rubber and clean well
Same on door and boot rubbers
g) cam belt and water pump every 5 years, 70 k miles
h) oil change and fuel filter once a year or 10 k mile.
Newer multis have bigger fuel filter that will go longer.
g) watch for oil level rise
h)breaks - wheels off every year and service clean - check suspension etc.
g) waxoyl type treatment - as and when required by inspections
h) check alternator for cracking and damage
i) make sure warming up reasonably quick - thermostat OK

Some more things to keep em going, I am getting to end of sorting underneath :
1) radiators support at front. Rust treat it - keep an eye on it, has bumper supports - you can get to these easy to coat and protect else they will rust off
2) brake pipes are steel on my 2004. If black coating gone, clean off add rust treatments - then coat then paint/coat/grease
3) Clutch pipe is steel, can go near master cylinder, caught early and treated will last better
4) Unbolt battery tray and air box tray, where wiring loom runs, check for rust as tapes on loom hold water/damp and keep moist. Clean and sort everything sooner rather than later
5)clean out tail gate if any gunge is accumulating in rubbers at bottom etc - every few months
6) keep and eye on bottom of doors, the back ones hold mud and crud

Rear suspension arm bearings/bush - do them before they fail - are hard to remove and wheel is too squint. Can be done without removing subframe if needed, especially if caught early enough. I would say 6 to 8 years depending on conditions or if you have the grease nipples retrofitted. (guestimate)
-Grease the outside of bolt or grease nipple if you added one a few times a year.

I would call that a well put together schedule to keep the ole gel running sweet.
Don't forget the not so obvious items though:
Bugs have issues with a lot of little things (some are 'bigger' little things than others )
Like for example:

Clutch master cylinder spring, these can cause a lot of stress to some people especially if said people are not very mechanical. They happily do their job with no fuss until one day you chuck your size 9 into action to go somewhere nice and your boot hits the floor. That's ok, but the bloody clutch pedal stays there as if sulking and saying to you 'I don't feel like playing anymore'. The job itself is not what you want to face on a typical British summers day - gales, wind, cold etc but when you have completed the job you think to yourself, that wasn't as bad as I thought it might be - on the other hand you might fancy getting the heater warmed up with a gallon of petrol and a match! :bang:

Replacement of the clutch slave cylinder: no problem at all , a few bits to move, (the more you shift the easier life gets) BUT, when it comes bleeding the finished slave change, that's when the fun really kicks in. We (the old codgers on here) have learnt by pain and frustration that it will turn one of two ways: Either it's an easy breeze or (more likely) it's one of the most stressful, frustrating jobs you ever started.
The good thing about the clutch bleed process is: It's excellent training for the ABS bleeding at brake fluid change time (which should be every two years, remember?, yours wouldn't be the first to be still running 10 year old brake fluid - you want to see how the water attacks the internal pipe and cylinder surfaces!)
Water in the brake fluid you ask? OH yeah, brake fluid is Anhydrous, which means it draws moisture from the atmosphere and collects in the brake/clutch systems. It's a sneaky little infiltrator. It then happily and quietly corrodes everything from the inside out. The first you know about it is when you sling your boot on the brake pedal to stop and find that the car doesn't want to. That's called 'trouser changing time' - it's that time gap between when you fancy stopping and when you actually do stop

Alternator: now here's a subject that's taken the skin off a few knuckles. They are a pig and make no mistake, it doesn't matter how butch you pretend to be it's still a pig. I've done a fair bit round our beloved Multi's in my short stay on this planet, but the alternator is still my favourite to leave well alone.
The problem is that it's such an awkward part to replace. The amount of junk that has to be got out of the way is ridiculous. Offside wheel, wheel liners, probably (and easier with it off) the crank pulley, then, with all the space of a sardine can you can float around the 3 most awkwardly placed bolts you will ever come across to gain access to your patient. Don't get cocky just yet tho, cos you ain't got it out yet, that takes 10 years training with Houdini to get right. And when you've completed that little job you really believe there isn't a job on any car that's too much for you. You are then allowed to celebrate in time honoured fashion - with a brew.

This post is long enough and I beg MM to forgive me for high jacking his post.

To be continued.

George

Looks like I dodged some bullets getting mechanic to do some jobs.

Clutch bleeding - back bleeding from oil can 15 minutes from new empty pipe going on. Squeeze to empty cavity on slave cylinder. Tap for bubbles to help them rise. I pressure bleed forwards to slave cylinder 2 hour so hours every time. Comments on recent post on this
Good point about periodic bleeding of fluid but not sure about every 2 years.
He argues not to bleed though.

Master cylinder spring - he hated this one - he changed the whole thing though including engine side. My son had bought his first house and I was building and fixing. Is there a trick to this ?
Alternator Only one failed on me was on newer low mileage one - I was away with work and he sorted in about an hour somehow. 130 k and 170 k ones were never a problem for me.
I think it was some mounting loosened to make room . There is a trick to wiggling it out without taking too much off.