Technical Small Service

[sdb-punto]

Hi,

I am having a small service tomorrow where i will be getting the place to change over the HT leads and Spark plugs...
What else are some good things to get changed/ looked at?
I had a service in December but the car is running more sluggish than normal
I am also going to see if they can give it an oil service (change of oil) drain/ change the coolant fluid and possibly change the gearbox fluid (is this pricey?)
What else are some good thnigs to get them to look into for a service (think cost effective here )

Many Thanks

Sam

EDIT: also can someone talk me through the steps to removing the rocker/ cam cover to paint it?

 

[richie.guy]

Engine oil is worth doing next month IMO
Change the filter too.
Box oil is worth doing £15 for oil+ £5-10 for doing it probably.
Coolant will be ok if it's not 3-4 years old but no harm doing it.

Remove the air filter casing by undoing the two bolts holding it in place.
Either unclip the camshaft position sensor or undo the bolt holding the camshaft position sensor and remove

Undo the three 10mm bolts ontop of the cam cover - two at the right hand side and 1 at the left. There is also a bolt on the left hand side inside plastic casing that needs to be removed. There is a clip at the back edge, press it in and pull it out

Lift the cover off
Remove the old gasket

There may be parts of the gasket on the engine, carefully remove them making sure none of it gets into the engine itself

Clean both of the surfaces with a rag ensuring there is no crap on. Pop the gasket in place on the cover

 

[sdb-punto]

Engine oil is worth doing next month IMO
Change the filter too.
Box oil is worth doing £15 for oil+ £5-10 for doing it probably.
Coolant will be ok if it's not 3-4 years old but no harm doing it.

Remove the air filter casing by undoing the two bolts holding it in place.
Either unclip the camshaft position sensor or undo the bolt holding the camshaft position sensor and remove

Undo the three 10mm bolts ontop of the cam cover - two at the right hand side and 1 at the left. There is also a bolt on the left hand side inside plastic casing that needs to be removed. There is a clip at the back edge, press it in and pull it out

Lift the cover off
Remove the old gasket

There may be parts of the gasket on the engine, carefully remove them making sure none of it gets into the engine itself

Clean both of the surfaces with a rag ensuring there is no crap on. Pop the gasket in place on the cover

Cheers Richie

I am getting it done at a garage so i will get them to do all the things at the top of your reply... might aswell get the engine oil sorted tomorrow as i wouldnt like to do that myself. By box oil you do mean gearbox dont you? i will see if they can do that for me, as occasionally i find it hard to get it into gear.
Also with regards to removing the cam cover (i will do that myself - probs at weekend)... i have a focus induction kit so would i have to remove that... so the bit you wrote about the air filter applies to that yes? also removing the cam shaft position sensor... how do you do that and where is it?
Have you got a picture of what it looks like underneath the cam cover? is the gasket striaght under and where would i get a replacement gasket? is it a hard job? and does it matter if the cam cover is left off overnight?

Many thanks and sorry for all the questions!

EDIT: I have read the trusty haynes manual and know about the removal and re-fitting of cam cover thanks (it also mentions the accelerator cable, crankcase emission system, fuel injector wiring duct - do i have to worry about these?), also do i have to worry about the camshaft oil seal?- and i have located the camshaft position sensor!

How much would it cost for a new oil filter?

 

[richie.guy]

Lots of questions

Yes it's gearbox oil. Yes they will do it.

You will need to remove the induction kit or move it over to one side.

The cam sensor is 1 x 10mm head bolt you'll see it:

Underneath:

[imghttp://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f265/richardguy5/DSC02109Medium.jpg[/img]

Cover:

Fiat for the gasket all others are poor and leak IME

Easy job.

Yes it matters the engine should not be left 'open' for any length of time. If you must, wrap cling film over it to stop ANY debris/dust getting into the top end.

 

[richie.guy]

it also mentions the accelerator cable, crankcase emission system, fuel injector wiring duct - do i have to worry about these?)

also do i have to worry about the camshaft oil seal?- and i have located the camshaft position sensor!

You just unclip the loom.

No.

 

[sdb-punto]

Cheers Richie you have been a superb help which is why i have given you triple thanks

Please excuse my lack of knowledge about cars, but better to be safe than sorry!

 

[richie.guy]

It's fine, don't mind helping.

Nothing to be scared of doing an oil change though, if you can do the cam cover you can do an oil change.

Jack car up when it's warm.
Take filler cap off.
Undo sump plug to drain oil.
Re-fit plug.
Remove oil filter.
Smear oil on new filter seal.
Fit new filter.
Top up with oil.
Job done.

 

[sdb-punto]

Cheers Richie - we need more friendly, knowledgable Fiat people like you ,

But as its going to the garage to get the spark plugs and ht leads and other things sorted out i might as well get them to do that aswell, the oil filter isnt expensive is it? doesnt sound it anyway... it looks like i have a leak there anyway as i have the same picture as the haynes manual shows with the oil leaking (and it says from the oil filter!)

Knowing my bad luck im bound to c*ck something up removing the cam cover!
If i think of anymore things to ask you know i will post them up here!
But for the service the best things to change are the:

• Engine oil and filter
• Gearbox oil
• Coolant fluid
• and the HT leads and spark plugs

Any more you can think of!?

Cheers Sam

 

[richie.guy]

That'll do fine.

The 1.2 engine is ideal to learn on.

The sparks and HT's are very simple jobs to do. Have a go yourself.

Filter will be £5-10.

 

[sdb-punto]

I just knew you were going to say that!

i just dont really have enough confidence/ trust in myself! (and bad luck - the day i bought it the head gasket blew!)

isnt the cam cover gasket the one that should always be replaced when the head gasket blows?

will have a fiddle around when i get it back after tomorrow though - with the trusty haynes manual that i have!

I am going to need the practice as i want an alfa next!!

Thanks again Richie

 

[sdb-punto]

Wish i had done it myself now
Parts were £50,
Labour was £78

Aaa well it is running sooooooo much better now though

I am going to change my cam cover gasket aswell soon MYSELF!, how much for one of those?

 

[bigbadjohn]

Wish i had done it myself now
Parts were £50,
Labour was £78

Aaa well it is running sooooooo much better now though

I am going to change my cam cover gasket aswell soon MYSELF!, how much for one of those?

should be about 5quid for cam cover gasket