Technical So, what did they do at my service?

[Herts Hillhopper]

Just curious...

The 1.2 4x4 is not the quickest of motors, but mine's been more sluggish than 'normal' for a while -- in fact after the 24000 service carried out by a Fiat main dealer it seemed to lose some of the 'poke' it had before then. I did the 36000 oil change (and air filter too). But, just back from 48000 service (and Mot pass too), and it's really going like the clappers: sustains 70 on motorway hills again, reaches 90 (where allowed, of course) and generally seems much happier. Obviously oil and filter were changed. Tappets adjusted, and spark plugs replaced (all as per 24000 service), plus brake fluid changed ('cos it hadn't been done before). What else might have been done (or done 'better') to make so much difference i wonder? (Service by a local independent, btw, £200 all in, inc the MoT)

I suppose I could simply ask the guy who did it, but before that, what's the FF opinion?

Pete

 

[kipster1]

Pulled the mat from under your accellerater pedal .

 

[SeiSporting]

When fiat replaced plugs maybe they were wrong ones they put in it on your 24k or not gapped correctly?
Can make a fair bit of difference.

 

[ScoobyChris]

Wonder if they put through any fuel additive or cleaner?

Chris

 

[HP]

When fiat replaced plugs maybe they were wrong ones they put in it on your 24k or not gapped correctly?
Can make a fair bit of difference.

That would have been my guess, too.

 

[Andy Monty]

My 1.2 GP has been the same.......

1st and 2nd year done by the Fiat stealer in Donncaster

last year i dipped the oil before i drove off it was cleaner than it was but not crystal clear this year i got it serviced at the local Independent and after a week and a bit the oil still looks like new and absolutely spotless and it now goes like stink........

need a major service next year and they are going to get the job.......

Wonder if they put through any fuel additive or cleaner?

Chris

i know they didn't in my case i asked....

 

[izzy eckerslike]

Is changing brake fluid really necessary ? I have a 17 year old motor caravan with original fluid in & in all the 16 vehicles I have had since 1962 I never had the fluid changed & never run out of braking power

 

[Geddes]

Brake fluid absorbes water over time. The more water it absorbes, the lower the fluid's boiling point becomes.
If the fluid boils your brakes stop working. If it boils it's going to be because you're braking heavily which is exactly when you don't want them to fail

If you do it yourself it only costs a few quid so it's worth doing.

 

[Andy Monty]

Is changing brake fluid really necessary ? I have a 17 year old motor caravan with original fluid in & in all the 16 vehicles I have had since 1962 I never had the fluid changed & never run out of braking power

Brake fluid absorbes water over time. The more water it absorbes, the lower the fluid's boiling point becomes.
If the fluid boils your brakes stop working. If it boils it's going to be because you're braking heavily which is exactly when you don't want them to fail

If you do it yourself it only costs a few quid so it's worth doing.

the indy told me that it very rairly needs doing car brakes operate on a closed system so no water or moisture can get in

 

[doctorchris]

I've had the exciting experience of losing almost all braking whilst descending a Welsh mountain in my Triumph Herald, about 30 years ago. The car was about 11 years old and had never had a change of brake fluid.
The heat in the front brake pistons had allowed the water in the brake fluid to boil, changing the contents of the hydraulic system from incompressible liquid to compressible gas.
Ever since that incident I have been very particular about changing brake fluid.
Although Fiat specify a change every 2 years, I believe that every 3 years is sufficient, however.

 

[Andy Monty]

I've had the exciting experience of losing almost all braking whilst descending a Welsh mountain in my Triumph Herald, about 30 years ago. The car was about 11 years old and had never had a change of brake fluid.
The heat in the front brake pistons had allowed the water in the brake fluid to boil, changing the contents of the hydraulic system from incompressible liquid to compressible gas.
Ever since that incident I have been very particular about changing brake fluid.
Although Fiat specify a change every 2 years, I believe that every 3 years is sufficient, however.

the dealer told me it should be done annually im all for having it done every few years but not every year.....

Had fluid boil in my mountain bike brakes thats erm... interesting when the lever comes back to the bars (guess what i bled them that night)......

 

[doctorchris]

I disagree about the closed system that does not allow moisture in.
The brake fluid reservoir is not totally sealed and presents a surface of brake fluid which can absorb moisture in the air above it. As the brakes wear, fluid from the reservoir enters the hydraulic system, carrying with it moisture.
With modern ABS systems the issue of moisture in the brake fluid does not just relate to loss of braking. This moisture can also cause corrosion of the expensive ABS components which can then fail to function properly.

 

[babbo umbro]

I've had the exciting experience of losing almost all braking whilst descending a Welsh mountain in my Triumph Herald, about 30 years ago. The car was about 11 years old and had never had a change of brake fluid.
The heat in the front brake pistons had allowed the water in the brake fluid to boil, changing the contents of the hydraulic system from incompressible liquid to compressible gas.
Ever since that incident I have been very particular about changing brake fluid.
Although Fiat specify a change every 2 years, I believe that every 3 years is sufficient, however.

I used to be meticulous about changing brake fluid every couple of years ages ago but I thought that modern brake fluid is much less hygroscopic than it used to be and this issue had gone away.

 

[Wee Smurf]

I can confirm that losing all braking power is no fun. I had this happen to me once and was very lucky to catch on in time, so got stopped safely... Wouldn't want that to happen again!

 

[HP]

It's not something you want to take any risks with really, is it. For the cost of a litre of fluid and an hour or so's work, it's a no brainer.

Wee Smurf, yeah - had similar in a Manta. Brake pedal went to the floor just as I turned onto a slip road from a dual carriageway at 70mph. Managed to do the evasive stuff and pump like hell on the brakes till something came back. Enough to scare the living crap out of you.

 

[Wee Smurf]

Mine was my old Polo... After I got pulled up, I too pumped the brakes like mad till I got a very weak brake back. Then I ventured home again (about six miles in rush hour traffic), parked up and left it there for a month or so till I got it fixed... I know nothing about servicing brake calipers, changing pipes and bleeding brake systems myself, so I wasn't for messing with them... Never felt the same about driving the car even after it was fixed. That's why I bought my Panda. Still have the Polo though... Others might collect little models of their cars. I haven't ever sold a car after 15 years of driving. Lol. Good job I've only had two cars in that time. HeHe.

 

[Herts Hillhopper]

It's not something you want to take any risks with really, is it. For the cost of a litre of fluid and an hour or so's work, it's a no brainer.

My thoughts exactly: the car is four years old and 49000 miles. Spending a fiver on brake fluid and adding maybe half an hour of time to the bill is not a lot to pay to have the most important part of the car work properly, is it?

Thanks for your answers folks. Spark plugs seems most likely -- the difference really is very noticeable...

Pete

 

[T14086]

the indy told me that it very rairly needs doing car brakes operate on a closed system so no water or moisture can get in

Thats incorrect (as already stated) also there was talk recently of changing brake fluid every year but this would be hard to enforce.

My thoughts exactly: the car is four years old and 49000 miles. Spending a fiver on brake fluid and adding maybe half an hour of time to the bill is not a lot to pay to have the most important part of the car work properly, is it?

Exactly,Fiat dealer near me does brake fluid changes for free!

 

[ScoobyChris]

Along similar lines, but my car has been feeling a bit flat for the last thousand or so miles but I've just come back from my 24k mile service and it's singing again. Clearly new plugs and fresh oil make a big difference

Chris

 

[BenP]

My thoughts exactly: the car is four years old and 49000 miles. Spending a fiver on brake fluid and adding maybe half an hour of time to the bill is not a lot to pay to have the most important part of the car work properly, is it?

Thanks for your answers folks. Spark plugs seems most likely -- the difference really is very noticeable...

Pete

There are three types of NGK plugs (the OE manufacturer) suitable for 1.2 engines, depending what engine code you have. If you have engine code 188A4.000 with 14mm plugs, you should have BKR5EZ plugs which should be gapped to 0.9 mm. If you have the same engine code with 12mm plugs, or engine code 199A4.000, you need DCRP7E-N-10 or ZKR7A-10 plugs respectively - both of which have the gap preset.

Might be worth checking to see what type you have as unfortunatley I doubt a lot of techs bother about gapping the plugs.

Ben